I was once on the CS and my roomette contained a shrink wrap basket with wash cloth, shampoo and bar soap. Plus a small bottle of wine and two plastic wine glasses. I'm sure those days are over.
But, what about free soft drinks, water and coffee? Still avalible in the sleeper cars?
How about a morning newspaper?
Still complimentary wine cheeze and crackers in the Parlour Car?
posted
I remember those days. The gift basket on the Coast Starlight is long gone but you will find water in your room and coffee and juice and ice are available at the service center at the top of the stairs. No more free soft drinks. Newspapers, sadly usually USA Today, will be delivered to your room in the morning.
Muffins and juice are available in the Parlour Car (if there is one) in the morning and cheese and crackers are served with the wine tasting.
Frank in sunny, warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
No free soft drinks in the sleeping car, however on every trip I've been on, there's been water, juice, and coffee available all day.
Usually the paper that's delivered is USA today, but last year on the Southwest Chief I received a local paper-I think it was from La Junta.
Posts: 286 | From: Knee deep in the retention tank | Registered: Jan 2006
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Complimentary sodas are still available on the Starlight in the Parlour car. Juice and water are, as already stated, at the sleeper's beverage station.
Usually the Starlight has the Oregonian.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
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It is rather amazing Amtrak does not provide small shampoo bottle sleeping car passengers and only bar soap.
I have noticed they get the USA today at Los Angeles, the Oregonian at Klamath Falls, and the Arizona Sun on the Southwest Chief.
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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On the Viewliner (eastern one-level) trains, there is usually just water in the sleepers and juice and ice at the end of the hall (it's one level, so no up or down stairs). The coffee machines usually do not work. Sometimes they work in one of the sleepers (usually not yours!) but almost never in both (or all 3, if there are 3). However, if there is no coffee in any of them if you go to the snack bar and tell the attendant you are in the sleeper and the coffee machine isn't working there, he or she often will not charge you for the coffee (or tea). You can also get coffee or tea with your meals, of course.
I have received the NY Times on the Lakeshore Ltd (it came on in the morning eastbound in Buffalo or Syracuse) and once or twice on the Florida trains (it came on in Savannah on the southbound train), although last trip to FL it was USA Today both ways. Sometimes the sleeping-car attendant has morning papers in his or her sleeper but does not pass them out automatically; you have to ask him or her for one.
The first-class lounges where you wait for the train also often have beverages (including water), little snacks, and sometimes a paper. For instance, the Club Acela/First-Class Lounge in NY Penn Station usually has some copies of the NY Times (including Sunday) at the front desk, and you can take one to read but they ask that you bring it back to the desk before you board or leave.
My sleepers also usually have the timetable for the train, an itinerary describing the stops, a card giving instructions for emergencies, and an Amtrak post card. There is sometimes also a train magazine.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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When I took my first Amtrak trip on the CZ (goodness, was that really four years ago?) I was in a standard sleeper. In the communal shower there were not only little bottles of shampoo but proper large white bath towels.
Eighteen months later on the SWC the shampoo had gone and the towels had been reduced to just minute face cloths.
Last year on the Sunset I went in deluxe and had two large white towels provided in my room but no shampoo, just the small tablet of carbolic.
As for newspapers, it was the Denver Post on the CZ, the Pueblo (Chronicle?) on the SWC (loaded at La Junta) but there were NO newspapers at all on the SL.
Just 47 days to this year's trip: Washington DC to Grover Beach CA on the Capitol, Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner!
Posts: 395 | From: england | Registered: Sep 2002
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My recent newspaper experiences have been Pittsburgh Post Gazette on #30 Capitol Ltd, New York Times (Journal is reportedly available wkdy) on Acela First, and elsewhere if any, "McPaper'.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Have found that coffee and juice are available in the sleeper cars on all trips. Since cans of soda were discontinued the attendants tend to keep the coffee urn going later in the day than they used to. Newspapers were still available each morning when last I made a trip (Nov 2005). I have learned that often the large bath towels are stacked in the communal luggage rack and not in the shower room. (Suggest you grab one and stash in your room along with the hand towels and washcloths.)If you do not see any Ask!!! Soap is always supplied but have never seen shampoo. (I leave home with a travel size bottle). 56 Days until my next Amtrak trip !!!
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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