I spent 15 hours in a roomette on an overnight Amtrak train for $400. I made 4 mistakes I won't repeat on future rides.
I traveled from Denver to Salt Lake City on an overnight Amtrak train in January.
I booked a $400 roomette accommodation for the 15-hour train journey.
I made a few mistakes along the way, from not knowing dining etiquette to skipping a rest stop.
I took an overnight Amtrak train from Denver to Salt Lake City in January. I spent the 15-hour journey in a private 23-square-foot space with two seats and two beds — otherwise known as a roomette.
I was no stranger to the environment. I had previously taken two other overnight rides on Amtrak trains. So I thought I'd get through the experience well prepared and with no regrets.
But I'm still learning from my travel mistakes. Here are four slip-ups from my most recent trip that I won't forget on future rides.
I should have called to request a room on the train's top floor.
I traveled from Denver to Salt Lake City on Amtrak's California Zephyr — a double-decker train. My previous Amtrak rides had single-story cars, so I was excited to step on board and hoped my room would be on the top floor.
It wasn't.
And although the views of Rocky Mountain National Park were spectacular from my room, I could see further out from the dining car's windows on the second story, and I longed for a room with a higher vantage point.
Although Amtrak's booking platform didn't have an option to select a specific room, Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari told Business Insider that you can call the contact center, speak to a live agent, and request a particular room if it's still available.
He added that family and accessible bedrooms are on the lower level, regular bedrooms are on the top level, and roomettes are on both levels.
I should have brought snacks for in-between meals.
My Amtrak ticket included three meals. An attendant came by my room to reserve a seat in the dining car for each. I had breakfast just after we departed at about 9 a.m. I chose the noon lunch slot and the 5 p.m. dinner slot.
I didn't get hungry between breakfast and lunch, but around 3 p.m., my stomach started growling. In hindsight, I should have packed snacks for the ride.
The train had a café car with snacks, beverages, and microwavable meals for sale, but I decided to save my money and fuel up at dinner.
I didn't realize I was supposed to wait for meal call before entering the dining car.
Hungry and eager, I entered the dining car a minute before 5 p.m. The empty tables were set with mini flower arrangements that looked charming against the rolling canyon backdrop out the windows.
At the other end of the car, I spotted a handful of employees looking at me and talking among themselves.
"I'm here for my dinner reservation," I said.
One replied that I was supposed to wait for an attendant to announce dinner over the intercom. Embarassed, I apologized and started to turn back. They told me to stay and sit at the first table while another employee went to the intercom.
I should have taken advantage of every rest stop.
Some stops on overnight Amtrak trains are long enough for passengers to get out and walk around the platform for a few minutes.
I typically take this opportunity to get fresh air and stretch my legs, whether sunny or snowing outside. But when this train made its final long stop roughly 15 minutes before dinner, I was entranced in a book and decided to stay in.
After dinner, I regretted not getting off at that final extended stop when I craved space to stretch out and move my body.
When I arrived in Salt Lake City around midnight, I was grateful for fresh air and open space.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
A thunderstorm caused turbulence so bad that it injured 8 people, and passengers were put on a bus to their final destination
Eight people were injured after a Ryanair flight encountered severe turbulence and diverted. A thunderstorm saw the roofs ripped off houses in a nearby town, local media reported. Ryanair passengers traveled the remaining 230 miles to Milan by bus. Eight people on board a Ryanair flight were injured after experiencing severe turbulence due to a thunderstorm, German police said on Thursday. Wednesday's flight took off from Berlin at 7:38 p.m. local time, destined for Milan's Malpensa airport. Data from Flightradar24 shows that just under an hour later, near Munich, it started to divert from the usual route after encountering turbulence. Local police said that weather conditions prevented the Boeing 737 from landing in Munich, so it had to continue on to the smaller Bavarian town of Memmingen. The German news agency dpa reported that strong winds tore the roofs off some houses in the area. The Ryanair plane, carrying 179 passengers and 6 crew members, landed safely at 8:44 p.m. The airline said the captain called ahead for medical assistance. Three people were taken to the hospital, according to the Bavarian police. In a statement, it said a 59-year-old woman complained of back pain, another woman sustained a head laceration, and her 2-year-old toddler suffered bruises. "As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services," it added. The ordeal wasn't over yet, as the local aviation authority didn't approve a connecting flight. Instead, Ryanair arranged for bus companies to transport the passengers to Milan, according to the police statement. That journey would be over 230 miles and take around four-and-a-half hours. "To get passengers to their final destination as quickly as possible, we arranged for alternative transport from Memmingen to Milan that night, as well as a replacement flight [Thursday] morning," the airline said in a statement. "We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion," it added. The 15-year-old plane, registered as EI-EKN, has resumed regular service, per Flightradar24 data. Concerns around turbulence have come into focus in the airline industry since 79 people were injured and one man died on a Singapore Airlines flight last May. Two weeks later, at an industry conference, Emirates' president said the incident would likely lead to stricter seatbelt rules. Turbulence is getting more common due to the climate crisis, Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, previously told Business Insider. Warmer temperatures allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture, increasing the likelihood and intensity of thunderstorms. The warming atmosphere is also speeding up the jet streams, which exacerbates clear-air turbulence — the type encountered in the Singapore Airlines incident. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
Fate of Oklahoma-Texas Heartland Flyer uncertain
The Heartland Flyer pulls into the Norman Station, Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The fate of passenger rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth is on shaky ground after the Texas Legislature declined to fund that state's portion. 'The state of Oklahoma cannot fund that operation of our own accord,' Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Department of Transportation executive director, told his governing board Monday. Gatz previously said the rail line would close as early as this month if Texas failed to fund it. He was not available for comment Tuesday and Wednesday. Gov. Kevin Stitt said he was disappointed Texas did not provide the funds. 'We're not going to pick up their end of that,' Stitt said Wednesday. 'And so we're not sure exactly what's going to happen with that connection.' The Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak route between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, is a jointly funded partnership between Texas and Oklahoma City. Oklahoma's portion for 2025 was $4.5 million. The Texas Department of Transportation's budget for fiscal year 2025 included $2.81 million for the Heartland Flyer, said Laura Butterbrodt, a spokeswoman. She referred additional questions to Texas lawmakers. Oklahoma lawmakers last month passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 urging Texas legislators to continue funding the service. The service was reestablished in 1999 after ending in 1979. 'The Oklahoma State Legislature acknowledges the importance of the continued existence of passenger rail in Oklahoma, and understands that once removed, it would be extraordinarily challenging to restore this service and continue to provide an additional option for Oklahomans,' the SRJ said. Nearly 82,000 rode it last year. Officials were considering expanding it into Kansas allowing travelers to connect to other major routes. 'Kansas recently provided dedicated funding and authority for KDOT (Kansas Department of Transportation) to support passenger rail for the Heartland Flyer extension,' said Philip Harris, a spokesman. 'If the project were to stall in the study phase, evaluating the future use of those funds could be needed.' If the project continues, its targeted operational date is 2029, he said. Amtrak did not respond to a request for comment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup
Can a passenger rail startup bring back the glamour of luxury overnight trains connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco that haven't been seen since the 1940s? Co-founders Joshua Dominic and Thomas Eastmond think so — and there's a connection to freight rail at the heart of their proposal. Dreamstar is a private venture reimagining medium-length passenger service in a setting that harks back to the heyday of first-class trains with all-bedroom accommodations, onboard gourmet dining and five-star hotel hospitality. 'Dreamstar started from a deeply personal frustration with the state of American travel,' said Dominic, in an interview. 'After experiencing modern rail across Europe and Asia in my 20s, I kept asking, 'Why don't we have this in the U.S.?' Years later, after hundreds of business and leisure trips that forced a choice between wasting precious daytime or sacrificing sleep, the idea crystallized: Build a better alternative. Dreamstar is our answer — a rail service that brings rest, reliability and elegance to medium-distance travel.'The Southern Pacific's Lark was the last domestic all-sleeper train to run exclusively in one state, operating two daily trains between San Francisco and LA. Espee added coaches after the Second World War; Amtrak's all-sleeper California Zephyr ended service between Chicago and Emeryville, California, in 1997. Dreamstar plans to run over much of the Lark's route, having signed a memorandum of agreement for track access with Union Pacific, which merged with SP in 1996. That includes 400 miles between San Jose and Ventura, which the partners say has minimal overnight freight and passenger traffic. Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP) in a statement confirmed that it is in formal negotiations with Dreamstar but offered no details. Freight tracks are an essential component of the original proposal, like another recent passenger train startup, Brightline, which started out running on the tracks of sister company Florida East Coast said Dreamstar is working on access agreements with commuter agencies Caltrain and Metrolink, as well as the agency that manages Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. 'The flagship route is designed as an overnight, limited-stop service optimized for uninterrupted rest,' said Dominic. 'We aim to keep stops to a minimum while ensuring operational viability and regional access.' The startup also claims its trains will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 75% compared to flying. Conceptual renderings emulate the proportions and outlines of contemporary passenger equipment. The cars follow the profile of the original Budd Hi-Level cars of Santa Fe's El Capitan, an all-coach train running between Los Angeles and Chicago, that were passed on to Amtrak and eventually replaced by the bilevel Superliners, also manufactured by Budd, which included sleeping accommodations. There are four classes of accommodations — called private cabins — including standard, bedroom, stateroom and family room sleeping six, as well as lounges, dining spaces and a spa. The renderings also depict Dreamstar's Auto Ferry, car transporters similar to those of Amtrak's Auto Train. Dreamstar's original proposal in 2018 called for construction of an all-new train. Now, the company plans to rebuild four previously owned cars. 'We've completed the concept development phase in partnership with BMW Designworks,' Dominic said. 'The next step is further refinement and engineering drawings. We've identified a handful of potential suppliers and are evaluating next steps.'The Los Angeles design studio has worked with aircraft maker Embraer, John Deere and Singapore Airlines, among many other clients. Construction of rolling stock is expected to take 18 to 24 months, with service to begin prior to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. A locomotive supplier has yet to be selected, 'but we've identified several viable options that align with our performance and emissions goals. We've reviewed a few promising options and are continuing to explore the right partners for both operations and maintenance.' The company said location planning is underway for maintenance facilities in parallel with operational modeling. Dominic said Dreamstar is working with industry experts to smooth the way through regulatory approval processes. At the same time, California homebuilder Bill Lyon has dropped $100,000 on Dreamstar. 'We've received additional support beyond Mr. Lyon, though we're not disclosing specific names at this stage,' Dominic said. 'Investors do include a mix of real estate families, early-stage angels and mission-aligned private backers.' Dominic did not say what total costs will be to get trains rolling, but added Dreamstar itself does not currently own any property along the proposed route. 'Our cost model is built from the ground up using data from international private rail benchmarks, infrastructure partnerships and real-world U.S. market factors,' said Dominic. 'Unlike legacy operators, we're able to build leaner and smarter — with no statutory obligations or route mandates. Our model prioritizes capital efficiency, operational control and long-term financial sustainability.' Subscribe to FreightWaves' Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls & Knox runs first revenue train on Maine's Rockland Branch Norfolk Southern board chair Mongeau resigns BNSF stands up shortline rail team Regulator concerns pause Watco's Michigan shortline rail deal The post How freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup appeared first on FreightWaves.
