Here is a trainset/consist report from a roundtrip
on Amtrak's Auto Train during October 2020.
The southbound train is train number 53.
The northbound train is train number 52.
Alas, no guarantee of perfection is offered for the
information I recorded and reported here.
Considering Coronavirus concerns and this writer's
personal preference, dinners were delivered to the
bedroom. Therefore nothing to report about the dining
experience in the diner. The food was edible, and
certainly adequate, although it is obviously prepared well
ahead of time and kept warm. Don't expect wonderfully
fresh vegetables on board a train. Each dinner comes with
one complimentary glass of wine.
The lounge cars had every other table marked off as
unavailable or off-limits, again per Coronavirus concerns.
Every time I lounged in the lounge cars, they were
notoriously quiet. I tend to read in there, so quiet is
OK by me, but noteworthy.
The southbound train was full. The northbound train was
about half full - half empty. Normal for this time of year
(fall) when most people want southern warmth, not northern
cold.
The northbound train arrived at Lorton more than an hour
early. I think it rolled in about 7:40 am. The Lorton people were
not ready to receive the train. Heck, most of 'em weren't
even at work yet. So the train sat and we watched the
employees arrive into the employee parking lot. I was lucky
enough to get priority vehicle unloading on this trip. My
car was third off the train. I was driving north on I-95 by
8:25 am. That's a record for me.
Here follows the consist car order and car numbers. With
the exception of the change of the sleeper diner car over the
weekend between my southbound and northbound trains, I had exactly the same
consist! Makes sense -- my dates were odd then even, only three
days apart, so the same consist (with the noted diner change)
was still in service and I got the same one both ways!
The "Deluxe Superliner Sleeper" cars, including
32502, 32504, and 32505 vary from
the other sleepers in the following way. The conventional
superliner sleeper has ten roomettes and five bedrooms
upstairs. The deluxe superliner sleeper has ten bedrooms
(and no roomettes) upstairs. They are identical downstairs.
The four-digit car numbers, below, beginning with either
52 or 53 are how they are known for reservations,
ticketing, and boarding. These are assigned based
on which cars are at which positions in the consist.
The five-digit numbers, below, beginning with '3' are the
physical numbers painted on the hardware. Presumably,
these numbers don't change.
North End (motors northbound; car carriers southbound)
32075 Crew dormitory
32114 5345/5245 Sleeper
32092 5343/5243 Sleeper
32502 5341/5241 Deluxe Sleeper
33102 Lounge
Southbound sleeper diner: 38053
(Note the change of diner car over a weekend)
Northbound sleeper diner: 38047
32505 5340/5240 Deluxe Sleeper
32073 5342/5242 Sleeper
32080 5344/5244 Sleeper
32089 5346/5246 Sleeper
34119 5310/5210 Coach
34124 5311/5211 Coach
34129 5312/5212 Coach
37002 Coach diner-lounge
South End (motors southbound; car carriers northbound)
on Amtrak's Auto Train during October 2020.
The southbound train is train number 53.
The northbound train is train number 52.
Alas, no guarantee of perfection is offered for the
information I recorded and reported here.
Considering Coronavirus concerns and this writer's
personal preference, dinners were delivered to the
bedroom. Therefore nothing to report about the dining
experience in the diner. The food was edible, and
certainly adequate, although it is obviously prepared well
ahead of time and kept warm. Don't expect wonderfully
fresh vegetables on board a train. Each dinner comes with
one complimentary glass of wine.
The lounge cars had every other table marked off as
unavailable or off-limits, again per Coronavirus concerns.
Every time I lounged in the lounge cars, they were
notoriously quiet. I tend to read in there, so quiet is
OK by me, but noteworthy.
The southbound train was full. The northbound train was
about half full - half empty. Normal for this time of year
(fall) when most people want southern warmth, not northern
cold.
The northbound train arrived at Lorton more than an hour
early. I think it rolled in about 7:40 am. The Lorton people were
not ready to receive the train. Heck, most of 'em weren't
even at work yet. So the train sat and we watched the
employees arrive into the employee parking lot. I was lucky
enough to get priority vehicle unloading on this trip. My
car was third off the train. I was driving north on I-95 by
8:25 am. That's a record for me.
Here follows the consist car order and car numbers. With
the exception of the change of the sleeper diner car over the
weekend between my southbound and northbound trains, I had exactly the same
consist! Makes sense -- my dates were odd then even, only three
days apart, so the same consist (with the noted diner change)
was still in service and I got the same one both ways!
The "Deluxe Superliner Sleeper" cars, including
32502, 32504, and 32505 vary from
the other sleepers in the following way. The conventional
superliner sleeper has ten roomettes and five bedrooms
upstairs. The deluxe superliner sleeper has ten bedrooms
(and no roomettes) upstairs. They are identical downstairs.
The four-digit car numbers, below, beginning with either
52 or 53 are how they are known for reservations,
ticketing, and boarding. These are assigned based
on which cars are at which positions in the consist.
The five-digit numbers, below, beginning with '3' are the
physical numbers painted on the hardware. Presumably,
these numbers don't change.
North End (motors northbound; car carriers southbound)
32075 Crew dormitory
32114 5345/5245 Sleeper
32092 5343/5243 Sleeper
32502 5341/5241 Deluxe Sleeper
33102 Lounge
Southbound sleeper diner: 38053
(Note the change of diner car over a weekend)
Northbound sleeper diner: 38047
32505 5340/5240 Deluxe Sleeper
32073 5342/5242 Sleeper
32080 5344/5244 Sleeper
32089 5346/5246 Sleeper
34119 5310/5210 Coach
34124 5311/5211 Coach
34129 5312/5212 Coach
37002 Coach diner-lounge
South End (motors southbound; car carriers northbound)
