# First Auto Train trip--over Thanksgiving



## riverviewer (Dec 8, 2012)

After taking other LD trains over the years, most notably the EB & CZ, I decided to take the Auto Train when my brother invited me to his home outside Philly for a big family get-together that weekend.

I made my reservation in early October, choosing coach (only for one night each way, I could handle it)...and anticipated the adventure.

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I showed up plenty early at the AT terminal , checked my car in, and got my seat/dinner assignments, then sat back & waited. I had a Wawa hoagie with me for lunch (which is why I picked the later dinner seating), and I noticed the big crush checking in between 1-2:30 pm.

Boarding went smoothly, and we left Sanford a few minutes early. The Superliner coach was just like the ones I remembered on the EB & CZ. i didn't have a seat-mate, so there was ample room for me to sit back and enjoy the scenery rolling past. (On both legs of the trip, I used my iPhone's map function to answer the ongoing question of "Where are we now?")

At dinner, I was seated with three nice ladies from different parts of the world originally (one who was born in Scotland, one originally from Colombia and one from Brazil), and we had a great meal with plenty of conversation. We were the last ones out of that diner because we were chatting so long!

A comfortable night's sleep followed before our arrival in Lorton the next morning. The only delay in off-loading the cars came with the first one that was supposed to come off (a big Ford Expedition SUV) had to be pushed off because of a dead battery.

I noticed a couple of Amtrak Police units (including one K9) at the Lorton depot when we arrived. Fortunately, they didn't find the bags of picked-on-Monday oranges and grapefruit (and jar of orange-blossom honey) tin my trunk that I'd picked up at a citrus grove on my way to Sanford the day before.

The wait for my car wasn't too bad, and I was on my way north on I-95 well within my planned departure window. (I had to meet my Mom at the airport in Philly, who was arriving on a 2:30 flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul.) Thanks to the lower volume of traffic on I-85, I was there in plentyof time to meet Mom's early-arriving flight, then head out to my brother's place.

On the way home on Sunday, I dropped Mom off at the Philly airport (at 6 am, in order for her to be there the recommended 2 hours before her 8 am flight's departure). I took my time heading down I-95, in very light traffic, and got to Lorton at least a couple hours early. Had breakfast at the only "family" restaurant nearby, and I spent the rest of my time driving around the roads near the AT depot , charging up both my iPhone & iPod for the trip south.

I had another early check in , where the check-in crew wanted me to sign a waiver because of the exotic-looking wheels on my car, which I pointed out to them were made of steel & standard on police-option Dodge Chargers like mine. (DIdn't need to sign the waiver then.) Next came another easy boarding...another early departure...and another smooth, enjoyable AT run. Again, I didn't have a seatmate (after the one who'd been assigned the aisle seat next to me found an open seat pair elsewhere in the same coach.

Again, I had some great dinner companions, who were heading down to their winter home--but the two older gentlemen I was seated with at breakfast the next morning didn't say a word during the meal! (Maybe the trip left them speechless!)

We were nearly 45 minutes early getting into Sanford, and--as luck would have it--my car was one of the last ones unloaded. Standing in the warm Florida sun made the wait seem a lot shorter!

Would I take the Auto Train again? YES! This time, I don't think the large-vehicle charge would be necessary (I saw same-size Chrysler 300s, Lincoln Town Cars and big Mercedes-Benz sedans that didn't have "AV" car numbers on them)

And, yes, I'll stop and get a Wawa hoagie to munch for lunch while waiting for boarding at Sanford!


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## trainman74 (Dec 8, 2012)

I'm surprised to find out they have Wawa stores in the Orlando area now! Initially I thought you had mixed up which direction you were going.


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## Railroad Bill (Dec 8, 2012)

Enjoyed your trip report. We will be riding the AT in January for the first time. Looking forward to the ride and a new Amtrak experience.


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## riverviewer (Dec 8, 2012)

trainman74 said:


> I'm surprised to find out they have Wawa stores in the Orlando area now! Initially I thought you had mixed up which direction you were going.


Wawa is expanding into Florida in a big way...they began opening Orlando-area stores earlier this year, and they'll start opening new Tampa/St. Petersburg-area ones starting in February.


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