All about the Autotrain

[Marshay]

I tried to talk dh into staying a couple more days but we agreed it was better to go home as we live in PA and we knew the storm could damage our home and stuff.

Yeah, I think I might have been tempted to stay a day or two longer...

 

[chartle]

I wish we would have found out in the morning(as we could have hit the road earlier in the morning) but we didn't find out til around 1:30 p.m. after some people had already been checked in.

Thats sucks, I thought you knew the day before.

 

[FigmentChick]

Well we did NOT get to take the AT! Sadly they cancelled our trip from FL to PA at 1:30 on sunday and we had to drive home through Sandy! Kids were crying and disappointed as it was to be our 1st trip on the AT!

I'm sorry, but I am glad you got home safe. Last years "snow" storm and the Sandy this year have me seriously re-thinking our trip next year. At least the timing of it. We don't have any close friends or family that live near us that could come over and turn on our water pump and watch the house for us. So, for us, leaving is taking a major chance. Most of my neighbors evactuated on Sunday, but we decided to sit tight (we're not on the shore, but still in South Jersey where the eye went right over my house).

You did receive a refund from Amtrak, right? I hope you didn't run in to too much trouble on the road and I hope everything with your house is ok.....this storm really did shake up the Northeast.

 

[NJRRK]

I'm sorry, but I am glad you got home safe. Last years "snow" storm and the Sandy this year have me seriously re-thinking our trip next year. At least the timing of it. We don't have any close friends or family that live near us that could come over and turn on our water pump and watch the house for us. So, for us, leaving is taking a major chance. Most of my neighbors evactuated on Sunday, but we decided to sit tight (we're not on the shore, but still in South Jersey where the eye went right over my house).

You did receive a refund from Amtrak, right? I hope you didn't run in to too much trouble on the road and I hope everything with your house is ok.....this storm really did shake up the Northeast.

My brother is in Little Egg Harbor and I called to check with him as the eye was over him.

 

[loveysbydesign]

I'm sorry, but I am glad you got home safe. Last years "snow" storm and the Sandy this year have me seriously re-thinking our trip next year. At least the timing of it. We don't have any close friends or family that live near us that could come over and turn on our water pump and watch the house for us. So, for us, leaving is taking a major chance. Most of my neighbors evactuated on Sunday, but we decided to sit tight (we're not on the shore, but still in South Jersey where the eye went right over my house).

You did receive a refund from Amtrak, right? I hope you didn't run in to too much trouble on the road and I hope everything with your house is ok.....this storm really did shake up the Northeast.

We did get a refund because the railroads were closed, if they cancel you get all your $$$ back. I had actually called Amtrak a few times on Sat. to see if we could switch to Sat.'s train due to the impending hurricane. They would not let me switch w/o paying an additional almost $200 and my dh said we should just stay and use our last day at MK and perhaps the hurricane would change track. He didn't want to pay the extra $$ and felt they should let us switch w/o paying more. In hindsight I guess we should have just charged our cc and left on Sat.
The drive on Sun. was uneventful other then being rushed and stressed trying to get as far north as possible as we were worried about snow in the mountains. Part of I95 was already closed north of NC so we had to go 95-26-77-81-78. That is the way we typically go anyway but we usaully leave early in the morning and we felt rushed as we were concerned about snow. We only made it to Rock Hill NC Sun. night as we were exhausted and hadn't hit the road til 2p.m. The 2nd day we had good weather for the 1st 2 hours and the last 9 were dreadful! High winds, rain, snow showers...saw 2 tractor trailers tipped over off the side of the roaud on 81 and 78 once we got to PA as the storm had worsened by then and we were only doing a max. speed of 45mph due to restricions. It was eerie once we hit Hamburg Pa as we were the only car on the road...made it a bit less stressful but still weird. I was so happy once we got home.
Then we found out our cat Mickey was missing and had gotten out while my friend was watching him so my dh and ds were outside at 9p.m. last night looking for him. Found him cowering and hiding but unhurt! Thank God! The last 2 days have been so stressful...I need another vacay

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thats sucks, I thought you knew the day before.

I know...I called a few times sat. and there was no word at that point, they confirmed my cell phone and said they would call if the train was delayed/cancelled. I checked it every hour on Sun. a.m. after we left our rental home and went to DTD for lunch. I also called once on Sun. but hold times was 20 minutes and we only have Tracfones. Didn't find out til we got to the station at 1:30 and at the ppont the worker said they just got word about 5 minutes before we go there...felt bad for the people already checked in as well. There were at least 30 cars waiting outside in line wondering what was going on as we were leaving the station. So thankful we got there when we did and not later.

 

[FigmentChick]

loveysbydesign, I'm sorry they didn't let you switch. Guess they thought it wasn't going to have as big of an impact as it did. Poor planning on their part. Anyone who saw the pictures of this storm knew what it was going to do.

I'm glad you found your cat. I know they are like children (I have two myself) and would be freaked if one of ours got out.

As for your drive, I'm glad you got home safely. And missed all that snow! Maybe this weekend you'll be able to rest a little.

 

[MapleGirl]

I am super excited to ride the auto train for the first time in 14 months!!! When I was a child I took the train from VT to Orlando and I really enjoyed it.

This trip will be just DH and I. We will drive from Boston to Orlando. I haven't worked out our plan for the drive down yet (lots of time for that). Our tentative plan is to take 3 days, stopping in Washington, DC and Helen, Georgia. We will take the AT back to DC. I want to reserve a roomette. I have a couple of quick questions:

Is it possible to upgrade to a larger room for a pittance the day of if they are available?

The Amtrak website has not opened bookings for January 2014 yet. Anyone know when this will be available?

How does one get the best price?

Are the best prices always available when they first open the bookings?
If I book then the price goes down, can I rebook and get a refund for the difference?
Are there coupons/promotional codes out there? I already have AAA but that doesn't seem to offer that much of a discount​

Thanks!!!

 

[NJRRK]

Amtrak bookings are 11 months out.
The best prices are usually as soon as they open.
Very rarely are there discounts on the Autotrain, other than some summer promotions.
I'm not sure about the prices going down to get a refund, you used to be able to, but I know Amtrak has changed some rules.

 

[KSL]

Hi everyone,
Have any veteran AT travelers ever noticed a pattern to the order of the vehicles as they are loaded or unloaded? I am asking partly just out of general curiosity (do they balance weight or try to get a bunch of smaller cars into one train car, etc. = what are the logistics?), and partly out of wondering if there is any strategy we should follow to try to be toward the beginning of the unloading. It can't be completely random, can it? I mean, there must be some methodology to how they do it, no? I'm guessing it's not as simple as "first on, first off" or "last on, first off", but just wondering how they do it. When watching the unloading, it seemed like maybe that part IS really random, dependent upon which train cars are positioned for unloading first, how quickly the drivers are hustling back up the ramp to the next vehicle, etc. So anyway, just curious about this if anyone has any ideas or input!
Thanks!

 

[chartle]

Hi everyone,
Have any veteran AT travelers ever noticed a pattern to the order of the vehicles as they are loaded or unloaded? I am asking partly just out of general curiosity (do they balance weight or try to get a bunch of smaller cars into one train car, etc. = what are the logistics?), and partly out of wondering if there is any strategy we should follow to try to be toward the beginning of the unloading. It can't be completely random, can it? I mean, there must be some methodology to how they do it, no? I'm guessing it's not as simple as "first on, first off" or "last on, first off", but just wondering how they do it. When watching the unloading, it seemed like maybe that part IS really random, dependent upon which train cars are positioned for unloading first, how quickly the drivers are hustling back up the ramp to the next vehicle, etc. So anyway, just curious about this if anyone has any ideas or input!
Thanks!

I have read there is no way to figure it out.

There are multiple loading ramps, up to 6, at each station (I think more at Lorton). Pretty sure the drivers are directed to a random line of train cars. The train is then put together (it think there is a railroad term for that) and heads to Sanford. At Sanford the train is broken up into pieces and I'm not sure they are in the exact same order. So at Lorton you could be at the front of one of those rows but at Sanford you are at the end.

Anyway here is what I have read. From http://www.on-track-on-line.com/autotrain-stations.shtml

If the train has been crowded it can take well over an hour until the last car is unloaded. On average, expect to wait about 45 minutes before you receive your car. The process is random and independent of the order in which the cars were originally loaded (although I've noticed that SUVs and vans are often the first vehicles unloaded, particularly at Sanford).

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

It is totally random to the loading/unloading. New car carriers were purchased several years ago that allow the different vehicles to be loaded together., ie vans mixed in w passenger cars. Before all the same type of cars were loaded together.

Sanford seems to have a longer distance of carriers attached in their loading\unloading area. Your vehicle is driven to the last space available., when they disconnect it depends on where.

We have traveled 10+ trips. Once we were 5th off and the following year we were 3rd. Sometimes we are so last that I think they left our can behind.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

The other thing that delays unloading is waiting for passengers to get to their vehicles and to move it off to the side to adjust items in the vehicle. Do not do it in the loading area. It delays getting new cars off. DH has had to put his work hat on while on vacation (he is employed by Amtrak) to get people to move their vehicles from the loading area. Some passengers have been rude even after he flashes his badge.

With the new car carriers you will see a mix of vehicles coming off at the same time

 

[vacationer1954]

I agree: What I've learned about the pattern to the order of vehicles is that there is no pattern. That's so consistent that I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Amtrak worked to perfect a way of ensuring there is no pattern.

 

[NJRRK]

I agree: What I've learned about the pattern to the order of vehicles is that there is no pattern. That's so consistent that I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Amtrak worked to perfect a way of ensuring there is no pattern.

Lol. I love this! Since they are a quasi government agency they probably did.

 

[vacationer1954]

It could actually be viewed either way, since 'no pattern' means people cannot complain about being discriminated against because they live further north or because they have SUVs. In that way it looks very smart.

 

[KSL]

Thanks for the responses to my question! Ok, so seems to be as I thought: the pattern is that there is no pattern! Not that it would matter anyway, I was just curious.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving (and a successful Black Friday, if you braved it)!

 

[lindap1]

Just booked the auto train for November 2013

 

[Marshay]

Just booked the auto train for November 2013

Very cool! I'm booking mine next week for Nov 2013.

 

[lpizzuro123]

Oh - I need to book for November 2013 also. It will be our 5 year anniversary and we are doing a Disney vacation and a Disney cruise.

How are the rates right now for that time?

Linda