Southwest Chief & Texas Eagle

[Route of the Eagles]

I going to be traveling from Kansas City, Mo. to Simi Valley, Ca. I've booked a roomette on both trains. My plan is to document the trip via motion & still photography. I need to know what electrical power is available in the roomettes. I guess I'm asking should I bring a surge/power strip to handle charging need for cameras & computer? 

[rcdrye]

There is a courtesy outlet on the panel behind each seat in a Superliner economy bedroom ("roomette").  There may be one in the upper berth area as well.  Your camera and computer charger bricks should handle the available 120V power just fine.

[CJtrainguy]

There are plenty of outlets on Amtrak Superliners. I rode the Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited this spring and was always able to easily charge my camera, computer and phone wherever I was in the train.

In coach there are outlets by each seat row. In the sightseer lounge, there are outlets spaced out among the seats and by each table. There are some outlets downstairs in the sightseer lounge. And sleepers have outlets in the compartments.

I find it very handy to bring a small surge protector/multiple outlets unit with me. Also always bring a short extension cord with multiple outlets. That way I'm always covered when I decide to charge multiple items at once.

[Route of the Eagles]

Thank you for the information. I will plan accordingly.

[cudjoebob]

May I make a suggestiion.  If you can, get a room on the right side heading west to California, and on the left side coming back to KC.  You want to be on the shaded side of the train (the north side) if you will be filming from your seat in the roomette.  Otherwise, any dirt or smudges on the windows will be lit up by the sunlight on the sunny, southside, of the train.  

[PJS1]

The Texas Eagle and the Southwest Chief have big window lounge cars, from which the scenery on both sides of the train can be observed.

Irrespective of which leg of the trip will be on the Texas Eagle/Sunset Limited, the Southside of the lounge car (left westbound, right eastbound) is a good spot to observe the inspiring - at least for this Texan - scenery between Sanderson and Valentine, TX.  

Between Alpine and Marfa the train runs through Paisano Pass, which for me is one of the most inspiring places in Texas.  At the top of the Pass, which is nearly as high above sea level as Denver, a vast Alpine Plain unfolds. It is where much of Giant was filmed many years ago.