All about the Autotrain

[mykidslovesdisney]

My sister and I will be taking the Auto Train round trip in September. We've booked a bedroom for the trip down, but I haven't seen any photos that give me a very good idea of what the bedroom looks like with the beds pulled out. How wide are the beds? Will the lower bunk fit 2? Does the upper bunk have netting to catch a passenger if they get jostled during the trip? Does the chair in the room recline? I have searched online for weeks but cannot find any photos that show the layout of the room set up for sleeping and the computer generated slide show on Amtrak's website doesn't look very accurate. Do any fellow DISers have photos of this

We have traveled in a deluxe bedroom many times. We We have fit our younger children with one of us on the lower bunk and an older child on the top bunk. I would have to be honest that DH and I would never fit or even be comfortable if we were ever to share the lower bunk. We usually end up w/ 2 deluxe bedrooms for our trips. I would say that the lower bunk is maybe 47" wide. There is no room to move around when the bed is out. There is netting up on the upper bunk so u dont' get bounced out of the bunk. I slept up there once--our older boys sleep on the top bunk they are now 12 and 10. There is a single seat that usually gets folded up when the beds are out. The last years trip we were able to get 2 deluxe bedrooms next to each other and our attendant opened the wall btwn both rooms so it seemed a bit larger. I should have photos from last Aug trip but not sure how to post them here. Dh works for Amtrak so it is a nice perk when we are able to ride sleepers on our trips. Hopes this help.

 

[Marshay]

How wide are the beds? Will the lower bunk fit 2? Does the upper bunk have netting to catch a passenger if they get jostled during the trip? Does the chair in the room recline?

I'll post some pics in a bit but wanted to say I am 6' tall and my DH is 6'6" tall -- both big people and we slept in the lower bunk together and were not uncomfortable ... it's definitely not "spreading out" but if you enjoy sleeping closely/snuggling to your mate, you'll be fine.

There is loose netting to catch you but it only goes over a portion of the bed.

I believe the chair and definitely the sofa is at an angle in the upright position so it is comfortable but it does not recline.

Let me go look for my AT pics and I'll post here.

 

[Marshay]

Family Bedroom ...

Note the tilted back sofa and chair... the table is not set up

Note the other chair is upright and does not tilt back. Here is the table down to use between the chairs.

Someone had asked about the hallways and claustrophobia...here it is

The sofa and view of the bunk bed in the closed position

The door that allows you to get from train car to train car.

The dining car

Part of the Lounge car

Continued in next post

 

[Marshay]

I know it's hard to see since it is so blurry (the train was bouncing a bit here) but you can see the beds all set up (The ladder is not in the pic)

The lower child's bunk bed with slight view of the ladder.

The size of the train compared to us...remember I am 6' tall and my DH is 6'6" tall

The waiting area in Lorton

The train yard in Lorton

Now this is for Coach seating...the view of the legroom between seats (where my daughter slept)

This shows how much room is between the seats as well.

 

[Marshay]

I also have other pictures of the bathrooms (like on a plane), stairs, roomettes and the bedrooms with private bath.

If you'd like to see any of those, just pm me your email address and I'll send you a copy ... I don't want to add those to my Photobucket account but I can share with you directly.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

My sister and I will be taking the Auto Train round trip in September. We've booked a bedroom for the trip down, but I haven't seen any photos that give me a very good idea of what the bedroom looks like with the beds pulled out. How wide are the beds? Will the lower bunk fit 2? Does the upper bunk have netting to catch a passenger if they get jostled during the trip? Does the chair in the room recline? I have searched online for weeks but cannot find any photos that show the layout of the room set up for sleeping and the computer generated slide show on Amtrak's website doesn't look very accurate. Do any fellow DISers have photos of this

We have traveled in a deluxe bedroom many times. We We have fit our younger children with one of us on the lower bunk and an older child on the top bunk. I would have to be honest that DH and I would never fit or even be comfortable if we were ever to share the lower bunk. We usually end up w/ 2 deluxe bedrooms for our trips. I would say that the lower bunk is maybe 47" wide. There is no room to move around when the bed is out. There is netting up on the upper bunk so u dont' get bounced out of the bunk. I slept up there once--our older boys sleep on the top bunk they are now 12 and 10. There is a single seat that usually gets folded up when the beds are out. The last years trip we were able to get 2 deluxe bedrooms next to each other and our attendant opened the wall btwn both rooms so it seemed a bit larger. I should have photos from last Aug trip but not sure how to post them here. Dh works for Amtrak so it is a nice perk when we are able to ride sleepers on our trips. Hopes this help.

Thank you, MyKids. That description helps.

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

I also have other pictures of the bathrooms (like on a plane), stairs, roomettes and the bedrooms with private bath.

If you'd like to see any of those, just pm me your email address and I'll send you a copy ... I don't want to add those to my Photobucket account but I can share with you directly.

Thanks, Marshay! PM sent.

 

[pwdebbie]

Thanks, Marshay! PM sent.

Ditto.

 

[Marshay]

I realized I didn't have that many more pics so here they are: instead of email...I may not keep them in photobucket after a few weeks though...

These are the train cars that hold your vehicles.

the ladder

Now this is the Bedroom with private bath on the upper floor. There is a door you can close (it is open in the pic so you are actually looking out to the hallway window). here is the bathroom

Now this is the same bedroom but looking back from the hallway

And here is the Roomette (sleeps 2, in upper and lower bunk only). This is the view from the hallway

The roomette...note there is not a lot of leg room when facing each other. When we went in Nov we met a couple that actually bought 2 roomettes and they said they loved it that way (they were big).

Looking inside the Roomette at one seat -- note it has a small side table on the left and a large picture window on the right

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

I realized I didn't have that many more pics so here they are: instead of email...I may not keep them in photobucket after a few weeks though...

These are the train cars that hold your vehicles.

the ladder

Now this is the Bedroom with private bath on the upper floor. There is a door you can close (it is open in the pic so you are actually looking out to the hallway window). here is the bathroom

Now this is the same bedroom but looking back from the hallway

And here is the Roomette (sleeps 2, in upper and lower bunk only). This is the view from the hallway

The roomette...note there is not a lot of leg room when facing each other. When we went in Nov we met a couple that actually bought 2 roomettes and they said they loved it that way (they were big).

Looking inside the Roomette at one seat -- note it has a small side table on the left and a large picture window on the right

Thank you so much - that really helps!

 

[Maryrn11168]

Just booked today for our August trip. If airfares drop we may end up flying but I wanted to at least book this before the prices got too high!

I think it will be fun, my 2 DS and DH are okay with it m but my 9yo princess....is well, a princess!! She will probably end up enjoying it the most!

 

[pwdebbie]

Thank you for the toilet / shower picture. I thought it was a door there but now I see it is a curtain. I shall pack air freshener if we do autotrain.

 

[Henlady]

Thank you for the toilet / shower picture. I thought it was a door there but now I see it is a curtain. I shall pack air freshener if we do autotrain.

There is a door, the curtain is a shower curtain to help contain the water inside the shower compartment when you shower. If you look at the picture, you will see the door is open to the left (your left looking at the picture) of the toilet compartment.

 

[MamaPotts]

Is anyone interested in pics of the Handicapped Accessible roomette? I have some from last summer.

 

[pwdebbie]

Is anyone interested in pics of the Handicapped Accessible roomette? I have some from last summer.

I'd like to see them. Thanks!

 

[MamaPotts]

Here are the seats:

They face each other and don't recline.

This is the "restroom" end of the roomette:

The roomette itself extends across the width of the car. The seats are separated from the "business end" by a curtain that affixes with velcro and snaps. There are curtains on both windows.

This room can only be reserved by calling (can't do it online). I was offered a "special rate" which worked out to $800 r/t for the two of us and my standard sized car.

 

[shafke]

For those interested I have some pictures from around the Sanford station...

Here is the cars being loaded


The car drop off area


A couple of shots of the waiting area




The train platform. Note the black fence on the right. This is the childrens play area which still is not finished.


A little further up the platform. The train is too long for the platforms so they need to split some cars off to the other side of the platform.


Just some pictures out the window.






And a couple from the following morning




Great trip and would definitely do it again.

 

[Cupmom]

Just booked the Autotrain for this August!!! Traveling with friends..A little bummed I couldn't get in the same car as them. I could have gotten a room in the same car but lower level next to all the bathrooms or two cars down upper level. Took the upper level roomette. Wondering how dangerous is walking through the cars?

 

[pepe of ohio]

Just booked the Autotrain for this August!!! Traveling with friends..A little bummed I couldn't get in the same car as them. I could have gotten a room in the same car but lower level next to all the bathrooms or two cars down upper level. Took the upper level roomette. Wondering how dangerous is walking through the cars?

Not dangerous if you move quickly thru....hold on to rails, is noisy and some stretches are more bumpy and sway than others.....just pass on thru, not really open but car to car sway may be different.....be quick and you'll be fine....parrt of the adventure.....hard part is remembering how many car you did walk thru to get to your destination and how many back to your car, they all look the same....

 

[Cupmom]

Not dangerous if you move quickly thru....hold on to rails, is noisy and some stretches are more bumpy and sway than others.....just pass on thru, not really open but car to car sway may be different.....be quick and you'll be fine....parrt of the adventure.....hard part is remembering how many car you did walk thru to get to your destination and how many back to your car, they all look the same....

Thanks so much Pepe. Thinking I sould call back and get the lower level so the kids can go up and down by themselves ( they are 10,11 and 12) Is there any drawbacks to the lower level?