I posted a trip report in that forum of our recent trip. Excellent trip with good equipment, service, and food.
Auto Train discussion
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After taking an AMTRAK overnight train a few months back and enjoying it more than we would have ever expected, my wife and I are toying with an idea to take our car on the AutoTrain to VA and drive the Skyline Drive and generally through the Shenandoah valley over a few days in one of my sports cars, culminating in a few days of relax at a resort in Charlottesville before heading back home.
My question a few of my cars are manual gear boxes, can the folks who load the cars onto the train drive manual cars?
My question a few of my cars are manual gear boxes, can the folks who load the cars onto the train drive manual cars?
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We take the autotrain every year with a manual transmission car and have had no issues. Although they are becoming more and more rare.
Mystic River Dragon
Engineer
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I read your trip report and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m glad it was such a good trip, with everything going well. The chocolates at the end were a lovely gesture.
Bembidion
Train Attendant
Not too relevant but I wish I had a manual; however when we ought our new car we compromised. My wife got the automatic transmission and I got the two door model (Toyota Yaris).
Exvalley
Conductor
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I went ahead and used a portion of our voucher (representing our savings from the recent Auto Train sale) for priority offloading on our return trip to Lorton. We have a 9.5 hour drive with no traffic and my wife has to be at work the next day. Since we are driving from Lorton to well north of New York City, the odds of having no traffic delays are pretty slim.
I wasn't too thrilled at paying $95, but paying with the voucher made it more palatable since in my mind that money had already been spent. And to be frank, I knew that I was going to break down and pay for it anyway.
The sale must have worked. Our train on the way to Florida went from 30% full to 70% full. The train back to Virginia went from 50% to 80%.
I wasn't too thrilled at paying $95, but paying with the voucher made it more palatable since in my mind that money had already been spent. And to be frank, I knew that I was going to break down and pay for it anyway.
The sale must have worked. Our train on the way to Florida went from 30% full to 70% full. The train back to Virginia went from 50% to 80%.
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west point
Engineer
Just avoid going anywhere near PHL due to I-95 closure
If one is driving through from the South to NYC they would take the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the NJ Turnpike anyway and avoid I95 through Philly. Even before the I95 closure, it is more direct.
Just catching up here. Last September we were the very last car off the train on our return trip to Lorton. In May we were 3rd to last. (I know it’s not supposed to matter but getting to Sanford at opening time has seemed to put us at the end of the line.) The $95 is still steep, but when you are sitting there having to actively listen for your number to be called for 1.5 hrs it does grate on your nerves it really starts to seem worth it. Using a voucher towards it makes a lot of sense, Exvalley.
While we were waiting and watching the “valets” run the cars off the train we had the same question as about what they would do with manual cars. At the time there were active job postings on Amtrak for that position which clearly stated that driving automatic and manual shift vehicles was a required skill. So don’t worry Bembidion!
While we were waiting and watching the “valets” run the cars off the train we had the same question as about what they would do with manual cars. At the time there were active job postings on Amtrak for that position which clearly stated that driving automatic and manual shift vehicles was a required skill. So don’t worry Bembidion!
They ought to offer an SMS notification, or a push notification in the app.
scroll up to post 200 in this thread, i have a link to AT vehicle info from the website
It may be included under”Special Vehicles” but that would have to be determined by someone on the phone at Amtrak. Here are the vehicle qualification details. It might be worth another phone call.
https://www.amtrak.com/route-content/auto-train-boarding-and-vehicle-requirements.html
https://www.amtrak.com/route-content/auto-train-boarding-and-vehicle-requirements.html
Seaboarder3023
Train Attendant
I finally uploaded my footage from my Auto Train trip earlier this month. This video walks through the entire train documenting car numbers, names, and refurbishment status.
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/paid-3-100-book-2-122800183.html
Harsh comments on food service. Thought rooms were over priced..
Harsh comments on food service. Thought rooms were over priced..
It was really dumb of the Amtrak rep to recommend two family rooms for a party of 5. I think she has the right idea, next time get a family room with roomette in the same car.
Bostontoallpoints
Service Attendant
The author of the article said she would do the trip again. Amtrak is very expensive for the service provided. I think all travel articles should include the price. I have spoken to many people recently who have thought about train travel but have balked because of the price.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
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Balking to take trains because of price is nothing new. Back in my student days in the late '70s I routinely balked at taking Amtrak and took Greyhound instead. I simply could not afford Amtrak even back then. The only time I took Amtrak back then was when I could get my research grant to foot the bill for it, same as with air travel back then, which was expensive.
We've found that Auto Train can be affordable. It's just a matter of planning your trip when prices are low in one direction and drive the other way. Fortunately we have the ability to be very flexible as to when we travel. On our last trip southbound in early June the total cost for a bedroom and our car was less than $700 and we had good service. It saved two very long driving days, a hotel, meals, gas, or, if we had flown, a car rental at destination. Of course this may all be a rationalization to do something we enjoy.
They might've gotten by with just the one Family Bedroom, if the smallest child shared the lower bunk with an adult.
Bostontoallpoints
Service Attendant
These aren't students that I am talking to. Besides shouldn't public financed rail be somewhat affordable? For example travel between Boston and Philadelphia is almost always cheaper and faster by air. Also look at prices for the upcoming Thanksgiving travel. I prefer the train for relaxation and ease of travel but I can see why people get turned off by the price.
jis
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It all depends on to what extent the public wants to finance and manage. In the US the public generally does a half way job of financing and the level of oversight that they are willing or able to deploy in managing what happens to the money that they contribute. In every sense the passenger rail effort in the US is remarkably half hearted when compared to road or air, for various historical reasons.
And a valid one, unless you consider replacing an aggravating, tiring and dangerous experience with a peaceful, relaxing one irrational.
I bet you could save another third by riding coach, if that is tolerable. Amtrak has some great specials for Autotrain coach sometimes but I would guess there is plenty of space in coach.
Maybe you can adapt something like this>
You would be the envy of all the other coach passengers, and the conductor!
trimetbusfan
OBS Chief
I don't follow auto train too closely. Interesting that almost the entire train is Superliner II equipment (other than the sleeper lounge), I doubt that is by coincidence. Is that a normal thing?
Seaboarder3023
Train Attendant
As far as I know, yes. The SL2 order in the early 90’s was made with a conversion of Auto Train to Superliner equipment in mind (hence the existence of the deluxe sleepers). Because the SL2 cars were new at the time, Amtrak made sure all cars in the Auto Train pool were SL2 equipment to promote the “upgraded luxury feel” of the train. The only reason the Coach and Sleeper lounges are SL1 cars now is because both lounge types were rebuilt later in the late 90’s/early 00’s from full SL1 diners.
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