# Auto Train – Trip Report June 2015



## fixj (Jun 29, 2015)

Auto Train – Trip Report June 2015

In late June my wife and I took the Auto Train from Sanford to Lorton and returned a week later. We were visiting my Son, who lives in Woodbridge, VA which is only about 5 miles from the Auto Train station. When we arrived at the Sanford station just before 11 AM for check in, the arriving 53 was a bit late and cars were still being off loaded. As it turned out they cleared out all the arriving cars and began accepting cars for 52 at 11:20, which is about on schedule or even a bit early. Having traveled on the Auto Train last year and having to wait for over an hour to get our car, we took advantage of the Priority Off loading service in both directions. Our car was the sixth one off in Lorton and the third one off upon return to Sanford. I wholeheartedly recommend this service. You avoid all the chaos of the pushing, shoving and impatient mood of the arriving passengers.







I was eager to make this trip again if only to compare it to our last year’s trip. Back in 2014 in August when we traveled, they had just reduced the service and removed the sleeper lounge from the consist. What made that train set even more inconvenient then was the placement of the sleepers. All six sleepers and the transition sleeper were coupled together with the sleeper diner next followed by the only lounge car on the train. On that trip the coach section had two diners at the head end. Thus a pax in the 45 car had to go through all six sleepers to get to the diner. Fortunately we were in the 41 car and only had to pass through the 40 car to reach the diner. On that trip we never used the lounge because it was packed the entire trip. Our 41 car on that trip was the deluxe sleeper A. Philip Randolph. We were again in the 41 car both directions for our June 2015 trip, and got the A. Philip Randolph only on our return trip. We were in bedroom C on 52 and room J on 53.






There is much construction going on in Sanford, and it made boarding a bit of a challenge. I believe they are remodeling the station platform so that the platform is flush with the superliner entrance doors and no step up is necessary. As such, the track the sleepers should have been on was not being used and large ramps were constructed at the entrance to each passenger car door located on the adjacent track. The coach pax were even less fortunate. While the 10 car was on the same side as the sleepers, the 11, 12 and 13 coaches were being boarded from the front of the station. There is a You Tube video posted in this section that shows this construction. In order to minimize the chaos of everyone boarding at once, they boarded by car number and that seemed to smooth out the flow.






I must report an odd coincident that I did not discover until a few days later reading a trip report here on AU. It seems that Auntie C has posted her trip report here on AU and while reading her chapter on her return to Florida in her “Auntie C Amtrak Princess” chapter, she reported arriving into Orlando on the Silver Meteor on June 16. We were headed North on the Auto Train on June 16 and a little after noon that day I watched the Silver Meteor pass the Auto Train station at Sanford. Little did I know until I read her trip report that she was on that train as I watched it pass by the station! What a lucky chance!

One of the rumors I had heard shortly before our June 2015 trip was that Amtrak had seen the error in their judgment and had returned a lounge car to the sleeper section. On the 52 trip north bound they had indeed added a lounge car, but were using a standard diner as a substitute. I later learned that this was actually the second diner from the coach section that was the overflow Car for the coaches. On the northbound leg the consist started with the transition sleeper followed by the 45, 43 and 41 cars. Next were the sleeper diner and the diner “Lounge” car followed by the40, 42, 44, 10, 11, 12 and 13 car with the coach lounge and coach diner ending the passenger car section. It was announced that there were 15 passenger cars and 25 Auto transport cars. My scanner announced that we had 168 axles. I never did hear a passenger count. Our motive power was lead 835 followed by twin 818.






Boarding was announced at 2:30 PM and we were greeted at the 41 car by Lisa our SCA. Lisa turned out to be one of the friendliest and hardest working SCA’s we have ever had. We learned that she was a member of the number 2 crew who were taking us to Lorton. We lacked for nothing from Lisa’s service. We had water and access to the ice bin as well as being immediately adjacent to the diner. We departed Sanford at 3:37 and settled in until our 5 PM dinner reservation. There were three seating on both trips. Our servers were Brandon, Sally and Daniel and they were very organized and prompt. I still miss the steak on the menu and let them know that. They say it may come back just like the lounge car. Fingers crossed. I had the Beef and Pam had the vegetarian lasagna. Both entrees were good and came with bread and a salad. For dessert we had the lemon cello which was very tasty. As I stated, service was outstanding. So far crew number 2 is tops.






I visited our lounge car attendant, J.D. and told him how nice it was the have the lounge back. He told me they are very cramped in the diner/lounge and have been campaigning for the return of a real lounge car. As it turned out that wish would soon be granted! Our COBS, Don was very confident things would improve on the equipment and service fronts.

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The evening past uneventfully and Lisa made up our room for sleeping around 10 PM. I slept well until about 5 AM and finally got up at 6 AM and headed to the diner. The continental breakfast is just right for me, but a few folks were grumbling about not having a hot meal. There were still seats available when I headed back to our room about 6:45. It was announce shortly after 7 AM that all seats were full and an announcement would be made when space was available.

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I always enjoy the last few hours of this trip in the morning passing through Ashland, Quantico and along the Potomac River. We arrived In Lorton a few minutes late at 9:28 AM. Lisa had taken our overnight bag down to the platform and set it up on one of the push carts and had really earned her tip. We said our goodbyes’ as she had calculated that we would have crew number one on our return trip. And as the mad rush for the autos began we took relief in knowing we would be one of the first 25 autos off the train. We claimed our car and headed off to visit my Son and his family.

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After a wonderful week of visiting family and friends in the Washington area and with a nice side visit to the Manassas / Bull Run Battlefield it was time to hook up with 53 back to Sanford. The “Track A Train” app indicated that 52 would be about an hour late this morning and I still decided it would be better to report to the Lorton Station at around 11 AM if only to insure our dinner reservation. As we arrived the 52 autos were still being delivered to arriving passengers. The Desk staff had opened for accepting reservations and even though cars were not yet being accepted, I got our boarding pass and dinner reservations for 5 PM. The lateness of 52 did not delay the loading of autos and the line started to move at 11:30. We were the third car accepted for priority unloading and were happy to be on that list. I spent the waiting time taking photos and checking out the station which was under renovations last year when we took this trip. Boarding was announced at 2:30 PM and we were greeted by Deb our SCA for car 41 the A. Philip Randolph. We were in bedroom J just around the corner from the beverage/ice station. Thankfully the consist was back to the pre-cut days of 2014 with the transition dorm followed by 45, 43, and 41 (our Car). Next was the diner followed by a real Lounge Car! Dreams sometimes can come true. Kyle, our lounge car attendant was ecstatic as this was the very first real lounge car added back to the sleeper section of the Auto Train! Perhaps the pin heads at Amtrak management have listened to their customers. I don’t really hold out hope for that thought. Amtrak management is trying it’s best to destroy itself.

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Back to the consist with car 40 next followed by 42 and 44. Coach 10 was next followed by the 11, 12, and 13 coaches. The coach lounge was next followed by the single coach diner. The overflow diner was mysteriously absent. Our return power was supplied by 832 in the lead and 818 as number two. The 818 was the same power we came up with but not lead 832.

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We departed at 3:52 with 15 passenger cars and 25 Auto carriers. It was reported by COBS Arnold that there were only 16 Priority autos on board. Passenger count was reported as 438 and my scanner reported 168 axles, the same as our north bound trip but with a different train set.

I must tell you that crew number one was just as service conscious as crew number two that we traveled with North bound. Our Diner crew was Catrell (sp), Karen and Randy as the beverage cashier. All of them so polite and friendly. We really lucked out with crew one and two! I must say that last year we had crew number 5 with Pineapple as our SCA and they were equally wonderful. I have not had a poor service employee on any of the last 4 Auto Train trips I have taken.

We departed at 3:52 but severe thunder storms during the night resulted in a slower pace and a few unplanned stops / delays. We woke up at sunrise before 6 AM and were just passing Folkston! A few train buffs had set up a tent at track side and were filming our passing. It was clear we were running at least an hour late, but the good side of the story was that I had more train time and got to see all of southern Georgia in daylight! The Jacksonville rail yard is huge and full of CSX cars of all types.

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Deb was in great spirits and the extra time allowed her to get all of her 15 rooms reset for the return later that day. The deluxe sleepers have 10 bedrooms on the upper level with 4 roomettes plus bedroom H and F on the bottom. She did not count her roomette as revenue reset. Deb told me they rotate between the standard sleeper and the deluxe sleeper and on the next rotation she drew a coach!

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One note to the adult travelers is to try and avoid the summer season when school is out. We had several unruly kids on our sleeper who kept running up and down the hall ways. One of the brats even stuck his head into our room when we had the drape drawn. Deb approved my request to close line the kid, but I did not get the chance. The parents are whimps who let their kids run their lives. This is the sad status of the American family in 2015.

We finally arrived at 10:50 only an hour and a half late. Blame the weather not CSX. As with our North bound trip we had Priority unloading and our car was number three off the auto cars. Deb and crew number one were aces on this trip, and I really have to say it’s a tie for best service between crew one, two and five last year. What a great trip and I am very hopeful the Auto Train can keep its service level equal to the cost. Happy trails everyone!

Jim

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P.S. I'm not sure why some of the photos are not posting here.


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## Rail Freak (Jun 29, 2015)

Thanx, nice report!


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## Mystic River Dragon (Jun 29, 2015)

Very nice report--thank you!

I love going through Ashland, too, and always find it fascinating that the same route goes down the middle of the street in that small town and also goes through the huge expanse of Jacksonville!


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 29, 2015)

Thanks for sharing! The AT has become Amtrak's "showcase" train and it's good to know that things are slowly getting back to what they used to be thanks to the wonderful crews that work this route, and as you said, the dunderheads @ 60 Mass have actually overruled the beancounters, at least on this route!


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## FormerOBS (Jun 29, 2015)

This was a great report, and I was especially happy to hear about some of my old pals on the crews. I had many enjoyable trips working with Lisa in the diner, and there is absolutely no surprise in hearing that she runs a great sleeper. Hearing the names of J.D., Deb, Kyle, and the others makes me nostalgic (but not enough to make me want to un-retire).

I think everybody is hopeful that the platform work will be completed within this millennium, but they are also trying to keep their expectations within reason.

Interesting that the Management hotshots who came in with all their great changes are quietly and slowly reintroducing some of the things we told them they shouldn't change in the first place. The sleepers are back in a sensible order, instead of the ridiculous arrangement that required some sleeper passengers to walk six cars to the diner. The sleeper lounge is back, alleviating the unreasonable, untenable crowding in the coach lounge.

Best of all, the crews are mostly the same people who set a high standard in the past, and it seems that they haven't cut their standards, even as Management has. From what I hear, staffing is still tight, and everybody generally agrees the old menus should come back.

Breakfast on the Auto Train will probably always be a simple affair because of the large numbers of people to be served and the short time to do it.

Tom


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 29, 2015)

Spot on Tom! Always great to hear from one who has been where the steel wheels meet the rails!


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## FormerOBS (Jun 29, 2015)

I saw Deb at a cookout around Labor Day. She was as bubbly & cheerful as always.

Tom


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## bobnjulie (Jun 30, 2015)

Great report! Thanks for the nice trip!


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## rrdude (Jun 30, 2015)

Cannot fault the Trip Report in any way, it is a template for others to follow! I sure hope that Amtrak is able to return some amenities to this "flagship" of LD trains. Every company ought to have a "flagship" something: Be it restaruant, bar, employee, service, or something. I'd like to see similar amenities brought back to the CS and of course, the Builder, but, I'm just whistling dixie I'm afraid..........

I look at my AGR points, and still just shrug my shoulders. I'll use 'em I'm sure, perhaps with my daughter in a couple of years for the 3-Zone bedroom trip I've taken both boys on... At least her expectation level is still very low, although she too *totally* missed the Sleeper-Lounge car on the AT last year.


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## Cma (Jun 30, 2015)

Thanks for the trip report and pictures. The auto train looks like a great trip.


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## MisterRick (Jul 1, 2015)

Very nice report. I also just finished a trip on the Auto Train this past June and posted some videos on my YouTube channel, the first was an video which now highlights the construction in Sanford and the second was an interior tour as we chugged our way to Lorton. As far as your pictures not showing that's really weird because they should embed automatically otherwise, at least that's been my experience using this board.

Rick


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## fixj (Nov 8, 2015)

Just booked our 2016 trip and got low bucket both ways for a full bedroom. Can't wait to see if the construction in SFA is done.

JIm


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