All about the Autotrain

[la79al]

If any one has taken the auto train, is coach really bad. I know getting a room for a family of 4 would be best. But I think coach is better than driving home from a long tiring vacation. How far is Lorton from DC. Im driving to NY and wouldn't want to back track more than 10 minutes

I wouldn't rank coach as 'really bad'. The seats are big (me, DD4 and DD2 all sat in a set of 2 the whole way home) and as stated, they recline and the 'footrest' comes up. It's not going to be like sleeping in a bed but it will be better than trying to sleep in a car. Our trip last weekend, there were about 5 other families with kids right near us and it didn't bother us a bit. On the way back, we were in the last car next to the lounge and our seats were right next to the steps and we still didn't have problems with noise or obnoxious people or anything like that. A couple of tips--take your own pillow. I didn't have mine on the way down and got a lot more sleep with it on the way home. Take something to entertain your kids. I took a whole backpack of stuff on the way down and the kids still weren't fully entertained. On the way home, I took the DVD player, hit a Redbox in Sanford, had some snacks and the kids were okay until about 8:30 am. Make sure you take headphones for them if they are going to want sound. There is an outlet in every seat so you can take chargers for whatever. The snack both ways for us was some kind of spicy party mix stuff. My kids would not eat it. There were apples, oranges, and bananas available at all times and cookies after dinner. Sodas are expensive. Ask for the first seats in the car, there is a little more leg room and you could build a nest on the floor for one of your kiddos if necessary. I don't think I would hesitate to do coach again but I will wait at least 2 years until my littlest is bigger. She was really hard to keep happy and quiet. I also was a bit envious of the families sitting at tables in the lounge playing go fish .

 

[scooffer]

Just back today. For anyone going very soon, the train has been running late for awhile (according to Amtrak employees at the station). When we left last week to go down, we left 30 minutes late but made it up. Yesterday we left an hour late and only made up about 15 minutes. Today there were 5 cars off the train after us. We got our car at 1:10. Also, we found the train super cold, especially overnight. I was wearing Crocs with socks (yes, I know), jeans, a tshirt and a sweatshirt and was too cold to sleep. There were men walking around with their arms stuck inside their shirts. If this isn't common knowledge, the blankets on the train are like large dryer sheets and pretty much useless, make sure you take your own!

Hi, did you really mean 1:10pm? Train pulls in around 9am, right? It took that long?

On the way back two years ago, the train had so many people and cars on it, train conductor said it was the longest in a long time. He had two engines on the train, and it broke down in GA somewhere, it took 2 hours to get a 3rd engine to get us home. However, they made up all but 30 minutes... that train was going SO fast, it was kinda scary. But, we made it safe and sound!

 

[la79al]

Hi, did you really mean 1:10pm? Train pulls in around 9am, right? It took that long?

On the way back two years ago, the train had so many people and cars on it, train conductor said it was the longest in a long time. He had two engines on the train, and it broke down in GA somewhere, it took 2 hours to get a 3rd engine to get us home. However, they made up all but 30 minutes... that train was going SO fast, it was kinda scary. But, we made it safe and sound!

Yup, 1:10 pm. We didn't get into the station until 11:30ish with time change and a late start. And about 3 cars before ours came off, someone had a key malfunction.

 

[Disneyholic]

Yup, 1:10 pm. We didn't get into the station until 11:30ish with time change and a late start. And about 3 cars before ours came off, someone had a key malfunction.

Key malfunction is what I am worried about. We just got a 2012 Pathfinder with the fob that has a key inside it for the glove box & the door & ignition if the battery dies. You just get in and turn a dial on the dash. The fob remains in your pocket or purse. I am wondering if we leave it just sit in the console, but I am worried the alarm will go off with all the jostling and the car battery dying. We have never taken a vehicle with a "key" like this. Even my Journey has a weird key. Just a fob with a rectangle that fits in a hole on the dash. It's no wonder they had a problem with a key malfunction. There are so many different types of start features now.

 

[Marshay]

We found traveling in coach to be a poor experience. We couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep in the seats and so the drive home the next day was that much worse.

We agree! But we are a tall family and coach seats are just not proportioned correctly for us. Plus I hate the public-ness of coach...always feeling like others are watching you and listening to you...or having to make sure kids are entertained and not too loud, etc.

I relax better when in our own room.

 

[Disneyholic]

I hate coach. Couldn't get comfortable in the seats to sleep. Cold. Noisy.

DS was 10 when we went coach. On the way home there were lots of kids in our car and they all sat on the floor in the back of the car where wheel chairs can be locked in and were telling ghost stories. Some old fart got upset with this and they were all told to go back to their seats and behave. They went to the club car to play games at the tables and were sent back to their cars because they didn't have parents with them & were taking up too much room. If the parents had been with them we would have taken up just that much more room.

The same guy who complained about the kids complained about a lady that had a CPAP machine saying there was no way he would get any sleep with that thing going all night. He asked to be upgraded to a sleeper car. Instead, they upgraded her to the sleeper car & kept him right where he was. He was ticked. Karma.

Since then we have gotten the Deluxe sleeper car. We are more comfortable and like having our own bathroom.

 

[scooffer]

Are there any known tricks to being near the front to get off the train? We are only taking it South... But I will be really excited to get my car and head to Disney!

 

[NJRRK]

As I stated in a previous post the unloading of vehicles is so random that it seems to be planned. I know that makes no sense but after a few trips you'll know what I mean.

There have been recent reports that vans and SUVs come off first, but we never experienced that.

We've waited 15 minutes, we've waited almost an hour and we always check in about 1:00.

My best suggestion us to take your time getting off the train, no need to rush, that will make your wait at least seem shorter.

 

[shafke]

Are there any known tricks to being near the front to get off the train? We are only taking it South... But I will be really excited to get my car and head to Disney!

We took the train with another family member one time. The arrived at the station about an hour or so after us. Their car came off 1/2 before ours.

 

[la79al]

Are there any known tricks to being near the front to get off the train? We are only taking it South... But I will be really excited to get my car and head to Disney!

Not that we noticed. In fact, cars, minivans, SUVs were so mixed together that people were complaining about why they had to pay for an oversized vehicle if they all go in the same car. On the way down, we got there at 1, the arriving train was late and we only waited about 20 minutes for our van. On the way back, we were there at 12:30, the arriving train was late and we were 5th from the last vehicle off. I think the only trick might be to take a motorcycle. They seemed to be off early both directions.

 

[vacationer1954]

As I stated in a previous post the unloading of vehicles is so random that it seems to be planned. I know that makes no sense but after a few trips you'll know what I mean.

I definitely know what you mean... it makes me think that they shuffle the order of the car carriers somehow.

 

[chartle]

I definitely know what you mean... it makes me think that they shuffle the order of the car carriers somehow.

When we rode the AT, in Virginia they used 4 loading ramps to load the cars. In Florida they only used 2 so yes they kind of get shuffled a bit when the 4 groups of train cars turn into one and when the one is split into two. So you could be first in line in one group in Virginia and be in the middle of the pack in Florida.

 

[Selket]

I read the previous post about a c-pap machine and my husband uses one and we are in coach. He needs it to sleep but honestly that thing makes hardly any noise at all (so I'm not sure how it was noisy for other passengers). I literally can't hear it - but I sure hear him if he isn't wearing it!

Any tips for bringing a cpap machine in coach? Any problems?

There are 3 of us and our child is 11 so he needs his own seat for sure. How will they do the seating? Are they rows of 2 seats on each side of the aisle so one of us will be sitting with a ...er.....new friend?

 

[NJRRK]

I read the previous post about a c-pap machine and my husband uses one and we are in coach. He needs it to sleep but honestly that thing makes hardly any noise at all (so I'm not sure how it was noisy for other passengers). I literally can't hear it - but I sure hear him if he isn't wearing it!

Any tips for bringing a cpap machine in coach? Any problems?

There are 3 of us and our child is 11 so he needs his own seat for sure. How will they do the seating? Are they rows of 2 seats on each side of the aisle so one of us will be sitting with a ...er.....new friend?

Don't worry about the c-pap, many people use them.

As for seating it all depends on how full the train is. If you are traveling during the week in a slow time of year you probably won't have a Seatmate. If you're traveling at a more busy time of year you probably will.

Dinner, on the other hand, you will more than likely be seated with someone traveling alone. But we weren't (me, DW, DD) in 1997, that's the last time we were 3 on the AT.

 

[chartle]

I read the previous post about a c-pap machine and my husband uses one and we are in coach. He needs it to sleep but honestly that thing makes hardly any noise at all (so I'm not sure how it was noisy for other passengers). I literally can't hear it - but I sure hear him if he isn't wearing it!

Any tips for bringing a cpap machine in coach? Any problems?

There are 3 of us and our child is 11 so he needs his own seat for sure. How will they do the seating? Are they rows of 2 seats on each side of the aisle so one of us will be sitting with a ...er.....new friend?

The seating is 2 seats per side. Not sure if you or your husband will get a friend or not. May depend on how full the train is.

The good news is each seat has a 110 outlet.

As for using the machine, does he have to use it? I'm not saying he isn't allowed to use it but will he feel embarrassed/self conscious using it considering he will not be flat and sleeping in a reclined chair.

 

[Disneyholic]

I read the previous post about a c-pap machine and my husband uses one and we are in coach. He needs it to sleep but honestly that thing makes hardly any noise at all (so I'm not sure how it was noisy for other passengers). I literally can't hear it - but I sure hear him if he isn't wearing it!

Any tips for bringing a cpap machine in coach? Any problems?

There are 3 of us and our child is 11 so he needs his own seat for sure. How will they do the seating? Are they rows of 2 seats on each side of the aisle so one of us will be sitting with a ...er.....new friend?

I'm the one who posted about the CPAP. The guy was just a complainer. He complained as soon as he saw it. He complained about the kids talking.

CPAP should be able to be plugged into the outlet at the seat.

Seats are 2 on each side of the aisle. When we went when DS was 10, he and I sat next to each other & DH sat across the aisle with a stranger. It all depends on how full the train is whether you will have to sit with a stranger or not. We only went coach that once. Since then we have gotten the Deluxe sleeper car and really like having our own bathroom. In coach the bathrooms on the way home were really gross from little kids who had to go in by themselves because there is only room in there for one person at a time. Kids have problems enough using the bathroom by themselves, then add in the rocking of the train......Yuck.

 

[Selket]

Thanks for all the cpap replies. I know he loves his c-pap. I know he plans to take it on the train. I will let him sit with our son and I'll hang out in the single seat - at least for sleeping. I think the train will be full because it is around Easter! I'd rather drive than pay the enormous extra cost of a sleeping car - it is already more expensive to take the train than drive for us- but that's just imho!

For the bathrooms, maybe I'll take some cleaning wipes! I traveled across country on trains when I was a teenager and some trains we were on for 3 days.

 

[TheGirlin14G]

I've tried to read most of this thread, but I think I missed bit in the middle, but I couldn't really find the answer to my questions.. I like to be obnoxiously thorough before I do something like this I've learned a lot more about it here than I did anywhere else I searched, so thank you for all the helpful posts!

I'm looking to go on the auto train when I move down to Florida.. I'm crashing at a friend's apartment, so I'll definitely be able to fit all of my stuff in my car, and my parents won't think of me driving from Pennsylvania to Florida by myself! But I was just wondering..

1. Can my family come to the station with me? I have the 'walks with you to airport security' kind of family, so this is definitely something I'll need to tell my mom! haha

2. With carry ons in coach, where do you store them if you go to another car? Is it safe? Or would it just be better to bring something like a messenger bag that I can easily keep with me?

3. What is the availability of electric outlets in coach? I'm thinking I don't even need to bring too much in a carry on, as long as I can keep my phone and my reader charged

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[chartle]

I've tried to read most of this thread, but I think I missed bit in the middle, but I couldn't really find the answer to my questions.. I like to be obnoxiously thorough before I do something like this I've learned a lot more about it here than I did anywhere else I searched, so thank you for all the helpful posts!

I'm looking to go on the auto train when I move down to Florida.. I'm crashing at a friend's apartment, so I'll definitely be able to fit all of my stuff in my car, and my parents won't think of me driving from Pennsylvania to Florida by myself! But I was just wondering..

1. Can my family come to the station with me? I have the 'walks with you to airport security' kind of family, so this is definitely something I'll need to tell my mom! haha

2. With carry ons in coach, where do you store them if you go to another car? Is it safe? Or would it just be better to bring something like a messenger bag that I can easily keep with me?

3. What is the availability of electric outlets in coach? I'm thinking I don't even need to bring too much in a carry on, as long as I can keep my phone and my reader charged

Thanks everyone for your help!

1. Not sure, you kind of have to checkin at the gate in your car and then you proceed to where you leave your car and go into the terminal. I wouldn't want your parents car to accidently end up in Florida.

Worst case they park across the street and walk.

2. There is no where to store them securely so you would have to take them with you so pack accordingly. Its like leaving things in a stroller, can you do without them if they "walk away"?

3. There is a 110 duplex outlet along the outside wall at every seating position.

 

[shafke]

1. Can my family come to the station with me? I have the 'walks with you to airport security' kind of family, so this is definitely something I'll need to tell my mom! haha

Family can come in the station with you. They can walk with all the way until you actually board the train.
If you stay to the left on the road to the station there is parking available.