Passenger Trains > Sleeping on a Viewliner versus sleeping on a Superliner

Although previously I had only slept on Superliners, I have always assumed that Viewliner cars were about the same as a Superliner since the bedroom layouts appear to be equal on Amtrak's website. However, I learned that there are some comfort differences between the two types of cars. On my recent trip to Florida I experienced sleeping in both types of cars on consecutive nights, first with a Superliner on the Capitol Limited and then with a Viewliner on the Silver Meteor. Having Bedroom D on the Superliner, the usual rocking and rolling of the train along with the usual squeaks and track noise were all familiar to me and I had a reasonably good night of sleep. However, my experience in Bedroom B of Viewliner "Mystic View" the next night was not nearly as good. First of all, whenever my neighbor in the adjacent room flushed his toilet, there was a very unpleasant odor that immediately wafted into my room. Strike one. Also, my sink was clogged right from the time I got into the room. Eventually, my car attendant temporally unclogged it by shaking the flexible pipes in the cabinet below the sink. Strike two. However, the real problem was trying to get a good nights sleep. Strike three. I found that being on the single level of the Viewliner transmitted considerably more track noise and the bumps of switches and crossings than you feel when on the upper level of a Superliner. Also, this had to be the noisiest car in the system with all the banging and squeaks that it had. (Sometime ago I read a suggestion in Trainorders that the most important accessory to take along when you have a Bedroom on Amtrak is taking a roll of duct tape to tie things down. I wish I had followed that advice and brought a roll along; I could have used the whole roll sealing things up). I thought I was a veteran sleeping car traveler due to having spent several nights in Superliners but the night in this Viewliner taught me that all sleeping cars are not created equal. I hope that in the future, if and when Amtrak is able to order new sleeping cars, that something similar to the Superliner design is ordered and not something like a Viewliner.

mopac63 Wrote:
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I hope that in the future,
> if and when Amtrak is able to order new sleeping
> cars, that something similar to the Superliner
> design is ordered and not something like a
> Viewliner.


Good luck trying to fit a Superliner-like design through the Baltimore tunnels, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, and New York Penn station.

Why not just design a good single-level sleeper as has been demonstrated by railroads around the world?

Ya Im taking the Auto train in a few weeks and we have reserved the family bedroom. Its on the lower lever of a Superliner sleeper next to the wheelset and Im going be pissed if we get assigned a car with flatspots!!!

KV1guy Wrote:
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> Ya Im taking the Auto train in a few weeks and we
> have reserved the family bedroom. Its on the
> lower lever of a Superliner sleeper next to the
> wheelset and Im going be pissed if we get assigned
> a car with flatspots!!!


There's never any guarantee, but when I rode the Auto Train last month all of the cars I saw where clean and everything worked. Track is rough though - when the train hits 70mph there's quite a bit of rocking and rolling.

Interesting perspective from the orginal poster. Most feedback I read is that Viewliners are among the best riding cars in the fleet, which has also been my personal experience. Perhaps it was just bad luck getting a car overdue for maintenance.

Dave

I have to agree with the previous poster. Viewliners usually offer a far superior ride to their bilevel cousins. You must have gotten a bad car. The viewliners do seem to wear quicker than the superliners.
Cheers,
Nick

I rode two different Viewliners nine years ago and the only issue was a non-functional shower on the outbound trip. I agree that it's probably deferred maintenance, not faulty design, that is at the root of any current problems.

I don't like the Viewliners because they do not have a general use restroom in the car.

As with anything Amtrak, everything is always hit or miss. You can have both good and bad rides in both Viewliners and Superliners. Every single ride on Amtrak is a completely and totally different experience.

If you draw the short straw and get the upper bunk, Viewliner wins hands down! In fact, in some ways, it is the better place to sleep with its own view and farther from the wheels.

But, I have had good nights' sleep on both types of cars in various locations (ends, middle, upper level, lower level) and I have had terrible nights' sleep on those same cars.

The difference? The track, of course; and the neighbors; and the little squeaky things that come and go.

And to put it into historical perspective, I can remember a just-outshopped 10/6 on the NYC which rode fine but had its heat painted into the ON position in June . . . the little rubber fan could only do so much. And then there were the Roomettes whose rub grommets were long gone, and so the bed had its own gallop. And slumbercoach toilets which needed the addition of a cup or two of water in order to shut out the track noise coming up the trap.

Through all of this, I have learned to have some very simple things in my kit: duct tape; a small pair of pliers; my trusty Swiss Army knife with scissors, knife, both type of screwdriver heads, and cork screw; a small sewing kit; the best ear plugs I can find; and a quality eye shade. If I can't tape it, patch it, or tighten it, I can shut it out.

And lest we be quick to condemn Amtrak, I have used these same items on many flights (just used duct tape to keep the overhead bin from squeaking last month), on TGVs and Eurostars, and even on the QEII.

On the Great Cross Country trip in Oct 2005 (LA to Boston a.k.a "Foliage and Foaming") my wife and I went first class LA to Chicago, which meant Superliner on the SW Chief. Other than some rough track in AZ and NM, good trip. When we got to Chicago, we decided to upgrade to a sleeper, which was our first experience in a Viewliner. The room was more cramped, and yes, not having a separate "head" in the car was inconvenient when the person in the upper berth wanted to use the facilities without disturbing the occupant of the lower. On the return trip we decided that one night sitting up wasn't that bad and rode coach to Chicago, knowing that sleeping accommodations would be waiting for us on the Chief.

Guys can always use the shower room....I'm just sayin' :-)

Dave

Anyone know how much room their is on a roomette top bunk in a Viewliner. May be taking "The Capital Limited from Chicago to Pittsburgh.I am "large" as the kids say and the lower bunk is not an option. Do they have latters for the top bunks.


Thanx
Chuck

Capitol Limited uses Superliner equipment. Specific measurements for all bedroom types can be found @ amtrak.com.

Tony


m1chazz Wrote:
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> Anyone know how much room their is on a roomette
> top bunk in a Viewliner. May be taking "The
> Capital Limited from Chicago to Pittsburgh.I am
> "large" as the kids say and the lower bunk is not
> an option. Do they have latters for the top
> bunks.
>
>
>
> Thanx
>
> Chuck

Bedroom "D" on the Superliner is more in the center of the car and also on the upper level. Bedroom "B" on the Viewliner is closer to the car's wheels, which often can produce a bumpier ride. I always book a Viewliner roomette that is in the center of the car. I booked a Viewliner bedroom only once - and never again - as I attributed the bumpier ride larger to being over the wheels. The roomettes can offer sleeping space in the middle of the car, which seems to be more ideal. I like the Viewliner's doubl row of windows and most of my trips on the Viewliner have been solo, so I will sleep in the upper bunk, to leave the bottom seat area in place etc.

Rev. Randy, It's good thing your taking the train and not flying. Your take along kit might not go over so good at security. Just kiddin' you. Aaron 20

While I have never had the opportunity to ride a Viewliner sleeper, I have had both bad and good trips on a Superliner sleeper. I think berth position had something to do with it. Best sleeper trip was on the westbound Broadway Limited in August 1981 ... DC to Chicago. IIRC, I was in a Budd slumbercoach ... excellent trip all the way around, especially having the porter wake me for the trip over Horseshoe Curve!

Regards,
Burlington John

One uses built-in "steps," see photo, to reach the upper berth. There is not a separate ladder.
I've used the upper berth even when occupying the room alone, and put both mattresses on it.

B&OB

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Hey can I ask a serious question here?

I am admitting I actually like the more rocking motion of an upper deck Superliner room. Let's be honest, us crazy railfans love the motion of the rocking choo choo.

I love the upper deck and to be honest, I always thought it to be smoother the higher up you are. The Family Room is the noisiest and clankiest room I know, but I like that too. Hearing the wheels clink over switches in reverse sounds awesome. Just being honest.