Sunset Ltd. #2 (8/04) 14+ HRS Late in W.Texas

[ehbowen]

Oh yeah, we had stuff. But like for the kids cereal, we couldn't buy any milk. We had lots of snacks though.

Checking the status maps...looks like you're almost home! When you get a chance, tell us what you and your family thought of the trip!

 

[Lindsay W]

We made it back just as scheduled. I loved the trip. I took lots of pics, loved the scenery. Husband did not enjoy most of the ride. We had people around us who made lots of noise and he couldn't sleep. Crinkling plastic bags, talking on phone, singing along with their music on the easy there. Even worse on the way back we had to hear multiple phone calls with loud profanities about a custody battle, multiple times of Facetiming. We aren't confrontational people so didn't speak up. We did ask the attendant to move seats but the ones she told us, had people sleeping in them, that weren't supposed to be. We didn't want to go back to her and get them in trouble, her waking them up and stuff. Husband also thought the seats were hard. Personally I was comfortable and slept bc I take pills at night that knock me out anyway. The only problem I had sleeping was, I was freezing. I went prepared with pants, socks, a jacket, a blanket, but I was still cold! Next time I will definitely bring a sleeping bag, that will be perfect, just slide into it, lean seat back and sleep warm. Kids were warm bc they had bigger blankets and hoodies, they slept well. The food, was not really good. 3 of us had steaks and 1 salmon, really pricey and small, with no seasoning. We only had dinner that one night, since we wouldn't have chosen the other items on the menu and didn't care to eat more steak/salmon. We had breakfast two days, it was decent. But I guess we are just used to seasoning so it seemed bland. At lunch, the burgers were good. They should serve those for dinner too. The kids got a lot from the cafe in addition to the snacks we brought. We ate breakfast at a stop one day, and ordered Dominos for lunch at a stop another day. So didn't have much "real food." I would pay those prices if the food tasted good, for convenience of not having to bring or stop to buy.

We were glad to have outlets at our seats, but bummed there was no wifi (and no phone service in lots of Texas). And majorly bummed we couldn't get 4 seats facing each other. The attendant said they don't have that at all. I thought they I bc I saw a pic online. But it was fine across the aisle.

I saved little things along the way to add to our travel journal. At the end of the ride I took down our seat # slip, and the conductor told me I couldn't have it and put it back. I thought that was silly, since they can't reuse it as it had our destination and # of passengers and was specific to us. But oh well she can have it.

I will definitely ride again, and now know a few tips, what to bring (sleeping bag, 2 liter drinks rather than smaller one would have been much more convenient and taken up less space) and what not to bring (I brought 2 books thinking I could read...nope lol). I don't know if I'll get my husband "on board" lol, but I'll go with or without him, I've already told him on the way back!

Checking the status maps...looks like you're almost home! When you get a chance, tell us what you and your family thought of the trip!

 

[ehbowen]

I saved little things along the way to add to our travel journal. At the end of the ride I took down our seat # slip, and the conductor told me I couldn't have it and put it back. I thought that was silly, since they can't reuse it as it had our destination and # of passengers and was specific to us. But oh well she can have it.

Those are "seat checks." The conductor does control them because someone who wanted to scam Amtrak could come aboard at a crew change point (new conductor), put it up above his seat, and might be able to successfully pretend that he was a paying passenger whose ticket had already been lifted. They do use different colors to make that a bit more difficult, but there are only so many colors. On a train such as the Sunset Limited which only runs (less than) once a day and caters to long-distance passengers I agree the risk (to Amtrak) is minimal...but the reward to the scamming passenger is commensurately greater. On short-distance trains like you'll find in the Northeast where people ride every day and get to learn the patterns almost as well as the crew...well, it could be a real problem if not controlled.

 

[ref5035]

Monday 8/12. West bound passing my house ...20 minutes to go to Los Angeles....over 3 hours late

 

[Rasputin]

I am glad to hear that despite the problems you had an overall good trip. Sorry to hear that your husband did not. Next time you will be much better prepared.

 

[Asher]

We made it back just as scheduled. I loved the trip. I took lots of pics, loved the scenery. Husband did not enjoy most of the ride. We had people around us who made lots of noise and he couldn't sleep. Crinkling plastic bags, talking on phone, singing along with their music on the easy there. Even worse on the way back we had to hear multiple phone calls with loud profanities about a custody battle, multiple times of Facetiming. We aren't confrontational people so didn't speak up. We did ask the attendant to move seats but the ones she told us, had people sleeping in them, that weren't supposed to be. We didn't want to go back to her and get them in trouble, her waking them up and stuff. Husband also thought the seats were hard. Personally I was comfortable and slept bc I take pills at night that knock me out anyway. The only problem I had sleeping was, I was freezing. I went prepared with pants, socks, a jacket, a blanket, but I was still cold! Next time I will definitely bring a sleeping bag, that will be perfect, just slide into it, lean seat back and sleep warm. Kids were warm bc they had bigger blankets and hoodies, they slept well. The food, was not really good. 3 of us had steaks and 1 salmon, really pricey and small, with no seasoning. We only had dinner that one night, since we wouldn't have chosen the other items on the menu and didn't care to eat more steak/salmon. We had breakfast two days, it was decent. But I guess we are just used to seasoning so it seemed bland. At lunch, the burgers were good. They should serve those for dinner too. The kids got a lot from the cafe in addition to the snacks we brought. We ate breakfast at a stop one day, and ordered Dominos for lunch at a stop another day. So didn't have much "real food." I would pay those prices if the food tasted good, for convenience of not having to bring or stop to buy.

We were glad to have outlets at our seats, but bummed there was no wifi (and no phone service in lots of Texas). And majorly bummed we couldn't get 4 seats facing each other. The attendant said they don't have that at all. I thought they I bc I saw a pic online. But it was fine across the aisle.

I saved little things along the way to add to our travel journal. At the end of the ride I took down our seat # slip, and the conductor told me I couldn't have it and put it back. I thought that was silly, since they can't reuse it as it had our destination and # of passengers and was specific to us. But oh well she can have it.

I will definitely ride again, and now know a few tips, what to bring (sleeping bag, 2 liter drinks rather than smaller one would have been much more convenient and taken up less space) and what not to bring (I brought 2 books thinking I could read...nope lol). I don't know if I'll get my husband "on board" lol, but I'll go with or without him, I've already told him on the way back!

Ya' done good. Quite an excursion you took with the family and everything you did to try and make it all work. I'd like to hear how your Los Angeles tour went, I'm afraid getting here late and getting ready to head back didn't leave much time. I enjoyed your trip, thanks for taking us along.