From: brownp@cs.unc.edu (Peter Brown)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Amtrak travel info request
Date: 29 Jul 92 16:02:37 GMT
Organization: UNC Department of Computer Science
In-reply-to: LANDERSO@NDSUVM1.BITNET's message of 28 Jul 92 19:54:03 GMT

In article <92210.145403LANDERSO@NDSUVM1.BITNET> LANDERSO@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes:
   1. How easy is it to sleep with the rail noise and frequent stops without
      being in a sleeper car?

Pretty easy, I've found.  My wife and I have travelled across the
country twice on Amtrak (once this summer, once last); we had a
sleeper for one leg (LA - Kansas City) last year, but felt we slept
better on coach.  (The sleeper gave us a little private space, but
that was about all.)  My parents (who are both over 70) also found
they slept easily in coach so it's not just a case of my wife and I
being crazy young folks.

   2. What are meal prices like?  How good is the food?

Too high; the food isn't bad, but isn't really good enough to be worth
it (in our opinion).

   Is it prohibited to bring snacks/drinks in a small cooler, or just frowned
   on?

Neither prohibited nor frowned on, in our experience; indeed, I've
gotten utensils from the snack bar to use in eating our food, one time
when we forgot to bring our own.

   Are the showers at Union Station clean/safe/etc.? Is there a fee? Where do I
   put my valuables while taking a shower?

They're both clean and safe (or were in June 1991), and there is no
fee (you have to be a ticket-holder).  We never got a good solution to
the valuables question (I watched our stuff while my wife took a
shower, but that doesn't help you).  There were some lockers in the
men's shower room, but I never figured out how you used them.

   Where do I stow my carry on luggage when I want to walk around the train?
   How safe will it be?

Leave it where it is (over your seat or in the luggage stowage on the
Superliners); it's generally pretty safe.  I always keep the _really_
important stuff (cash, tickets) on my person, but cameras, etc., seem
to stay put pretty well.  As one car attendant remarked, "There's not
really anywhere for a thief to _go_ on the train."

   Do I need to tip any attendants other than waiters/bartenders?  How much are
   drinks?  (Beer/Liquor/Soda)  Ditto snack costs.

No tips are necessary (according to the Amtrak literature, and I've
never seen one offered, other than to waiters/bartenders).
Non-alcoholic drinks (I don't know about the others) are a bit
expensive, but not prohibitive; ditto snacks.  I'm sorry, I can't
remember the numbers.

   On the *VERY* remote chance that I find a female who is attracted to me as
   much as I am to her, is there anyplace to go (without having a sleeper)
   for a romantic interlude???  ;-)   (Hey, a guy can fantasize, can't
   he???) <g>

Not in coach.

   Are the reclining coach chairs as comfortable as they would have us believe?

They're pretty good.  See the answer to your question 1.

   Also....could you all give me some idea as to what the average delay on 
   Amtrak is(i.e.: On time performance....will I be sweating bullets trying to
            make my connections???)

Don't be surprised by anything up to two hours for a true
long-distance train (>500 miles).  I try to keep my connections over
three hours, precisely to avoid sweating bullets.  However, I should
mention that on the trains I have been on which were late, Amtrak has
been pretty good about taking care of the folks who had to make other
trains.  If you get into trouble, go to passenger services and bug
'em (politely, of course).

   Is there a FAQL regarding Amtrak travel?

Not to my knowledge.

   Any additional tips that you can give me for my trip would be greatly
   appreciated, and if 'all want, I'll post a trip report upon my return.

Travel light, especially if you're making connections which could be
tight.  If you don't have any checked baggage, it's one less thing to
worry about.

Bring a light blanket or a warm sweater for sleeping; the a/c always
seems fiercer at night.  Amtrak will sell you a blanket, but (like
everything else) they're expensive.  They do provide pillows free of
charge.

The earlier you get in line for boarding, the better choice you have
of seats.  Does anybody know why Amtrak's reserved seats don't
actually carry a car and seat number, the way airline reservations or
train reservations in much of the rest of the world do?  Seems to me
it would save lots of hassle...

Hope this helps,
--Peter (brownp@cs.unc.edu)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his
Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 John 4:10
From: christen@hpspkla.spk.hp.com (Tim Christensen)
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 21:29:24 GMT
Subject: Re: Scanner freq's for Empire Builder?
Organization: Hewlett Packard Company, Spokane, Wa.