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My wife and I just made reservations to take the Sunset Limited from Maricopa, Arizona (near Phoenix) to New Orleans. This will be our first long-distance train ride in several years. This is also our first ever trip in a roomette. We have travelled by family bedroom in the past. Now our children our growing up, so we are travelling without them.
My wife grew up in Georgia. We are planning to rent a car in New Orleans and drive along the Gulf coast, then up into Georgia.
I have some questions about roomettes. We are booked in Room 08, Car 230 travelling to New Orleans. On the way home, we are in Room 013, Car 130. Do any of you know where these rooms are? We were hoping to get a lower level room. I tend to like the views from down low, closer to the ground. Do the car numbers mean anything to passengers? If so, do you know where they may be located?
Thank you for your help. We are looking forward to the trip.
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
Room 8 is at the end of the car on the upper level and car 0230 is the only full sleeper on the Sunset. Room 13 is on the lower level. the lone sleeper is between the crew dorm and the diner so there will most likely not be any confusion boarding. Just say your in the Sunset sleeper. The eagle sleeper at the end of the train is labeled car 2130 or 2230.
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If you'd prefer a lower level room instead of roomette 8, call Amtrak to see if they can move you - I've been able to pick my room from those available by calling in after making my reservations online.
-------------------- My new "default" station (EKH) has no baggage service or QuikTrak machine, but the parking is free! And the NY Central RR Museum is just across the tracks (but not open at Amtrak train times. . ..) Posts: 337 | From: Goshen, IN | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Judy McFarland: If you'd prefer a lower level room instead of roomette 8, call Amtrak to see if they can move you - I've been able to pick my room from those available by calling in after making my reservations online.
Tried that once for my mom and the price went way up. Depends on the "buckets."
-------------------- Railrev Escondido, CA Posts: 99 | From: Escondido, California | Registered: Jul 2003
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Thank you for the information. I had been thinking about calling Amtrak, but after SunsetLtd replied, we talked things over. We thought it would be a good to be in the upper level one direction and the lower level the other direction.
It is interesting to read that there is only one sleeper that goes to New Orleans. When I rode the Sunset Limited to Jacksonville about ten years ago, there were two sleepers that went to Jacksonville, and an additional one to San Antonio. If there is only one sleeper, then I would guess that there are not many coaches either. How many coaches should I expect?
Posts: 446 | From: Phoenix, Arizona | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
Well when they tried to overhaul the Sunset back in '05, they dropped one sleeper and coach on the Sunset section from Orlando in order to have enough equipment for it's new schedule. There is actually 2 cars that go to San Antonio, the Texas Eagle thru-section train #422. A Coach and Sleeper run at the end of the Sunset LA-San Antonio. They are taken off and sent north on the northbound Eagle the next morning. The typical consist of the Sunset right now is the following:
P42DC-Engine, To New Orleans P42DC-Engine, To New Orleans Transition Sleeper (Sleeper 0231/0131)- To New Orleans Sleeper (0230/0130)-Runs all the way to New Orleans Diner- To New Orleans Lounge- To New Orleans Coach Baggage- To New Orleans (0211/0111) Coach- To New Orleans (0212/0112) Coach- To Chicago via Texas Eagle (2213/2113) Sleeper- To Chicago via Texas Eagle (2230/2130)
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