TransDorm Sleeper

[ScottC4746]

OK since I was able to book the SWC with a roomette for mid June from CHI to LAX, I was put into the transitional sleeper car roomette 20. :giggle: I would like to hear from folks who have done this before... I have heard from a few that had great experiences.... even from one "train geek" as he called himself...saying he had never had this opportunity BUT is JEALOUS that I get to experience this. Please let me know both GOOD and BAD experiences, since this is my first ever AMTRAK trip. Thanks again for a wonderful and informative site. AND THANKS to Alan for a previous post of a diagram showing where my room is going to be located...ALSO, I did not see showers on the diagram

... I am guessing we will be using the showers on the regular passenger sleeper ??? I do not want to go 3 days without a shower

Avoid the transdorm at all cost...we were forgotten about.

 

[PaulM]

Avoid the transdorm at all cost...we were forgotten about.

Seeing as my only other option is staying home, I'll chance it. Beside, it looks like my two concerns are taken care of. If necessary, I can put up or take down my own bed.

 

[TimePeace]

Avoid the transdorm at all cost...we were forgotten about.

Not necessarily good advice.

I, along with several other posters here, had a fine and in fact preferrable experience the one time I was put in a transdorm.

If given the choice of a regular roomette or the transdorm, I'd take the latter.

 

[Shortline]

I've been in the dorm twice now. On the Eagle, it is a little louder due to only 1 engine, and no baggage and dorm car between the horn and my bed, but it wasn't that much louder than what I noticed in the sleeper to the rear of us. One trip I nearly never saw the attendant, and actually had to go find her to help people trying to make their own beds up. (do a search, I think it was Mutiny in the transdorm or something) but, largely, I like it. It has less traffic, has been quieter as far as other passengers and kids, and, while I don't go out of my way to get it, I also would not turn down a trip just because of that. In fact, I'm in the Transdorm again on the Eagle next week. I tend to get it more often, due to buying tickets fairly close to departure think.

 

[greatcats]

I was on the Transform on the SWC last week. The car was fine and the attendant, Linda Walker, is one of the better ones. She did not ignore our car at all.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I was on the Transform on the SWC last week. The car was fine and the attendant, Linda Walker, is one of the better ones. She did not ignore our car at all.

Ditto!

 

[Shanghai]

I was in the transdorm car in April on the Texas Eagle.

Everything was fine. The SCA checked on me several times.

 

[TVRM610]

I've been in transdorm twice (once on the Capitol and once on the City) and I've had excellent service in both.

Had Nathan on the Capitol... I sadly can't recall the name of my sca on the City but he brought ice for me personally without me asking for it, and called me by my name the entire journey.

So the dorm is just like any other sleeper on Amtrak, you may or may not have a good and attentive SCA. But lets hope for the best.

 

[trainman74]

I was on the Transform on the SWC last week.

Love this typo.

They say travel changes you -- if you're riding in the Transform, that might be literal.

 

[greatcats]

Glad you like my typo. Strange things happen when typing on IPhones and multitasking.

 

[MrMattyMatt]

How does one end up being placed in this car in the first place? I'm all for oddities and special situations, but if this happened to me I'd probably be a bit pissed.

 

[greatcats]

The Trasform - er Transdorm - is considered an overflow sleeper. We had a tour group last week on the Southwest Chief of 30 seniors, which caused the sleepers to be nearly full. ( The had left Chicago three weeks previous, taken the train to Washington and then Florida and had been on a trans Panama Canal cruise to Los Angeles and were on the way back to Chicago. ) As indicated by my above posts, I had nothing to be pissed about being in the Transdorm. This car also had two rest rooms and two showers on the upper level, plus more downstairs. My attendant was very good. OK, so some of the track is bumpy. Also, one had to go to the next car to get coffee. Big deal. I will be returning to Arizona leaving DC on Monday via the Capitol and SWC. Stay tuned for my next trip report - hope I have good things to say.

 

[Guest]

I thought the "problem" with the Transdorms was that unlike all the other sleeper cars, they didn't have their own SCA. That a SCA from another sleeper was basically assigned double duty, but still not physically located in the Transdorm. Now, some SCA's embraced the extra work load and saw to the needs of the Transdorm passengers, while others attempted to ignore it and provided little-to-no service.

 

[TVRM610]

Guest-Guest... That is correct. The transdorm shares with another attendant. If the attendant is good (as in my 2 experiences in a transdorm) then you have nothing to worry about. If the attendant is lazy... Well you know. Ha.

But other than that it's the exact same experience. The rooms are the same, the car is less traveled so more quiet, everything is the same.

 

[Shortline]

On the Eagle, the Transdorm attendant is actually the Coach attendant from the first coach behind the diner. Curious if its the SCA from te next sleeper on longer trains with more than one sleeper, such as the EB or CZ? Does the coach attendant have to go through the diner, SSL, and a couple other sleepers or does the SCA next door handle it?

 

[TVRM610]

Shortline...

I never asked but I was all but certain that my attendant on the City's Transdorm this year was a Coach attendant. Like I said he was great.

I have a feeling that this could work better since it's only a few rooms... It gives the coach attendant a way to earn some tips $$$ rather than a SCA looking at it as just x number of additional rooms to take care of.

 

[a]

Shortline...I never asked but I was all but certain that my attendant on the City's Transdorm this year was a Coach attendant. Like I said he was great.

I have a feeling that this could work better since it's only a few rooms... It gives the coach attendant a way to earn some tips $$$ rather than a SCA looking at it as just x number of additional rooms to take care of.

reading a lot of threads in this forum, it is obvious that a LOT of people don't tip the sleeping room attendants.... I personally think that's wrong, but it happens... Like my 17-yrs-old niece who worked at a restaurant one summer and got less than $100 in tips for the two months.... restaurant was packed almost daily, but most patrons were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(certain group of people that I can't mention here) who didn't "believe" in tipping. Fortunately, the restaurant owner was nice and compensated by paying her an agreed-upon salary for the two month.

Back to TrannsDoroms... if I book a roomette on Amtrak's website, is there a way to see if I'll be stuck in a TransDorm roomette? (or... if I want a TransDorm roomette... see if one is available) I realize I can call Amtrak on the phone, but it's 2013 and I can't understand why Amtrak doesn't let people see this on their website before purchase)

Thanks

 

[Devil's Advocate]

While I don't go out of my way to get it, I also would not turn down a trip just because of that. In fact, I'm in the Transdorm again on the Eagle next week. I tend to get it more often, due to buying tickets fairly close to departure.

Same here.

How does one end up being placed in this car in the first place? I'm all for oddities and special situations, but if this happened to me I'd probably be a bit pissed.

Why? Getting pissed just because youre in the transition dormitory would seem to be a premature reaction in my view. Id wait until the attendant failed to show up before getting annoyed.

reading a lot of threads in this forum, it is obvious that a LOT of people don't tip the sleeping room attendants.... I personally think that's wrong, but it happens.

I was raised to tip as a child and I continue I tip for good service as an adult.

However, if the attendant isnt performing their duties satisfactorily or if they have an attitude problem why should I continue to tip them?

Like my 17-yrs-old niece who worked at a restaurant one summer and got less than $100 in tips for the two months.... restaurant was packed almost daily, but most patrons were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _(certain group of people that I can't mention here) who didn't "believe" in tipping. Fortunately, the restaurant owner was nice and compensated by paying her an agreed-upon salary for the two month.

Sounds like the restaurant owner was simply following the law. Or maybe your niece is one of those _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (certain jobs you failed to mention) who doesnt believe in earning their tips.

Back to TrannsDoroms... if I book a roomette on Amtrak's website, is there a way to see if I'll be stuck in a TransDorm roomette? (or... if I want a TransDorm roomette... see if one is available) I realize I can call Amtrak on the phone, but it's 2013 and I can't understand why Amtrak doesn't let people see this on their website before purchase)

This is a perfectly legitimate complaint in my view. Maybe Amtrak is convinced that information is bad for business. Judging from this and other threads maybe theyre right.

 

[Phil S]

Transdorm at least twice. I kind of like it. It's definitely quieter -- people-wise - though not whistle-wise. Another plus, there are usually several roomettes open, on both sides, which allows one to switch back and forth to see the scenery. I swear the bathrooms are cleaner. I'd like to think the crew take a little more care with the bathrooms than some of us passengers. I certainly respect the crew lounge but I'm not averse to ducking in there to get a question answered. Depending on the response, I have even on occasion stuck around for a while. Asst conductors are IMO the most willing to talk about what's happening of the entire crew.

 

[AlanB]

On the Eagle, the Transdorm attendant is actually the Coach attendant from the first coach behind the diner. Curious if its the SCA from te next sleeper on longer trains with more than one sleeper, such as the EB or CZ? Does the coach attendant have to go through the diner, SSL, and a couple other sleepers or does the SCA next door handle it?

Generally, unless the Tran/Dorm is separated from the regular sleepers, then the nearest sleeping car attendant is responsible for working the Trans/Dorm. Only in cases like the CZ where the regular sleepers are on the rear and the Trans/Dorm is upfront, does a coach attendant work the dorm.

 

[AlanB]

Back to TrannsDoroms... if I book a roomette on Amtrak's website, is there a way to see if I'll be stuck in a TransDorm roomette? (or... if I want a TransDorm roomette... see if one is available) I realize I can call Amtrak on the phone, but it's 2013 and I can't understand why Amtrak doesn't let people see this on their website before purchase)

This is a perfectly legitimate complaint in my view. Maybe Amtrak is convinced that information is bad for business. Judging from this and other threads maybe theyre right.

Most people wouldn't know a Trans/Dorm sleeper from a regular sleeper if it fell on them; not that I'm wishing that on anyone. Telling people that they're booked into the Trans/Dorm wouldn't mean anything, unless they'd visited a site like this.

And Amtrak's reason for not telling anyone has more to do with the fact that they're trying to interface a modern webpage with a 40 year old base reservations system and they don't have the budget to fix things.

 

[97101]

Most people wouldn't know a Trans/Dorm sleeper from a regular sleeper if it fell on them; not that I'm wishing that on anyone. Telling people that they're booked into the Trans/Dorm wouldn't mean anything, unless they'd visited a site like this.

And Amtrak's reason for not telling anyone has more to do with the fact that they're trying to interface a modern webpage with a 40 year old base reservations system and they don't have the budget to fix things.

does anybody have interior photos of the TransDorm cars?

THANKS!

 

[TVRM610]

Guest...

The transdorm looks exactly like a superliner sleeper. They have not been refurbished so no faux wood or fancy touch panel led lights... But same exact thing.

The only difference is the layout of the car... There is a shower upstairs. And downstairs there is a crew lounge.

I feel like some newer rail riders can not understand that booking a Roomette in a dorm is the exact same thing as the other sleepers. There is no difference in the accomadotion, or the service you are expected to receive.

As for tipping... I tip on Amtrak cause I'm a regular rider and I think it gets me good service. I tip in restaurants because in the USA, tips count as the wages for servers.... So it's essentially a service charge, but it's called a tip. 2 totally different things. Amtrak crew are paid very well, and receive great benefits. A tip on Amtrak is an actual tip, not part of their wage. I still recommend tipping on Amtrak... But there is a huge difference.

 

[Shortline]

On the Eagle, the Transdorm attendant is actually the Coach attendant from the first coach behind the diner. Curious if its the SCA from te next sleeper on longer trains with more than one sleeper, such as the EB or CZ? Does the coach attendant have to go through the diner, SSL, and a couple other sleepers or does the SCA next door handle it?

Generally, unless the Tran/Dorm is separated from the regular sleepers, then the nearest sleeping car attendant is responsible for working the Trans/Dorm. Only in cases like the CZ where the regular sleepers are on the rear and the Trans/Dorm is upfront, does a coach attendant work the dorm.

I believe thats wrong, at least on the trains I ride regilarly. After several dorm trips now, I am positive that on the TE, and acclrding to a previois post, the CONO, the coach attendant in the fist coach behind the revenue sleeper, diner, and lounge handles the Transdorm. The only help I've ever gotten from the SCA in the next sleeper, is to page the assigned attendant via PA.

 

[AlanB]

On the Eagle, the Transdorm attendant is actually the Coach attendant from the first coach behind the diner. Curious if its the SCA from te next sleeper on longer trains with more than one sleeper, such as the EB or CZ? Does the coach attendant have to go through the diner, SSL, and a couple other sleepers or does the SCA next door handle it?

Generally, unless the Tran/Dorm is separated from the regular sleepers, then the nearest sleeping car attendant is responsible for working the Trans/Dorm. Only in cases like the CZ where the regular sleepers are on the rear and the Trans/Dorm is upfront, does a coach attendant work the dorm.

I believe thats wrong, at least on the trains I ride regilarly. After several dorm trips now, I am positive that on the TE, and acclrding to a previois post, the CONO, the coach attendant in the fist coach behind the revenue sleeper, diner, and lounge handles the Transdorm. The only help I've ever gotten from the SCA in the next sleeper, is to page the assigned attendant via PA.

It is possible that those two trains have kept the old way of doing things, because at one point the full sleeper used to be on the rear while the Dorm was up front. So even though they have switched the consists around, putting the full sleeper upfront, they may well have kept the job bids as they were; meaning that the coach attendant still works the Dorm.

But on the EB, Sunset, CS, and Chief the closest sleeping car attendant works the dorm last I knew.