Auto Train, anyone ??

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bhelms

Retired & lovin' it!
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Feb 26, 2006
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Central PA
Hi again! Some months back I mentioned that my Mom passed and left a car in FL that was of interest to me. I live in central PA, so it wasn't a trivial matter to get that car here from there (Pompano Beach), about 1,300 miles by my estimation. I crunched some numbers and decided that the most economical and expedient thing for me to do was to use FF miles to fly down to FLL, collect the car, drive it to Sanford, FL (north of Orlando) to put it and me on the Amtrack Auto Train, take that service for 855 miles to Lorton, VA (near DC), then drive the rest of the way home. I did exactly that! The total time from when I left until I arrived back was less than 48 hours, including the total driving time/distance of about 7 hours and 450+ miles. All told I spent about $622 net of wear and tear on the car but including gas. (I guess you'd also have to include an "opportunity cost" for the FF miles used, but I have more than I'll ever need as it is!)

What really impressed me was the experience on the Auto Train !! It was clean, reasonably modern, and efficient. And the level of service I received, even as a lowest-priced "coach class" passenger, was superb! The seats were enormous with lots of leg room and reclined nicely to serve as a bed. (The train being only about 1/3 full in coach meant I had no "seatmate", thus even more room for sleeping accommodations.) There were two excellent meals included in the price in the dining car, and a lounge car right behind me to allow me to get a couple of beers and watch some "TV" (recorded stuff) including a movie in the evening. The train left about 15 minutes early and arrived a full hour early (!!) about 16.5 hours later. The employees/stewards/waiters, etc. were always friendly and accommodating. I even had cell phone service the whole way! The total price of that leg (included in above) was $331, plus a couple of beers and tips. All-in-all a GREAT experience that I would highly recommend for anyone! Seeing part of America by train is something that not too many of us do anymore. Give it a chance when you can!

Contrast the Amtrack experience to that to which we have all become accustomed in the airline industry - delays, cancellations, rude employees, lost baggage, and generally poor "service". I realize that Amtrack is gov't subsidized and wouldn't exist otherwise. Regardless, it does serve to demonstrate that there are possibly superior alternatives. Since we're all paying for this service, we should all take advantage of it when we can. Who knows, perhaps it will survive another 4 decades...!

Anyone else have a similar experience with Auto Train or Amtrack?

BRgds all...!
 
I've always wanted to take a train and see the countryside but on something like the transcontinental that goes from coast to coast. Now if someone were of the entrepenuerial mind a turn of the century train and car setup would definitely draw people, I know for me it would be cool to take a trip on an old steam locomotive in some of the passenger cars.
 
I take the train all of the time, I find it to be very relaxing and peaceful. As a person with a disability, I do feel like I get the assistance and respect that makes me feel welcome.
 
I remember about 15 years ago when I looked into train travel that it was pretty pricey, even back in 01 I looked at it as an alternative to taking a bus from Detroit to Pasco Washington and the bus was way cheaper.
 
Hey I went pittsburgh to chicago round trip to visit realtives in chicago, I was about 4 years old, maybe 3..........

it was a big event, consisting mostly of boredom.

I love stream train excursions. and try to do one anytime i am aoiund a old line.

anyone been to stratsburgh pa?
 
Bob and all - Visit "Steamtown" near Scranton. One attraction, especially nice in the fall, is a ride on a steam-powered train with vintage cars for about 40 miles RT. And in Scranton they burn "clean" (hard) coal so there's a lot less smoke and ash. There are plenty of alternatives. When I was a small kid living in the 'Burgh, my father used to take me to the Penn Central station downtown to watch the activities. They still used a couple of steamer switchers in those days. Once or twice we took a train to Phila. to visit relatives. I think you can still take a tour train around the Horseshoe Curve near Altoona. I have also taken a number of trains for regular transportation in Europe and Japan. They even still operate a steam powered narrow-gauge RR on the Isle of Man that I have had a chance to experience!

Re the cost - on the trip I mentioned in the OP, the cost for just me was $140 one way. But that is somewhat unrealistic because you can only take this service with your car ($190 in my case). I'm not sure how the $140 would compare with a bus over the same distance...
 
I would love to take the kids on the Auto train to Disney/Orlando area. They are a little young now, but in a few years it will be ideal. I am fortunate that I live in the DC area and the trains runs from here down to FL. I priced out a trip and for my family of 5, with a Mini-Van would be $908, which I'm sure is less than 5 airline tickets and associates costs of a rental van for the week down there.

I'm surprised that they don't run the service further north to other East coast cities along that line. (Philly, Newark, Boston, etc..).
 
The AutoTrain is the BEST way to get to Disney World. We started taking it over 15 years ago as a family, and still continue to use it today. The only thing we've changed is that we now get a "sleeper" car as opposed to sleeping the night in the coach.

One of my favorite memories when I was younger was going up to one of the observation cars (which are 2 levels, with windows around the whole top level). It was like 2 am and my grandmother and I just marveled at the countryside at night.

Even if you only go by AutoTrain once, it's still one of the things I highly recommend!
 
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