Taking a classic car on the train

[chevymark]

This will be my first time on the Autotrain, Lorton VA. to Sanford Fla. I have a classic car and was wondering if there is anything i might need to know about.

Has anybody here taking a classic car on the train? I have heard of some damage complaints thru google search. Has anybody here had any issue with damage?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

 

[Karl1459]

Just a couple of thoughts... If the car is older than the mid 1950's or if has high performance modifications there may be issues with Amtrak personal knowing how to operate the car. (The thought of someone who has never seen a stock Model T trying to figure out a. choke, b. manual distributor advance, c. carburator mixture, d. forward/reverse pedal, e. high/low pedal, f. brake pedal makes me giggle. Or a 60's Mopar with typewriter transmission). Also if there are any chassis modifications there may be clearance issues with loading/unloading. I would contact Amtrak customer service to help you directly talk to a loading supervisor for the Autotrain to discuss any issues.

Be sure the car does not have any fluid leaks or any significant maintaince issues, Amtrak might (rightly) decline to transport when you arrive.

All that aside, my best guess is that the chance of any damage is less than the chances you would take on I-95. Have a fun and safe trip.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Or a 60's Mopar with typewriter transmission)

Automotive ideas that never caught on... my mom has a 92 Tempo with the automatic belts, but you still have to buckle the lap belt-- that thing has strangled me on more than one occasion.

My car from Hell would have push-button transmission, automatic seatbelts, suicide doors, and possibly the shape of a Nissan Cube.

 

[GG-1]

Or a 60's Mopar with typewriter transmission)

Automotive ideas that never caught on... my mom has a 92 Tempo with the automatic belts, but you still have to buckle the lap belt-- that thing has strangled me on more than one occasion.

My car from Hell would have push-button transmission, automatic seatbelts, suicide doors, and possibly the shape of a Nissan Cube.

Why not the shape of an Edsel? And I liked the push -button 56 Dodge that was my first car. Sorry it predated my first camera.

Aloha

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Or a 60's Mopar with typewriter transmission)

Automotive ideas that never caught on... my mom has a 92 Tempo with the automatic belts, but you still have to buckle the lap belt-- that thing has strangled me on more than one occasion.

My car from Hell would have push-button transmission, automatic seatbelts, suicide doors, and possibly the shape of a Nissan Cube.

Why not the shape of an Edsel? And I liked the push -button 56 Dodge that was my first car. Sorry it predated my first camera.

Aloha

Yeah but if you need to shift in a hurry... I dunno, the stick or manual with a stick feels so much more natural.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

This will be my first time on the Autotrain, Lorton VA. to Sanford Fla. I have a classic car and was wondering if there is anything i might need to know about.

Has anybody here taking a classic car on the train? I have heard of some damage complaints thru google search. Has anybody here had any issue with damage?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

I don't have a classic car anymore (I sold my last classic Benz when I bought my cargo van) but I am extremely attached to my '95 E300 Diesel to the point where I have had discussions with the MB Classic Center in CA about giving the car a strip-down-to-the-frame rebuild to factory specifications. I am slowly stowing away money to cover the estimated $80k cost, too. I'd rather rebuild Rudolf than buy one of those new pieces of junk, even if it costs more to do so.

So I am sure than I can speak empathizing with you about how you feel about your vehicle. I have taken Rudolf to Florida twice on the Auto Train. I have seen classic cars, and luxury cars. I saw, on the same trip, a pair of Bentley Continentals, a Bentley Arnage, three Maseratis, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

If you look up on the internet, I'm sure you are going to find complaints about cars- especially from that catastrophic derailment in the early 2000s. I'm sure some people have, for example, driven a car with some component on its last legs that gave out on the Auto Train- it would have given out if the car was trucked or driven that distance, too. But, and keep this in mind, the Auto Train probably transits 100,000 cars a year down to Florida. If 15 people a year complain about something going wrong on the internet, that means 0.015% get damaged.

If I owned a Mercedes 600 Pullman, I wouldn't have a qualm about taking it down to Florida on the Auto Train. I wouldn't have felt bad taking Gertrude ('62 190D Heckflosse), Hans ('58 180D Ponton), or Gottlieb ('79 300SD Turbodiesel) on the Auto Train. Frankly, I'd be more afraid of them being damaged by the old bats that ride the train then by the train crew or train ride.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Naming those cars is weird enough, but why give them names that read off a list of 1915 Imperial German conspirators?

 

[dlagrua]

Amtrak takes a video of every vehicle that it loads. If any car is damaged in transit (or in loading) Amtrak will pay for the damage ( as they have before and after proof.) Any classic car from the late 40's up should be OK to transport.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Naming those cars is weird enough, but why give them names that read off a list of 1915 Imperial German conspirators?

I grew attached to them. Diesels have personality. And as for why they were named with German names, they are German cars.