Sleeper trains, long considered old-fashioned and nostalgic, are picking up steam.

[rsdsharp]

8. No.

We were there for 16 hours. That wouldn't have been feasible, even if it had been possible.

We left LA in the late evening, bound to reach the Grand Canyon the next morning. In essence, this was intended as a short, overnight run, so there was no dining car. There was an observation car, but most of the train was made up of sleeping cars. You don't just "crowd into" someone's private compartment. i have no memory of regular passenger cars on this train.

To make matters worse, we were told not to leave the train for more than few minutes, as they expected the wreck up ahead to soon be cleared. It wasn't, which meant that we didn't have any food, and couldn't leave the train to go to a restaurant. When they finally did get it cleared, and hooked up a dining car about 8 PM, my sister promptly threw up while eating.

This is an indelible, but unpleasant, memory I have carried for more than 50 years. I was 8 that summer. I'm 65 now.