<-- Only once on a train, at least for any kind of long commute. Erie, PA to Chicago, IL.
The train was well over an hour late, and the trip took an hour longer than expected. I don't know how long you'd be looking at for Wisconsin to DC.
I was cranky at the time because it was scheduled to get to the station at the convenient time of 1:36am. So I was also trying to sleep on the train (9hr trip, scheduled), butI don't sleep well in unfamiliar places, particularly in coach seats, or with a lot of other people nearby. It was also not a smooth ride like a jet tends to be (in my experience anyway) - more like having mild turbulence for most of the trip.
That aside, I still thought that coach class in the train was luxurious compared to a jet. Plenty of room, you can recline without crushing the person behind you, nice big windows with curtains, and you've got a 120VAC outlet. You can also walk around pretty freely, and there's probably going to be some manner of dining car available on a trip that long. You can bring two bags onboard, "...each not to exceed 50 lbs, 28x22x14 inches." The "security check" consisted of someone looking at my ticket, glancing at my luggage, and then that was it.
Bring your own pillows or blankets though, as they've reportedly stopped offering those freely. It was rather cold on the one I was on.
If you do choose the train, I think that getting a private room would be a good idea, if you're ok with the cost. Having your own room might help you ignore any delays.
AmSnag can help you get good tickets, if any are left - Amtrak's prices vary
a lot for the rooms, depending on how many are remaining, and which pricing bucket you're left with. If your travel date is locked in though.....you get what you get.
I believe that getting a room also automatically pays for three meals a day. And watch for the type of train you're on.
It looks like the Superliner's roomette has no toilet in it, but the Viewliner
does have one. (If you're sharing the room, you may want to step outside while the other person's using the toilet - it's just kind of stuck there in the room.) I would hope and assume that there is adequate ventilation in there as well.
People have posted videos to Youtube of what the inside of these rooms look like. Just search for
Amtrak bedroom. Amtrak's views on their own site are not very good.
Or, if you're as rich as everyone else here on ATOT, just arrange to have
your own private railcar added to the train.
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