Amtrac

[garigoun]

We are booked on a QM2 WB/TA next April staying 5 days in NYC then travelling to Miami by Amtrac then home via Bermuda on the 'Jewel of the Seas' It's an overnight trip NYC to Miami on the 'Starlighter' or the 'Moonlighter' or the 'Nightlighter' or some other highly improbably named conveyance and we have what is referred to on the invoice as a 'Roomette' (What a lovley evocative word, reminds me of the 50's, 'Dinette', 'Kitchenette' etc.) but, I wax prolix, back to my point. Amtrac is one of the few rail systerms I haven't tried and I'm looking forward to it -- I think. Coments on this portion of the trip anyone?

The picture I have in my mind's eye is one of sophisticated elegance; sittng in the club car after dinner sipping on a post-prandial brandy; listening to a softly played piano as we roar through the night to the accompaniment of the lonesome whistle's wail. It will all be in black and white and classy dames will loll provactively on Chesterfields in haute couture slit to the ultimate and indulge in brittle repartee. I shall be in my white double breasted jacket with my tie slightly askew to show it is hand tied and affect a world weary insouciance somewhat in the manner of Humphrey Bogart crossed with Noel Cowerd ( Dear Noel we miss him so).

 

Am I right?

A Nostalgic Gari

[Cornus]

Am I right?

A Nostalgic Gari

 

In a word *NO*! Sorry, but I doubt your fantasy will become reality. Check this site for some less than favorable reviews: http://www.my3cents.com/search.cgi?criteria=Amtrak

 

BTW, just FYI, it's Amtrak...with a 'k' not a 'c'. ;)

[DocLawDog]

I travel quite a bit by Amtrak because I don't fly. You indicated you have booked a roomette for an overnight trip to Florida...my advice would be to see if you could upgrade to a bedroom instead. A roomette is pretty small and you have to share a bath with everyone else at your end of the car. The bedrooms have their own separate facilities. Take a look at this Amtrak link for more information on the bedrooms.

 

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=am2Copy&pagename=Amtrak%2Fam2Copy%2FAccommodations_Page&cid=1080080554021

 

As for your other hopeful observations, I think those are fond memories of days gone by.

[Karanja]

We are booked on a QM2 WB/TA next April staying 5 days in NYC then travelling to Miami by Amtrac then home via Bermuda on the 'Jewel of the Seas' It's an overnight trip NYC to Miami on the 'Starlighter' or the 'Moonlighter' or the 'Nightlighter' or some other highly improbably named conveyance

 

Your Amtrak train will be either the Silver Star or Silver Meteor, two of the oldest train names in North America.

[Ray66]

This is an interesting account of someone who has made an overnight trip on Amtrak

 

http://www.usatrip.co.uk/3.html

[cstory3]

We have been on six transatlantics, three on QM2, and used Amtrak at the beginning and end of each trip. We have booked a "Roomette" four times - when we were shown the cabin the first time we looked at each other and thought it was a closet! We wondered how DH was going to get up to the top bunk and found out that the toilet seat and sink both double as steps! It was a riot, he is 6ft 7ins. One year we decided to save money and book "coach" after a QM2 TA - not a good idea!! This year we took the Silver Meteor from Savannah to Fort Lauderdale for our April TA and did not need a room as it was only a 12 hour trip. We love taking the train, just don't expect luxury and book the room instead of the roomette. There is a very nice First Class Waiting Room at Penn Station NY. Cathy

[david,Mississauga]

The term roomette makes sense, but to those of us who have travelled extensively by train in the US and Canada over the past decades, it is a bit misleading. A traditional roomette is a comfortable broom-closet-sized room for one person. The new Amtrak version has a two-foot-wide upper berth in it, although the roomettes are often sold for single occupancy. The roomettes used in the east (single level sleepers) have tiny private facilities, but those in the west (double-deck Superliners) don't even offer running water.

 

The classic single bed roomette is still widely used in Canada on VIA Rail. It is presently called a "cabin for one" which is perhaps a good thing because if it was called by its original name US visitors may book it for two people and find out they are sharing a single bed.

 

I also recommend you upgrade to a bedroom (formerly called deluxe bedroom) or book two roomettes. I have never occupied one of these new-style Amtrak roomettes because I'm in no hurry to experience laying in a coffin.

[Druke I]

The Coast Starlight, also known as the Coast Starlate for its former dismal on-time record, is a West Coast train. Its on-time record has improved dramatically recently.

 

As noted above, you are probably talking about the Silver Star or the Silver Meteor.

[capnpugwash]

Gari, you will have seen a common thread by now. The train works fine but is a wee bit mall. They did away with the piano unfortunately. I believe that you might have fun getting you and your luggage in the roomette unless you leave the door open. Bon chance, mon brave.

[garigoun]

Ah well! A boy can dream. thanks for your replies disheartening though they are. Unfortunately all the bedrooms are booked for that date so it looks like the coffin cabin for us. Still its only for one night unless the punctuality of the trains worsens dramatically. Guess I won't pack the Humphrey Bogart jacket though.

A Dismayed Gari.

[cstory3]

Gari, You will have tons of fun in the roomette, I forgot to mention that the toilet seat also doubles as the bedside table for the bottom bunk, and there is a net to stop the person in the top bunk from falling out! Don't try taking anything more than a very small overnight bag etc into this type of cabin. We have met some really nice people on the train at dinner. Your whole trip sounds great - we want to do the opposite in April 2011 and take the Jewel to Harwich, stay in England (my homeland) and then return on QM2. By the way I love reading your posts, very funny, I am especially looking forward to your review of the "Roomette". Cathy

[safarigal]

Gari, I love trains, and have done overnight trips on Amtrak. I would agree that you should avoid a roomette and upgrade to a proper bedroom. We did a roomette once, and although the price was right, the facilities were not.

 

This is a link to photos of our most recent train trip:

 

http://gallery.me.com/lesleyblake#100346&bgcolor=black&view=grid

 

and I would say that it would be all that you would desire for your trip. Alas, it was not on Amtrak.

[garigoun]

Gari, You will have tons of fun in the roomette, Don't try taking anything more than a very small overnight bag etc into this type of cabin. We have met some really nice people on the train at dinner., I am especially looking forward to your review of the "Roomette". Cathy

 

Ah Luggage, I forgot to mention that. What does one do with one's stuff. I'm blessed in the fact that Senior Management is of the same mind as me when it comes to packing we always travel schooner-rigged. However, with the best will in the world on a 27 day trip we would require a little more than an overnight bag even without the Casablanca DJ. I assume that there is a luggage van or, what is that quaint American expression, a caboose.

Gari

[garigoun]

Gari, I love trains, and have done overnight trips on Amtrak. I would agree that you should avoid a roomette and upgrade to a proper bedroom. We did a roomette once, and although the price was right, the facilities were not.

 

This is a link to photos of our most recent train trip:

 

http://gallery.me.com/lesleyblake#100346&bgcolor=black&view=grid

 

and I would say that it would be all that you would desire for your trip. Alas, it was not on Amtrak.

 

As I said before there are no proper rooms left, never mind its only for 31 hours we've done longer on a bus in Oz. Loved the pix, I've travelled on SA railways but not any great distances only on shorthaul and that was in the 70's. Went on the Ghan in Oz and that was superb unfortunately it only went as far as Alice Springs when we were on it. Done some long trips in Canada on a variety of trains - nice rolling stock, excellent service but tedious journeys stopping all the time for those hellishly long freighters. A couple of years ago we went on a rail tour of Japan, that was an eye-opener ERmazin'.

Thanks for your input, appreciated.

Gari

[upstate_italian]

Ah Luggage, I forgot to mention that. What does one do with one's stuff. I'm blessed in the fact that Senior Management is of the same mind as me when it comes to packing we always travel schooner-rigged. However, with the best will in the world on a 27 day trip we would require a little more than an overnight bag even without the Casablanca DJ. I assume that there is a luggage van or, what is that quaint American expression, a caboose.

Gari

We call it a baggage car and yes there will be one on your train. The caboose never carried luggage. It was where the conductor worked and monitored the safety of the train.

[safarigal]

Here is a luggage info link:

 

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Title_Image_Copy_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1080080553878&ssid=43

 

What ever kind of accommodations you have on the train, it is bound to be an adventure! Enjoy!

[NomDePlume]

Gari--if there is no baggage car, the attendants are very good at finding space on board. After all, they wouldn't be able to set up the bunks for sleeping if there's too many cases in the way. Just bear in mind that if the suitcases you check are even half a pound over the weight limit (50lb) they will NOT accept them, and you'll have to take care of them yourself...

[Finch]

Gari: I did a transcontinental (Philadelphia to Chicago to Seattle, and down California, and back across the central U.S.). I was cheap way back then and younger, so only had a roomette for one night- sat up in the cheap seats for most of the seven days in motion. The roomette has a seat that pops down into a bed at night (and the upper berth also folds down). Small, but not impossible. I had a bit of excitement as it went through Reno, Nevada at street level, and if you were in your night clothes, people could look in as the train waited for the crossing. Back then the dining car had a table cloth, cutlery, and the made the food from scratch on the train. I am not sure how fancy it is, these days. I STRONGLY recommend doing the cross country route (the Empire Builder, I think) from Chicago across the plains and Rocky Mountains, to Seattle. It goes fairly close to the Canadian border. Incredible! I will do a transcontinental again (God willing) in 2011. In 2012 I hope to do a TA on the QM2 again. You will find that people will often do short hops on long distance trains, so you will meet all sorts of interesting people to talk to... Or, you can sit in your roomette, which will be sort of like a 1st class Britrail car...

[bobnatt]

We are booked on a QM2 WB/TA next April staying 5 days in NYC then travelling to Miami by Amtrac then home via Bermuda on the 'Jewel of the Seas' It's an overnight trip NYC to Miami on the 'Starlighter' or the 'Moonlighter' or the 'Nightlighter' or some other highly improbably named conveyance and we have what is referred to on the invoice as a 'Roomette' (What a lovley evocative word, reminds me of the 50's, 'Dinette', 'Kitchenette' etc.) but, I wax prolix, back to my point. Amtrac is one of the few rail systerms I haven't tried and I'm looking forward to it -- I think. Coments on this portion of the trip anyone?

The picture I have in my mind's eye is one of sophisticated elegance; sittng in the club car after dinner sipping on a post-prandial brandy; listening to a softly played piano as we roar through the night to the accompaniment of the lonesome whistle's wail. It will all be in black and white and classy dames will loll provactively on Chesterfields in haute couture slit to the ultimate and indulge in brittle repartee. I shall be in my white double breasted jacket with my tie slightly askew to show it is hand tied and affect a world weary insouciance somewhat in the manner of Humphrey Bogart crossed with Noel Cowerd ( Dear Noel we miss him so).

 

Am I right?

A Nostalgic Gari

 

Maybe you can find all that on "Amtrac" but if you end up on "Amtrak" you will certainly be disappointed... Great potato chips and soft drinks at the snack counter...The only music will be that you will have brought on board on your Ipod... The classy dames are probably women of the night...

[bobnatt]

Oh yeah Gari, I forgot to remind you of the Amtrak tipping policy...

[Calliope]

Gari--if there is no baggage car, the attendants are very good at finding space on board. After all, they wouldn't be able to set up the bunks for sleeping if there's too many cases in the way. Just bear in mind that if the suitcases you check are even half a pound over the weight limit (50lb) they will NOT accept them, and you'll have to take care of them yourself...

 

Don't count on it. In 2004 my partner and I rode Amtrak's Cardinal from Cincinnati to NYC to catch the QM2's Maiden east-bound crossing. There is no baggage car on the Cardinal and a surly porter didn't want to bother with our luggage. All of the luggage necessary for a crossing plus a few extra days in England for two rested in our roomette. Neither of us needed to worry about falling out of the upper berth. It couldn't happen; you just rolled over on the top layer of bags.

 

The food on the Cardinal wasn't any better than the porter's service. Think food from a vending machine, and you know exactly what was provided along with sleeping car reservations. It's truly sad that passenger rail service has fallen so low from the days when my great grandfather was said to set his watch when the C&O's crack train the GEORGE WASHINGTON would pass New Richmond Station bound for DC daily.

[NomDePlume]

Sorry to read that, Calliope. I rode across the country in March/April 2008 and seem to have had a far better experience: the Cardinal from D.C. to Chicago, the Zephyr to Sacramento, and the Coast Starlight down to LA, in time to catch the QE2. The attendants could not have been more pleasant, and that was BEFORE I tipped them... I agree that the food was not the most exciting, but far from vending-machine quality. Speaking with regular passengers, they too noticed an improvement with conditions in prior years. One can only hope that the trend does not reverse.

[Cruachan]

Oh yeah Gari, I forgot to remind you of the Amtrak tipping policy...

 

Is that the policy that you must tip the driver up front?

 

Mind you, I suppose it's best if he is up front - he can see the track better from there. :D

 

J

[heywood]

and it's so long to wait for the review ...

[garigoun]

In view of the less than enthusiastic response to my post I’ve changed our travel plans. We are now going for a week in Clacton** in January.

‘NO! NO!’ I can hear my old grey haired mother saying from beyond the veil. ‘Remember the Goun family motto.’ Said motto is ‘Animus in Adversum’ which she loosely but succinctly rendered as ‘ Shutup whining and get on with it you mardy little bugger’. So taking my courage in all three hands (I spent some time in Norfolk) I will brave the vicissitudes of the U.S. rail service with a good heart.

An Heroic Gari

** For our American readers Clacton is a seaside resort in the south of England somewhat like Coney Island but without the sophisticated ambiance and fine dining opportunities.

G

P.S. Bob, Give me the tip on tipping on a railway train, who and how much (by that I mean how much a normal person would tip) we don't do that in the UK. Well I don't anyway.

G