Does anyone sleep on Amtrack?
 

We will be on Amtrack for 2 nights. Can you sleep, or are too many stops and herky-jerky motions to worry about?

Does a Tylenol PM help?

Thanks in advance.

I did not take Amtrak for as long as you are going to, only did 1 night and a day at a time, slept like a baby, don't remember any stops. Woke up a bit earlier then usual, though. The motion helps you slip I think.

I recently took the train from Montreal to Halifax (VIA Rail--20 hours overnight) and found that I had trouble sleeping on the way out. I think I could attribute this to some extent to drinking coffee the night before, excitement on going somewhere I'd never been before (Halifax) and the occasional lurching of the train. The stops didn't bother me at all; actually I found that's when I'd drift off the best. On the way back, I slept much, much better.

maryann:

Never been in a sleeper car because I've always had a train ride for 8 or less hours but I'd see if there are any sleeper cars available since its a 2 day ride. I'm sure with a combo of Tylenol pm and those accommodations you'd be able to get some sleep.

I would highly recommend a sleeper car. If not it can be noisy, drafty and jerky. Take along those PM'S. They help me anywhere, anytime. They are not habit forming either.

Since my husband loves trains, I have been on quite a few train trips. We always get a deluxe bedroom for overnight trips. It depends on where you are going and if the tracks are in good shape. Also, since my husband is handicapped, I always sleep in the upper bunk and that seems to be a smoother . My cousins said that the run from South Carolina to New York City was a rough ride. Hope you have a good train trip.

Thanks all, I feel better now.

We have a bedroom but DH is such a light sleeper, I might hear complaining for 2 days.

I'll keep the PM handy.

I sleep like a baby when in a sleeper. For overnight coach, I found the $36 (?) extra for business-class (or whatever it's called now) money well spent, as only the business class passengers came thru the car, so there wasn't as much "door noise" all night long as there is in standard coach, especially those cars nearest the cafe.

The worse problem I have sleeping on trains are LOUD MOUTHS and cell-phone talkers.

Some Amtrak trains now have "quiet" cars where cellphones are banned. That along would be worth paying extra.

I'm a light sleeper in my own bed in the quiet country, but I usually manage to get stretchs of sleep on the train, esp. away from the East Coast lines (which are jiggly, with frequent stops). Amtrak is good about not making public address announcements for middle-of-the-night stops, but sometimes you can't avoid hearing crossing bells or whatever. Consider it part of the experience. I would guess that after two nights, you will be rather tired from fragmented sleep, but it won't be intolerable -- and if there's one thing you can do on a train, it's nap!

I'm a little surprised that Sabrina found the upper berth a smoother ride -- might be quieter because further from the rails, but the range of motion up there is greater. More to the point might be whether the bed is oriented side-to-side or front-to-back -- most of the train's motion is side-to-side.

Like everyone else, I surely wouldn't try 2 nights in coach without sleeping accommodations. If money's an issue, try paying for your second night in a sleeper, just for the relief.

We are getting a sleeper with a bathroom. The beds online look side to side.

As on a cruiseship, the door-slammers are everywhere.

We will be on 3 full days and 2 nights, sleeper with private bath and lounge chair, 3 meals a day, for $579 for 2!

Yes,we could fly to Tucson MUCH faster but we would rather not-Heavy bags and heavy nervous.o-yea- wer'e starting in West Palm Beach,FL.

Thanks everyone -Tylenol PM will be the first thing to pack!

Maryann, hope the trip is wonderful, but please consider giving us a trip report when you get back. I think a lot of people would enjoy it or at least be interested in how Amtrak treated you.

If you are leaving out of West Palm Beach and arriving in Tucson, I presume you are taking the Sunset Limited? If so, just a word of caution - those 3 days may slip into something more. I took the Sunset from New Orleans to Houston, a 9 hour ride that turned into 11. The conductor kept telling customers the engineer was attempting to make up time, which meant when he could, he was flooring the train. This caused horrible lurching and roiling. More than once I wondered how the train stayed on the track.

This line stops for every single freight train that comes through. And there is a huge freight yard just out side of New Orleans where this train gets stuck. I think if you check, you will find the Sunset is consistently late. The conductor will tell you that Amtrak allows for this time discrepancy, but hey, once they got you in the seat where ya gonna go?

I am a deep sleeper, and can normally fall asleep anywhere and in almost any position. I tried to get some sleep on this train, but the rolling and pitching were just too much for me. Didn't mind the people going through the doors/walking down the aisles or even cell phone chatter. That was nothing compared to the rocky ride!

If you're taking the Sunset, all I can say is - good luck! (You will certainly need it!)

Maryann,

We took a long ride from Chicago to Boston and had sleeper cars. I love riding Amtrak, but the sleeper cars are as herky jerky and noisy as the rest of the train, with bumpity bumps and screeches of brakes as the train stops through the night.

So, I'd suggest you get some ear plugs, as well as your tylenol pm, for your hubby. You might also want to take duct tape - yes, still another use for duct tape - in case anything is rattling. We didn't need it, but it was recommended to us, just in case.

Yikes ! I'm already mentally prepared for up to 4 hours late (we then will get in at midnight).

The review will be after Oct. 16th, as that is when we will get back.

Ok - PM, ear plugs, duct tape, large amount of patience, maybe a seat belt for the herky jerky not to fall out of bed ! I think I'm ready ! Thanks all.

By way of background, one of the things that was done several years back that contributed considerably to the near-demise of Amtrak was the change in regulations that gave freight priority over all passenger trains. Everyone makes snide comments about how Amtrak is always on time ONLY if you are using a watch divided into months and years. But it's almost never Amtrak's fault, it's the requirement that they stop or find side lines to allow freights to go through. Makes no sense when you consider how many freight trains can only travel at about half the speed of passenger trains, and many are much much much longer than passenger trains.

On a train from D.C. to NYC, a drunk lady sitting next to me "fell asleep" on my shoulder. Does that count?