You might be an experienced road traveler, or plane traveler, but do you know what to take along when you travel overnight by train?
You should follow a checklist which includes items such as tickets, passport (if traveling overseas), guidebooks, and emergency contact numbers. You might also need wrinkle-resistant clothes (don't take too many clothes as space is limited) and it helps to pack your bags so that things you need overnight are easily accessible, while things you need at a later stage can be placed in the stored luggage area.
if you are traveling in the USA via Amtrak and you have certain food preferences it helps to take specific snacks if you have this need. Many passengers do take along books, CDs and other forms of light entertainment, but few seem to use these to capacity as they find the time disappears while enjoying the scenery or chatting with fellow passengers.
Finally, do remember to keep your timetable to hand, together with details of time zone changes, as you don't want to miss your connection if you disembark.