Well, I've had better nights of sleep. I think you have to learn to sleep on a train, it's a bit unnatural. It's similar to trying to sleep on a jet, but with near-constant turbulence, and as if the jet kept blowing its horn. Which it doesn't have. Ear plugs helped a little. 

The big difference with a roomette is you have a bed of sorts. It's not uncomfortable, but you really don't sink in, which means you learn to position your body to brace yourself from the side to side rocking. 

I thought I would never fall asleep, just  like in an airplane, but I apparently did manage to. 

I awoke (again and finally) at 5AM, when my body felt like it was time to wake up—which it was, on central time. Industrial sites outside Fort Morgan, Colorado, were already slipping past when I opened the blackout curtains. 

I had not tried to fall asleep until after 11 and departing Omaha—still central time. I thought if I had fallen asleep before then, the exchange of passengers would just wake me up. Sure enough, some fresh riders boarded and crawled into the roomette across the narrow corridor from us. 

There's a faint glow on the eastern horizon now that we left the snow behind just before bed time. Yikes, it's 2 degrees outside. Though it's a little warmer in Denver, I suspect we won't be stretching our legs in the eight degree chill. 

Breakfast starts in ten minutes—6AM—but Grant hasn't budged. I hope his love of trains lulled him into a deep and satisfying sleep, especially since he said he slept little in Streamwood. It's very crowded in here and is better managed in a coordinated fashion. But I think I'll split my bed back into two seats and get dressed now. 

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     ...... Pat Hoppel ......