Assigned roomettes for Auto Train

[Dovecote]

I only had one trip in that situation, but since the bedrooms and the H room have toilets, and the bedrooms have showers, that left 3 toilets and a shower for 4 roomettes and the family room. Not bad. Some folks don't like downstairs for mobility and scenery reasons, but the steps don't bother me, and the A/T is mostly overnight anyway.

On my AT trips I specifically request the roomettes in the Deluxe Sleeper cars for the examples you mention. Also, the SCA is usually assigned in one of those roomettes which makes it handy if you need their services in a pinch. The car numbers for the Deluxe sleepers are 5240 & 5241 going north and 5340 & 5341 going south.

 

[Joeker]

I was dead last on arrival in Sanford about three years ago. This was before they had priority boarding. Funny, I was near the first in line to load in Lorton.

For my efforts I received an Amtrak care package consisting of an Amtra shoulder bag, Amtrak travel mug, complimentary coupons for beverages at a participating vendor and other discount tickets to some venues etc. I would have rather had my car in 30 minutes instead of the nearly two hour wait upon arrival.

 

[FormerOBS]

I don't know how many autos can qualify for priority unloading. If 20 is the correct number, that means two auto carriers, or perhaps the lower level of four auto carriers. Each carrier holds ten standard sized autos, five on each level.

The time that you check your auto in has nothing to do with the order of unloading unless your vehicle is designated for special treatment as a priority vehicle. The arrangements and lengths of loading/unloading tracks at Lorton and Sanford are not the same, so carriers are not necessarily positioned in a way that a "first-in-first-out" or "first-in-last-out" pattern will be followed.

Tom