What is the difference between upper and lower levels on the Texas Eagle?
Ibkamo23 What is the difference between upper and lower levels on the Texas Eagle?
In coaches, the upper level has only seats, the lower level has the restrooms and a few seats.
In the sleepers, the upper level has ten small rooms, called "roomettes," each one of which provides two facing seats for two adults; the seats are made into a lower berth and an upper berth opens down from above. The upper level also has five larger rooms, each one with a sofa seat, which is made into a berth for sleeping, an upper berth, which is swung down for use, a single chair, a wash basin, and a toilet/shower. There is also a public rest room on the upper level.
The lower level of a sleeper has four roomettes, a "family oom," which has a lower berth and an upper berth like those in the bedrooms on the upper level, and two shorter berths for children.; there is also an accessible room which has an upper and a lower berth like those in roomettes, a washbasin, and a toilet. These larger rooms extend the full width of the car.
There are three restrooms and a shower room on the lower level.
Johnny
Here is a link for a diagram of the sleeper layouts for the Superliner and Viewliner cars: https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/onboard-accommodations-for-all-your-needs/sleeping-accommodations.html
Keep in mind the vestibules between cars are only on the upper level.
Also, contrary to what people will tell you, there is no difference in ride quality. What I found is the first floor even with the vestibule has far less traffic walking back and forth in the hallway. Though there are idiots on board who neglect to pack properly and store suitcases on the first level when their compartment is on the second level and frequently access their suitcases stored on the first floor right in the middle of the car almost and spread out all their clothes so you have to step over the mess on the way to the restroom or to go to the upper level. So that is one downside. It does not happen a lot but it happens. For an overnight train there is no excuse for that crap but like I said some folks do not know how to pack an overnight bag.
One other item to be aware of that I witnessed when I was in in high school on a cross country Amtrak trip to SFO. If the toilets plug and flood the toilet water will head to and invade the first level rooms. Have only seen it happen once and the Superliners were new back then so the people using them didn't know the toilets could plug if you flush the wrong stuff down them. I think Amtrak fixed the issue with a big sign posted in the restroom now that warns of that.
Even when toilets and wasshbasins emtpied to the great outdoors, people ignored the signs asking that passengers not flush when the train was in a station.
As to current signs, I do not recall seeing any in the upper level restrooms (I do use one occasionally as I am walking through the train).
As to luggage, it is, indeed, much handier to pack enough into a small bag to carry over to the next hotel stop. On a Superliner, I can leave my rollator on the lower level (there is room for it in room H). Room H in a Viewliner has more floor space than A or B have, but I have been able to squeeze my rollator into an ordinary bedroom.
The first time my wife and I rode in a Viewliner, I had thought there would be a place in the car where we could place a large suitcase (as there was in the lightweight sleepers)--and discovered that the designers had no thought at all of such convenience--so we checked the big suitcase. We knew better thereafter.
DeggestyAs to current signs, I do not recall seeing any in the upper level restrooms (I do use one occasionally as I am walking through the train).
OMG............your "THAT GUY".
Seriously though, it says not to through the hand towels in the toilet or says only toilet paper in the toilet............something to that effect.
CMStPnP Deggesty As to current signs, I do not recall seeing any in the upper level restrooms (I do use one occasionally as I am walking through the train). OMG............your "THAT GUY". Seriously though, it says not to through the hand towels in the toilet or says only toilet paper in the toilet............something to that effect.
Deggesty As to current signs, I do not recall seeing any in the upper level restrooms (I do use one occasionally as I am walking through the train).
Wife and I were somewhat upgraded to a family room from New Orleans to Los Angeles. Nice! Windows on both sides, room enough on the bench seat for one of us to nap, and still a lot of room for the other.
ROBIN LUETHE Wife and I were somewhat upgraded to a family room from New Orleans to Los Angeles. Nice! Windows on both sides, room enough on the bench seat for one of us to nap, and still a lot of room for the other.
Also, you do not have to move a seat bottoms back and forth if you want to stretch out during the day. On my last trip, I had room H from Chicago to Salt Lake (all the bedrooms had been reserved several months in advance), and I was able to adjust one of the seats so I could lie down during the day--and for two or three hours before arriving here.
On the Superliners you can put your large suitcases in the rack at the entry and bring just what you need into the room. In Viewliners there is no entry storage racks, but there is suitcase storage over the hallway that will hold two small or one large suitcase. The only challenge is getting them up there. The main advantage of the viewliner is that the upper bunk in the roomette has a window. The upper bunk in the Superliner has no window (but there is not much to see at night other than town wizzing by.)
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.