Get get on the #1 to go home Tuesday night.

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Originally posted by Son of Hobo:
My wife and I are taking the Sunset Limited from LA > Orlando - I have some questions
1. If it leaves LA at 10:30PM what time can you get on the train
2. Is it safe to walk around the LA station area at night
3. What are the Family rooms like

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1) This train is open for boarding quite early. Sleeper passengers are called between 9:15 and 9:30PM. The beds are already open, since most folks want to retire and it is difficult to open them later with so many boarding at same time. Actual time of departure is another story. As someone else pointed out, this train has many freight cars and maneuvers extensively to attach them, causing the first of many delays. We left at 11:40PM on our Friday night train, which are the most crowded with passengers and freight.

2) The area around Union Station is not the worst, but neither is it the best. It is right on the border between Little Tokyo and the Mexican Plaza section. Walking around the station is not a problem per se, but honestly, the station is large enough, with its subway connections, that you could explore the indoors for quite some time. We had to being our rental car back before 6PM, so as you can see, we had plenty of time. There is a sundry shop and a bar, and although expensive, the Traxx restaurant right in the station was absolutely superb!

3) The family room is very roomy, and having traveled from Chicago to LA in the handicapped room on the other end of the lower level, I can say there is little problem with track or wheel noise, as compared w/ upstairs. There is, however, a lot of noise from passengers boarding and detraining, so you will probably end up keeping your door shut a lot. Unfortunately, there is no separate bathroom in the family compartment (this is where the adjoining deluxe bedrooms have an advantage, but they are expensive); at least the bathrooms are right outside on the lower level.

And a floor plan of the entire car is available here: http://trainweb.org/crocon/sleeperplans.html

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

True, there's slightly more wheel noise, but it's very hypnotic. The ride also seems steadier. The cars don't sway as much on the lower level, particularly on rough track and during lengthy curves.

There's also less human traffic. After all, fewer passengers can fit into the car's lower level. And you'll neither see (nor hear) all the crew people, and passengers from other sleepers, who'll be passing through the upper level to reach the rest of the train.

As for station noise. . . most of your car's rooms will be occupied when you leave L.A. Few sleeper passengers will leave the train in the middle of the night. Even fewer will board. Plus the family room is a fair distance from the car door, which the attendant won't even open at most stations.

As someone mentioned, all the lower level rooms are also steps away from a trio of state-of-the-art Amtrak toilets. Most upper level passengers never use them, so you'll usually find at least one toilet unoccupied. Plus the shower is right there, too.

Many people feel the view is better from the upper level. But there isn't a huge difference. You'll probably spend long stretches of your trip in the Sightseer Lounge anyway.

So in my book, the lower level is the better choice, whether you go for the family room or a humble standard.

It's peaceful. It's cozy. And until you can afford your own rail car, it's the next best thing to having your own private wing on the train.

I prefer the upper level but the family bedroom is the best bet with a family as it costs less and is quite suitable. The negatives are its windows are smaller than the deluxe and standard bedrooms (but they are on BOTH sides which is nice) and the a/c sometimes is less effective as I think the 2 vents are not enough. That's solved by carrying a travel fan and extension cord with me as I've posted before.

Noise has never been a problem except once on AutoTrain when the shock absorbers squeeked all night long. After awhile I wised up and switched myself so my head was at the far end of the bed, not right above the squeak and I slept great.

As for beds, Mr. Toy is right about deminsions except that the lower adult bed is VERY wide (even more so than on old Heritage sleepers). An adult can even sleep on the lower child sized bed if they bend their body with their feet onto the lower adult bed.

You can order whatever you want from the menu. The food is generally good. But as in any restaurant, this will depend on who's in the kitchen that day.

For breakfast and lunch, head for the diner as soon as it opens. When you're asked to make a dinner reservation later in the day, request the first sitting. Otherwise, if passengers linger over their meals (or if the diner crew doesn't have their act together), you could have a v-e-r-y long wait.

In your sleeping car, coffee, soft drinks, and bottled water will be available all day long. Some car attendants are more conscientious than others about restocking the refreshment area, though. If you don't see what you want, be sure to ask.

You might want to take your favorite snacks on board with you. But you can also buy cookies (and other sugary and salty stuff) on the lower level of the Sightseer Lounge.

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Originally posted by dilly:
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the diner are built into the price of your sleeper ticket (although several Amtrak customer service people have cheerfully insisted to me that, no, the food is actually "complimentary").

You can order whatever you want from the menu. The food is generally good. But as in any restaurant, this will depend on who's in the kitchen that day.

For breakfast and lunch, head for the diner as soon as it opens. When you're asked to make a dinner reservation later in the day, request the first sitting. Otherwise, if passengers linger over their meals (or if the diner crew doesn't have their act together), you could have a v-e-r-y long wait.

In your sleeping car, coffee, soft drinks, and bottled water will be available all day long. Some car attendants are more conscientious than others about restocking the refreshment area, though. If you don't see what you want, be sure to ask.

You might want to take your favorite snacks on board with you. But you can also buy cookies (and other sugary and salty stuff) on the lower level of the Sightseer Lounge.

[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 08-25-2002).]

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I have to disagree with the first sitting for dinner comment. It's usually 5.30pm, but I prefer to go for the 7pm sitting. It's slightly later than I normally eat, but it's better IMHO. But I would agree that the 8.30pm sitting is often more like 9-9.30pm. Except on one occasion on the California Zephyr where we had to wait until nearly 10pm for a sitting.

Chatter mentioned that he had to return his rental car at LAX by 6pm as that's when the rental desk closed. However, both the Hertz phone agent when we booked, and the Hertz desk agent told us that if we wanted a later drop off, we could leave the car in the Hertz lot, and drop off the key at the Amtrak services desk, which would be open until the Sunset Limited departed. I also explained our meal plans (below) and was told that would work fine.

We got to Union Station at about 7.30pm, and left our car WITH luggage inside it, in the Hertz drop off area. We kept the keys and walked across the main street to the mexican area on Olvera Street where we bought a few gifts, then had a great meal in the largest
Mexican restaurant there where we were serenaded with live Mexican music. We ate outside on the front porch area. On a Frriday night I estiamte 60 people eating outside, and more than 100 iniside. The food was great. At 9pm, we came crossed the street back to the station. It seemed quite safe with plenty of other families walking in the area. All you have to do is exit the Olvera Street complex from the exit slosest to Union Station and cross directly across a 6 or 8 lane street at the crosswalk and walk right into the station.

We then retrieved our luggage from the car, and dropped off the keys at Amtrak, and showed our Amtrak tickets at the same desk. We were not the only ones to do a Hertz car drop off at the Amtrak desk. We got a (correct) credit card receipt in the mail a few days later.

There is also a large paid parking lot at the Amtrak station.

We were called to board our sleeper at 9.20pm. The train began moving at about 10.40, but due to difficulties coupling to the freight, did not get really leave until after I was asleep at 11.30pm.

The whole journey was great fun. One day I hope to post a trip report.

I, too, diligently seek my newspaper every day. We rode over the weekend, so there was no USA Today. We got the Saturday paper in Tucson and the Sunday paper in San Antonio, which was later in the day due to our own lateness, so I was not pleased that there was no morning paper. We also got the New Orleans paper on Monday, so all in all, we were well-paper.

One nice thing about the Family Room is that you can clean the outside of the windows at the longer stops, in case they get dirty! You might have to wait a stop or two until you can get to both sides. Just grab some paper towels from the bathroom on your way out the door.

I start at $20 for a two night trip

First ... making down and putting away beds ... I expect porters to do that. I can, though. If I end up doing it, because the porter is unavailable (read ... can't be found even after using the call bell a time or two) ... tip goes down.

Stocking basic supplies also comes with the job ... tip goes down if I have to ask for supplies that should be obvious.

NOW, tip goes up for ...

SUPERIOR service, not only to my family but also clearly evident in the car:
Car is spotless,
coffee/soft drinks/ice available,
flowers in their vases,
information in the car
plans a dinner reservation (especially if I am boarding after departure station)
HELPS families and folks entrain or de-train

Those get my attention, and the tip has gone as high as $40 for a two nighter!

OTOH ... there was Phil on the CZ. I game him $5 ... he was an old handkerchief head who did not give one whit for service. No coffee, no soft drinks, dirty car.

On the Diner...

Many people here give what they would give in a restaurant. I don't. Most restaurant wait staff is minimum wage and tips. I don't know what Amtrak scale is, but it's better than minimum wage. I tend to give a dollar a person at breakfast and lunch, and $5 for a well executed supper.

That's my two cents. Others will have different thoughts.

Have a great trip, John

For the dining car (two adults, two children) we usually gave $3-4 for breakfast and lunch and $5 for dinner. We also used the gold dollar coins for these tips.

Have fun on your trip!