I've never ridden on an American train (since the 1960s,) but do travel on Canada's VIA every few years. Have also traveled on overnight service between Glasgow and London. It's very easy to sleep on a train, I think. It's a little tight but both wife & I were comfortable. Even my grown kids didn't fuss too much last time.
Kent in SD
I slept on the Auto Train when returning from Florida to New York. I think it was 1979 or so. The track was incredibly in terrible shape and the Train's speed was very low. I remember there being entertainment which help pass the time. but being 35 years ago I do not remember sleeping. Maybe because I did not bother.
We used to take the Texas Special from Dennison Texas to St. Louis Missouri each summer, 1950 to 1954 , and slept the cars with the fold down beds....Really neat at night to wTch our the window...We were on sidings allowing freight trains to pass by us. What were the sleeping cars called, berths? Either way it was an individual room, sort of like in the movie “Silver Streak”. It was a lot of fun. Great Thread...
During my military assignments in Germany, I slept on a few troop trains as we traveled to and from "Grafenwoehr/Vilseck" training area. The German conductor always acted as a great verbal alarm clock, a bit like "Sgt. Schultz."
leapinlarry posted:What were the sleeping cars called, berths? It was a lot of fun. Great Thread...
As far as I know, "berths" no longer exist. They were coach type seats during the day, that got converted to upper and lower beds. A pull-across curtain gave you some privacy. For obvious reasons, the uppers were often empty, so if a regular coach passenger decided to upgrade for a few bucks, they usually could. I think this was prior to "roomettes".
Hey guys, I forgot all about sleeping in a caboose about 12 times over 20 years. Lot of fun with my kids, and then my grand kids. Wonderful memories, even though a few grumps on this forum love bashing the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg every time the subject came up.
Yes. Every time my wife and I have been on Amtrak we have been in sleepers. We love the trains. All meals came with price of sleepers. We took our childern on a trip from Chicago to Sanfransico to Seattle back to Chicago. We were snow bound on the train in a blizzard for two days but it was all great memories for our kids. Amtrak was fantastic.. We were late getting in to Chicago so they put us up in hotel and sent us to museums all paid., we like it my wife takes the top bunk. A little tight but the scenery is worth it all. Will go again as soon as we can. Last trip was on the Santa Fe Chief to Los Angeles for a cruise to Hawaii. Great time.
So far everyone's reply is for 'Riding the cushions'! How about a 'side door Pullman'! Yup, boxcars. Anyone besides me ride freight trains for long distances? (In my much younger years!) You sleep longitude with the boxcar, otherwise you roll back and forth when the locomotives transition. And always have your cardboard mattress, and sleeping bag. Noisy, but you get use to it. Bad track and you bounce around. Here are a couple of pictures of my friend and I riding the rails circa 1976 on a piggyback flatcar on the Moffat line heading west. I'm the one smiling with the dark glasses.
My overnight experience was not so great but I did learn that they lock the restroom door when the train stops at a station. My experience took place in the late 1950's on the Atlantic Coast Line going from Florida to New York. I had Montezuma's Revenge attributed to Lemon Meringue Pie. Unfortunately, I only had to "Go" when I woke up and only woke up when the train stopped in a station. I been off Lemon Meringue Pie ever since.
Never on pullman sleeper cars, rather on modern Amtrak circa 1998-2017. Overnight in coach is doable. More than that a bedroom is a necessity.
Amtrak more than I want to remember coach and rooms. The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel in Chattanooga TN has Pullman’s that you can rent a room in.
I slept over on the Capital and the Lake Shore many times and loved it. I still have my complimentary toilet kit from the Capital many years ago. When the kids were small and we were less affluent, we rode coach on the Silver Meteor to Florida a good experience for the money. Later on, my wife and I spent a couple of nights on the Auto Train as well; not bad! I must admit our two nights on our two way trip on VIA's Ocean was the best....restored Budds with lots of room and very good food .
early 1962...last time...orlando, florida to columbia, sc...an all expense paid, one way trip to fort jackson for basic training...courtsey of uncle sam...
howard...
A few times.
First in Germany in the early 90's not too long after the wall fell, on a foreign language class high school trip. We were in a dormitory style bunk with 6 bunks per compartment. My friend's feet stank something awful so we made him sleep at the top with the window cracked open!!
Later, when volunteering for a tourist railroad, one a caboose bunk one a freezing night in October. The freight company derailed one the switch leading to our siding. We had to stay out all night until their engine could be moved and the switch repaired. Got about 4 or 5 hours sleep, pulled the train in and locked it down. Ran home got a shower and got to work a few hours late!
Last couple times on Amtrak. In 2003 the overnight train from New Orleans to Chicago and then from Chicago to Pittsburgh. It was the return leg of our honeymoon trip. The food was better than what was on the cruise ship. We had a large cabin and really enjoyed it. the rocking on the high cars is a bit much when eating but you get a rhythm down and the tables have raised edges just in case.
Last time was on Amtrak from Orlando to Philly. Probably 7 or 8 years ago. Two roomettes. 1 for the wife, 1 for me and my oldest son. Different type of trip but lots of fun. Only problem was being several hours late out of Orlando as some poor woman was intoxicated and decided that suicide by train was her way out of life. Apparently she stepped in front of the train between the previous station and ours. The usual protocol of EMS, drug testing for the engineer, getting a new engineer etc all had to play out before the train could be moved. Amtrak took orders from the customers at the station and provided a free meal from the local pizza joint while we waited so it wasn't that bad. My son, who was about 5 at the time, thought that the "kid-catcher" netting on the upper bunk was just the coolest thing in the world.
Sometimes I lament not having taken advantage of a free one way ride by train to my first active duty station at Port Hueneme, California. The Navy offered me two choices, the train or plane. My father asked me why I wanted to leave earlier and take the train. I guess he was showing the guilts on me.
It would have been my first experience on a long distance, literally cross country.
Only on AMTRAK. First sleeper was during a family trip by rail across the country in 1984. Ended up on the first AMTRAK Zephyr into Denver just by happenstance. Have pictures of the banner they made somewhere in my collection. Also have ridden a sleeper between Washington and Chicago on the old Capitol Limited, back when they still had domes.
Most of the time it has been in recliner coach seats across the U.S. with layovers for a shower and to stretch the legs.
Best night sleep I had onboard train. Is the VIA Rail Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto in February. Lower berth, Super thick mattress, two super pillows, Down comforter, and the thickest aisle curtain to block any light from coming in. I could actually see out side at night.
Clem
In '67 (and again in '68) my family and I took the WP leg of the California Zephyr from Stockton to Salt Lake and "slept" upright in the regular coach... no way we could afford the sleeper. Fast forward a number of years later and I was able to enjoy the relative "comfort" of the Berlin - Frankfurt Duty Train, which slept six GIs per compartment -- and took 12 hours to complete the journey! After unification in '90, I rode a similarly equipped sleep coach on the DB that took far less time (and was considerably less cramped). Haven't had the opportunity to travel by sleeper here in the US or Canada as yet, but my wife and I are planning on it someday soon.
Many times. I have had compartments on the Southwest Chief, the California Zephyr, the Empire Builder, the Lake Shore Limited, and trains from Chicago to Toronto and to D.C., the names of which escape me. The most memorable overnite, however, was in 1983 on the Red Star from Moscow to Leningrad, when I was in a 4-bed compartment with my GF and two young ladies from the Soviet Intourist Agency. It was my first experience with Lemon Vodka, among other things.
jay jay posted:The most memorable overnite, however, was in 1983 on the Red Star from Moscow to Leningrad, when I was in a 4-bed compartment with my GF and two young ladies from the Soviet Intourist Agency.
I'm curious how the 2 Intourist ladies were with you. We were with one in St. Petersburg about a year ago, and she kept telling KGB "jokes"...as if to say "See, we have freedom of speech". I'm wondering how "guarded" your 2 were back in 1983.
My very first overnight was when I was 14 in '76
My mom, dad little brother, and I took the train from Chicago to Los Angeles to go to Disneyland. I remember we had adjoining rooms, and bathroom in the room.
I spent most of my time up in the dome car. This was especially true at night. I love watching the landscape at dusk, and the lights of the small stations as we came upon them.
The most recent trip I took was from Dallas to Chicago a couple years ago. It was great.
Joe Hohmann posted:jay jay posted:The most memorable overnite, however, was in 1983 on the Red Star from Moscow to Leningrad, when I was in a 4-bed compartment with my GF and two young ladies from the Soviet Intourist Agency.
I'm curious how the 2 Intourist ladies were with you. We were with one in St. Petersburg about a year ago, and she kept telling KGB "jokes"...as if to say "See, we have freedom of speech". I'm wondering how "guarded" your 2 were back in 1983.
Joe, it was a screwup on compartment booking. The train was packed. The Intourist ladies were to have their own compartment, but no more two-bed compartments were available. We were asked if we would mind sharing. We didn't. However, they were very aloof from the tour group, despite speaking perfect English. They always ate by themselves. They were there to keep an eye on us, for the most part. This was when Yuri Andropov was the Soviet premier, and he had been the former KGB head. Perestroika was in the future. It was a great trip, in any event.
Like Joe K and Clem, I also give a thumbs up for The Canadian. I took it from Toronto to Vancouver and return. The first night took a bit to get used to the movement, but it was fine after that. We had a private roomette with the fold down bunk beds. A fantastic experience with incredible scenery! I'm hoping to do the Rocky Mountaineer next year, although we will be sleeping in hotels instead of the train. Even though you don't sleep on the train, the advantage is you see everything during the day. With The Canadian, you do miss some of the great views during the night travel. Although, I believe VIA and CN have worked to revise the schedules recently in order to improve the daytime travel experience.
Rob
I was lucky to enjoy a number of overnight trips in sleeping cars. My father was in the Navy so the family moved a lot while I was growing up.
The first trip that I recall was on the Cascade from Seattle to Oakland. The Great Northern / Northern Pacific / SP operated through sleepers in the early fifties. My younger brother and I had a blast running through the train. My mother was not amused. The air-conditioning was broken in our sleeper. It was very hot. I think we spent most of the night in the observation car.
Our next trip was Seattle to Chicago to Pittsburgh. We took the mid-fifties Empire Builder. This train did not have dome cars. The Empire Builder was a wonderful train with first class sleepers and diners. My brother and I shared the top bunk while my mother had the bottom bunk. We had to change trains and stations in Chicago to get to Pittsburgh. The sleeper on the PRR train was awful and the AC didn't work. We spent the trip in the observation car. My mother endured the trip at the bar while my brother and I slept on the observation car's floor. All of were thankful when we got off the train at 2 a.m. in Pittsburgh where my father met us.
My next overnight train trip was on the El Capitan from LA to Chicago and return during a Boy Scout trip. The El Capitan was a first class high level coach train. The Fred Harvey service in the diner was outstanding. Although the seats were comfortable, I had trouble sleeping sitting up on this trip. I spent many hours in the lounge car. When my scout group got to Chicago, we changed trains and took a Milwaukee overnight train to St. Paul in coach.
On the return to Chicago, we took a Soo Line overnight milk train from a small town in upstate Minnesota whose name I don't recall. I do recall the classic small town hamburger cafe where we ate before boarding the train. This trip was unusual because we boarded a coach that was parked on a siding at about 6 or 7 p.m. A train came by at about 8 p.m. and picked up the coach. The train that picked us up had four or five cars. The train stopped at many small towns all night and did switching. It was hard to sleep as our coach was banged back and forth. We arrived at one of Chicago's big stations at about 9 a.m. The train had over 30 cars including about 8 coaches full of people and the rest were milk cars. This train didn't have any dinning facilities.
My next overnight train trip was on the Cascade from Oakland to Portland. This trip was in coach. I recall that this train had one of the SP's triple dinning / lounge cars. I spent many hours there. It was fascinating to watch this car move through the curves. I had a good meal in the dinner. The Cascade did not have through cars to Seattle by this date. I had to change platforms to Union Pacific coach train to go onto Seattle.
My next overnight train trip was on a New Haven train from Providence to Baltimore. I boarded a NH sleeper in Providence at about 9 p.m. The car was picked up by the train at about midnight. I had a roomette and was jolted awake by the movement. The car was switched to a PRR train at Pennsylvania Station in New York for the trip to Baltimore. I think I arrived in Baltimore at about 10 a.m. The was a wonderful trip.
The next overnight trip was on an Amtrak coach train from Bridgeport, Ct. to Washington D.C. This trip was bad because the Amtrak crew was surly and refused to dim the coach lights so that passengers could sleep.
My next trip was on Amtrak's California Zephyr from Oakland to Chicago. This was a great trip. I had a roomette. The service was good and the food was excellent. The only downside was that the train was about 5 hours late getting to Chicago. This didn't bother me because I was staying at a hotel. Passengers who were booked on to New York missed their connecting train.
Finally, I had the pleasure of taking the Rocky Mountaineer / Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto. Others have described this trip. I believe that this is the best train trip anywhere on this continent. The refurbished 1950's cars on the Canadian can't be beat. I loved sitting in the domes and watching the scenery and other trains. The food was outstanding on both trains.
NH Joe
New Haven Joe posted:Finally, I had the pleasure of taking the Rocky Mountaineer / Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto. Others have described this trip. I believe that this is the best train trip anywhere on this continent. The refurbished 1950's cars on the Canadian can't be beat. I loved sitting in the domes and watching the scenery and other trains. The food was outstanding on both trains.
NH Joe
My wife and I have considered the Rocky Mountaineer phase of the trip, but the VIA leg through the rest of Canada seems to be non-stop, as far as getting out to see things goes. I've also seen the VIA trains running up to 30+ hours late.
Yes, on the AutoTrain from Florida to Washington back in the late 90's. We had the deluxe room that had it's own shower and bathroom. It was my wife, our at the time, 2 young children and myself. We had a great time. Boarded the train around 3 had dinner around 8 and went to bed around 10. Woke up the next morning approaching Washington. We actually arrived in Lorton VA around 9 and it took a couple of hours to get our car unloaded and then we were on our way to New England. I hope to get to do this again someday.
Just one long trip for me: VIA Rail from Vancouver to Toronto a number of years ago. Had a roomette. I was treated like a king the entire trip (I was a newspaper photo editor in Honolulu at the time and the railroad wanted to make a good impression, I guess). A thoroughly enjoyable trip! You haven't really lived until you've been rocked to sleep aboard a moving train.
I hope to repeat the experience sometime later this year since my youngest stepdaughter (I really consider her my daughter) just relocated to Las Vegas from Baltimore. She is an event planner for a large casino operation. I hope to take Amtrak out to visit her at some point.
Yes, many many times since 1970, coach, roomettes. Pre Amtrak and Amtrak. Also, in Europe we took the Acropole Express from London to Athens and then Athens to Brussels the next year. Always fun!!!
When I was in the military I went across Australia a couple of times on the train from Perth to Melbourne and return, then the military decided it was cheaper and quicker to fly us across so ended the free train travel and 3 days of travelling each way. 
Roo.
City of Miami; January 1964, slept in the upper of ( I think) a compartment in a 4-4-2. It was awesomely cool, the berth had it's own little tiny window. What a great train.
When I was in 10th grade we took the train from St. Paul to Chicago then to a Colorado Springs and back. We rented the Silver Solarium for the trip and had my mom and dad and their 6 boys and my aunt and uncle and their 3 girls and 4 boys. All us kids had the time of our lives, the adults, not so much
Here I go again showing my age. Slept many a night on the Texas Special and other trains. My grandmother and I went out to California to see her relatives every summer. My dad and grandfather worked on the Frisco so she always had passes to ride the rails. Thanks for asking.
Yep...we did! In 1998 my wife and I traveled to Sacramento CA ...leaving Altoona PA . California Zephyr out and Texas Eagle back to Altoona. Best trip we ever took! Nice folks on the trains... great service....delicious food....beautiful sights! I'd like to go again.
Back in 85 my father and I took the train out from Detroit to Denver. Could not fit in the bunk beds so we opted to use the coach recliners. They just had more room for us being over 6' 5".
Food was top notch. Played Euchre in the Club car, Scenery was fantastic... wish my Dad and I could do it again!
My wife and I traveled from Oakland California to Denver Colorado on Amtracks California Zephyr. We had a awesome trip! The roomette was comfortable, the food was great and the people we met were interesting. And the scenery traveling over the Sierra Madre and Rock Montains was breathtaking! An engine breakdown and a employee injury led to our train being several hours late getting into Denver. But since we didn’t have to make a connection it was all good.
The northeast Texas towns of Paris and Mount Pleasant are only about 49 miles apart, but they were once connected by a shortline railroad, named, appropriately enough, the Paris and Mt. Pleasant RR. As far as I know, it never acquired Diesel power, and its passenger service had vanished probably not long after I was born. However, steam-powered freights still plied the rails a couple of times a week in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Thanks probably to some personal friendships, my father arranged for him and me to ride one of those freights which were, by the way, overnight experiences. We rode from Paris in the cab of the steamer, and my fading youthful recollections can be summarized as noisy, bouncy, hot, and steamy wet! After a midnight breakfast at an all-night diner in Mt. Pleasant, we began the return trip in the freight caboose in whose cupola I soon fell fast asleep. I must have been five or six years old, and my father did not have a camera, so these fading memories are all the souvenirs left to me, but, yes, I have slept on a train -- and I didn't even have a ticket!
Almost - while in college in 1972 I was driving home at about 2:00 AM on a lonely, deserted stretch of back road after a night of heavy partying when I came across what must have been a mile long freight train at a flat road crossing. I slipped the tranny in my '66 Fairlane GT into neutral and must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the sun woke me up and it was 6:00 AM in the morning. It took me a few seconds to get my bearings, but the motor was still running and I made it to class on time. Does that count ?
Bill:
Excellent sharing. Thanks you for taking the time to type it out and share it with the rest of us.
Reminds me of similar situation that happened over a decade ago:
Had a green Conductor working with me on a backwoods branch line. He mentioned he had a 4 year old son that was crazy about trains, and if it would be possible for him to ride in the engine "one of these days". The next train this Conductor was to be with me was going to be at night, so I called the Conductor and said it would be a good time for his son to come along if he wanted to.
That night, sure enough, he brought his son along. He was a curly headed little chap that was cute as he could be. He was dressed in stripe overalls and a striped "Engineer's hat", complete with some little boots. His dad helped him climb up into the cab. His eyes lit up when he saw the inside of a railroad locomotive for the first time. (The lead unit was a GP38, if you're wondering! 
) He was the perfect little gentleman. He rode with eyes wide open for a while and just soaked it all up. However, soon it was getting on into the later part of the night/early morning... and when I looked over toward the Conductor's side, I saw that he was out like a light. We both got a kick out of that.
SO, you have a fellow that's not so little now, one that I'll bet still likes trains, that also had a train ride one night in which he can't remember all of it!
Yes, railroading was very different then in as short as a decade or so ago. For several years now, such a ride is simply not possible.
Andre
Richie C. posted:Almost - while in college in 1972 I was driving home at about 2:00 AM on a lonely, deserted stretch of back road after a night of heavy partying when I came across what must have been a mile long freight train at a flat road crossing. I slipped the tranny in my '66 Fairlane GT into neutral and must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the sun woke me up and it was 6:00 AM in the morning. It took me a few seconds to get my bearings, but the motor was still running and I made it to class on time. Does that count ?
Interesting story, but IMHO, nope... doesn't count. (Don't 'cha wish you still had the '66 Fairlane GT??)
Andre
I've slept on Amtrak both in coach (1 night) and with a roomette (three nights). The coach seats recline enough to sleep comfortably but you you're there with 60+ of your closest friends frustrated with their snoring as they are frustrated with yours. 
The roomettes have an upper bed that folds down and the seat pair below convert to another bed. The mattresses aren't the most comfortable things in the world (kinda over firm), but you get privacy and meals with a roomette or the larger rooms. The family unit is really nice as it has its own bathroom and shower, but you pay for it.
The food is pretty good. The scenery is nice, and with a sleeper reservation you have access to the lounge car if one is in the train. Since they like the tables full in the diner, you sit with strangers, but in the end train travelers seem more sociable than plane travelers and you can have some interesting conversations as long as you don't discuss religion, politics or the Great Pumpkin.
laming posted:Richie C. posted:Almost - while in college in 1972 I was driving home at about 2:00 AM on a lonely, deserted stretch of back road after a night of heavy partying when I came across what must have been a mile long freight train at a flat road crossing. I slipped the tranny in my '66 Fairlane GT into neutral and must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew the sun woke me up and it was 6:00 AM in the morning. It took me a few seconds to get my bearings, but the motor was still running and I made it to class on time. Does that count ?
Interesting story, but IMHO, nope... doesn't count. (Don't 'cha wish you still had the '66 Fairlane GT??)
Andre
You betcha' - midnight blue 390 with a white convertible top; Holley 750 dbl. pumper on a Weiand alum. manifold; cherry bombs; and Cragars all around - but I digress 
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