All about the Autotrain

[Marshay]

Ahh...got it. Yeah was just wondering about the rules myself. We are planning on packing a cooler for our ride north, and will keep it in our room for the most part. However as far as snacks go, I was never terribly fond of the chex mix type thing they used to have, but I did love the cheese and veggies. $5 for the tray doesn't sound horrible I guess, if we had to do that, and then just bring our bottles of water from our room with us.

Let us know how it goes. Maybe they don't enforce it at all.

The cheese tray wasn't bad...about 8-10 crackers and maybe 3-4 different types of cheese in slices/baby bel wrapper.

In the lounge car, we spoke with another family that used to take the AT about 10-15? Years ago. They said the sleeper lounge car reception was a full buffet the length of the lounge car with all sorts of fruit, hot dogs, snacks, veggies, etc. Boy, were they surprised when they came this time!

 

[MinnieGi]

Oh, playgrounds on both ends are not accessible. Bathrooms in Lorton are now outside in a trailer. Also the sidewalk outside the train station in Lorton is under repairs.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the report Marshay! We leave Thursday!! This will be our first trip without the wine & cheese etc... Disappointed as we loved the extras and made the trip seem "worth" it. Just bought some snacks for our trip today. I used to love that I didn't need to do that!!! But glad to hear the dinner food was still good.

I was curious about the Lorton station. Is it being redone or expanded? And curious about the trailer bathrooms. We will be traveling with my father who gets around in a scooter, are the bathrooms easily accessible as in, could he just scoot in or at least walk in without climbing any stairs? Any help with that would be appreciated. Thx!

 

[Marshay]

Thanks for the report Marshay! We leave Thursday!! This will be our first trip without the wine & cheese etc... Disappointed as we loved the extras and made the trip seem "worth" it. Just bought some snacks for our trip today. I used to love that I didn't need to do that!!! But glad to hear the dinner food was still good. I was curious about the Lorton station. Is it being redone or expanded? And curious about the trailer bathrooms. We will be traveling with my father who gets around in a scooter, are the bathrooms easily accessible as in, could he just scoot in or at least walk in without climbing any stairs? Any help with that would be appreciated. Thx!

I really miss the reception!

There is a ramp to get to the rest room trailer...you have to go through four doors though to get from the main station to inside the bathrooms. So if he can walk, that would be better. I wouldn't want to take a scooter.

 

[MinnieGi]

I really miss the reception!

There is a ramp to get to the rest room trailer...you have to go through four doors though to get from the main station to inside the bathrooms. So if he can walk, that would be better. I wouldn't want to take a scooter.

Thank you so much for the heads up. He is a stroke victim so he cannot walk far, ugh this is not going to be easy. But I am glad we know beforehand. It is so much worse to be surprised especially when he has done the AT before so many times and it is a wonderful way to travel for him as well as loads of seniors.

 

[kittylady1972]

Let us know how it goes. Maybe they don't enforce it at all.

The cheese tray wasn't bad...about 8-10 crackers and maybe 3-4 different types of cheese in slices/baby bel wrapper.

In the lounge car, we spoke with another family that used to take the AT about 10-15? Years ago. They said the sleeper lounge car reception was a full buffet the length of the lounge car with all sorts of fruit, hot dogs, snacks, veggies, etc. Boy, were they surprised when they came this time!

Will definitely let you know and thanks for the cheese tray info. We'll see how hungry we are, since we'll just be coming from the Disney parks!

OMG that buffet spread sounds just FABULOUS! I can only imagine their shock coming from that...to nothing! Wow. Too bad. I guess for those experiencing the train for the first time now, they don't realize what they are missing. We will definitely miss the free wine and cheese and veggies. We thought THAT was great! Oh and of course REAL plates for dinner!

 

[bdcp]

I really miss the reception!

There is a ramp to get to the rest room trailer...you have to go through four doors though to get from the main station to inside the bathrooms. So if he can walk, that would be better. I wouldn't want to take a scooter.

What are they doing at Lorton that the bathrooms are outside in a trailer? I can't find anything online about work being done there.

We first rode the AT in 2005 and had a roomette in 2006 and there was no buffet of food. The snack offerings were the same until the cut backs earlier this year.

 

[Marshay]

What are they doing at Lorton that the bathrooms are outside in a trailer? I can't find anything online about work being done there. We first rode the AT in 2005 and had a roomette in 2006 and there was no buffet of food. The snack offerings were the same until the cut backs earlier this year.

I'm not sure what is going on...I actually like the trailer bathrooms better! I assume they are updating the inside bathrooms. You'll have to ask them when you go.

 

[MinnieGi]

I'm not sure what is going on...I actually like the trailer bathrooms better! I assume they are updating the inside bathrooms. You'll have to ask them when you go.

We are aboard the AT headed to Disney! Left about 3:45 with the car trains attached. Missing the wine and snacks but no problem finding a lounge car table. Even though we did not board until after 3:00 we were still one of the first in the lounge. By about 3:30 the lounge had a line to buy snacks and drinks. By the looks of it, Amtrak should not be loosing money on the AT with drink and sales snacks! Enjoying the ride!

Any questions just ask!

 

[Marshay]

We are aboard the AT headed to Disney! Left about 3:45 with the car trains attached. Missing the wine and snacks but no problem finding a lounge car table. Even though we did not board until after 3:00 we were still one of the first in the lounge. By about 3:30 the lounge had a line to buy snacks and drinks. By the looks of it, Amtrak should not be loosing money on the AT with drink and sales snacks! Enjoying the ride! Any questions just ask!

Yeah, we rushed to the lounge car but didn't need to...I guess without the free food and drink, people don't want to go there as much.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Mrs.viv07]

So I have 2 possible scenarios, and a couple of questions.
We did the at back in 2012 and loved it. We did the family sleeper and it worked out great for us.
I've since had another baby.
We are planning a trip for next oct/nov
My mom is on the fence on coming. So first scenerio assuming she comes we have 3 adults and 3 children (12 and 5) well an infant since she'll be only 16 months at the time of travel.
We definitely want to do sleepers.
So do we get 3 2 person sleepers? Or can we get one of those and a family bedroom?

Assuming my mom doesn't come, can we still do the family sleeper since its 5 of us and it states only 4 capacity?

Lastly my son will celebrate his bday there... sooo, he'll be 13 coming back...how do I work that out since at return he'll be considered an adult?

 

[Ngwira]

I have been checking prices...super expensive now...smh

 

[bdcp]

I have been checking prices...super expensive now...smh

When?

 

[Disneyholic]

Anyone else here on the Auto Train Northbound Saturday, November 29, 2014? We had a little excitement. We started smelling smoke a while after we left the station. I thought someone in one of the sleeper cars was smoking (which is NOT allowed) at first, but then we realized it didn't smell like tobacco smoke. A little while later the train stopped & they came over the speaker to announce a "Safety Check" was being done. A little bit later we saw police cars and fire engines pulling up. They pulled away and we started moving again only to stop at a crossing where the fire trucks could get closer to the train make sure that the fire was all out. All of this took over an hour, but they were able to make up the time overnight and we got into Lorton Station at 9:30 am.

 

[MinnieGi]

Wow! Glad all was ok and you made it on time. We are northbound on AT today, hoping for no excitement like that!!

 

[Marshay]

Anyone else here on the Auto Train Northbound Saturday, November 29, 2014? We had a little excitement. We started smelling smoke a while after we left the station. I thought someone in one of the sleeper cars was smoking (which is NOT allowed) at first, but then we realized it didn't smell like tobacco smoke. A little while later the train stopped & they came over the speaker to announce a "Safety Check" was being done. A little bit later we saw police cars and fire engines pulling up. They pulled away and we started moving again only to stop at a crossing where the fire trucks could get closer to the train make sure that the fire was all out. All of this took over an hour, but they were able to make up the time overnight and we got into Lorton Station at 9:30 am.

Oh wow. Glad you all were ok.

 

[cranbiz]

Probably a hung brake. Usually the trackside monitoring equipment will pick that up and the crew manually disengages the brake. FD will make sure that there is no fire. Happens more than you think but the RR is normally really good about safety with this.

 

[kittylady1972]

We were also on the Autotrain on Saturday 11/29 and here is what we were told, since our sleeper car was the one in FRONT of the one that was affected.

My DH and kids were in our sleeper car while the rest of our travel party was in the lounge, which was SEVERAL cars back. Around our 6pm dinner time, I tried to contact him but he could not make it back to us because they were making people stay in their cars. The sleeper car behind ours was FILLED with smoke, according to him, and some of it was seeping into our car as well.

After our safety inspection was complete, the train was going along when a truck pulled up alongside the train on the highway, spotted fire, and called emergency crews. Some of brush underneath the 2nd sleeper car had caught fire. My DH could hear them yelling "WE NEED MORE WATER!" He was with all 3 of our kids, who of course were concerned.

Fire equipment arrived, put out the remaining fire and stayed to make sure it stayed put out. Another inspection was done. According to DH he noticed several times throughout the night the train stopped and saw people outside with flashlights checking under the cars.

Dinner was slightly delayed, due to no power to the ovens for a while. They febreezed the HECK out of both the car behind ours and ours. I didn't notice the smell when we returned after dinner, but DH and the kids said they did.

We also stopped sometime during our 6:30pm dinner again. This time due to a vehicle on the tracks that had to be moved.

We did make up the stop and got to Lorton in plenty of time.

Yes it was quite interesting.

 

[Marshay]

We were also on the Autotrain on Saturday 11/29 and here is what we were told, since our sleeper car was the one in FRONT of the one that was affected. My DH and kids were in our sleeper car while the rest of our travel party was in the lounge, which was SEVERAL cars back. Around our 6pm dinner time, I tried to contact him but he could not make it back to us because they were making people stay in their cars. The sleeper car behind ours was FILLED with smoke, according to him, and some of it was seeping into our car as well. After our safety inspection was complete, the train was going along when a truck pulled up alongside the train on the highway, spotted fire, and called emergency crews. Some of brush underneath the 2nd sleeper car had caught fire. My DH could hear them yelling "WE NEED MORE WATER!" He was with all 3 of our kids, who of course were concerned. Fire equipment arrived, put out the remaining fire and stayed to make sure it stayed put out. Another inspection was done. According to DH he noticed several times throughout the night the train stopped and saw people outside with flashlights checking under the cars. Dinner was slightly delayed, due to no power to the ovens for a while. They febreezed the HECK out of both the car behind ours and ours. I didn't notice the smell when we returned after dinner, but DH and the kids said they did. We also stopped sometime during our 6:30pm dinner again. This time due to a vehicle on the tracks that had to be moved. We did make up the stop and got to Lorton in plenty of time. Yes it was quite interesting.

Oh wow! I'm so glad it wasn't that serious. But two separate incidents, oh my! Was the vehicle on the tracks in a town or out or the open country? I ask only bc sometimes those trains are moving so fast! A vehicle on the tracks or anything on the tracks is an unwelcome surprise.

I'm sure that smoke smell was pretty bad. Glad it seemed to go away a bit...I get affected by smells and would have had to be moved most likely either due to the smoke or the excessive Febreze.

Well, I hope your next train trip is less eventful!

 

[DVC-Don]

I'm taking the auto train north tomorrow for the first time. What is a good time to check in? I know the posted time is 11:30 to 2:30, but I hate to hang around too long there.

 

[katallo]

Is autotrain similar to booking airfare in that weekdays are less expensive than travelling on the weekends? We are thinking about winter travel