An air mattress? Probably overkill. It might provide a bit of additional comfort, but could prove too wide or too long for such a tight space. The width of a lower berth in a standard room is 2' 4"; the lower berth in a deluxe room is 3' 4" wide. Plus, when the upper berth is down, the clearance will be so minimal that you'll repeatedly conk your head.

Am really looking forward to this trip. If I have any experience worthing of posting, I will report back. Also open to any other ideas that may exist this vast body of knowledge.

Thanks again.

quote:

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Originally posted by lancet:
If I have any experience worthing of posting, I will report back.

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You will. Even if you have a plain vanilla trip, with nothing exciting whatsoever (unlikely) we regulars here will still want to know every teeny detail.

I was going to suggest the roll-up foam pad, until I realized it would probably require unmaking the bed and starting over.

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Sing to the tune of Humoresque:
Passengers will please refrain,
From flushing toilets while the train,
Is standing in the station,
I love you.

quote:

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Originally posted by lancet:
Also open to any other ideas that may exist this vast body of knowledge.

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My two "essentials" for every overnight summer train trip:

a) duct tape -- silences sundry squeaking and rattling in your room; helps fasten Amtrak's "shrunken window curtains" in place so the room stays dark while you sleep.

b) battery-powered camping fan -- sleeping compartments often get stuffy in extremely hot weather, especially if two people are traveling together. The fan I carry works great and helps the air conditioned air circulate more efficiently.

You'll find it here:

Roger that. I know it will be interesting and I am sure there will ample "experiences and events" along the way. So, unless a conductor throws me off of the train while over a high bridge, you will undoubtedly hear from me again.

Personally, I wouldn't duck* tape the window curtains. I don't like it to be too dark because even trains have monsters under the bed, you know. The in-room night lights are a little too bright, so I prefer to turn them off and let the hallway light seep in between the gaps of the curtain's coverage. But that's just me.

*Going OT here with a footnote: It is my understanding that the term "duct tape" is actually incorrect. Soldiers in WWII nicknamed the tape "duck tape" because it was waterproof. Water rolled off of it like off a duck's back, or so the story goes. It wasn't called "duct tape" until much later, but in fact people who work on ducts say they never use it.

------------------
Sing to the tune of Humoresque:
Passengers will please refrain,
From flushing toilets while the train,
Is standing in the station,
I love you.

Superliner: Standard room racks are too narrow, especially when compared to historic Pullman berths.

Upper berths have insufficient headroom.

Deluxe lower is OK

Deluxe upper is wide enough but has same headroom problem of standard upper.

Bring your own pillow and blanket. Amtrak pillows are tiny.

In winter, Amtrak blankets are thin. Best to sleep under a blanket you bring. (I prefer a cool room to begin with!)

John

I remember them as bunk beds with a curtain. Windows on the bottom beds, beds running fore to aft, and the whole car devoted to two rows of such beds. The curtain was your privacy. There was a wall between each set of beds, but no other walls. The car was only for sleeping, so no conversion to a roomette.

This is how I remember the Pulman sleeper of the 1940s. Maybe they were different in later years.

Now to Ms. Wood's inquiry. I apologize for not only myself but also others who may have thought "huh, everybody knows what a Pullman is".

Well, the Pullman Company ceased operations December 31, 1968 even though it survived as an entity to settle claims until 1975.

To recap: "once upon a time", railroad sleeping cars were operated by separate companies; the principal one being the Pullman Company. This concern not only built the railcars but also operated them.

Well during WWII, somebody, namely competing railcar builders, didn't like that; so during 1944, these builders, wanting to get into the anticipated new age of railcar building "when the war was over", progressed an anti-trust case and prevailed. Pursuant to the judgement, Pullman was confronted with a choice, namely either build cars or operate them - one or the other.

Pullman chose building and rechristened themselves as Pullman-Standard. The Pullman Company became a jointly owned company of all railroads providing sleeping service, and was treated as what we railroad accountants call a "Joint Facility". This new entity commenced operation during 1947, At that time, any railcar builder was free to build sleepers to their own design, rather than seeking (and paying for) licensure from the Pullman (car builder) Company to do so.

From "Day One", I would think the operating company was doomed. During 1955, all railroads operating Parlor Cars withdrew them. During 1958, two major railroads (NYC, RI) defected; this simply meant less roads around to pick up the overhead. As noted, "the party was over" Dec 31, 1968 - I'm surprised it lasted that long. As such, there were never any transactions between The Pullman Company and Amtrak.

Here's more: http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/d8181.htm

quote:

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Originally posted by Mr. Toy:
Hey, Dilly, that little fan is kinda neat.

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It actually seems more powerful than the model with the light (I tested them at Campmor's store in New Jersey). The slight drawback is that they use multiple "D" cell batteries, which makes both a bit heavy.

That's why I usually buy the batteries (typically Walgreen's or CVS's store brand) on my way to the train station. They'll usually last for 16-20 hours of steady use on the fan's highest speed -- long enough to keep me cool for two nights aboard, say, the Southwest Chief. Then I toss the batteries and buy fresh ones shortly before departing on the next leg of my trip.

More duct tape trivia: roadies for English rock bands call it "gaffer's tape" -- a reference to the lighting technicians (gaffers) on movie sets, who use the tape to fasten electrical cables to the floor.

I believe Magellan's (based here in Santa Barbara) Travel Supply sells it in small rolls. I expect you could find similar rolls at a good home improvement center.

That's it from Sunny (in the afternoon) Santa Barbara.

Frank in SBA

quote:

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Originally posted by dilly:
More duct tape trivia: roadies for English rock bands call it "gaffer's tape" -- a reference to the lighting technicians (gaffers) on movie sets, who use the tape to fasten electrical cables to the floor.

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I've used gaffers tape in my work as an audio/visual technician, and it is not the same thing. It is vastly superior in that it has a matte cloth surface that doesn't reflect light. The gaffers tape I've used also has a better quality adhesive that doesn't leave goo behind when removed. It is also considerably more expensive than duck/duct tape.

Back on topic, the sleeping car pillows are standard sized. Only in coach are they the little "mini-muffins." I remember when Amtrak provided full size pillows in coach.

Mr. Pullman is correct about the upper bunks in Superliners. Not nearly enough headroom. Perhaps he also remembers trains with real rest rooms large enough to pull up you pants without hitting your elbows on anything, toilet paper holders in front of the seat, full sized sinks, and faucets with real handles that didn't splatter everywhere*. Some rest rooms even had a smoking lounge.

I'm just a simple person. Blue Fin Chardonnay is just fine for me. It's only a dollar a bottle more than "Two Buck Chuck" at Trader Joe's.

You have a dot after your protocol com. Edit it out and your link should work. (note: if this site published e-mail addresses, I would have handled this privately)

I never traveled in a true Pullman. Did the fans go when A/C came along. I know many of the heavyweight cars were retro-fitted with A/C. The post about the small fan is one of the most practical I've seen here. I like to keep what I carry to a minimum but that's one I might go for!

I'll describe the various accommodations the Pullman Company offered, as of 1955 or so. In each case, assume a 6" mattress, 33-36 inches wide, and 6"2 to 6'7" long:

Section: This is the basic footprint, and is even the footpring going now into Amtrak Superliner and Viewliner. Sections were 6'2" long, with full width facing settees. Both the upper and the lower berth had about 48" of head clearance when the beds were made down. Sections could be open (enclosed at night by curtains) or enclosed (walls, as in current VL/SL std bedroom). Facilities down the hall.

Roomette: Same footprint as a section, facilities in the room (hopper and washstand), and one seat/berth.

Double bedroom: About 30 sq feet fooprint, two beds, either a sofa or a single seat and a folding chair (folding chair HAD to go down for night use). Again, facilities in the room.

Compartment: About 42 sq feet footprint (same as Amtrak deluxe bedroom). Two beds, sofa and folding chair, but there was enough room for the folding chair to be up at night.

Drawing Room: About 60 sq feet (no Amtrak parallel). Three beds and facilities.

There were a few other accommodations (master room and duplex roomette come to mind), but the ones described above comprise 98% of the inventory.

John

Re the curtains: Just remember to shut them when you use la toilette!

In addition to the curtain you noted, each room had a secured door. Why the party you noted did not use such, I know not. The curtain was necessary because in order to lower or raise the bed, the occupant had to step into the hall. This provided some modicum of privacy.

------------------
Sing to the tune of Humoresque:
Passengers will please refrain,
From flushing toilets while the train,
Is standing in the station,
I love you.

You DO realize that Antonin Dvorak was a railfan who once sent his servant to the front of a train he was riding to see what locomotive was pulling it.

BTW, got that little jingle from the late columnist Jack Smith. If I remember the storyu correctly, he said he and his friends used to make up little songs in their youth. I first read it almost 20 years ago and it has stuck with me ever since.

I was probably remembering the details wrong.

In any case, from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Kids webside (http://www.dsokids.com/2001/dso.asp?PageID=287):

"After music, Dvorak's strongest interest was trains, and he was often seen at the railway station in Prague observing, studying railway schedules, and visiting with railway engineers."

I think one can say he was a real railfan <g>.