In this excerpt from my Amtrak New York trip report (full video    • TRIP REPORT  Amtrak and Air Choice O...  ), I try to give you the most detailed tour possible of an Amtrak Viewliner roomette. Overall, it's an incredibly unique and private way to travel. I was fascinated by the amount of engineering and design work that must have gone into this coach. Every square inch serves a purpose. And as a lifelong air traveler, the Amtrak long distance product had me completely out of my element. A few notes from my experience:

If you're alone, sleep on the bottom bunk. It's easier to control the temperature, easier to get in and out, and it seems to provide a smoother ride (perhaps the rocking of the train is exaggerated in the top bunk?).

On that note, if you decide to split a roomette with someone... be careful who you decide to split it with. It's lots of space for a single traveler, but this would be a tight fit with 2 people. And with the toilet in the room... yeah.

The shared shower isn't that great. Doable if you need it, but there's little room to change and the water pressure/temperature is hard to control.

Onboard meals are surprisingly good, but be prepared to be seated with total strangers unless there's 4 people in your party. This can be lots of fun or somewhat awkward depending on who you're seated with.

You can't lock your cabin door from the outside. Take valuables with you when you leave.

Please note this is a VIEWLINER, not a Superliner (more common). Viewliners are singlelevel sleeper coaches only used on routes in/out of New York's Penn Station. Though very similar to the Superliner roomettes, the Viewliners have extra windows up top and inroom toilets.

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