When is Sleeping Car returning to WAS-BOS overnight train?

[Bob Dylan]

Asking for a friend?

See OBS post!

 

[daybeers]

On a totally unrelated note: does anyone have any experience sneaking a passenger from coach back into your roomette?

You can call Amtrak and ask for their coach ticket to be changed to an open sleeper ticket.

 

[Danib62]

pardon my ignorance but what is an open sleeper ticket?

 

[Ryan]

Agreed. I thought the way it used to work was that each incremental passenger only paid the lowest bucket rail fare, but I guess something must have changed.

This is still the case, the only catch is it's the lowest non-discount coach fare, so the "value" fares or whatever they're called don't count.

 

[jebr]

This is still the case, the only catch is it's the lowest non-discount coach fare, so the "value" fares or whatever they're called don't count.

From what I've seen with recent data points, it seems as though that second person fare is tied to the second-tier "value" fare instead of the lowest-level "value" fare that it used to be tied to. ("Saver" fares are the ones that don't count for the second person in a sleeper, and are also the ones that Amtrak uses most often to do sales.)

 

[tricia]

pardon my ignorance but what is an open sleeper ticket?

An open sleeper ticket allows someone to join the person who booked the sleeper accommodation to join that person in their room. It costs what a certain level of coach fare costs--used to be the least expensive coach fare, now IIRC it's the next-to-least-expensive. I don't know if it's available by phone for an onboard upgrade from coach.

 

[Dakota 400]

On a totally unrelated note: does anyone have any experience sneaking a passenger from coach back into your roomette?

On the Silver Meteor out of Washington, I was seated in the dining car with a gentleman and his 3 young sons who were en route to Orlando and Disney World. A very pleasant conversation during dinner with the boys' Father asking me if I could take them into my Sleeper to see my Roomette. (This was the boys' first train trip.) I told the gentleman that I did not think was allowed. The Conductor passed through the dining car just after I said that. I stopped him and repeated the Father's request. He confirmed what I thought I knew. No coach visitors in the Sleepers.

 

[Cal]

On the Silver Meteor out of Washington, I was seated in the dining car with a gentleman and his 3 young sons who were en route to Orlando and Disney World. A very pleasant conversation during dinner with the boys' Father asking me if I could take them into my Sleeper to see my Roomette. (This was the boys' first train trip.) I told the gentleman that I did not think was allowed. The Conductor passed through the dining car just after I said that. I stopped him and repeated the Father's request. He confirmed what I thought I knew. No coach visitors in the Sleepers.

Some nice crew members will let coach passengers see the rooms. I've met a few conductors who I'm sure would be happy to show a kid the rooms.

 

[OBS]

Some nice crew members will let coach passengers see the rooms. I've met a few conductors who I'm sure would be happy to show a kid the rooms.

I was rather surprised as well....

 

[jmtilley]

What time does boarding commence in Washington for the northbound sleeper on #66???

 

[Cal]

What time does boarding commence in Washington for the northbound sleeper on #66???

Welcome to AU! My guess is that it'll take place 10-20 minutes prior to departure.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Does 65/66/57 currently have a sleeper? Between Boston and where? I looked at going from Newark, NJ, to Newport News from now until the rest of the year (spot checking) and the first class accommodations seemed to be completely blocked out.

jb

 

[Trogdor]

Does 65/66/57 currently have a sleeper? Between Boston and where? I looked at going from Newark, NJ, to Newport News from now until the rest of the year (spot checking) and the first class accommodations seemed to be completely blocked out.

jb

Per the thread title: WAS.

 

[Cal]

Might want to watch this, reflects much of the opinions on here. Especially the rough track.

The Cafe attendant also apparently yelled at them to leave because it was closed after (this happened after departing WAS). I would think the cafe would be open as it's origin point is Newport News..

 

[John Bobinyec]

Per the thread title: WAS.

So why switch the train at Washington (other than for the engine)? Why not leave the sleeper on there the whole way from Newport News to Boston and back?

jb

 

[Cal]

So why switch the train at Washington (other than for the engine)? Why not leave the sleeper on there the whole way from Newport News to Boston and back?

jb

The sleeper is on the whole way, it's just not allowed for booking south of WAS>

 

[John Bobinyec]

The sleeper is on the whole way, it's just not allowed for booking south of WAS>

So if I get on and occupy the sleeper from Boston south as far as I can, I have to vacate the sleeper at Washington and move to a coach seat? What sense does that make?

jb

 

[PVD]

Lots of reasons suggested, none confirmed. Chief among them whether or not Virginia would need to pay part of the cost, very high incremental crew cost to have an attendant past Washington. I would have thought they would pull the sleeper with the power change and service it in Washington but that is not the case.

 

[Mailliw]

That would make too much sense.

 

[Tlcooper44]

Might want to watch this, reflects much of the opinions on here. Especially the rough track.

The Cafe attendant also apparently yelled at them to leave because it was closed after (this happened after departing WAS). I would think the cafe would be open as it's origin point is Newport News..

I found getting sleep on the first night owl I took back in April to be impossible. The three subsequent journeys were significantly better with the most recent being the most pleasant night of sleep I’ve ever had in a vehicle.

 

[Danib62]

Well I booked my first NER roomette trip for September. Had a companion coupon to use so $289 for 2 people is pretty darn reasonable and given the flight schedule and the fact that we needed to leave Boston pretty late and get into DC fairly early this actually made the most sense for us. I'll be sure to post my impressions here. Was tempted to spring the extra $68 for a bedroom but instead lowballed them with a $40 bid...

 

[Brian Battuello]

I'd jump on the bedroom at that price, especially for two grown people.

 

[Danib62]

I figure that space isn't that important given that we both plan to spend the majority of the trip horizontal.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Makes sense. Now if I was travelling with someone I was romantically involved with, which at this point better be my spouse....

 

[Danib62]

After consulting with my lifetime travel partner we decided to opt for the bedroom. I sent her a picture of the roomette toilet and I think it scared her.