If you have the time I'd suggest two nights or more in San Francisco (Hint: NEVER refer to it as San Fran or Frisco. "The City" is fine, but San Franciscans are touchy about other shortened references!) and Seattle. You need to take in to account that the trains may well run late. If you really do just want to spend a night I'd suggest looking at the "Hotels Near Stations" part of this website. There are two directly across the tracks from the Emeryville station. You'll be bussed from there to San Francisco. And lots of good reviews for the Pioneer Square Best Western in Seattle. Much of this is personal preference, but I'd really suggest giving yourself some "land time" between those long rides.

I realize I have essentially doubled your accomodation charges, and I note others active at this board disagree. I respect their thoughts, but I'm simply giving you my thoughts based upon that this is a discressionary trip being taken for enjoyment as well as drawing from experiences gained from lifetime rail mileage in the vicinity of 250K.

Another site to look at is the On Track On Line site at http://www.on-track-on-line.com

Some things to keep in mind: The private railroads that Amtrak travels ver do all of their own maintenance, and handle all of their own traffic control. So, the punctuality and ride quality of your trip will vary depending upon who the "landlord" is. Remember, Amtrak is not always welcomed by certain railroads, and it shows in their priority given to Amtraks trains. In fact, certain RR's will frequently give priority to their own frieght trains over Amtrak, so don't be surprised when you have to take the side track, and anther frieght goes roaring by. come to think of it, many issues that passengers blame Amtrak for are the fault of the landlord railroads.
You have made a wise choice in choosing the sleeper, however, onw train ride isn't representative of the entire network. I've had trains trips that have varied in quality due to the crew aboard, and due to which section one was traveling in. It is possible to have two different experiences on board the very same train! It really depends upon one's perspective. In Amtrak crews, and aboard Amtrak trains, you'll run into a cross-section of US society - some crewmembers are fantastic, others mediocre, while there are a few who have no business in a customer service job. That is like many other occupations -- there are doctors who are God's Gift to medicine, and there are quacks who have no business seeing any patients, for example. I tend to make all my travel as low-maintenance and self-contained as possible, so I'm not one of those who demands to be waited on hand and foot (as a matter of fact, there have been train trips where I preferred to make my own sleeper bed, get my own time for dinner, that sort of thing. It's not all that difficult).
It helps to have realisitc expectations while aboard: Don't expect the Orient Express (Amtrak doesn't have that kind of budget or resources), don't expect the plastic artificial smiles like what you get with the airlines, but do expect to have fun, be polite and social, and go to the lounge car to mingle a bit. Bring a card game or a good book to read while you're aboard. I write this becuae some folks get aboard the train with over-romanticised notions and greatly exaggerated expectations, only to find out that reality can be very different than what they had imagined.

You say that you're going on the Zephyr? One more thing to remember is to get to the observation car early after Denver departure, and get a good seat.

I could type on this topic for pages and pages, but I'll end here. Enjoy your trip. Let us know about it here when you get back. Also be sure to check out the "travel" section, and some of the trip reports that have been posted at this and other sites. Perhaps other members of the forum will post links to other sites that have other trip reports.

[This message has been edited by CG96 (edited 02-28-2004).]

You WILL upgrade.

By the way, you might consider staying in Emeryville and using BART to get under the Bay to "The City". You do NOT want to rent a car.

On your first day out, you get to watch the Mississippi River flow towards the Gulf, the second day, your brain will go into overload with the climb into the Rockies and all of the impressive Rockie Mountain canyons. The third day, you get overwhelmed by the Sierra Nevada mountains and Donner Pass. Then you get to cruise through the Cascades of Oregon and Washington before passing through the Rockies again in Idaho and western Montana.

Most of the scenic areas are traversed at a stately 37 miles an hour pace. (Speed limit in National Wildlife Management areas)

Note that the smaller person usually ends up in the upper bunk. It requires some agility to get into, and the procedure is a little counterintuitive. You sort of have to point your head at the pillow and roll in.

A Deluxe room might be advisable in your case given the distance you're going, if you can afford it. But, if you can't afford the upgrade, AND if you don't mind some inconvenience at night, you'll probably be OK in the standard room.

------------------
Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

I am also another standard sleeper advocate, when I am alone. But last year I switched to a deluxe for the third trip after my wife and I shared a standard (for her first non-solo overnight). We are medium-sized ... should have taken the deluxe. Fortunately it was only for one night. She would have gone AWOL if it was longer.

We are about to take the trip from New Orleans to NY in two weeks...here are some suggestions:

If you can SKIP a shower for a day,then plan on it. I don't like to shower on trains public showers.So everyone gets the good scrub the night before we leave. We all travel in " sweat pants and T-shirt".

I pack the old timey "train case". These are the smallish hard shell suitcases that ladies would pack their toiletries in. Here is what I pack too in the train case: washcloths, Tempo napkins ( they are a sturdier napkin), all toothbrushes and toothpaste, extra sox. The extra sox are so we can walk in sox around the little room, and have clean ones to sleep with if needed ( never walk through cars without shoes).

I also pack a reading bag..magazines that I am willing to read and toss.

I also pack an electronics bag..gameboys for kids, cameras etc.

I also bring some snacks, nuts, granola etc.

I keep a small suitcase with a change of clothes for each person for the next day.

All the above planning means:
Traveling in comfy clothes means we can fall asleep in what we have on. We are not doing a bunch so we don't get smelly etc. We travel in T-shirt and bring zippered sweat shirt or sweater cause you never know what the temp may be.
We use our own washcloths cause I just like to do that more!

No one cares what you look like on the train ( so long as you are not scary looking or filthy). Some elderly people I notice still travel rather formally to our ways.

Sometimes the bathrooms in the train cars get icky. I have found the bathrooms in the louge car to be cleaner.

You will have a blast...don't be in a hurry. The food in the diner is always great and eating dinner while the sun sets is spectacular!

The only point with which I must disagree is use of the community shower. This is hands down the greatest innovation that Amtrak has brought to overnight rail travel, and to date with at least 20 occasions since 1996 to use, they are "batting a thousand" i.e. they have delivered a reliable stream of hot water and were always clean.

One reason I prefer Lower Level Superliner Standards is the ready access to the shower. With a Deluxe, there is no problem as you have your own (that is part of what the big $$$ are all about insomuch as one Deluxe is often priced greater than two Standards).

If you are concerned about the potential for "fungus', the best advice is pack a pair of shower thongs and if still concerned a container of medicated foot powder.

I think common courtesy says to wipe it down when finished with your used towel. If "basin tub and tile" cleaner has been laid out by the Attendant, use it.

And lastly, strongly concur with your advice to never even think of walking outside of your car without hard soled footwear.

If anyone saw me or my wife in a shower thong, they would require at least a year of therapy to get past that "vision"!