Amtrak Accessible bedroom.

[Ms Ann]

Have any of you guys traveled in one of the Amtrak accessible bedrooms? We are thinking about taking the train to LosAngeles for our coastal cruise in October. It would be awesome for me not to have to drive. But I need to hear from someone who has actually been in one. He of course is in his big old powerchair, and I need to know if it is really big enough for his use.

 

Soooooo - any info will be very much appreciated. Pictures??

[kitty9]

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Accommodation_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241210576085

 

Here's some information on the accessible cabin. Although I've not been in one, it sure looks small, for a power chair, and there seems to be very little privacy with the bathroom. I'm not sure I would do this as it looks uncomfortable. Plus, those beds look awfully tiny and you have to climb up to get in the upper berth. Not much fun, imho.

[Peery5]

We do not fly and always travel Amtrak or drive to the port if close enough. We always book an accessible room. Don't have any pictures as I have never thought to take any. This year I am checking my mobility scooter with checked baggage. the H/A room is at least twice the size of a regular room, if not bigger. There is a bathroom and shower adjacent to the room. The accessible rooms are comfortable with plenty of room for a carry ons. Don't know about room for a power chair however.

 

The bottom berth is larger [wider] than the top berth. Your meals are included in the cost of the ticket and you can have the room steward bring your meals to you if you either cannot go to the dining car or don't want to go to the dining car. Amtrak doesn't have closed circuit television anymore so you need to take things to occupy your time.

 

There is an electrical outlet in the room and a place to hang items. Different Amtrak routes use different styles of accessible rooms. The north to south route is my favorite as the bottom berth folds into a large sofa. The east coast to west coast's room's bottom birth organizes into two stadium type seats.

 

You may want to consider checking his power chair in checked baggage and using a standard wheelchair for the room if he cannot walk. If he can walk a little with a cane or walker, I would definitely check the power chair.

 

Hope this helps in your decision. One final thing, you need to book the accessible room at least six months in advance if not earlier as these rooms fill up fast.

 

Tom

[uppitycats]

I took the train from central Wisconsin to Portland, Oregon. Never again.

 

The accessible room on this train was actually the back of a train car, all the way across -- so windows on both sides. One side were bunks, lower and upper. There are handrails on the back of the lower bunk to get in and out, but an additional passenger has to climb into the top bunk. The area was divided by a curtain. On the other side -- with the windows there (there was a curtain), is the toilet and sink. There was no shower in this area. The only shower was in the corridor, available to anyone, and not accessible (no bench; handrails if one could stand).

 

So the person using the toilet has no privacy, and has to take care that the window behind him/her is adequately closed with the curtain. There are handrails by both the toilet and sink.

 

The train lurches a lot, so balance is important when transferring to/from the toilet; waiting for a stop isn't helpful as the window is right there, and anyone can see in (again, that all important curtain!)

 

I was in a manual chair. I don't think there really is adequate room for a power chair. I took off my footrests while I was in the cabin so that there would be more space to turn around. I was travelling by myself -- good thing!, I think my husband would have been way crowded in the space, and we would have been in each other's way a lot!

 

Also, getting on/off the train can be a challenge, depending on your station. Not all are accessible. For me, they provided a ramp -- but it meant moving the train so that the door was opened to the road, then setting the ramp in place, then 4 guys, two on each side, pushing me (in my chair) up the ramp onto the train. Awkward at best.

 

I'd not travel this way again.

[Ms Ann]

Well, so far this idea is not looking so good. I do have a reservation on curtesy hold, and the cruise is 10 months away, so we could get our money back. I'm thinking to take Amtrak to Austin (4 hr ) to actually try the room. We can always have one of the kids come pick up up, if it is a no go.

[Peery5]

You could not get a power wheelchair into a HC bedroom on Amtrak. Like my DH said, we always travel the rails and the HC rooms are much bigger than the regulars but the problem would be getting from the entry door of the train to the door entering the bedroom. Amtrak uses a portable electric lift at some stations but not sure if they are available at all stations. I think it is possible to ride coach and remain in your wheelchair or transfer to a seat for the trip as there are areas on each coach car for wheelchairs to park. We enjoy train travel. It is a great alternative to driving.

 

Donna

[Ians Grandma]

The HC bedroom didn't work well for us. My sons scooter filled the floor space and I just had to climb over it. The toilet is in the room so its a bit like sitting in a bathroom. The showers are not accessible so it's impossible for a person that cannot walk to really bathe. A person who is confined to a chair really can't leave the room....nowhere to go! But on the positive side the food wasn't bad.

[Ms Ann]

So far this is what I've come up with. Check the Big Powerchair ( Quantum 6000) and load him in a manual chair. He can not transfer himself, I do his transfering. Fold chair and put it ??????

 

Have lower bunk made into bed and he will remain in the bed ( he stays in bed at home about 1/2 the time or more.) I will use upper bunk and possibly put sleeping pad on floor if necessary.

 

If the big chair would go in room, he can sleep in it. He has done that before. It is kind of "Molded" to him.

 

I'm thinking to take a trip to Austin for a trial run.

[judyfssw]

We took our "great adventure" - flying to San Diego to take a cruise to Hawaii and back followed by taking the AMTRAK from San Diego to Chicago. Well, first of all, my husband's new scooter was broken by the time we arrived at the hotel in SD. Had to rent a scooter for the ship while I left the scooter to be fixed by someone in SD to be ready when we returned from our cruise. Had a great cruise and met some wonderful people. Arrived in SD and went to the train station. People at the AMTRAK station were great and that's when I found out that we had to take a regular train from SD to LA. No problem. When we arrived in LA - still no problem We checked the nonworking scooter that hadn't been fixed because the man was not an authorized Pride repairman. My husband walked slowly to the accesible room which was on the first floor. The room was huge as it went all across the width of the train. But, there was only one chair and in the room which meant that one of us had to either sit on the toilet seat with a window - no curtain to cover this, or on the lower bunk. To get to the dining car, we had to go up narrow winding stairs to the upper floor and walk to the beginnig of the car. Not good when the train is moving and my husband has a mobility problem. When I asked the attendant how I was supposed to get up to the upper bunk, he said that i needed to climb up using the wooden banister. I'm a large woman and this wasn't going to be easy considering that there was a netting set up that I had to climb around. Then, when I laid down, the ceiling was within a foot of my face. I couldn't do it. So, I asked the steward for another room. There was only one other room available and it cost an additional $200.00. I didn't care. I took it. The next 2 days were difficult but we managed. We will never take an AMTRAK again. Good Luck.

Now this was just our experience.

[Ms Ann]

Well, we've decided to nix the train idea. We'll just do another road trip. We refuse to just stay home and not travel, so we do a 7day cruise with 3 or 4 days of driving at each end. I do all the driving, so we stop often. About 6-7 hours a day is about my limit. The other side of the coin, we get to see lots of country, and have met some really really nice folks along the way.

[judyfssw]

Good for you! Never stop traveling. It's keeps both of you going.

Good Luck and drive safely.