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Hi Everyone! I just booked my first long distance train trip (second ever train trip) for this summer from LaPlata to Flagstaff. I'll be traveling with my daughter who will be not quite two. We have a roomette reserved, but I had a couple questions for you experienced long distance travelers! Since my daughter is under 2 at the time we travel, her fare is free. I know meals are complimentary with sleeper service, but does anyone know if that covers her meals as well? Does this just cover meals in the dining car, or also in the cafe car? I'm very excited about this trip! Thanks in advance for any other tips you can offer -- I'm sure I'll have more questions as departure time grows nearer!
Posts: 9 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2008
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The free meals will be those taken in the dining car only, not the cafe. As a sleeper patron, I would imagine that your daughter's meals would also be free but am not certain. I don't envy you trying to contain a two-year old in the diner where service can sometimes be very slow. You may want for one or two of the meals to ask your car attendant to bring meals to your room for that reason. Doing that is part of the attendant's job but some are more willing than others. It's appropriate to tip your car attendant for doing so.
Others here will have other thigs to add I am sure.
I am eager to hear a report of how the trip worked out. My wife and I have a 2 and a half year-old daughter who has ridden trains (and loved it) at a couple or three tourist railroads.
Come to think of it, my daughter has about 55 railroad miles now.....ALL of them behind steam locomotives!
We've not quite had the nerve to try an overnight Amtrak trip yet though.
Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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For a two year old one adult meal would probably have enough food for both of you. Surely there has got to be someone that lurks here that has the experience that can give you a real answer. We did three, oldest not yet four in coach between Indianapolis and Washington, but that was quite a few years ago and food was on us. Kids were not a problem.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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I'm certain your daughter's meals will be free. I'm 14, and every meal I've had in the dining car, when riding in a sleeper, has been free. I see no reason why this wouldn't apply to children under the age of two.
Posts: 6 | From: Northern Virginia | Registered: Jan 2008
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You will be charged for any alcohol and the appetizers. Other than that, I believe everything is free for sleeping car passengers. The sample menu is the same menu I had on the Silver Star a week ago. I imagine you will have the same, or something very similar on the Southwest Chief.
Posts: 6 | From: Northern Virginia | Registered: Jan 2008
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The dining car does have a childrens menu (at least it did last Nov when last I traveled.) You might call Amtrak and ask for a customer service rep to verify that it still does.
Be sure to bring along some favorite toys. A personal DVD player with some Disney movies are great for young children (they can watch them over and over and never tire of them.)Crayons and a coloring book are great to have while waiting for food to be served in the dining car,(there is a reason why resturants that cater to families have them.)
Relax and enjoy the trip and I bet your little one will too.
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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On our trip to California and back in '06, we had an under-2 traveler along and she was as entitled as any of us to a dining car meal. There were kids menu items available; however as has been noted the adult portions were ample enough that by the end of the trip my sister was feeding the little one off of her plate.
The prepaid meals are only in the dining car; everything in the lounge you pay full price for. However, there is normally morning coffee and juice available for the taking in your sleeping car and bottled water is available the rest of the day.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Wow! Thanks so much for everyone's quick replies and advice. I'm really glad I found this forum!
Now I have another question... It looks like I'll probably have to take her car seat with us. None of the relatives we're visiting have children young enough to have car seats we can borrow. I noticed on the Amtrak website that car seats don't count toward your 2 bag limit, but does anyone know if there is an additional charge? Better yet, does anyone have any recommendations for places that rent car seats in Flagstaff <gg>. My life would be much easier if I don't have to lug that seat on the train with us, lol.
Posts: 9 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2008
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Maybe it is just California, but I think most places that rent cars also are required to make car seats available. I realize that does not help if you are not renting a car. I have seen people in the lug a car seat mode on trains. Unfortunately traveling with a very small child looks about like moving.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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As an experienced grandfather (3 and counting), I can tell you that Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs will keep the 4 and under crowd rapt for hours. So will coloring books.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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quote:Originally posted by Henry Kisor: As an experienced grandfather (3 and counting), I can tell you that Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs will keep the 4 and under crowd rapt for hours. So will coloring books.
I am a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine. My daughter (2 and 1/2) loves anything Thomas and, as a result, she is coming to love trains.....even those that don't have a face and behave in really useful ways.
A couple of weeks ago we were eating at a favorite burrito place by the railroad tracks in Asheville, NC when a freight train rolls by. It was all we could do to keep our daughter in her seat as she leaned toward the window going "Choo, choo.....train...train.....whoooooo".
She also says "pway twack" when she is assembling the track for one of her train toys.....but that's another story.
Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Thomas is a HUGE hit with my nearly 4 year old nephew. He doesn't know yet that I'm going to AZ on a train. He'll be driving or flying over from CA with my parents and/or my brother. I'm trying to talk my brother (his father -- they both live in CA) in coming out here for a visit. I live about 10 miles from LaPlata and they have an extremely nice train themed hotel, etc. there.
Posts: 9 | From: Missouri | Registered: Feb 2008
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If you can stand more train riding as part of this trip, your nephew might enjoy a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway at Williams, AZ (near Flagstaff). It's a day trip with the ride taking about two and a half hours each way with a three hour stopover at the Grand Canyon.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The dining car does have a childrens menu (at least it did last Nov when last I traveled.) You might call Amtrak and ask for a customer service rep to verify that it still does.
Be sure to bring along some favorite toys. A personal DVD player with some Disney movies are great for young children (they can watch them over and over and never tire of them.)Crayons and a coloring book are great to have while waiting for food to be served in the dining car,(there is a reason why resturants that cater to families have them.)
Relax and enjoy the trip and I bet your little one will too.
Dee
The table clothes in the Dining Car are now disposable. You could bring crayons along for the kids and they can draw while waiting for their food!
I am not sure if this is universal on all the western Long Distance routes, but I know the Coast Starlight has a new and improved kids menu that looked fun! It was more like a traditional restaurant kids menu. The menu was featured on one side and there were activities on the other side. Seemed fun! This may have just been a special promotion though, as it was a major advertisement for that Spiderwick Chronicles (is that isn't name?) movie that just came out. Hopefully Amtrak will continue this with other similar menus.
Jarrod
Posts: 82 | From: San Lorenzo, CA | Registered: Mar 2006
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The rental car companies are required to make car seats "available", but they charge through the nose for them! Much better to bring your own along. There is no charge to bring one along as carry-on luggage, but it's "catch as catch can" as to whether or not there will be room in the carry-on luggage shelves downstairs. Worst case scenario might involve you carrying it into your room and storing it on the upper bunk while you travel.
ETA: By the way, if you have one of those portable DVD players, by all means bring it along. (Headphones recommended) There will be a 120V outlet in your Superliner room where you can plug it in, and it's a great way to amuse little ones while you travel.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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Your Streamliner timetable website is one that I enjoy a great deal. I've bookmarked it on my laptop and it's saving alot of wear and tear on my collection of old Official Guides and public timetables!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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