J
Jean
Guest
Does anyone know what time the Southbound & Northbound Auto Trains pass through Selma? I live 30 minutes away and would like to see them, but I don't want to hang out for hours there. Thank you.
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Dovecote
OBS Chief
If on time, SB around 8:30-8:45 PM and NB around 2:30-2:45 AM.
J
Jean
Guest
Thank you so much!
Dovecote
OBS Chief
Happy to help. Hope you have the opportunity to view the train.
Notelvis
Conductor
I generally spend three days every March serving on a committee in Durham, NC and always try to get over to Selma to watch the Auto-Train one night while I'm in the area.
If you go train-watching in Selma, the Amtrak station there is your best bet. Plenty of parking and a safe, lighted area from which to watch trains. Bring some lawn chairs and maybe a cooler. Get there early enough (8:10-15 ish) and you can see the Silver Star too. This is interesting because the Silver Star switches off the former ACL mainline in Selma to begin it's northwestward dogleg move up and over to Raleigh. The Auto-Train, as do the Palmetto and Silver Meteor, continues straight south towards Fayetteville on the former ACL.
There will likely be some other railfans hanging out doing the same thing. They will be equipped with scanners (kind of like walkie-talkies for the purpose of listening in to railroad dispatchers and crews), lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, probably a bit of chewing tobacco too. They will be friendly once they ascertain that you are there to watch trains....... knowing that you specifically want to see the southbound Auto-Train will establish your credibility with this crowd. Try not to look like a federal agent or some kind of terrorist though....... and watch your step lest you track fresh tobacco spittle back into your vehicle!
One other tip - the afternoon you plan to go, call 'Julie' at Amtrak or check on-line to see how closely to on-time #91, the southbound Silver Star departed Alexandria, VA and/or Richmond, VA. If the Silver Star is on-time or close to it, odds are that the Auto-Train will be too. If talking to Julie the automated agent, ask what time #91 is expected to arrive in Rocky Mount or Raleigh.
If you go train-watching in Selma, the Amtrak station there is your best bet. Plenty of parking and a safe, lighted area from which to watch trains. Bring some lawn chairs and maybe a cooler. Get there early enough (8:10-15 ish) and you can see the Silver Star too. This is interesting because the Silver Star switches off the former ACL mainline in Selma to begin it's northwestward dogleg move up and over to Raleigh. The Auto-Train, as do the Palmetto and Silver Meteor, continues straight south towards Fayetteville on the former ACL.
There will likely be some other railfans hanging out doing the same thing. They will be equipped with scanners (kind of like walkie-talkies for the purpose of listening in to railroad dispatchers and crews), lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, probably a bit of chewing tobacco too. They will be friendly once they ascertain that you are there to watch trains....... knowing that you specifically want to see the southbound Auto-Train will establish your credibility with this crowd. Try not to look like a federal agent or some kind of terrorist though....... and watch your step lest you track fresh tobacco spittle back into your vehicle!
One other tip - the afternoon you plan to go, call 'Julie' at Amtrak or check on-line to see how closely to on-time #91, the southbound Silver Star departed Alexandria, VA and/or Richmond, VA. If the Silver Star is on-time or close to it, odds are that the Auto-Train will be too. If talking to Julie the automated agent, ask what time #91 is expected to arrive in Rocky Mount or Raleigh.
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