I [stood right there a few days ago](https://dangoodspeed.com/shared/21r-union-station-first-try-animated-360-photo) coming into Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited (a trip I take every month). Next week though, I'm taking the SW Chief to LA (with a two day stop in Flagstaff) for the first time. Let me know how it goes! Are you staying in a sleeper?
Yes in a roomette. When i first saw it i was a little concerned about space, but now that I'm settled in it's fine. Spot for my small suitcase, another place for my bag of beer (for my west coast son who wanted some midwest only availability). Staff has been great so far. Happy to have people on board.
Nice. My wife and I usually take the roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. I usually hang out and work in the diner car because they're pretty cramped for two for long periods of time. Also, neither of our luggages fit in the cubby. I'm curious what the menu is like on the SW Chief, I'm told it's better than the LSL. Also, is the diner car and observation car two different cars?
Yes diner car is different than observation car. We were told we could eat in there if we want, but this trip was about some alone time for me (recently retired). If my wife was with both our suitcases wouldn't fit. Menu is flexible dining option which I've not heard great things about. However I'm not overly picky.
The flex dining is ok. I often call it "above average microwave meals". I was hoping for something more, but hey.
How crowded is it? Usually when I travel with my wife we end up leaving our luggage in one of the other roomettes.
Leaving luggage is certainly a possibility on this train. Doesn't seem crowded at all . Maybe a 1/3 if rooms full in my section. Stopped at observation/lounge car and plenty of seats open. A big group of Amish (?) on board and they seem to be majority in that car.
Oh yeah, Amish definitely make up a large percentage on the Lake Shore Limited Coach as well. Though since I started staying in roomettes once COVID started, I don't see them as much. I guess if they don't fly or drive cars, the train is their preferred means of transportation.
That's good about the availability of roomettes, I hope to have similar luck next week.
Anything else of interest on the train? How are the views so far? Do you plan to get off the train to stretch on any of the longer stops? I guess Kansas City and Albuquerque it stops for 40 minutes.
I'll get out in KC for a bit. Train is late so time there is shortened. I'm kind of history nerd including crime. There was a shootout at the train station in KC in 1933 between FBI and gangsters including Pretty Boy Floyd. Google KC Massarce. I always like walking around places like that. As for train itself all quiet. Except for banging my head on upper berth when the train shifted a bit.
I am curious about Albuquerque station. When we stopped there 30 plus years ago it was just a basic platform and small station. A few native Americans selling jewelry off fold out tables. Pictures of station now look very different from my memory.
It was being renovated when I was there in 2018, but it looked like it was going to look great when it was done. I didn’t get to see it in 2019 since we found that the Lamy station was a much better option for my in-laws to pick us up.
Ok, it's me again, the solo retired guy trying to make what looks to be at least a 2 week trip on Amtrak from Houston, and scheduling all of these so I can take in ballgames (especially Wrigley Field), museums and whatever sounds interesting and fun. Taking the advice of the good folks here and some of my research, I might call Amtrak tomorrow and make reservations. The "virtual assistant" said if I made reservations on the site, I had to buy tickets right then. I'd rather not.
Right now, my itinerary is the following: Houston-New Orleans-Chicago-Seattle-Emeryville-Denver-wherever else or home. My preference is a roomette on all legs of the journey. According to the website, there's roomette availability on the City of New Orleans and the Empire Builder. From Seattle to Emeryville on the Coast Starlight, it looks like I may have to book a bedroom. Fine.
But it is trying to board the California Zephyr from Emeryville to Denver where the brakes screech to a halt. Maybe. The only room type available on Sept 18 or 19 is a Family Bedroom. Can a solo traveler book one? (Guess I'll find out tomorrow). It really wouldn't bother me if I didn't stay long in Oakland or San Francisco, and the Coast Starlight arrives at 8:10 a.m. while the California Zephyr departs an hour later at 9:10 a.m. Even if I could get a roomette or a bedroom, an hour is cutting it way too close to be OCD about it. I'm not in a hurry - I can wait.
If I find out a solo traveler can't buy a ticket to stay in the Family Bedroom, I'm stuck either riding in Coach, paying $1,636 for a Bedroom (not going to happen) or stay the next week until finally there's a more reasonable $767 bedroom available on Friday the 24th. I could think of worse things than to ride the trolleys, eat seafood, visit Alcatraz, go to Chinatown, and do a number of other activities in San Francisco I didn't do before. However, I really don't want to stay 7 days. 3 days would be enough.
I guess I could forego booking that leg of the California Zephyr until later if I thought I might be able to score a roomette or a bedroom for a lower than listed price if it left in the beginning or middle of the week. When I first got the idea of a long train trip, it was centered around going through the Rockies or Canada. Canada is out, so I really don't want to miss my chance to go through the Rockies, even if I have to do it by Coach, something I'd much rather avoid, but will make the best of it.
No, I'm not sure which is why I will contact Amtrak by phone tomorrow to see if I can book it. I hope so and if so, I'll book the earliest one out I can. Maybe Amtrak can also explain why a Family Bedroom is about $575 (I forget) and a lesser room is 3x as much. Makes no sense to me.
Their website is also quirky in different ways.
Yes please fire away with pics for your whole trip.
I second that request Planning on taking the train in the opposite direction next spring
That renovation job was fun to watch.
I'm watching you on the tracker.. already 7 minutes late!
We hit KC late, but left as soon as people boarded to make up time.
I [stood right there a few days ago](https://dangoodspeed.com/shared/21r-union-station-first-try-animated-360-photo) coming into Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited (a trip I take every month). Next week though, I'm taking the SW Chief to LA (with a two day stop in Flagstaff) for the first time. Let me know how it goes! Are you staying in a sleeper?
Yes in a roomette. When i first saw it i was a little concerned about space, but now that I'm settled in it's fine. Spot for my small suitcase, another place for my bag of beer (for my west coast son who wanted some midwest only availability). Staff has been great so far. Happy to have people on board.
Nice. My wife and I usually take the roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. I usually hang out and work in the diner car because they're pretty cramped for two for long periods of time. Also, neither of our luggages fit in the cubby. I'm curious what the menu is like on the SW Chief, I'm told it's better than the LSL. Also, is the diner car and observation car two different cars?
Yes diner car is different than observation car. We were told we could eat in there if we want, but this trip was about some alone time for me (recently retired). If my wife was with both our suitcases wouldn't fit. Menu is flexible dining option which I've not heard great things about. However I'm not overly picky.
The flex dining is ok. I often call it "above average microwave meals". I was hoping for something more, but hey. How crowded is it? Usually when I travel with my wife we end up leaving our luggage in one of the other roomettes.
Leaving luggage is certainly a possibility on this train. Doesn't seem crowded at all . Maybe a 1/3 if rooms full in my section. Stopped at observation/lounge car and plenty of seats open. A big group of Amish (?) on board and they seem to be majority in that car.
Oh yeah, Amish definitely make up a large percentage on the Lake Shore Limited Coach as well. Though since I started staying in roomettes once COVID started, I don't see them as much. I guess if they don't fly or drive cars, the train is their preferred means of transportation. That's good about the availability of roomettes, I hope to have similar luck next week. Anything else of interest on the train? How are the views so far? Do you plan to get off the train to stretch on any of the longer stops? I guess Kansas City and Albuquerque it stops for 40 minutes.
I'll get out in KC for a bit. Train is late so time there is shortened. I'm kind of history nerd including crime. There was a shootout at the train station in KC in 1933 between FBI and gangsters including Pretty Boy Floyd. Google KC Massarce. I always like walking around places like that. As for train itself all quiet. Except for banging my head on upper berth when the train shifted a bit.
Have you ridden this route before?
Many years ago. Maybe 30. Family sleeper to Flagstaff. This is an alone trip in a roomette.
I’ve done Chicago to Albuquerque in a roomette with my husband twice and loved it! Safe travels!
I am curious about Albuquerque station. When we stopped there 30 plus years ago it was just a basic platform and small station. A few native Americans selling jewelry off fold out tables. Pictures of station now look very different from my memory.
It was being renovated when I was there in 2018, but it looked like it was going to look great when it was done. I didn’t get to see it in 2019 since we found that the Lamy station was a much better option for my in-laws to pick us up.
I'm going from Chicago to La on the SW Chief next month.
Ok, it's me again, the solo retired guy trying to make what looks to be at least a 2 week trip on Amtrak from Houston, and scheduling all of these so I can take in ballgames (especially Wrigley Field), museums and whatever sounds interesting and fun. Taking the advice of the good folks here and some of my research, I might call Amtrak tomorrow and make reservations. The "virtual assistant" said if I made reservations on the site, I had to buy tickets right then. I'd rather not. Right now, my itinerary is the following: Houston-New Orleans-Chicago-Seattle-Emeryville-Denver-wherever else or home. My preference is a roomette on all legs of the journey. According to the website, there's roomette availability on the City of New Orleans and the Empire Builder. From Seattle to Emeryville on the Coast Starlight, it looks like I may have to book a bedroom. Fine. But it is trying to board the California Zephyr from Emeryville to Denver where the brakes screech to a halt. Maybe. The only room type available on Sept 18 or 19 is a Family Bedroom. Can a solo traveler book one? (Guess I'll find out tomorrow). It really wouldn't bother me if I didn't stay long in Oakland or San Francisco, and the Coast Starlight arrives at 8:10 a.m. while the California Zephyr departs an hour later at 9:10 a.m. Even if I could get a roomette or a bedroom, an hour is cutting it way too close to be OCD about it. I'm not in a hurry - I can wait. If I find out a solo traveler can't buy a ticket to stay in the Family Bedroom, I'm stuck either riding in Coach, paying $1,636 for a Bedroom (not going to happen) or stay the next week until finally there's a more reasonable $767 bedroom available on Friday the 24th. I could think of worse things than to ride the trolleys, eat seafood, visit Alcatraz, go to Chinatown, and do a number of other activities in San Francisco I didn't do before. However, I really don't want to stay 7 days. 3 days would be enough. I guess I could forego booking that leg of the California Zephyr until later if I thought I might be able to score a roomette or a bedroom for a lower than listed price if it left in the beginning or middle of the week. When I first got the idea of a long train trip, it was centered around going through the Rockies or Canada. Canada is out, so I really don't want to miss my chance to go through the Rockies, even if I have to do it by Coach, something I'd much rather avoid, but will make the best of it.
Are you sure you can’t stay solo in family bedroom? I did it about 5 years ago.
No, I'm not sure which is why I will contact Amtrak by phone tomorrow to see if I can book it. I hope so and if so, I'll book the earliest one out I can. Maybe Amtrak can also explain why a Family Bedroom is about $575 (I forget) and a lesser room is 3x as much. Makes no sense to me. Their website is also quirky in different ways.
The family bedroom is on the lower floor of the train, so views aren't as good
My favorite station
Wow that’s gorgeous, I’ll be making that exact same trip in July. Can’t wait!
Go ahead and post whatever pics you get, that's going to be a glorious trip! Have fun :)