Sleeper tips I am providing for my brother's Amtrak trip

[GG-1]

Duct tape? NO! It damages things. If you are compelled to tape stuff as defense against rattles or "overenthusiastic" air vents, bring wide masking tape. Door rattles can usually be solved with washcloths.

Aloha

I cringe when people say Douct tape. It does leave a residue as it was designed to seal air ducts. There is a higher quality tape that we uuse in the entertainment industry called "GAFF" Tape. This tape leaves no residue, will not lift paint, unless paint is damaged already.

I can not count how many miles of this tape I have used in my career.

 

[Chucktin]

Tape - Carry the blue "painter's tape", it's made to leave no residue and to be applied only for a short duration.

 

[Ryan]

It's also nowhere near as strong as gaff tape, which is the best solution.

As far as salads go, I've always been offered them as well.

 

[PerRock]

Duct tape? NO! It damages things. If you are compelled to tape stuff as defense against rattles or "overenthusiastic" air vents, bring wide masking tape. Door rattles can usually be solved with washcloths.

Aloha

I cringe when people say Douct tape. It does leave a residue as it was designed to seal air ducts. There is a higher quality tape that we uuse in the entertainment industry called "GAFF" Tape. This tape leaves no residue, will not lift paint, unless paint is damaged already.

I can not count how many miles of this tape I have used in my career.

Tape - Carry the blue "painter's tape", it's made to leave no residue and to be applied only for a short duration.

I love Gaff tape, brilliant stuff. The biggest downside to it is the expense; last roll I bought of it was more the $ 10 for a single roll! If you are going to go for Blue or Green Painters Tape, make sure you buy the expensive brand however the cheap stuff usually has really crappy glue on it, and wouldn't last an hour taped over a vent blowing air.

peter

 

[StriderGDM]

On the salad front, apparently the policy has changed slightly. Previously it was assumed you wanted and brought with the meal.

Now apparently they only supply it if you want.

On the way down to ATL on the Crescent the dining car attendant never asked me if I wanted a salad and seemed upset with me for inquiring during my meal what had happened to my salad. "You never asked for it." Apparently, I was supposed to know that the policy had changed several months previously.

On the way back, I was asked w/o issue.

 

[Ryan]

Unless you can point to a written policy document, that's nothing more than rumor and hearsay. My experience (on the Crescent) had the salad being offered to me.

 

[Willie1946]

Unless you can point to a written policy document, that's nothing more than rumor and hearsay. My experience (on the Crescent) had the salad being offered to me.

In the last couple of weeks I've been on the Eagle, the Sunset, the Coast Starlight and the Empire Builder, all in a sleeper. In all cases the salad was a separate $3 item on the menu. Sometimes I was asked if I wanted a salad, sometime not. It could even vary from server to server on the same train. In no case was it brought automatically as in the past.

 

[Yumacool]

With the menu change this past Spring, Amtrak no longer includes a small salad as part of the meal. It is now on the menu for $3 and it is bigger and better than the small salads of the past. I haven almost always had to ask for it, though.

 

[Ryan]

Yes, I'm aware that the salad has been improved and separated from the meal for paying customers (but still included for sleeping car pax).

My contention is that the "you don't get one unless you ask" policy isn't an actual policy.

 

[Willie1946]

Yes, I'm aware that the salad has been improved and separated from the meal for paying customers (but still included for sleeping car pax).

My contention is that the "you don't get one unless you ask" policy isn't an actual policy.

Well it has a couple of cucumber slices in it which is no improvement for me since I don't like them. I have no idea what the policy is, don't have access to that info, but in practice it was never set on the table automatically as in the past and I was rarely asked if I wanted one.

 

[tommylicious]

Gaffer's tape and shims for rattling doors/things.

 

[C855B]

There is nothing in the Blue Book banning people from sleeping in the lounge over night; although it is the encouraged place for people who wish to be noisy to go. Regular sleeping car users dislike the practice and are quite vocal about it here on AU. Onboard your results may vary although I'm hearing more and more that it is becoming an accepted practice by train staff, much to the chagrin of the regular sleeper travelers.
peter

Consider us in that vocal bunch. We had an encounter on the SC a couple of years ago with a rather aggressive woman who may as well have pitched a tent in the lounge car, she was so spread out, into the aisle, too. It wasn't all that late, IIRC it was shortly after leaving BAR - maybe 10:30p or so, and the snack bar was still open. I asked the assistant conductor about it and he just shrugged his shoulders. If he asked her to at least pull in from the aisle I don't know, after getting my M&Ms I quickly sought refuge back in the roomette.

 

[Chucktin]

SC? IIRC? BAR?

 

[zephyr17]

Regarding salads, my experience is that about 2/3rds of the time the server did not pro-actively offer or ask if I wanted a salad. In all cases, the server took my order for a salad without a problem, though.

It the inverse of breakfast meats, another optional item, where about 2/3rds of the time the server did ask if I wanted it.

 

[zephyr17]

Southwest Chief, If I recall correctly (this is a common internet acronym not at all limited to AU), Barstow

 

[niemi24s]

You walk into the diner, get seated, get a menu on which the salad is clearly shown as a separate item - just like the entrees, drinks and deserts. When they come to take your order, what's so bloody difficult about taking the bull by the horns and ordering a salad with your meal? Just like what you want for the entree, to drink and desert? Get some hair on your arses and tell 'em what you want, fer pity sake. They're not mind readers!! Sheesh!!! :angry:

Next thing you know, someone will gripe about the SCA not offering to tuck them in and read a bed-time story! :giggle:

 

[Willie1946]

You walk into the diner, get seated, get a menu on which the salad is clearly shown as a separate item - just like the entrees, drinks and deserts. When they come to take your order, what's so bloody difficult about taking the bull by the horns and ordering a salad with your meal? Just like what you want for the entree, to drink and desert? Get some hair on your arses and tell 'em what you want, fer pity sake. They're not mind readers!! Sheesh!!! :angry:

Next thing you know, someone will gripe about the SCA not offering to tuck them in and read a bed-time story! :giggle:

Don't know what your angry about, all I'm doing is reporting my experience. I actually think it's a good thing since some folks don't eat the salad and it goes to waste.

 

[Ryan]

Your original post the prompted my response was not "just reporting your experience", it claimed that there was a (ultimately nonexistent) rule.

Salads are still provided with your lunch and dinner but they are not brought automatically, you must ask for them.

 

[Willie1946]

Your original post the prompted my response was not "just reporting your experience", it claimed that there was a (ultimately nonexistent) rule.

Salads are still provided with your lunch and dinner but they are not brought automatically, you must ask for them.

Sorry, you have confused me with the original poster about salads. I did not start this conversation, only interjected. As to whether there is a rule or not, I don't believe we have any direct evidence either way.

 

[Ryan]

No, I'm pretty sure I quoted the same "Wanderin' Bill". Does someone else have access to your account?

 

[Railroad Bill]

Actually, it was Strider GDM who mentioned a possible "salad change policy" due to his experiences as well. Not to drag out this salad thing, but must add that on our 2015 trips on the SM, CL, TE, SSL, CONO and LSL we were only offered a salad at dinner once, all other times we did ask for the salad.

Not a big deal but it does seem to indicate a change in the past practice of automatically placing a salad at the table to begin the meal. I do not have a policy manual reference to back up this occurrence.

Now, shall we return to helping the original OP develop a set of informational tools for his relative's trip.

 

[Ryan]

Actually, it was Strider GDM who mentioned a possible "salad change policy" due to his experiences as well.

I was explicitly referring to the quote made by Wanderin' Bill that I included in my post.

 

[SarahZ]

Saladgate 2015 is almost as good as Flowergate 2014.

 

[SteveSFL]

Saladgate 2015 is almost as good as Flowergate 2014.

Don't forget Bottled Watergate!

 

[Bob Dylan]

And Drinkgate also!