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I'm railsale-ing this month on the Capitol LImited from Ohio to Chicago and back, and since it's her Birthday weekend, really want to get an upgrade once on board. However we join the train after midnight westbound. Does this hurt my chances of an on board upgrade? (will the sleeper attendant be trying to catch much needed zzz's).
Please, any suggestions or advice...when to ask, who to ask, HOW to ask...should I wave a large wad of bills around
Thanks!
rmiller Member # 341
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I'd say it is anyone's guess. You'd have a better chance if the sleeper attendant was already up to load/unload passengers at your stop in Ohio. The conductor is the only one who can sell you an upgrade, so they are the one to ask but they may claim a sold out condition if they don't want to wake the attendant or make up the room themselves.
rick
------------------ _ V Rick Miller Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A. ICQ 104290053 Linux - The Freedom to Chose
Dave Burden Member # 88
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Check at the ticket counter (assuming you're boarding at a manned station) and see if there are sleepers available. If the price seems reasonable at that point, book them right away. The price you get on board may not be any cheaper than what you have to pay at the station.
As Rick mentioned, you have to deal with the conductor in order to buy an upgrade on board. He/she will be outside the train when you board.
Good luck!
Dave
kjkober Member # 1423
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Thanks! Unfortunately, the kicker is that they are rail sale tix...the policy is no upgrades until after you're on board. (I don't think they bend that one???)
And regrettably it's an unmanned station a few miles east of nowhere...
[This message has been edited by kjkober (edited 11-05-2002).]
tubaallen Member # 2057
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No, actually, you can't reserve first-class after purchasing rail-sale...however, you can upgrade onboard if there are rooms available. AND, it usually has to do with the conductor. Talk to them. Most of the time the conductor's eyes go "cha-ching, cha-ching" for Amtrak, and they sell it to you. And if they have to wake the attendant (maybe me) up, they will. But it is also true that sometimes they won't.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Allen - are you a sleeping car attendant? What run do you work on? On my trip last summer, I believe I had an attendant named Allen on I believe, the Three Rivers. Was that you?
tubaallen Member # 2057
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Hey! Thanks for your excitement! I am a seasonal train attendant (I am currently in school studying physics at ISU). What that means is that I am an "extra board" employee. And I work sleepers, and coaches. And I work any of the trains that are staffed by Chicago employees. Each trip, whether sleeper or coach, or which train, just depends on the job they give me. And yes, I did work a couple sleepers this past summer, but I did not work the three rivers....is it possible you saw me on the lake shore limited? I worked that train on the Boston section, the sleeper, when they were doing track work, so I layed over in Albany.
kjkober Member # 1423
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Well, folks...we're back and it was great. The crew on the Capital was the best I've ever encountered. The only strange thing was the upgrading. There were many open rooms, but upon boarding in Alliance, we were greated by the coach attendant. No conductor or AC to be found. He said he'd ask and disappeared. So I went for a walk. Through the coach cars, through the observation car, through the dining car...not a soul in an Amtrak shirt. So...I went through the first sleeper car and ran into John. He informed me that ever since Amtrak took away the conductor's cell phones, they don't know what sleeper space might have been reserved further down the line. So I called Julie on my cell phone and "agented" to a real person. After hearing the speech about no upgrades via phone on rail-sale tix, I explained that they couldn't do it and I wanted to give Amtrak my money...how could she help? So long story...I bought JUST the upgrade via the phone and picked the upgrade ticket up at the Cleveland station. My wife and I rode in room 2 for the rest of the trip, were well taken care of by Bill in 2901 and enjoyed the French Toast big time.
While still enroute to Chicago, I called Amtrak again and explained my dilemma. The agent graciously sold me the sleeper space right then so all I had to do was pick it up at the station for the trip back later that night.
Nice day in Chicago...30 minutes that became 1 hour in the Metro lounge and we boarded late.. As my wife and I boarded, Bill, expecting us, said...hey I've got a cancellation in D, why don't you take it! Living large all the way back to Alliance. The BBQ Pork was excellent and because we had to follow freight all the way back because of our late departure...our 3:49 am stop became a 7:10 am stop and we got another breakfast before de-training! BONUS!
Heck...I may change my username to Capital Limited after this.
If you're on the Capital Limited and run into John or Bill in the sleepers...tell them Mr and Mrs Kober say hi and that we said they are the best.
I think we'll go the other way next and show the kids the Prez's digs...hopefully we'll hook up with these guys again. Except for the initial upgrading difficulty, it was the best service we've ever gotten.
Thanks for all your help!
kjkober Member # 1423
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oh yeah...one of the reasons we were late on the way back was because of some confusion with the power needs of a private car we were to drag. Apparently they had used up all their generator fuel sitting in Chicago and needed to be hooked in, even tho' their contract didn't call for it.
During our 20 minute station stop in Toledo they had pulled the freight off and moved the private car to the tracks next to us across from our sleeper 3001. I woke up just in time to see a larger man in his tee shirt and underwear sitting at a desk apparently oblivious to the fact that someone in sleepers was also awake at 4:15 am and amused at the show...
[This message has been edited by kjkober (edited 11-18-2002).]
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