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My wife and I will be taking the Empire Builder to Seattle this fall. We currently have a resevation for a family room but I am not so sure that is the best choice. On the dates we need to travel, the bedroom is too expensive so we got the family room.
Now I hear there are a couple problems with it: the windows are small and there is a lot of track noise due to its location. So I am thinking of changing and getting two roomettes across the isle from each other. Is it worth the extra $100 (and still $300 less than the bedroom)? I need to purchase the family room in a couple days so appreciate any advice.
Also the day after arrival we will be taking the Cascade up to Vancouver. Any advice for that trip? Is it worth it to go business class - will be going on a Saturday.
dilly Member # 1427
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If you'll be traveling without kids, the only real advantages of the Family Room are:
1) more floor space
2) a wider lower berth
I prefer riding on the lower level of the train (albeit in a roomette). The slight difference in noise level doesn't bother me. Keep in mind, though, that the Family Room's windows are comparatively tiny (although you'll probably want to spend the daylight hours in the Sightseer Lounge anyway). And unlike a Deluxe Room, the toilets and shower are outside the room and down the hall.
Given a choice, I'd go for two roomettes across the corridor from each other. The center of the car is best for the smoothest ride. So if you're dealing with a "live" Amtrak reservations agent, ask if one of these roomette number combinations is available:
Upper Level: 3 & 4; 5 & 6
Lower Level: 11 & 12; 13 & 14
Note that Lower Level rooms feel more "private" than Upper Level rooms. Also note (for reasons too incomprehensible to go into here), specific rooms can sometimes be more or less expensive than otherwise identical rooms in the same car. Ask the agent to check all of the above roomette pairs, not only for availability, but also to see if there's a price difference.
As for the Cascades: Personally, I don't believe "business class" on any Amtrak train is worth the extra fare. The perks are minimal, and you won't get there any faster.
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notelvis Member # 3071
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Hi Palmland,
I would recommend business class on the Cascades to Vancouver for a couple of reasons.
1) Priority boarding in Seattle. When my wife and I took this train in April 2004, we were on the train and invited to the food-service car for sit-down breakfast (also recommended) before the coach passengers even had the chance to board.
2) Priority off-loading in Vancouver. Once again, my wife and I were off the train and cleared through Canadian Customs before most of the coach passengers had even made their way down the platform to line-up for customs.
Business class on this particular train really is worth the few extra dollars.
As for the family bedroom question, it depends on what is important to you. The biggest pro to your location is that you won't have cross traffic past your door. This extra privacy may make up for the additional track noise. You're also much closer to the restrooms and shower which might also be a plus.
On the other hand, the two roomettes would give you the upsatirs space you prefer and, if the rooms are directly across the aisle (ie: 3 & 4, 5 & 6, 7 & 8, 9 & 10) from one another then you would preserve that relatively easy access to sights on either side of the train.
Myself, I'd stick with the family room if I were doing the City of New Orleans, Auto Train, Texas Eagle, or Sunset. For a train with some of the better scenery such as the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, California Zephyr, and Capitol Limited, I'd be inclined to go with the roomettes for the larger windows. But this is just one opinion.
Out of curiousity, how are you getting from Camden to Chicago? Flying or using the 'Silver Star' and 'Capitol'?
palmland Member # 4344
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David and Dilly
Thanks for the advice - think I'll go for the roomettes and business on the Cascade. And David, I'm afraid it's Delta from Atlanta as we have to drop off the *** at our son's house in Athens. Now if the Georgian was still running....
notelvis Member # 3071
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Hi Again,
Can't blame you, even without considering the needs of your best friend (the program for this forum considers the commonly used three letter descriptor of your canine companion obscene and censors it B-T-W......you can fool it by typing d*o*g!), I'd be hard pressed to spend all or parts of another two nights on the train. CSX is so congested between Rocky Mount and Petersburg that there is always a real chance that the Star wouldn't make the conection to the Capitol anyway. Any route from Florida to the midwest via Atlanta would be a welcome addition to the system.
One other note concerning the Cascade Talgo. Unlike most other Amtrak operations, you will need to check in for a seat assignment prior to boarding. You will see two lines in the Seattle station for doing this. The short efficient one (it was on the right two years ago) will be for Business class. The very long one which seems not to be moving will be for coach.
Please remember to come back on and report how your trip went once you've returned.
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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Palmland, I agree with your decision to take 2 roomettes assuming they are upstairs and are 3 & 4 or 5 & 6. The downstairs rommettes can be a pain as 11 & 12 are close to the stairs and luggage racks and 13 & 14 are beside the family bedroom which is annoying if somebody has crying children. I have found the family bedroom good in that the wider bed is nice however the small windows do frustrate us for viewing great scenery. Track noise has seldom been a problem but I once was annoyed by squeaking springs in the wheel assembly that seemed to be right below my pillow at night. The upstairs rooms are generally far superior.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: Now if the Georgian was still running....
Yes ! It should properly been part of Amtrak. The completely inexplicible thing is that C&EI was allowed to discontiuue the Chicago to Evansville portion in 1968 or late 1967, even though it was still carrying a decent passenger loading, and in fact was the combined Georgian - Humming Bird, while the L&N portion of the Georgian, including the St. Louis section which was never big, stayed in operation all teh way to A-day.
palmland Member # 4344
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I did get roomettes 5&6 so we should be set. It is strange the Georgian lingered as a St. Louis train. But then, if memory serves I think the L&N originally ran it to St. Louis rather than Chicago as a daylight all coach streamliner.
Because of congestion on the L&N I guess the best route now would either be via Knoxville-Cinci or maybe NS to Birmingham then BNSF to Memphis and take over the City of New Orleans route from there. The advantage would be there are existing stations in B'ham and Memphis. Only the BNSF portion would represent new Amtrak miles requiring negotiation.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: I did get roomettes 5&6 so we should be set. It is strange the Georgian lingered as a St. Louis train. But then, if memory serves I think the L&N originally ran it to St. Louis rather than Chicago as a daylight all coach streamliner.
Because of congestion on the L&N I guess the best route now would either be via Knoxville-Cinci or maybe NS to Birmingham then BNSF to Memphis and take over the City of New Orleans route from there. The advantage would be there are existing stations in B'ham and Memphis. Only the BNSF portion would represent new Amtrak miles requiring negotiation.
Now THAT would be interesting! The train you propose could actually operate CHI-MEM as a section of the 'City of New Orleans' using superliner equipment. An Atlanta - Memphis day train could generate a surprising number of new on-line riders. Two coaches, a lounge for food service, and a sleeper a la the Portland section of the Empire Builder would be a good start.
palmland Member # 4344
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David
It would be interesting from a raifan standpoint and relatively low cost since existing service could be used as you point out. Put now very practical as would probably take close to 24 hours (using the old KC-FL Special running times). Much better for CSX to get its act together and run it on the Georgian route - which took about 9 hours. Wishful thinking I guess.
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