Questions for First Trip

[Samantha]

Hopefully this will be my last post with questions before my trip and I will come back in love with Amtrak and totally question-less for the future.

I am traveling coach (every leg) RVM>WAS 94, WAS>CHI 29, CHI>MSP 27.

1. How will I know which car to actually board? Are they numbered as above or can I just board any coach car?

2. Is finding trains/boarding as daunting as I've been hearing in CHI and WAS? Just hearing there are so many hoards of people that is easy to get confused. So afraid I'm going to get left behind or board the wrong train. I seem to turn stupid when I get nervous.

3. I can carry my suitcase with me to my seat as there is plenty of overhead room?

Thanks ahead for being so helpful. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[amtkstn]

On boarding the coaches,just look for a open door with a Amtrak persousal. Chicago has line for each train and signs for each train. You have to show your E-ticket to go out to the platform to board a train. On the trains to Chicago there is room above your seat or at the end of the car. On the Builder, they use Superliners which has a large luggage rack on the lower level nextto the door in the middle.

 

[benjibear]

1. For 94 NER, I am assuming you will just get on and take whatever seat is available. There is a business class car which it sounds like your are not ticketed for. There may be a quiet car, which you may or may not want to ride. For the other two, I am assuming you will be told where to sit.

2. WAS for me wasn't a problem. I found the station very easy to navigate. CHI was a little more difficult but still easy. I found the crowds at CHI more troublesome.

3. 94 is single level equipment and there are luggage racks at the end of the car and racks overhead. The other two are 2 level superliners which have a luggage rack on the lower level and racks above the seats.

 

[the_traveler]

In WAS, it will most likely depart from one of the lower lettered gates (A-D). There will be signs and displays like at an airport saying which gate it is. In CHI, train 27 (& 7 - they are the same train) depart from the NORTH gates! Look for the signs for the north departure lounge. (When you go towards the waiting rooms, the north is on the left. Most other Amtrak trains depart from the south waiting room on the right.)

 

[June the Coach Rider]

There will be a car attendant at the door of the coach car. They will ask you where you are going and they will tell you which car to get in. In Chicago, the waiting room for the EB is less confusing than the larger room where most of the trains depart from. When you are at the Amtrak information desk, the hallway on your right says Amtrak gates, stay to your left and there will be signs to the north gate, it is a seperate waiting area past the sleeper lounge doors.

I have traveled several times this year and if I am confused, I find someone in a uniform usually quite available and ask. At the larger stations, CHI and WAS, there are TV monitors like at the airports that will tell you what gate to go to. But as The Traveler stated, you should not have much trouble as long as you follow the signs.

No chance of getting on the wrong train as only one train is boarding at one time. They check your ticket before you get out the door to the tracks and in the case of the EB, you will be given a seat ticket that will tell you which car and most of the time which seat.

Enjoy your trip, a few tips for enjoying coach as much as I do, is to bring a pillow and blanket and either music with ear plugs or regular ear plugs for sleeping. If light bothers you at night, a sleep eye mask works too. I also bring lots of snacks on the trains to that I don't have to spend as much at the cafe car and/or dining car.

 

[Samantha]

Thanks so much for the answers, y'all!

My suitcase packed weighs about 30 pounds and I am 5'2. How high are the overhead racks? Will I be able to get my suitcase up there? I really don't want to leave my bag where I can't see it. Just weird like that. Also are there electrical outlets at every seat? I have heard different answers to this...I suppose it's different on each train.

 

[Guest]

Allmost all coaches have a double outlet by each seat. Also they can be found in the lounge car.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Women have male passengers help them get their suitcases into and out of the overhead luggage compartment all the time.

Most of us like feeling useful that way and will either offer, or will do so gladly when asked.

The outlets are along the wall of the car, and generally there are outlets at every pair of seats. The cafe car on 94 and the sightseer lounges on 29 & 27 also have outlets.

Have fun!

 

[the_traveler]

Just to be non-sexist, women also help male passengers too!

I'm a male with a slight disability. If I have trouble, or seem to be having trouble, I've had many women passengers offer to help me!

 

[amtkstn]

I never worry about my bags while on the train. If someone tries to steal anything they will have a hard time getting off the train. Also they would breaking federal law. Best thing to do while riding a train is not to worry and have fun meeting people from both all states and nations.

 

[tonys96]

As for the outlets....is there only one in a roomette? According to the roomette diagram on Amtrak.com it looks like a single plug in, with three prongs.We have a power strip, but the cord is only two feet long, Will that work?

 

[zephyr17]

As for the outlets....is there only one in a roomette? According to the roomette diagram on Amtrak.com it looks like a single plug in, with three prongs.We have a power strip, but the cord is only two feet long, Will that work?

Yes, there is only one outlet in a roomette. The critical thing on the power strip is the plug. On the Superliner I's, the socket is depressed and the "flush to the wall" type plugs won't work in it. You need a power strip with a standard plug the goes straight out.
I typically run the power strip from the wall socket to space in the middle between the window and the folding table, where it will sit nicely. I think 2' may be enought for that, barely. I also duct tape the cord to the wall so it doesn't get in the way. I load up the power strip with a whole bunch of stuff, my CPAP cord, chargers for my scanner, cell phone, MP3 player, and laptop.

 

[JayPea]

When my uncle and I travel one or the other of us brings an extension cord to use with the power strip.

 

[zephyr17]

My power strip has about a 5' cord with a straight plug; I bought it specifically with roomette use in mind. You're right 2' might be too short to reach the middle of the room. On the other hand, you also don't want a whole lot of extra cord, so if you bring an extension cord, make it a realtively short one.

 

[Cooley47]

As someone mentioned to me, DO NOT buy the 90 degree plug extension cords as they won't work, make sure to buy the straight kind that go out from the wall instead of down.

 

[tonys96]

Oh, yes.....that is true! Will a two foot cord be long enough?

 

[Cooley47]

I think people have said they are too short. I bought a 6' one. I figured you can always lay it or wrap it somewhere, but if it's too short you have no options available. Doubt it would be a major price increase either.