Putting the beds down in the day or earlier

[dlagrua]

Trip to OMA in May. PHL-CHI Bedroom and CHI-OMA in a roomette. First leg of trip takes us overnight and we are familiar how everything works. Second leg of trip on the CZ will depart CHI at 2 PM and arrive in OMA around 11PM. We have a big day planned the next day and don't see us getting in at our OMA hotel much before midnight. Its a day trip in a roomette but we would like to get a couple of hours of rest before our 10:55 arrival Our plan is to get get the beds put down around 7 PM after dinner (or maybe earlier) .We understand that is just a matter of asking the SCA but has anyone experienced a "bed down early" scenario and how did it work out?

 

[Lonestar648]

The SCA can and will put down the beds anytime. Just remember at Dinner time the SCA may be busy getting meals for those who want to eat in their rooms, so I suggest letting the SCA know about what time you want your beds made before the Dinner first seating.

 

[cpotisch]

The SCA can and will put down the beds anytime. Just remember at Dinner time the SCA may be busy getting meals for those who want to eat in their rooms, so I suggest letting the SCA know about what time you want your beds made before the Dinner first seating.

Yep.

 

[railiner]

You can always do it yourself...its really pretty easy, and you would not have to make the change until the exact time that you wanted to....

 

[kbmiflyer]

You can always do it yourself...its really pretty easy, and you would not have to make the change until the exact time that you wanted to....

Agree with this, the beds are actually pretty easy to put up and down by yourself, although the attendant is always much better than me at getting the foam mattress and sheets / blankets tucked away nicely.

When I travel with my son, he will frequently put the top bunk down during the day and climb up there to watch movies on his tablet.

 

[willem]

You can always do it yourself...its really pretty easy, and you would not have to make the change until the exact time that you wanted to....

Yes it is fairly easy, but be sure to keep your fingers in sight. There are pinch points near the wall when the seat back drops down.

 

[Lonestar648]

I can usually put down the beds myself, on a recent TE trip I couldn't get the upper to come all the way down and one of the lower seats to go all the way down. The attendant tried unsuccessfully until he got his crowbar which worked quite well. The SCA said he always has the crowbar because occasionally he finds some latches or mechanisms not working correctly. He said he writes these issues up, but they rarely get fixed until the car goes in for maintenance when they read all the troubles encountered since the last maintenance.

 

[railiner]

Note to self: Add crowbar to Amtrak sleeper packing list.....

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

When I travel with my son, he will frequently put the top bunk down during the day and climb up there to watch movies on his tablet.

Ditto. Though, I'll add to play video games too.

 

[Seaboard92]

Sledgehammers work just as well. The things I've fixed on railcars with crow bars, sledgehammers, gaffers tape, zip ties, and old school ingenuity could fill a thread by itself.

But to respond to the original post your SCA should be more then happy to accommodate putting your bed down. And if he doesn't it's not a super difficult task.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Am I the only one who thinks the SCA would prefer we didn't do this ourselves? I would think they could get in a lot of trouble if a passenger got hurt doing what is supposed to be their job and would prefer that we left it to them.

(Or it could simply be that they don't want me doing it, since I can't even figure out how to put the quarter in to get the cart at Aldi's and then get my quarter back again, so maybe I am obviously not good with even basic physics.

)

 

[Maglev]

I have never felt that it was discouraged for passengers to convert the beds in Viewliners or Superliners. When I rode across Canada in an open section, a key was required to convert the beds and in that case it was inappropriate for the passengers to attempt this.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I have never felt that it was discouraged for passengers to convert the beds in Viewliners or Superliners. When I rode across Canada in an open section, a key was required to convert the beds and in that case it was inappropriate for the passengers to attempt this.

This!

 

[Seaboard92]

Most SCAs that I've come into contact with discourage the behavior of putting the bed down yourself. Partially because if you get hurt in a pinch point then it comes back onto them. And partially because the more you do the better your tips are.

Me personally I have a Pullman berth key so on VIA I could put my own bed down. But I don't because on vacation I don't work.

 

[railiner]

IIRC, at least when they were new....didn't the Superliner's have "step-by-step" placards affixed to the wall, instructing passenger's on how to do this?

Are they still there?

 

[Lonestar648]

Some cars still have the instructions, but most are gone. With some of the mechanical getting worn, it may be wise for the SCA to make the beds down. It seems like the opportunity for a minor accident with an inexperienced person is more likely.

 

[willem]

Am I the only one who thinks the SCA would prefer we didn't do this ourselves? I would think they could get in a lot of trouble if a passenger got hurt doing what is supposed to be their job and would prefer that we left it to them.

When the attendant is giving me the Welcome Aboard briefing, I say that I have put the beds down and up on many occasions and would do it myself. I haven't kept records, but I feel that about 10% of the attendants tell me not to that. Perhaps another 15% caution me to be careful, and most tell me it's fine if that's what I want to do.

But as I said upthread, one should keep one's fingers in sight at all times.

 

[user 1215]

They let you put your bed down, but they won't let you spin a seat around in coach? Just not fair.

 

[SP&S]

Note to self: Add crowbar to Amtrak sleeper packing list.....

Won't that be fun when I fly one way and take the train the other.

 

[cpotisch]

Some cars still have the instructions, but most are gone. With some of the mechanical getting worn, it may be wise for the SCA to make the beds down. It seems like the opportunity for a minor accident with an inexperienced person is more likely.

Having been in 18 Viewliner Roomettes so far, I feel pretty comfortable putting the bed down quickly and safely when in one. But I would say that for newbies, or for people with limited mobility, it might make sense for the SCA to do it.

 

[JRR]

I always let the SCA do it. The good ones are always pro active about when you wish to have it done.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[StriderGDM]

If it's the upper bunk on the Viewliner, I often do it myself, especially the times that the SCA appears to be impossible to find ( I think one time I waited for an hour before giving up).

The lower bunk, with the seats, I let them do it.