All about the Autotrain

[bdcp]

We took the auto train on Friday. We made it as far as Richmond and then an engine failed so we had to wait for almost two hours for a replacement locomotive to arrive, which was a loaner from CSX. That put us around 1.5 hours late since we had left Lorton early, at 3:20. Then, Sat mornng when we were 40 min or so from Sanford, we hit a tree that had fallen and hit a power line. We sat for 2 hours while they cut the tree up and moved it and allowed us to proceed. We arrived at Sanford around 1:15 and they were already allowing people in with their cars for the return. So, we waited in the waiting area with those leaving. Once our auto carriers were moved to unload they stopped the loading process. By the time we got our car it was 2:30. It was just a comedy of errors. They also had set up dining times for 430, 6, 730 and 9. After we got on, they made an announcement (which some didn't hear due to other discussions, or doors closed in sleepers) that dining would be a 5,7,9. We were 6, so we figured 7 which was correct. But, that said, when they announced 7, some with 730 tickets (#3) came in saying they either weren't going to wait til 9 and that it was ridiculous, or demanded that they get to eat at 7 and or course the squeaky wheel were accomodated, even though it meant a few people had to eat in the lounge car. Anyway, we're boarding Oasis of the Seas this morning. It just wasn't the travel day we envisioned.

 

[jwboucher]

We took the auto train on Friday. We made it as far as Richmond and then an engine failed so we had to wait for almost two hours for a replacement locomotive to arrive, which was a loaner from CSX. That put us around 1.5 hours late since we had left Lorton early, at 3:20. Then, Sat mornng when we were 40 min or so from Sanford, we hit a tree that had fallen and hit a power line. We sat for 2 hours while they cut the tree up and moved it and allowed us to proceed. We arrived at Sanford around 1:15 and they were already allowing people in with their cars for the return. So, we waited in the waiting area with those leaving. Once our auto carriers were moved to unload they stopped the loading process. By the time we got our car it was 2:30. It was just a comedy of errors. They also had set up dining times for 430, 6, 730 and 9. After we got on, they made an announcement (which some didn't hear due to other discussions, or doors closed in sleepers) that dining would be a 5,7,9. We were 6, so we figured 7 which was correct. But, that said, when they announced 7, some with 730 tickets (#3) came in saying they either weren't going to wait til 9 and that it was ridiculous, or demanded that they get to eat at 7 and or course the squeaky wheel were accomodated, even though it meant a few people had to eat in the lounge car. Anyway, we're boarding Oasis of the Seas this morning. It just wasn't the travel day we envisioned.

Not nearly as bad as our trip north in Sept. We arrived at booth around 1:00 and were told the southbound train hadn't arrive yet due to delays but would be in at 2:00 and there is a 4-5 hour turn around time. I was upset that we weren't notified about delay which would have given us the option to drive home but being that late, we decided to wait. Big mistake. Southbound train had a number of issues. It hit a truck(empty) engine was damaged and they had to wait for new one, they had a medical emergency and the replacement engine broke down. They gave us 2 slices(max) of Dominos Pizza at 6pm.The train rolled in 7pm. We weren't in our roomette until 11pm. The train left around midnight. We had breakfast at 7:30am and they announced last call for dinner/lunch at 12:15. We got to Lorton at 6:30pm, over 9 hrs late. Got van after 7pm. We still had a 7 hr drive to CT ahead of us. Being as tired as we were, we stayed at hotel for the night and drove home next day. Instead of having a day off before going back to work, I had to go back next day. Lousy ending to our vacation.

 

[RedSox68]

Ugh, these two reports now has me worried about our trip in December from Philadelphia to St. Augustine -- especially because it will be in the winter. It's not the auto train, but still the same tracks.

 

[Aanna]

Ugh, these two reports now has me worried about our trip in December from Philadelphia to St. Augustine -- especially because it will be in the winter. It's not the auto train, but still the same tracks.

My experience with passenger trains in the US is to always allow a solid 12 hour window for arriving at my destination. It doesn't stop me from loving train rides, it has just taught me not to plan things for arrival day =)

Edited to add: 12 hours for any trip over, say, 8 hours expected duration.

 

[RedSox68]

My experience with passenger trains in the US is to always allow a solid 12 hour window for arriving at my destination. It doesn't stop me from loving train rides, it has just taught me not to plan things for arrival day =)

Edited to add: 12 hours for any trip over, say, 8 hours expected duration.

12 hours in addition to the train trip? After traveling 20 hours to get there, I hope we don't have another several hours to wait. We have a rental car reserved, too. Oh, boy, getting nervous. I haven't done an overnight train trip since I was a kid (50+ years ago!)

 

[Aanna]

12 hours in addition to the train trip? After traveling 20 hours to get there, I hope we don't have another several hours to wait. We have a rental car reserved, too. Oh, boy, getting nervous. I haven't done an overnight train trip since I was a kid (50+ years ago!)

Long-distance American trains are not punctual.

In my experience with overnight train trips (Chicago - NY, Lorton - FL, NY - LA), it is common for trains to experience 3 hour arrival delays. I have had longer delays -- one NY to Chicago trip was an extra 7 or 8 hours, so I play it very safe with scheduling. I adore taking the trains, but, for anything longer than a commuter route, my mindset is that the train trip is about the journey, not the schedule.

You might want to make sure that your rental-car pick-up is linked with the train you're taking. I'd imagine that most local rental places are familiar with the vagaries of arrival times.

I really wouldn't fret or worry =) Just expect to relax and get there when you get there -- and don't buy any theater tickets for arrival night LOL

 

[Dottie74]

Travel is never guaranteed to be perfect. Things can always happen no matter what mode of transportation you take.
We rode the auto train on September 2nd. We boarded at 2:30 and left at 3:15. No issues with travel. In fact we got in early at 7 am but then had to sit on the train until 8:40 to get off. Guess the unloading employees were in yet.
At Disney during the hurricane. And then our return trip kept getting cancelled so eventually part of our group flew home and the others drove back.
You never know what can happen!

 

[jwboucher]

Ugh, these two reports now has me worried about our trip in December from Philadelphia to St. Augustine -- especially because it will be in the winter. It's not the auto train, but still the same tracks.

I wouldn't worry. I feel it was just bad luck. I booked another trip yesterday RI to NYC to Orlando for Aug 2018. Cuts out the 7 hr drive to AutoTrain. But we will have to rent a car.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Aug 2018

Prices are way down for Augusts 2018 today. I've been monitoring for a month or two now, and roomettes are 50% of what they were last week and they have the $95 coach seats available.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

So I’m home from my second trip on the Auto Train, and I’m sad to say I don’t think I’ll do it ever again.

My wife and kids flew home, and I was in a roomette by myself. I took a sleeping pill (generic Ambien) to help get me through the night, and I’m really not sure if it helped or hurt.

I take Ambien a few times a month and its effective for me. I’ve heard the stories of people having strange reactions with weird behaviors, and I wonder if I had one. I was so exhausted the next day, I feel like I might have been somewhat unconscious, but did not sleep. When I awoke at 6 AM or so, I felt awful with a mix of sleep deprivation and motion sickness (exhausted and on the edge of puking).

Now I don’t normally get motion sickness. I didn’t get it last year on the train, but I didn’t sleep at all and we were on the lower level in a family bedroom. I take a ~3 hour Amtrak trip every month or two and don’t have motion sickness, but always on single level trains.

I’m sad because I generally like the experience. And I have enough points to do it again for free. But I can’t justify doing it again when the day after is down-the-drain because of how awful I/we feel.

Not that anybody will care, but thought I should explain myself, since I just posted about buying tickets for August 2018.

This summer (2017) I drove home from the Orlando area....did it in one straight shot, leaving Port Canaveral at 8ish and getting home a little after 10 PM. I'm going to give the AT another shot, this time taking some motion sickness medicine.

Turns out I'm not as young as I used to be, and a 14 hour drive makes me feel the same way I felt after the 2016 ride on the train. The day after the drive home I was non-functional, just as I was after a night on the train. So I figure its worth maybe one more try of the auto train to see if I will do better on it having experienced it twice before. The nightmare of 95 between Richmond and DC, is just that, a nightmare, so its a pick your poison situation for me.

 

[RedSox68]

Not that anybody will care, but thought I should explain myself, since I just posted about buying tickets for August 2018.

This summer (2017) I drove home from the Orlando area....did it in one straight shot, leaving Port Canaveral at 8ish and getting home a little after 10 PM. I'm going to give the AT another shot, this time taking some motion sickness medicine.

Turns out I'm not as young as I used to be, and a 14 hour drive makes me feel the same way I felt after the 2016 ride on the train. The day after the drive home I was non-functional, just as I was after a night on the train. So I figure its worth maybe one more try of the auto train to see if I will do better on it having experienced it twice before. The nightmare of 95 between Richmond and DC, is just that, a nightmare, so its a pick your poison situation for me.

From your previous report, I guess I better pack some Bonine. I have gotten motion sickness on excursion buses, so makes sense I might on a train. Thanks.

We, too, booked a roomette. I figured we wouldn't get much sleep, but I still think it would be better than a coach seat for 19 hours with zero privacy!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

From your previous report, I guess I better pack some Bonine. I have gotten motion sickness on excursion buses, so makes sense I might on a train. Thanks.

We, too, booked a roomette. I figured we wouldn't get much sleep, but I still think it would be better than a coach seat for 19 hours with zero privacy!

I didn't get motion sick the first time on the AT, nor the many other times I've taken other (shorter) Amtrak and plane trips. Nor did I get sick on the Disney Cruise we just took. But sometimes, if I'm taking a bus home from work and reading my phone too intently, I get a slight sense of wooziness. That's how I felt on the AT, but quite a bit worse without actually getting sick. I think my motion sickness comes out when I'm fatigued....and I was pretty fatigued the arrival morning of the AT.

I can do Hulk at Universal, Rock n Roller coaster, and Mission Space orange with no problems in the morning, but if I do them later in the day I occasionally don't feel so good afterward.

 

[RedSox68]

I didn't get motion sick the first time on the AT, nor the many other times I've taken other (shorter) Amtrak and plane trips. Nor did I get sick on the Disney Cruise we just took. But sometimes, if I'm taking a bus home from work and reading my phone too intently, I get a slight sense of wooziness. That's how I felt on the AT, but quite a bit worse without actually getting sick. I think my motion sickness comes out when I'm fatigued....and I was pretty fatigued the arrival morning of the AT.

I can do Hulk at Universal, Rock n Roller coaster, and Mission Space orange with no problems in the morning, but if I do them later in the day I occasionally don't feel so good afterward.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[jwboucher]

Prices are way down for Augusts 2018 today. I've been monitoring for a month or two now, and roomettes are 50% of what they were last week and they have the $95 coach seats available.

But $500 round trip for vehicle.

 

[RedSox68]

But $500 round trip for vehicle.

Wow, you can rent a car for less than half that!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

But $500 round trip for vehicle.

Interesting...I didn't realize they changed the vehicle price.

I see roomettes bounce between $250 and nearly $600. What's the lowest/highest you've seen for vehicles?

 

[bdcp]

I always check the train status before we leave for the station on either end so we know if the train is delayed.

We head back on 10 Nov, in a roomette. Going down we were in a sleeper.

 

[DJFan88]

Interesting...I didn't realize they changed the vehicle price.

I see roomettes bounce between $250 and nearly $600. What's the lowest/highest you've seen for vehicles?

I think I usually get/see around $186 each way, so just shy of $400 each round trip. We usually go in August, but am considering June into July this year.

 

[bdcp]

I think I usually get/see around $186 each way, so just shy of $400 each round trip. We usually go in August, but am considering June into July this year.

We booked a year ago for our trip and the rt for the car was almost $500. It's been that way for a year at least.

 

[Shea&Van]

Hey everyone,

Has anyone ever traveled with a family of five in A family room? Any other feedback regarding traveling the Auto Train with 2A and 3C (ages 11, 9, 5.5)? We are going Northbound on a Friday in early December if that matters.

Two different phone reps told me families with younger kids do it all the time. My two girls, especially my 5 yr old, are small for their age and would prob be fine sharing a bed. The dimensions of the room and bedding make it seem like it's possible but would be a tight squeeze. But for one night...is it better than coach seats? Price to upgrade is about $57 per ticket...

Thanks for any insight you can share. Have a happy day!