Rockershovel posted:I’d be interested in hearing about experiences of American sleepers, old and new?
Genuine Pullman-operated sleeping cars, which ran until the late 1960's were very well-maintained. There was not a squeak anywhere in the car. The beds were comfortable, and Pullman had warm blankets on top of the crisp sheets. Everything was spotless and quiet. Paint was immaculate. The Pullman Conductor and Porters were very polite and upheld the very highest standards of hospitality and service.
Today, the service, and, particularly, the equipment, do not come anywhere close to those standards. Of course, we live in a different era, and people no longer expect excellence. "Good enough" does the job now. Amtrak has some sleeping car attendants who go above and beyond, to give good service. They also have some lazy ones who do only as much as required. Many of the Superliner sleeping cars have been rebuilt at least once, and some have a better bedroom layout than others. Small things are often not repaired, so squeaks and rattles, or doors that are difficult to open or close, are not unusual. They do ride smoothly, though, and they are the best we are going to get in the United States for the foreseeable future. My wife and I travel in sleeping cars on Amtrak. We have adjusted our expectations. When we get a very clean bedroom in which everything works, we are pleased, but we know better than to expect it every trip.
In Canada, the situation is better. The equipment is better maintained, and the on-board service is noticeably more consistent and traditional. However, it is also more expensive.
We hope to sample a sleeper train in England and Scotland before too long.
