I feel very similar to you. My family took an overnight Amtrak from Albany to Chicago. We got a full sleeper room which ranges from $500-$1000 per person per room, which is certainly more expensive than a flight, and I recognize it's a privilege that we can afford it. That being said, it was far more enjoyable than flying. It left Albany at 7pm and the kids (3 and 5) were beyond thrilled to be on a train. Laying back and watching the sun set as I watched America go by in the window was beautiful and romantic. The beds were fine. And on top of that it has a dramatically lower (close to an order of magnitude) carbon footprint, something I believe you need to care about if you have kids. I understand that this won't work for everyone in every scenario but I do think it's great option that people should consider more.