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When I saw how much a first-class ticket cost on the Amtrak Acela train, I had to book it.

At $450 for a 3-hour trip up the East Coast, it was $50 more than the private cabin I booked for a 15-hour journey from Colorado to Utah earlier this year.

The steep price point would probably deter the average person. However, as a travel reporter and train enthusiast, I wanted to compare the first-class experience to a more affordable ride with greater privacy on an overnight train.

I took a sleeper train from Colorado to Utah in a roomette accommodation. My ticket included a private enclosed space with two chairs, two beds, and perks such as priority boarding, meals on board, a dedicated attendant, and access to lounges at select stations.

My ticket included a comfortable, roomy seat, a meal, attendant service, priority boarding, and lounge access at some stations.

The Superliner, which runs west of Chicago and New Orleans, looked like a typical Amtrak train with its boxy shape, silver metal exterior, and red and blue stripes.

Still, unlike other fleets I've ridden, it was two stories tall.

The Superliner I took got interior upgrades earlier this year, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told Business Insider.