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Has anyone ridden in a Roomette recently who can comment on the inside temperature? Do you have any control? Do they overcool in the summer (like movie theaters)?
Posts: 5 | From: Tampa | Registered: Apr 2012
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Each Roomette has it's own control. How well it works can once in awhile be hit or miss. My only problem (in 20+ yrs of train travel) was a room in a car that the air conditioning quit working.
Dee
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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I agree with Dee---it's hit and miss. Sometimes turning that little knob does nothing, and sometimes it does a little bit.
Generally speaking, the sleepers run a bit cool. But you can stuff a clean towel or sock into the ceiling vent to stop the air flow if you want to.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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I usually find roomettes to be too cool, and need to wear a sweater or jacket. The ceiling vent has an adjustment, but it doesn't seem to allow shutting off the airflow completely. The so called temperature control never worked for me.
I will be riding the Zephyr (6) on May 27 from SAC to DEN. I have ridden that route many times, and never get tired of it.
Posts: 133 | From: Canaan, CT | Registered: Dec 2004
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Hmmmm. My wife and I are in a roomette as I write this and she has been complaining since we left NYP that she' freezing. I have the thermostate pegged at 80 and still no difference. The hallway is cold too. They must be preparing us for the heat in Atlanta.
Joe
Posts: 85 | From: Finger Lakes Region of NY | Registered: Jun 2008
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Last month on a trip from Atlanta to Washington on #20 my roomette began to get chilly around 11:00pm...... mostly because we were going north into colder temperatures...... I spun the dial on the temperature control and, admittedly, was more surprised than not, when warmer air flowed immediatedly from the vent.
That's not to say that the roomettes are uniformly not in good condition.... just that it's a good idea to come prepared with extra layers of clothing just in case things aren't working as well as you think they should.
-------------------- 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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We've had both very cold and very warm sleeper accommodations. Once on the CS we had a Bedroom that became so warm after dinner that we had to keep the door open and ended up in tee shirts and shorts. Fortunately we were only going as far as San Jose from SBA.
I spoke to a management rep who was on board (this was just before the upgrade to CS service) and he gave me his card and told me to write it up. I got a $100.00 Amtrak credit and an apology.
Apparently the whole car was that way and there was no way to control the heat.
The duct tape is a must carry item when we travel. It's often useful on cruises, too, when the cabin drawers start opening and slamming shut at night in moderate to rough seas.
Frank in sunny after a very foggy start SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by dilly: Stuffing the vent with small articles of clothing is hit or miss -- the stuff tends to fall out during the night.
That's why I always bring my "Never Board Any Train Without It" mini-roll of duct tape and a few sheets of construction paper or new-shirt cardboard.
If a faulty vent control doesn't completely shut off the chilly draft, I use the paper and tape to completely cover the vent. Works like a charm. -------------
I like that idea! I never thought of bringing a piece of cardboard or something. I always have my duct tape with me on ANY AmTrip----I may have to add cardboard to my "Bring" list.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by smitty195: I may have to add cardboard to my "Bring" list.
Speaking of room temperatures. . .
I've also discovered the perfect remedy for the cold, strangely gloomy ceiling lights and migraine-triggering "reading" lights typically found in Amtrak's sleeping accommodations.
I simply switch off everything and plug in my trusty "Jesus" nightlight, bought at a 99 cent store in Brooklyn, NY.
It gives off a warm, incandescent 1950s glow that instantly makes even a mundane Viewliner business trip feel like an overnight adventure to Grandma's house aboard a New York Central 10-6.
Very cozy and atmospheric. I never travel by sleeper without it.
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Dilly, could we see a picture of that nightlight? It sounds terrific.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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It glares a bit due to the camera settings the guy used. But "in person" these lights simply glow softly -- not quite bright enough to read by, but great for atmosphere, and as an antidote to Amtrak's less-than-cozy lighting.
Mine is more amber-ish in hue (the color of the plastic used for these things can vary). Plus I bring a cheap little adapter plug to ensure I can use the light vertically (Amtrak's power outlet holes are sometimes oriented sideways).
Personal disclosure: Yes, I spend way too much time visiting 99 cent stores.
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I'm reminded of this story - My father, who was not overtly religious nor overtly cynical, was proud to have used the same 'special' pencil on every exam he took through graduate school.....
Handed to him on the street once by a missionary, my father's special pencil was embossed with the following message - "Jesus Never Fails."
-------------------- 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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During various Amtrak sleeper trips, I've actually road tested many nightlights in search of the ideal in-room ambiance -- including Sponge Bob, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, a Burger King Whopper, and Gene Simmons of the rock band Kiss.
I'm definitely not a religious man, but Glowing Jesus is the only one that does the job right.
posted
If someone asks who you're sharing your roomette with, you've got the perfect answer.
Posts: 2236 | From: Evanston, Ill. and Ontonagon, Mich. | Registered: Feb 2007
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