"I'm going to tell them these are new types of sleeping cars compared to Supliners, maybe that could help. Also when do you leave on the LSL, where and from."----> Go onto www.amtrak.com if you want and you can get a "virtual reality tour" of a sleeping car. Not sure if it is a Viewliner or Superliner (or both), never actually done it. Daisybumble basically has described what you an conclude from the words and pictures you obtain from the Amtrak Vacation Planner.
"Three Things I plan to tell them:
1-Delays on this train mean nothing because you're already on the train and not waiting in an amshack in the middle of the night for it to arrive."
----> Yes, and keep in mind first class passengers have access to the "First Class Lounge," so make sure you go there to wait for your train. Ask an Amtrak employee in the station where the lounges are. They are usually open late (more so in Chicago than NY). You should be fine for the trip though. Both New York and Chicago have First Class Lounges. When you check in at the Lounge desk just tell the attendant what train you are on - and they will announce accordingly (plus there are screens in the lounges showing arrival and departure times). The lounges are comfortable - drinks and snacks for free, private bathrooms, Internet capability, comfortable chairs. The Chicago Lounge is nicer than the New York Lounge though. I have liked the westbound Lake Shore the best - often affords better scenery in daylight (upstate New York).
2-The sleeping accomadations are different from those of a superliner.(We've taken Superliners everywhere but no Viewliners).
---> Yes, different experience on a Viewliner, but similar configuration.
3- I would like to go for one last hurrah
----> I often tell myself and friends this and it could be the truth! I have actually taken the Southwest Chief, Empire Builder, Texas Eagle, CA Zephyr for just this purpose.
4-Let's make it 4, I always like sleeping on the bottom bed to look out the window but now sinces there's a window up top I'll sleep in the top bed so my mom or dad can be comfortable.
----> How many people are traveling - 3? Squeezing three people into a standard Viewliner, or two adults in the bottom bunk, is a little rough in my opinion. The beds on the Viewliner are still configured for single people and actually narrow out at the end. I could potentially see squeezing three people into Deluxe room, as the lower bed is larger, but even that's tight. Again, my personal opinion. Lake Shore sells out quickly and Deluxe rooms are hard to get.
Hope this all works out for you, though.
LSL Eastbound Schedule (CHI to NYP): 7:00 p.m. departure, 1:50 p.m. arrival to NYP.
LSL Westbound Schedule (NYP to CHI): 2:50 departure out of NYP, 9:10 a.m. arrival to Chicago.
You can go to www.amtrak.com and fill out the "Fast Finder" section to the right. Station code for New York City - NYP, station code for Chicago - CHI. You can see what your connection times are by entering to and from New York and St Louis.
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