My husband and I will soon be taking the City of New Orleans from Chicago to New Orleans. We're pretty excited since the songs 'The City of New Orleans' and 'The Panama Limited' have been favorites of ours for years. We have already purchased round trip tickets which include roomette #13. I've been looking at various forums and people talk about placement of rooms, tipping, meals, entertainment, and so forth. Is it possible for someone to walk me through the trip and advise me about things such as - Who do I need to tip and how much? What about the attendant that makes up the berths. Since meals are included, are the prices on the menus so I can figure out a tip from there. I've figured out that bathrobes are needed because it doesn't sound that there will be any room to turn around once the berths are made up. Amtrak mumbled something about taking a suitcase on board, but leaving it in a cubicle in the front of our car. How secure is this? Wouldn't it be better to check it? Any help would be appreciated. Even though I'm looking forward to this new adventure, I'd like to have an idea about what to expect on board. Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
From several rides over the past few years, I believe the City is one of the better trains in the Amtrak LD fleet. I have always found the crews to be exemplary with their service; also, the Dining Car crew is New Orleans based which means the chef could well have a pleasant surprise in store - such as a chef who makes his own steak sauce the be assured is 'not exactly A-1". Exen though the schedule departure of #59 is 8PM they do serve Dinner.
As to the specifics, you must be mindful that a Roomette with a 'footprint of some 6' x 3', is really only a one adult accomodation. If possible (Financial and availability) a party of two adults should consider a Bedroom. Nevertheless, if it is to be the Roomette, #13 is on the Lower Level of a Superliner car. This means you have ready access to both the community shower and community washrooms (Bedroom; those facilities are private).
Your tip to the Sleeper Attendant should be at least $10; more if you ask for additional "gofers' (drinks) beyond one. Based on the current menu prices, $3 per person for Dinner and $2 p/p other meaks should do it. Be mindful that alcoholoc beverages are extra. In the diner, a very drinkable Beaulieu Chardonnay or Cabernet is $10 for a half bottle (plus tip).
So enjoy; if you have Chef Frick and/or Sleeper Attendant "Miss Stephanie', you WILL have a great trip.
Posted by clagodna (Member # 3847) on :
I realize that the "roomette" might be to small for 2 adults, but my husband doesn't think he will have a problem with the top berth. Also, we're traveling with a friend and she has a roomette across from us. We want to stay together and having a 3rd roomette seems excessive.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
The general tipping that I've done is $1 per bag to porters, $5 per night per person to sleeping car attendants (more if they perform extra services), $2-3 tip per person at meals. I have not yet been on a Superliner (I've had only Viewliners, which do have a space for your luggage over the door), but I think you can bring an overnight bag into your compartment with the things you need most. I did not find I needed a bathrobe, though I brought one the first time; I wore thermal underwear and warm socks (I was traveling in winter) under my nightgown (or very long T-shirt as nightgown), though I can't remember if I kept the thermal underwear on--I seem to remember my compartment being pretty warm the last time, but not on other trips.
Unless the Superliner is a LOT smaller than the Viewliner, I think you'll be fine with 2 in one roomette; plenty of couples use them with no problem. And speaking of "City of New Orleans" (it's among my favorites too), the line that I find most apt for sleeping on the train is "Mothers with their babes asleep/Listen to the gentle beat/The rhythm of the rails is all the feel (or dream, in some versions) . . . . "
Posted by mrhall53 (Member # 1580) on :
My wife and I take the City of New Orleans on every train trip we're fortunate enough to take.
Individual trains have personalities. Some are strictly by the book, others are looser. I think it has to do with the conductor, more than anything; the crew takes their cues from him or her.
The City of New Orleans is bleary-eyed approaching Chicago in the morning (just what do they do in Mississippi the night before?), but leaving Chicago at night, it's a party train. Go to the diner and enjoy.
Posted by CHATTER (Member # 1185) on :
To me, it is not so much an issue of whether there is room in the upper bed. It is the issue of space in general. When the beds are down, there is almost no room whatsoever to stand, only the tiniest spot in front of the door. Even when the beds are up, two people may find that their feet tangle because they are close together. Then there is the issue of using the toilet. Because of limited room, one person generally must step outside for the other to use the facilities.
If a couple is young, hale and hearty, and enjoys rugged experiences, such as outdoor camping, etc., then they will probably be fine in a roomette. But if such rugged travel does not excite them and they are used to even the most rudimentary hotel accomodations, then a bedroom is the way to go.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I just realized I may have given erroneous, or at least misleading, info. I found I did not need a bathrobe when I traveled on a sleeper, but I have traveled only on Viewliner sleepers, which have small commodes in them, so that one does not have to go outside in the middle of the night to get to a toilet. I gather that the Superliners have their toilets in a corridor and in some cases even on a different level. In that case I suppose a bathrobe would be a good idea, though I would also consider throwing on my jacket, sweater, or coat if I didn't feel like carrying a bathrobe into the compartment because of space considerations.
Posted by writesong (Member # 3566) on :
Greetings, Clagodna:
Over the years past, I've ridden on quite a few AMTRAK trains, both first class and coach, but never on "THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS".
Ah, how I envy you!
I'm an "undiscovered" amateur singer/songwriter, and I'm the official bard of my Scottish clan (but only because nobody else wanted the job!).
By coincidence, I just now found the lyrics to "THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS" by doing a GOOGLE search on the Internet, as I want to teach myself to sing that song.
I reckon you all might enjoy seeing this yourselves, huh?
Well, here goes:
**********
"THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS" By Steve Goodman
VERSE # 1:
Riding on "The City of New Orleans", Illinois Central Monday morning rail. Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail. All along the southbound odyssey, The train pulls out at Kankakee, Rolls along past houses, farms and fields. Passing trains that have no names, Freight yards full of old black men, And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.
CHORUS:
Good morning America, how are you? Don't you know me? I'm your native son. I'm the train they call "The City of New Orleans". I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
VERSE # 2:
Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car. Penny a point, ain't no one keepin' score. Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle. Feel the wheels rumbling underneath the floor. And the sons of Pullman porters And the sons of engineers Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel. Mothers with their babes asleep Are rockin' to the gentle beat And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel.
CHORUS
VERSE # 3:
Night time on "The City of New Orleans", Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee. Half way home, we'll be there by morning Through the Mississippi darkness Rolling down to the sea. And all the towns and people seem To fade into a bad dream And the steel rails still ain't heard the news. The conductor sings his song again, The passengers will please refrain This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.
CHORUS:
Good night, America, how are you? Don't you know me? I'm your native son. I'm the train they call "The City of New Orleans". I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
I'm reading a couple of things here that might be confusing to clagodna.
First, the City is a be-level Superliner train, so the roomettes do not have toilets in the rooms. They are in the hall, one upstairs and the rest downstairs.
Several people have properly noted the tiny amount of floor space when the beds are deployed. If needed you can always go to the shower/changing room on the lower level for a private place to change clothes. There is ample space there.
Roomette 13 is on the lower level. The view isn't quite as good as on the upper level, but it is more private.
I concur with sojourner that $5 per night is a good base tip for a sleeping car attendant. However, I usually tip $10, because most sleeping car attendants I've had were worth it. It is customary to tip him or her at or near the end of your journey.
Dining car servers should be tipped as you would in any restaurant, even though meals are included. Prices are on the menu, if you want to do a percentage. But some riders find it easier to do the "flat rate" described above by sojourner. Either is acceptable.
Usually when you first board the attendant will direct you to your room. Wait there for a conductor to come by to take your ticket before walking about the train. It usually only takes a few minutes.
Regarding luggage, there is just enough space under the seats to hold a small carry-on bag. Suitcases need to be placed on a rack on the lower level.
My standard advice to first timers is to expect to have fun, but don't expect spit and polish perfection. Every Amtrak seems to involve a few minor glitches. Amtrak employees tend to be more folksy than formal, which in my opinion is a good thing.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)