Voyage 18 on 53(24) was the most lightly loaded journey I have ever had. I senses this was to be the case when their rate for a Bedroom was roundly what I was accustomed to paying for a Roomette.
There were 62 autos and 95 passengers on board.
While I will file a more detailed trip report when I get home, allow it to be said that my "more positives than negatives" assessment of Amtrak LD remains in place.
In a few more hours, time for Dinner meet up with RRRich and Mrs. RRRich.
Posted by MDRR (Member # 2992) on :
GBN on board a train... YEA!
My 20 year old work experience on 53/52 recalls exactly those types of numbers SB this time of year meanwhile sold out every day on NB trips...
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
quote:Originally posted by MDRR:My 20 year old work experience on 53/52 recalls exactly those types of numbers SB this time of year meanwhile sold out every day on NB trips... [/QB]
The snowbirds return home.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
Mr. Norman, nice to hear you rode Auto Train this year. Even nicer was the south bound room rate. So did you travel in a bedroom or a roomette? Hopefully you also had your favorite wine to enjoy for enhancing the pine tree viewing. Reading a good book might be a better choice on that route.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
From Marriott Courtyard Maitland FL--
While a more detailed trip report will follow suffice there was "quite enough" to drink in Bedroom E Car (line) 5341 Palm Harbor.
The pine trees hadn't changed since voyage 17, be assured. Caught up on two days of Times and Journal.
Fun at this hotel this morning - fire drill with Maitland FD responding. Someone burnt toast in the restaurant. But if Mr. Smith were here, I think he would hold that both FD and Hotel management recognized the need for "safe than sorry".
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Burnt toast! Back when I was a firefighter/EMT (mid 80's), there was a retirement home that would have fire alarms several times per week. Almost every time, it was "burnt toast" as the cause for the alarm. It really got me wondering, why are retired people always making toast??? Even in the middle of the night, they'd be making toast (and burning it). Hmmmmm.....is there an underground toast club that I'm not aware of?
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
GBN - I like the name of your sleeper, Palm Harbor. It sounds like something the Seaboard would have sent south on the Orange Blossom Special. Since most of the superliners are named for states, can I assume this was an all bedroom car?
I believe the NYC had pullmans in the'Harbor' series but can't recall the type.
Now isn't that a much more civilized way to head to the southland than on some discount airline with squalling kids all around and hoping you are not relegated to the center seat.
My one auto train trip was northbound in pre-Superliner days. My best memory is sitting in the front seat in the dome car with that first cup of coffee on an early fall morning and watching the block signals blink to red as we rocked along the RF&P
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
From Comfort Suites, The Villages FL--
First it appears that Marriott is crediting 10,000 rewards points to any guest at the property who has an account. Didn't even have to ask; wonder why I do like Marriott (they do not have a property in The Villages only a Holiday Inn Express and this Comfort Suites).
Mr. Palmland, squalling kids are also endemic to the legacy carriers. There was one such putting out 100db aboard AA last month KPBI to KORD.
I can't help at present regarding Pullman "--Harbor' names as library and I are about 1000miles apart.
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
"Harbor" series names were given to NYC 22 roomette cars that were converted to 16-10 Slumbercoaches in the 1950s as business travel began to decline.
These cars went to Amtrak. Last I was in was "Ashtabula Harbor" on the eastbound Capitol in 1992. Notably, we had a separation at speed in Indiana, followed (of course) by an emergency brake application.
We didn't have a dome on that trip (GRRR), but we did have the prototype Viewliner diner.
I don't recall any SAL or ACL "Harbor" cars. There was a "River" series of 11 BDR cars on ACL.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
GBN, Glad the trip was mostly pleasant. It sure beats creeping down crowded I-95. Yes, Palm Harbor is an all-deluxe bedroom car upstairs but has te usual Superliner layout downstairs. It's odd walking through one of those cars and seeing bedrooms J, K, L, M, and N as I recall (as well as the usual A, B, C, D, E). There's no "F" because the family bedrooms originally were Room F before being changed to 15 on all Supers. Room H is the handicapped accessible room) and I think "I" might have been confusing with "1" or "L". Amtrak had 6 deluxe sleepers built for AutoTrain...all planned for the Palm series. However, two were changed to Graham W. Claytor Jr. and A. Phillip Randolph. The other 3 existing Palm cars are Palm Bay, Palm Beach, and Palm Springs. One of the renamed cars was to be Palm Coast..I forget the other off the top of my head. ACL's River series cars had some combination of room types from what I recall. I never saw any of them in use when I was a kid as by the 1960s they had only one 11 bedroom sleeper on the roster: Magnolia Gardens. Sometimes they leased 11 DBR cars from C&O, UP, or even SP. I look forward to GBN's entire trip report. Bravo Marriott frequent guest! I think they have a Town Places Suites near the Villages.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Likely from various posting I have recently made, the Forum is aware that I have now completed another Auto Train voyage. Such was #18 aboard #53 (24MAR).
Tuesday March 24 began with a drive from the hotel in Pittsburgh (Airport Marriott; Aten Rd, Coraopolis) that was comparatively without incident. I’ve “been there done that’ enough in the past to know that caution must be the watchword when traveling due East on US 220 looking straight iinto the sun and entering the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone did?
After a fuel stop in Bedford, arrival at Lorton was a comfortable 135P, or 85 minutes prior to the 3PM closing for autos (it’s 2PM for SUV’s Vans and Motorcycles). One thing I noted on this journey is the absence of signage once leaving I-95 at Lorton. While there is a good sign on I-95, once at the intersection, there is no signage whatever. One, and considering the average Auto Train passenger is not a fan, could easily head West when they should head East. There is no sign at the entrance to the Auto Train facility. I would hope that Amtrak and the Jurisdiction could properly coordinate on this matter.
There I was met by a fellow I’ve known since college who was at one time a mid-level Amtrak manager (he will retire shortly from the health care sector), also noted that Bltizie was “on duty” along with her handler (I presume she is also a sworn peace officer - many Police Dogs are such). The check-in was handled by the same Amtrak employee who gave me a two minute pass (I showed at 302P) during March 2007 on Voyage #16; with a quick prompt, she remembered me. From the absence of activity, as well as that I had a Bedroom at a rate I have customarily paid for a Roomette, I knew this trip was not going to make Amtrak any $$$. The 5PM Dinner seating was available (remember youngsters, us older folk like to eat and retire early). While waiting to board, Blitzie (a Black Labrador who if not a service animal, would have gotten a big hug from me) gave the terminal a good sniffing - I guess ’Security Theatre” also is a “now playing” in Lorton .
230P and its time to board; the sixteen car passenger consist, even if as good as empty, is still the most impressive thing Amtrak has on the rails. Line number 5341 was again Palm Harbor and located immediately to the rear of the Lounge. My Bedroom E was of course center car and forward riding. What more could one ask for.
Attendant Mike was willing to allow my friend to board (he did 15 years with the outfit); from there we went to the Lounge where the ‘comp” (tips accepted, and judging from some of the cheapos many of us have met on Amtrak journeys had best not be expected) wine tasting was Naked Mountain varietals.
At about 305P, the first cut of auto carriers was pulled. We both agreed that “party’s over’ when the first coupling was made. While Mike would likely have preferred my friend Roger did not board to begin with, he was confident that we both knew the drill.(more on knowing the drill later).
At 320P, #53(24) pulled.
First I could not help but note that Amtrak and XM Satellite Radio still do business with one another. Even if I personally see no need for the noise, apparently others do. While I would prefer WETA 90.9 and WMFE 90.7, the XM Channel 24 Classic Rock was ‘tolerable’ and with the door to my room closed inaudible. At least it wasn’t that God-awful Lite Rock I was bombarded with in the lobby of the Boca Raton Holiday Inn last month (and unfortunately bombarded again on this trip at a Marriott Courtyard in Maitland FL).
The Welcome Aboard announcement noted there were 95 passengers and 62 Autos aboard - the lightest loading I have ever noted on any of my eighteen AT voyages.
Time for Dinner; AT offers a choice of three entrees (beef chicken fish). The 12oz Sirloin was “good’ (not Morton’s but hardly Denny’s) and cooked to order. The Dinner plates and Salad bowls are ceramic, the flatware is metal, wineware in which comp Williamsburg (all you can responsibly drink0 was served is glass. Napkins are cloth and coffee cups ceramic. Dessert, however was served on plastic ware. Save the last, I doubt if an AT passenger, and most have never used any other Amtrak LD, would even know what Simplified dining Service was. Service attentive and courteous - and well worth my $5 tip (the other three gents at the table also followed suit)..
Back to the room; since the Bedrooms were Fireman side, there were the pleasant vistas of the Potomac and the various rivers X’d en route to Fredericksburg. Be it noted I will modify my usual “if you’ve seen one Pine Tree, you’ve seen ;em all’ to note those vistas.. But I guess to any Randolph Macon alums around here, I should also note the “down Main Street” in Ashland.
Now it’s “time for The Times” (Journal as well); lights out at about 830P.
I awoke for the Florence service stop, but was too somnolent to open the curtains.
My next cognizance was Jacksonville; it appeared we were “more or less” on time, but such was not to be for much longer. Time for the morning announcement where it was noted that account CSX track work, there would be delays 10A was estimated for Sanford.
Time for the cold Continental Breakfast; its never changed from my Voyage #1 a Dec 1972 journey of the private AT. Cereal, muffins, coffee, juice.
Now again back to the “know the drill‘ comment. I noticed a rather “top heavy‘ gentleman walking through the Diner one lateral lurch on CSX‘s stellar track, and this fellow was “plopped“ into an unoccupied booth. Fortunately, he did not hit the table; his head hit nothing. Other than a Waiter asking “are you OK,” “Yes”, there was no calling the Conductor and Service Director to investigate, and I would presume the incident closed. Now to “know the drill’. I’m leaving the car and this attractive young Waitress, who save about 6” of height, was a dead ringer for Michelle O notes me.. As I’m walking into the Lounge, she says to me “you must be with Amtrak’. I assured her I was a retired CPA that had once been with a railroad and asked why she thought so. “You’re just about the only passenger who seems to know how to walk on a train. I..don’t need any more of that fellow falling down at my station”.
A nice girl; hope she has a satisfying career with Amtrak (dollars to donuts says she has spouse/family who is).
At about 10AM as promised, the “magic milepost 759’ (at the North end of SFA) was visible. Owing to the light loading, I had Lex Noir back safe and sound, and I was on my way to Maitland with first a stop at Bill’s Car Wash in Sanford on US 92 (there is no such a thing as a dirty auto in Florida).
All told, Auto Train continues to be, along with Acela, Amtrak’s best foot forward. Now that the journey is over, the total fare I paid was $526.00. That breaks down to Auto $152, Rail $93, Bedroom $281. All components of the fare are supply and demand. I have paid as much as $700 for a journey - and that was in a Roomette.
Give it a try.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
I've thought about arranging a big trip back east to Wally World in Orlando, but taking the Auto Train there from DC. Of course, a requirement for riding this train means that you have to have a car with you. I'm not about to drive from the left coast all the way back there for a train ride. Does anyone know if rental car companies will allow you to rent a car in the DC area, and then plop it onto the Auto Train and drop it off in Orlando? I know one-way rentals are simple, but I don't know if a rental car would be allowed onto the train and would void the rental contract. Anyone know for sure?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
DPM did just that during early 1972 with the private Auto Train. He (and Margaret) flew (DPM was also an airfan BTW; and became more of one after A-Day) to Wash, rented an auto clearly telling the renting station that this was a one way rental to Orlando. The auto and M/M Morgan boarded AT for a journey. They then drove to McCoy and checked in the auto, expecting a seamless rental return and a flight back to Milwaukee.
However, the auto rental concern was less than amused when they found the auto rented in Wash and returned in Orlando with maybe 50 miles used (remember auto rentals were back then on a time and mileage rate basis; while I never condoned such, I had some frat Brothers who were handy at disconnecting OD cables). Apparently, the Auto Train ticket stubs and his journalist credentials eventually saved the day.
Moral; if anyone plans on doing such, make certain you are 'straight up and upfront". I think since auto rentals now have unlimited mileage (but remeber some like the favorite around here, Enterprise, have interstate restrictions), the problems DPM enoountered would be lessened.
Now if one wonders why living in Chicago, I'm a regular AT rider, here was the full itinerary of the recent trip:
Mar 23 Pittsburgh (dinner and meeting with post-retirement client) Mar 24 Auto Train Mar 25 Maitland (dinner Rich and Jan Kimmel; encounter with Maitland's "finest") Mar 26 The Villages (dinner former client) Mar 27 Roswell GA (dinner with friends; Bkfst w/ member Bill Haithcoat) Mar 28 Marion IL (overnight tie up; quite by chance, met up with a friend of one of my neighbors) Mar 29 home sweet home.
Auto Train was simply one leg of an otherwise "Six Days on the Road....' journey.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
Mr. Norman - enjoyable trip report as always.
I do wonder about the lounges on AT. Are there lounges for both coach and first class? I understand the lounges are not the sightseer lounges we know but rather modified diners. How are they modified? Is it a pleasant spot to enjoy the cocktail hour or would you do better with a glass of wine in your room.
I think I would miss the large windows of the sightsser, especially when trundling through Ashland (glad you enjoying that respite from the pine trees).
Perhaps the much maligned cross country cafe cars would be better suited as the coach lounges on AT?
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
The five identical Auto Train lounges were converted from S-I Diners. Forward of the center car service area, which is now configured as a Bar are tables that are used for open seating Breakfast and Lounge area at night.
The Lower Level contains the Smoking Lounge, a now closed Rail Phone booth, and a Lounge area with a settee arrangement.
The rear area consists of small tables, settes and banquettes. All seats other than tables face away from the windows; after all what do the Pine Trees care?
The motif is dark Maroon upholestry.
To me these cars are a worthy replacement for the Sightseers once assigned to AT. They allow for more Breakfast seating, and offer Lounge seating for any sized party up to about six people.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Well that sure is interesting! I never knew that there weren't any Sightseer Lounge Cars on the Auto Train. Wow---that's different. But I guess the entire train is different, so.......
Posted by PullmanCo (Member # 1138) on :
What I find instructive is that the passenger load could be carried in no more than 4 S-II all Bedroom cars, and no more than 3 standard 14-5-1-1 S-1/S-II cars.
Add in a dorm and a diner, ... and that's not much of a train.
Gotta wonder about A-T's financials at this point: How much does the train cost per run, and how much did this run bring in?
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Remember, this is snowbird return to Yankeeland time. Chances are the northbound was full. They have to the the cars back south for the next day's northbound load, whether the southbound train has one passenger or 500.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
I enjoyed GBN's report and agree that AutoTRain is Amtrak's best. I have made 3 trips on Amtrak's version plus one terrific trip on the original private A-T. The Superliner lounges are sufficient as the scenery does not mandate the large windows of the sightseer lounges and they are best used on the western runs. Mr. Harris is correct in stating that AutoTrain does have an unbalanced load as many times of year find full trains one way and light loads in the opposite direction. Thus is the seasonal nature of Florida travel.
On my last northbound trip on AutoTrain 2 years ago I took a rental van and had no problem. Of course, since I drove back to Flroida where the rental started, the rental company didn't care where it had been and with unlimited mileage this was of no concern. Amtrak didn't care if it was a rental as I told them it was a rental when I amde the train reservation since I didn't know the make or license plate number at the time. Again, thanks for the great report.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
I attended Randolph-Macon for one semester in 1972. Watching trains pass by was the highlight of my time there. Seeing that privately owned Auto-Train roll through town was great with its red, white, and purple cars plus a few yellow UP sleepers and silver Santa Fe sleepers in the consist. The sight of lots of dome cars was incredible.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
On Voyage #18, traveling through Ashalnd I was focusing on the Engineer's side (in the Diner and said to others at the table to "look outside" for a unique experience) in order to view the Henry Clay Hotel that Mr. Presley has so often noted in his material here, but I did catch a short glimpse of the Randolph-Macon campus.
Are there R-MC "barracks or frat houses with a view?"
BTW, I presume that "Sheets" (edit: "Shirts" vice "Sheets") has long since deceased.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
quote:Originally posted by PullmanCo: What I find instructive is that the passenger load could be carried in no more than 4 S-II all Bedroom cars, and no more than 3 standard 14-5-1-1 S-1/S-II cars.
Add in a dorm and a diner, ... and that's not much of a train.
One Coach, Diner, Lounge, two Slepers, Dorm, and four Auto Carriers, would have handled all comers for 53(24MAR). Seats in two of the four Coaches were not even turned, although it appeared the Coach Diner and Lounge were open (Coach dining fare is more "simple" with offerings such as casseroles).
However, fear not - do a query for #52 SFA-LOR at the website for the next week and see what (hint: if anything) is returned.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
In answer to your questions, mr. Norman - 1. My son's frat house, KA is the large stone house facing the tracks (he has little interest in trains), mine was back about 50 yards but tracks clearly visible - not sure about my daughter in law's sorority house. 2. Most dorms also have a track view as do the tennis courts (missed many a shot looking at the likes of the Everglades) 3. Perhaps you mean 'Shirt'Blanton - he has passed away - he waved at every train from his wheelchair (as well as to students wandering along the track!) as noted on virtualtourist.com:
"The classical revival house was built in the early 1900s. It was once the home of Louis "Shirt" Blanton, Jr. who was shot in 1955 and left paralysed by a robber. From his wheelchair, he became a familiar figure waving to rail passengers and telling the RF & P of potential mechanical problems. As a result, the railroard company wired his house with buzzers, alerting him of approaching trains. On holidays, railroad personnel bringing gifts would stop in front of his house to thank Shirt."
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
As I have communicated to Palmland in the past, I attended Randolph-Macon in the fall of 1972 before transferring back to my home state. I, too, spent many hours watching trains roll through Ashland. Mr. Blanton's nickname was actually "Shirts". Having seen him from the trains prior to my time at R-MC, I finally worked up the nerve to walk up to his house after classes one day. He was pleasant to me and we exchanged a few words about trains and I was on my way.
One December evening, rumor spread around Ashland that Auto-Train (the original private one) would make a special stop in Ashland. The track was lieterally lined with what seemed like a couple hundred townfolk and students. A headlight appeared in the darkness from the north but the train was on the usual northbound track and di not stop. I quickly recognized it as the Silver Meteor and told a few people near me not to worry. Indeed A-T showed up on the southbound track a few minutes later and pulled to a halt. The brightly dressed stewardesses stepped off and a large box was delivered to Shirts. It contained a new color TV, still a luxury in those days. The event was the subject of a cover story in Parade Magazine on Christmas week. While the crew was off the train, a man with a Hawaiian shirt asked me where we were and I kidded him and said "We are inmates at that instituion over there" then I said "I bet you are headed to Miami Beach; I see guys dressed like you every winter at home". He invited me aboard and a friend and I took a quick stroll through two cars, peeked in the full dome lounge, then detrained before we got stranded aboard.
Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :
To answr GBN's other question, during my few months at Randolph-Macon I lived in one of the two 3 or 4 story dorms that sit perpendicular to the rail line. Mine was quite new then and it was perhaps 50 yards from the RF&P mainline. The first night there a train blasted through town in the middle of the night and I swear I jumped up and ran to the window fearing a tornado. You know, the "it sounded like a freight train" quote you always hear from people who survive a tornado.
Palmland, I can imagine how you watched the trains from those tennis courts right along Center Street opposite R-MC. For me it was during PE when the northbound AutoTrain and northbound Silver Star ripped past. Often I was doing the required running around the track that loops around the football field. I'd actually run backwards so I could watch the train.
One afternooN I went down to the tracks and saw the southbound Star pass only to learn a couple hours later it derailed in southern Virginia.
The trains helped me make it rhough a homesick semester so far from home and, boy, was it a great place to watch trains.
Palmland: Do you remember there used to be a little industrial siding opposite the Ashland depot (just south of RMC but north of England Street)? I have a photo of an RF&P switcher and local freight tucked in there to allow a hot train to pass.