Taking my first trip: A bunch of questions

[trnzone]

It will depend on your attendant.  Ask him or her.  There is a call button in the roomette.  Some attendants schedule a time to make the bed and some want you to use the call button to summon them when you are ready.

Nice. And then I know I saw something about bottled water. Is that "unlimited" for the trip or just a couple of bottles? Also, is there any way to get a decent quantity of ice onboard? I was thinking of bringing a collapsible cooler with some beers

 

[cpotisch]

Whenever you wish. Most attendants will offer to turn down the room while you’re at dinner, but you can always just ask them to do it whenever you wish. It’s totally up to you. And the upper bunk is plenty sturdy, so you’ve got nothing to worry about there.

Which specific train are you referring to? And why do you apparently need to be in D.C. by 9 AM?

Let me rephrase the question: How *late* will they do it? And do you just kind of find one and ask, is there a buzzer or?

Each sleeper has its own SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant), and he/she is the only one who will be attending to you. When you board, the SCA will introduce their self and give you a full run down on how everything works. If you end up needing anything, there is a call button in each room, though I generally like to just walk over to the SCA’s room myself and ask them that way, which can save some time. I would recommend you don’t have the room turned down super late (just as a courtesy), and remember that if you do want to sit up for a bit longer before going to bed, sleeping in the upper bunk instead and leaving the seats up the entire time will allow you to do just that.

 

[cpotisch]

It will depend on your attendant.  Ask him or her.  There is a call button in the roomette.  Some attendants schedule a time to make the bed and some want you to use the call button to summon them when you are ready.

Nice. And then I know I saw something about bottled water. Is that "unlimited" for the trip or just a couple of bottles? Also, is there any way to get a decent quantity of ice onboard? I was thinking of bringing a collapsible cooler with some beers

When you board, there will already be two water bottles in your room, but if you need more, just walk over to the refreshment station near the end of the car. It will almost certainly have dozens of water bottles and a huge bag of ice, as well as coffee in the morning, and in most cases a few cartons of juice (usually cranberry, orange, and/or apple).

 

[trnzone]

When you board, there will already be two water bottles in your room, but if you need more, just walk over to the refreshment station near the end of the car. It will almost certainly have dozens of water bottles and a huge bag of ice, as well as coffee in the morning, and in most cases a few cartons of juice (usually cranberry, orange, and/or apple).

That's awesome.

 

[zephyr17]

When you board, there will already be two water bottles in your room, but if you need more, just walk over to the refreshment station near the end of the car. It will almost certainly have dozens of water bottles and a huge bag of ice, as well as coffee in the morning, and in most cases a few cartons of juice (usually cranberry, orange, and/or apple).

Can't count on that any more.  Some attendants still do leave bottles out,  but some don't.  Apparently Amtrak management wants to ration out the water now.

 

[cpotisch]

When you board, there will already be two water bottles in your room, but if you need more, just walk over to the refreshment station near the end of the car. It will almost certainly have dozens of water bottles and a huge bag of ice, as well as coffee in the morning, and in most cases a few cartons of juice (usually cranberry, orange, and/or apple).

Can't count on that any more.  Some attendants still do leave bottles out,  but some don't.  Apparently Amtrak management wants to ration out the water now.

I’ve done four sleeper rides in the past three months, and they’ve always had water, ice, and juice. From what I’ve seen and heard, the East Coast trains tend to be better about that than the western trains.

 

[NETrainfan]

When you get back, please do a review of your experiences. We have done the NY to FLorida trip many times and like to hear others' experiences.

 

[tim49424]

I’ve done four sleeper rides in the past three months, and they’ve always had water, ice, and juice. From what I’ve seen and heard, the East Coast trains tend to be better about that than the western trains.

Not true. I’ve been on Western trains mostly and I’ve never had a problem with getting water, ice or juice. I’m on the eastbound Empire Builder currently and our SCA has a cooler filled with ice to keep the water cold plus had some unchilled bottles readily available. He told us not to use the ice from the chest and he’d be happy to obtain ice for our drinks from the dining car which is the next car from ours. He’s got plenty of juice as well. If anything, the SCAs on the Western trains keep us well hydrated. Actually I have a smaller sample size from the East and also have had no problems there either.

 

[Rasputin]

This must be another example of Amtrak inconsistency. An open package or container of Ice used to be readily available in the sleeping cars four or five years ago but in the past few years I have not found that to be true on both eastern and western trains. I have been told that it is due to health regulations. On most of my trips there has been no ice in the sleeping cars. I am usually advised to get ice from the lounge car. There also used to be several varieties of juice available but now it seems that there is usually just one.

 

[tim49424]

This must be another example of Amtrak inconsistency. An open package or container of Ice used to be readily available in the sleeping cars four or five years ago but in the past few years I have not found that to be true on both eastern and western trains. I have been told that it is due to health regulations. On most of my trips there has been no ice in the sleeping cars. I am usually advised to get ice from the lounge car. There also used to be several varieties of juice available but now it seems that there is usually just one.

The open containers of ice have indeed been discontinued. The ice I’m referring to is in a cooler and used to cool water bottles only, not for consumption. We have orange and cranberry juices available by the coffee. Of late, I find all that quite unusual. Usually bottles of water are readily available but at room temperature and just orange juice. Both are just fine for me so this is special.

 

[Rasputin]

The open containers of ice have indeed been discontinued. The ice I’m referring to is in a cooler and used to cool water bottles only, not for consumption. We have orange and cranberry juices available by the coffee. Of late, I find all that quite unusual. Usually bottles of water are readily available but at room temperature and just orange juice. Both are just fine for me so this is special.

That's interesting. I recall seeing both cranberry and orange juice available four or five years ago but since then I have only seen orange juice. This took place about the same time that they cut down on the variety of salad dressings available in the dining car. I haven't seen Thousand Island since then. I have heard that there is an Amtrak directive that indicates that sleeping car passengers are entitled to only two bottles of water a day but I don't know if it is really enforced. Sometimes there is a case or two of water available and sometimes not.

 

[tim49424]

That's interesting. I recall seeing both cranberry and orange juice available four or five years ago but since then I have only seen orange juice. This took place about the same time that they cut down on the variety of salad dressings available in the dining car. I haven't seen Thousand Island since then. I have heard that there is an Amtrak directive that indicates that sleeping car passengers are entitled to only two bottles of water a day but I don't know if it is really enforced. Sometimes there is a case or two of water available and sometimes not.

I highly doubt the alleged water limitations are enforced on any train. As a matter of fact, most SCAs seem to encourage drinking more. As far as the cranberry juice, the train I’m on is the first one I’ve been on in quite some time to offer it. Also regarding the dressings, I can’t confirm or deny because I don’t usually use dressing on my salads.

 

[Rasputin]

Also regarding the dressings, I can’t confirm or deny because I don’t usually use dressing on my salads.

My recollection is that up until about 3-4 years ago, the dining cars carried about 6-8 varieties of Newman's Own salad dressing. Then in a cost cutting move they cut back to about 4 types. This happened about the same time that cranberry juice and consumable ice disappeared from the sleeping cars.

 

[tim49424]

My recollection is that up until about 3-4 years ago, the dining cars carried about 6-8 varieties of Newman's Own salad dressing. Then in a cost cutting move they cut back to about 4 types. This happened about the same time that cranberry juice and consumable ice disappeared from the sleeping cars.

They still have Newman’s own but as I said I don’t really do salad dressings so I don’t know how many varieties they do use. Again the cranberry juice has not disappeared! We have it on the train I’m currently on! For some reason I can’t post the picture I just took of the box of juice but it’s cranberry. Also, consumable ice is available, you just have to ask the SCA to get it for you.

 

[Rasputin]

They still have Newman’s own but as I said I don’t really do salad dressings so I don’t know how many varieties they do use. Again the cranberry juice has not disappeared! We have it on the train I’m currently on! For some reason I can’t post the picture I just took of the box of juice but it’s cranberry. Also, consumable ice is available, you just have to ask the SCA to get it for you.

I will take your word for it that cranberry juice is available on your train. It just hasn't been available on my trips the past few years and I have looked for it. I have always gotten ice from the café car or the dining car pursuant to the instructions from a sleeping car attendant a few years back and have never had a problem doing so. I have never had an attendant offer to get ice for me.

 

[tim49424]

I will take your word for it that cranberry juice is available on your train. It just hasn't been available on my trips the past few years and I have looked for it. I have always gotten ice from the café car or the dining car pursuant to the instructions from a sleeping car attendant a few years back and have never had a problem doing so. I have never had an attendant offer to get ice for me.

SCA offered to get ice but it really isn’t needed on this trip as he has ice cold bottles available.... to me it’d be overkill.

The cranberry juice caught me off guard as I’d not seen it in sometime but it’s not completely disappeared, just on the extremely endangered list. I don’t care for it myself anyways...orange juice is my preference.

 

[Rasputin]

The cranberry juice caught me off guard as I’d not seen it in sometime but it’s not completely disappeared, just on the extremely endangered list. I don’t care for it myself anyways...orange juice is my preference.

I will be interested to see if the cranberry juice is available on my upcoming trips in a couple months. Hope your trip is going well.

 

[tim49424]

I will be interested to see if the cranberry juice is available on my upcoming trips in a couple months. Hope your trip is going well.

We’re running 10 minutes behind out of Minot on #8 so I’d say it’s going well. I’m not in any hurry and always enjoy my trips but I do especially love a timely train! I’ll be back home tonight and start gearing up for my next train trip in June.

 

[trnzone]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help. I'm currently on the train headed North. Bumpier than I expected (I haven't been on a train in ages) but the room is pretty cool. What do you all suggest about leaving items in the room when going to eat and walk around and such?

 

[Rasputin]

I would recommend not leaving any valuables in plain sight when leaving your room. I also usually close the curtains when leaving. When going to the lounge car I often take a small bag or backpack with a book, map, camera, phone, sunglasses, etc. and a bottle of water in it so I am not running back to the room to get those things.

 

[trnzone]

Good idea. I haven't checked out the lounge car yet.