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Reply to "Any body here ever sleep over night on a train?"

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.

 

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