Two more questions

[Steve P.]

Everyone has been so helpful in answering my questions. I thank you all very much. I do have two more and I hope I'm not pushing anyone's patience:

1. On the California Zephyr going westbound, how early can you usually board the train in Chicago? The train is scheduled to depart at 2:00 in the afternoon.

2. We will have a sleeper and want to know if decide to nap during the day, can we set up the bunks ourselve's? Wouldn't need linens, just a place to get horizontal.

Thanks everyone.

 

[RedSquirrel]

If you'll have a sleeper, you'll have access to the Metropolitan Lounge in Union Station, which has comfy seats, televisions and free wifi. You can go there as early as you want, and by 1pm at the latest. About 1.30pm, you'll be called over the loudspeaker, and all the sleeper passengers will walk over to the train together. So you'll be on board about 1.45 / 1.50pm, ready for 2pm departure.

And yes, the bunks are easy to set up, and the linens are provided from the start of the journey. You can make the bed up yourself or ask the attendant to do it, either way will be fine.

Did this trip a few months ago and loved it, hope you enjoy it!

*Sqrrl*

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

1. About 1:40 or so. No need to arrive too early. I've heard of people boarding before they were called, but I am not sure exactly how.

2. It's not hard. You can figure it out by yourself.

 

[Steve P.]

Thanks for answering my questions Swadian and Red Squirrel! I'm sure we'll have a great trip.

 

[user 1215]

Actually, that sounds like a great idea. Tell your sleeping car attendant when you board, and make you make your dinner reservations before you settle in for slumber. The scenery from Chicago for the first hour or so is very industrial. As a railfan, I can't get enough of seeing all the steel ribbon going in so many different directions, but I digress... It's industrial.

 

[PaulM]

The scenery from Chicago for the first hour or so is very industrial.

Actually, I think it is only the first few minutes, i.e., until you pass the BNSF rail yard in Cicero. From there until Aurora (beyond the NPV stop), it's all leafy railroad suburbs with attractive downtowns that built up around commuter rail stations. IMO these are much classier than the no man's land from after Aurora to around Plano, where you have enormous collections of plastic boxes set in among corn fields. The running time from to Plano, where you start leaving the plastic behind, is about 58 minutes.

 

[sunchaser]

Everyone has been so helpful in answering my questions. I thank you all very much. I do have two more and I hope I'm not pushing anyone's patience:

1. On the California Zephyr going westbound, how early can you usually board the train in Chicago? The train is scheduled to depart at 2:00 in the afternoon.

2. We will have a sleeper and want to know if decide to nap during the day, can we set up the bunks ourselve's? Wouldn't need linens, just a place to get horizontal.

Thanks everyone.

You can either ask the SCA to set them for you for a nap, or you will find the instructions on the bottom of the table.

They are visible when the table is folded up.

Have a great trip!

 

[printman2000]

Just to note, the mattress and linens for the bottom bunk will be stacked on the top bunks mattress and linens. If you just want to use the upper bunk for a nap, the person could lay on both, but that would make the upper bunk even tighter. I would suggest, if only one person were napping, to take the bottom bunks mattress, fold it up and put in one of the lower seats.

The hardest thing about setting the roomettes beds is the lower bunk. You have to press on a pedal while pushing down on the back to get the chairs to lay down. It is not too difficult, but also not something you probably want to do every time you feel like sleeping. The seats also somewhat recline so my family has easily napped in the seats.

I will be on the California Zephyr in a couple of weeks as well.