Amtrak...which car seat should I bring?

toothfairymama · Dec 4, 2009

My daughter and I will be traveling on an Amtrak train for a 32 hour trip. I need to decide if I should bring her Britax Regent or Graco Nautilus. The GN seems like a better choice because it's smaller, but her head ALWAYS flops forward if she falls asleep in it, whereas she sleeps very comfortably in the Regent. I guess my first question should be, will they let me put a car seat on her seat or will I have to stow it? She is 4 years old so I will be purchasing a seat for her. I would think that since I am paying for a seat for her there should be no big deal about using a car seat in it. Also, I am aware that Amtrak trains do not have seat belts and I will not be able to actually install the car seat.

bobandjess99 · Dec 4, 2009

I actually don't think you can or should try to put an uninstalled seat on a train seat. I swould think it would actually be quite dangerous. Any sudden stops or hard turns, etc, and she flies off and cracks herself on whatever she lands on, etc. You can bring it on with you and put it in the compartment where they keep the carry on bags down by the bathrooms. that is what I have always done, even when dd was a toddler. The seats themselves ercline a bit, she should be able to sleep fine.

wendytthomas · Dec 4, 2009

Right, for me it'd depend on what car I was using at the other end. But you cannot use the carseat on board the train. No seatbelts. Like the PP said, that'd be dangerous. That's a lot of weight to have ready to slam into your DD in case of emergency. And even quite a bit of weight should she lean forward and bring the whole seat down with her.

Wendy

ketchupqueen · Dec 5, 2009

Amtrak has shelves where you can stow your carryons. They don't count car seats toward your carryon allowance. Stow it downstairs, don't try to carry it up the stairs! If you are anxious about leaving it downstairs (I've never had anything stolen travelling Amtrak but it is in a public area) you can reserve a downstairs seat for you and your daughter at no extra cost over a regular coach seat (though if you do go up to the observation car or whatever you'd still be leaving it unattended-- like I said, I've left my purse alone, cell phone, all my stuff, and without hesitation. Last time I went I brought my Boulevard, and didn't hesitate to leave it downstairs-- I put it on my rolling carryon with a Travelling Toddler and just stowed them still attached, in fact!) Either one will fit if you turn it sideways on the shelf (so it's laying down) so I'd probably base it on what car you'll have at the other end, too.

Amtrak...which car seat should I bring?

toothfairymama

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