Viewliner Bedroom A or B

[Wanacruise]

I think I have been convinced to upgrade from Roomette to Bedroom...

OK I've been reading about the "rough ride" on this route and also about noise by Boarding doors, so

my choice, if I actually get a choice...

Bedroom A - closer to Trucks (bumpier) or Bedroom B - next to the Boarding Door (noisy) ? ?

We travel in about 3 weeks, there are currently 5 Bedrooms available, what do you think our chances are of upgrading on the train and saving about $110.?

 

[Anthony]

H is next to the boarding door, not B. I wouldn't worry about the bedroom choice

 

[AlanB]

The handicapped room "H" is also over the trucks, in addition to being closest to the boarding door. And the hallway is not straight between the bedrooms and the boarding door, so that cuts down dramatically on the noise from the aforementioned door. You have to walk around a two corners to reach the bedrooms from the boarding door. The boarding door is centered in the middle of the train, whereas the hall leading to the bedrooms is flush to the wall on one side of the car. So you board, turn right, take a few steps, then turn left and walk several more steps before hitting the entrance to room A.

I seem to recall that the vacuum noise is a bit louder in the B room vs the A room, but you may not even notice that. If the car is orientated in the normal way, then you would find that the main couch in the A room would have you riding backwards for your journey. While there is no guarentee, I'd say about 70% of the time on the LSL, I find that the A room rides backwards.

As for the upgrade odds, 3 weeks puts you right around Labor Day. So you'll have to be more specific on the travel dates. If you are real close, 2 or 3 days near labor day, then the odds go way down. If you are outside that window, then the odds go up that a bedroom might still be available.

 

[Guest]

Alan, thanks, I am still confused a little, The Amtrak catalog I have shows the Bedroom closest to the middle of the car ... Bedroom B

Another layout I have seen somewhere shows that Bedroom A is the closest to the center of the car. which is correct?

I would think I want to be closest to the center.

Thanks ML

 

[MrFSS]

Alan, thanks, I am still confused a little, The Amtrak catalog I have shows the Bedroom closest to the middle of the car ... Bedroom B
Another layout I have seen somewhere shows that Bedroom A is the closest to the center of the car. which is correct?

I would think I want to be closest to the center.

Thanks ML

Are you looking at THIS layout chart?

 

[AlanB]

Whops, that's what I get for coming home from dinner and drinking and trying to wing things from memory. MrFSS has linked the diagram for all sleeping cars above. Looking at that, the A room is indeed closer to the center of the car than the B room.

However, with the H room still on the end, the noise level will not be very different between the two rooms. I do still believe though that it's the A room that hears the vacuum noise more than the B room. But it would be the B room that rides backwards most of the time, but again no guarentees. Amtrak can orientate the car in either direction if they so desire.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Alan, you were correct to begin with! This diagram for the Viewliner is correct overall, but off just a little in how the "A" and "B" rooms are labeled. This particular diagram needs to have these two rooms simply reversed showing "A as B" and visa versa with "B as A." This of course will make the "B" room in a Viewliner sleeper closer to the middle of the car. I personally find the ride in the "A" room to be about the same as the "H" room being it is still slightly over the trucks, too. Pretty much the better rooms in a Viewliner are the "B, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8." The last four rooms are on the other end of the car close to and over the trucks. The main benefit of the bedrooms is the fact the bed once lowered is positioned in the room side to side, instead of forward or reverse direction with the train. I seem to feel less sway in the bigger rooms, which is why I will take up residency (when working as a sleeper attendant) in a bigger room when it empties out and it is not resold during when I can take my down time. OBS...

 

[Guest]

Thank You all for your help, Looks like we got lucky and got the Bedroom B. OBS thanks also for your input, what you say makes a lot of sense. Based on what I have learned from all of my research, I think we probably have the best accomodation on the train. I am really getting EXCITED now!

ML

 

[MrFSS]

Thank You all for your help, Looks like we got lucky and got the Bedroom B. OBS thanks also for your input, what you say makes a lot of sense. Based on what I have learned from all of my research, I think we probably have the best accomodation on the train. I am really getting EXCITED now!
ML

We will look forward to your full report after you return. Have a good trip!