# Auto Train 8/27 SFA>LOR



## Dovecote (Oct 14, 2012)

On August 27, my wife and I traveled on the Auto Train (AT) from Sanford (SFA) to Lorton (LOR). We are frequent travelers on the AT traveling back and forth to our homes in Thomasville and Harpers Ferry (HFY). This would mark our eighth AT trip since November 2009. This particular trip was to begin preparation of the selling of our HFY home. The trip itself was suspenseful before it started due to the presence of Hurricane Isaac. Fortunately for us the epicenter of the affected area was west of SFA.

Before beginning the five hour ride south to SFA a phone call to Amtrak was in order. It was imperative to learn the status of the AT with Isaac doing its thing in Central Florida. The agent checked and informed me that the train was a go. We departed South Georgia at 8:00 AM allowing us wiggle time in event of weather delays. Rain became evident around Lake City about 100 miles from home. The rain continued off and on for the remainder of the trip. There was only one stretch around Ocala that driving was difficult. Overall it was a tolerable ride to SFA and we arrived shortly after 1:00 PM.

When we made our turn off Rt. 46 near the station on Persimmon Street there was a line of cars greeting us. We were situated about six cars from the railroad crossing. I was told the line would eventually reach the main highway and extend from there. The culprit was a delayed southbound #53. The train officially arrived at 12:30 PM but unloading was not evident until after we were “parked” on the street. Once the first vehicle passed us in the opposite direction we knew the check-in process for us was on hold while the workers unloaded 53. Our total wait on the street was around 45 minutes and we reached the check-in gate at 2:00 PM.

Once relinquishing our car outside the station we had yet another wait at the check-in counter inside. The line snaked outside the roped area but overall moved well. At check-in the agent asked our preferred dining time. The agent noted my request of in-room dining on the boarding pass jacket. Passenger loading began at 4:15 PM and the train departed at 4:50 PM (50 minutes later than the posted departure time). We were assigned Car# 5243 Roomette #11. The lower level assignment was a specific request of mine since my wife was just three weeks postop from a total knee replacement. Having to navigate stairs was a no-no for her. Our SCA Dinia came by shortly after the train departed and officially welcomed us. She was aware of our in room dining request and took our order for both dinner and breakfast.

Within a half hour of departure a familiar voice was recognizable outside in the vestibule on his cell phone. It was the On-Board Chief, John. We have had John on previous occasions and he is a most pleasant person. John was discussing with the powers that be upgrading passengers in sleeper cars. This was a surprise to me as I was unaware that sleeper room onboard upgrading was permitted. When John concluded his call I discussed this matter with him. He confirmed that he was performing onboard upgrades and this is nothing new for him. He did mention though that the price of the upgrade is the same had the passenger upgraded at the station. In other words there is no price advantage upgrading once on board.

Once knowing the possibility of onboard upgrading I asked John if we could upgrade to the adjacent unoccupied Accessible Bedroom. My wife has having difficulty in her condition in the cramped roomette and moving to this room would give her spacious room to roam. John asked me the price I paid for the roomette and then checked his fare sheet. He told me that the upgrade would cost $74 (I had paid the low bucket roomette price of $132). I told him to proceed and we were on our way. The actual charge took place after John submitted his paperwork in LOR. My credit card that handled the original transaction was billed internally.

Later in the journey John announced the passenger and vehicle count for the train. He said the train was three-fourths full. There were 387 passengers (172 in sleepers, 215 in coach). There were 165 vehicles (118 cars and 47 oversized). Dinner was served by Dinia about twenty minutes after the 5:00 PM dinner seating PA announcement. We both ordered the flat iron steak. This is usually a good choice for us but unfortunately this time the texture and taste was off.

The train did not make any of its lost time during the early evening hours. We actually lost time and we were about two hours down when we passed by the Jacksonville station. However by the morning all of the lost time was gone and we were greeted by John with his PA wakeup call informing us that the train was running on time. Dinia came by shortly afterwards with the no frills continental breakfast. She encouraged my wife to take advantage of passenger assistance at the station and arranged for wheelchair pickup for the unboarding process. Dinia was a very competent SCA from start to finish. Hopefully we will be fortunate to have her serve us again.

The vehicle unboarding process is always a crap shoot and this time lady luck was not on our side. We had about a 45 minute wait into the process. Actually we were informed that our vehicle was ready by the Amtrak employee who assisted Gloria into the station. He took her to the vehicle and we were on our way to HFY. We were home in 90 minutes.

Until next time,

Dovecote


----------



## OlympianHiawatha (Oct 14, 2012)

A GREAT report on a First Class operation.


----------



## jimjcmo (Oct 15, 2012)

I have heard that the Auto Train is the premier train for Amtrak. Do you find this to be the case?


----------



## Dovecote (Oct 15, 2012)

jimjcmo said:


> I have heard that the Auto Train is the premier train for Amtrak. Do you find this to be the case?


I can not say for certain that the Auto Train is the premier train for Amtrak but it certainly has its share of perks for its passengers. The waiting room at both stations are modern with spacious comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, ample bathroom facilities, and gift shop with snacks and beverages. Dinner and breakfast are included in the ticket price unlike other passenger routes. There is a evening movie (seating limited) and for smokers a smoking room (the only provided facility on any Amtrak train).


----------



## Bob Dylan (Oct 15, 2012)

jimjcmo said:


> I have heard that the Auto Train is the premier train for Amtrak. Do you find this to be the case?


Not really, it's nice as Dovecote said, but Id say First Class on the Acelas and the Coast Starlight, as well as the Empire Builder, would,all things considereed, be Better Trains!


----------



## AlanB (Oct 16, 2012)

The Auto Train, when it comes to long distance trains, is the premier train on the East Coast; while the Starlight is the premier train on the west coast, with the EB running a close second.

The AT has some of the best crews around. It uses only Superliner II cars, and it has the best maintained cars of any LD Amtrak train since the cars are captive and lovingly maintained by the mechanics in Sanford. Unlike other trains, the guys in Sanford know that if they don't fix it right the first time, its coming right back to them. They can't send it out hoping that another base fixes the problem.

It still offers more fresh cooked items on the menu than other LD's, and both coach & sleepers get free meals. It has a wine tasting for the sleeping car passengers. And at dinner, all adults are provided with free wine if they choose to indulge without regard to coach or sleeper. This is the only Amtrak train, save Acela First Class, that provides free liquor. The AT is also the only LD train to still provide free movies in the cafe cars at night. It's also the only LD train to still have the position of Onboard Service Chief, which provides supervision over all the OBS staff.

And finally, it has one of the best on time records for an LD train. So compared to the other LD's on the east coast, there is no question that the AT remains the premier train out here for Amtrak.

At one point in time there had been some talk about trying to turn the Capitol Limited into a premier train, but that plan died several years ago.


----------



## Shortline (Oct 16, 2012)

While I have never ridden the AT, one thing I really like about it that makes it "premiere" is the point to point service. Other than crew changes, it rarely stops, I think that's cool. Probably not enough demand at any two stations, other than maybe NY and CHI to pull that off again, and maybe not even then, but I would pay a premium for a train like that.


----------



## Scott (Oct 19, 2012)

My wife and I have taken the AT to-and-fro for 5 or 6 years. We have had exceptional experiences on each trip. I've always been amazed at the length of service for all of the train personnel. It's as if once they get the AT route, they never leave!

I'm looking forward to a NYC to New Orleans trip on the Crescent in February.


----------



## AlanB (Oct 19, 2012)

Scott said:


> I've always been amazed at the length of service for all of the train personnel. It's as if once they get the AT route, they never leave!


Scott,

Well that's due in part to the fact that an employee who has 10 years of seniority from working on the Auto Train goes back to basically being a newbie if they transfer to any other Amtrak train. Their seniority is lost and therefore when it comes time to bid for the best jobs, they will always lose.


----------



## ScottRu (Oct 30, 2012)

That's interesting, Alan. Seems a poor policy - airline attendants use seniority to get preferred routes. Oh well, the personnel I've encountered on the AT have all seemed happy to be there.


----------



## AlanB (Oct 30, 2012)

ScottRu said:


> That's interesting, Alan. Seems a poor policy - airline attendants use seniority to get preferred routes. Oh well, the personnel I've encountered on the AT have all seemed happy to be there.


Scott,

The AT was a route that Amtrak added much later after it was formed as a company. That route came about after the original company went belly up. Amtrak wanted better contract terms that what it inherited from the freight RR's. And it's because those contracts are so different that the normal seniority rules do not apply.


----------

