Autotrain... Thoughts?

I rode it RT in August 2008 and it was very good service. On-time in both directions.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

What would you recommend in terms of tickets? We were going to spring for the sleeper...but if anyone has a different opinion, i'd be happy to hear it.

uzplayer wrote:Thanks for the feedback everyone.

What would you recommend in terms of tickets? We were going to spring for the sleeper...but if anyone has a different opinion, i'd be happy to hear it.

If you can do it, I always recommend the sleeper. You can always come out and mingle. However, you have a place to retreat to when the time is right (which is when the snoring begins.)

PS: Thanks for the recon, Mr Gilbert B Norman!

electricron wrote:

R36 Combine Coach wrote:Why is Auto Train the only LD overnight to offer complementary diner meals to both coach and sleepers? This seems to go against the policy on all other routes.

Because it is the Auto Train. Everyone riding it is going the entire way. Everyone gets hungry. Check the coach fares for the Auto Train vs the Silver trains, you might be surprised how much they differ.

While there are coach riders on other Amtrak LD trains that ride the entire way, most don't. Some only ride them for 100 miles, an hour or two. They don't necessarily want to eat aboard the train.

BUT there are still people on long distance trains "going all the way" or on some trains, travelling a good 10 to 12 hour day (e.g. Coast Starlight LA to Bay Area).

That being said, the diner would be better served, in my opinion, if food vouchers were offered as an "add on" upfront at time of ticket purchase. The Starlight would be the perfect train to start such a trial.

jp1822 wrote:BUT there are still people on long distance trains "going all the way" or on some trains, travelling a good 10 to 12 hour day (e.g. Coast Starlight LA to Bay Area).

That being said, the diner would be better served, in my opinion, if food vouchers were offered as an "add on" upfront at time of ticket purchase. The Starlight would be the perfect train to start such a trial.

The Starlight only has one diner, although it does have two lounges.The Auto Train has at least two diners and two lounges. LA to Oakland isn't all the way on the Starlight, LA to Seattle is. The AutoTrain carries two diners so it can feed all sleeper and coach passengers. The Starlight can't feed all passengers, it serves all the sleeper passengers and coach passengers as tables become available. The Starlight charges significantly more for sleeper passengers, the diner costs added to the sleeper fare. The diner service isn't free, everyone pays.

electricron wrote:

jp1822 wrote:BUT there are still people on long distance trains "going all the way" or on some trains, travelling a good 10 to 12 hour day (e.g. Coast Starlight LA to Bay Area).

That being said, the diner would be better served, in my opinion, if food vouchers were offered as an "add on" upfront at time of ticket purchase. The Starlight would be the perfect train to start such a trial.

The Starlight only has one diner, although it does have two lounges.The Auto Train has at least two diners and two lounges. LA to Oakland isn't all the way on the Starlight, LA to Seattle is. The AutoTrain carries two diners so it can feed all sleeper and coach passengers. The Starlight can't feed all passengers, it serves all the sleeper passengers and coach passengers as tables become available. The Starlight charges significantly more for sleeper passengers, the diner costs added to the sleeper fare. The diner service isn't free, everyone pays.

The Coast Starlight has the regular Diner and Pacific Parlor for sleeping car passengers to chose from (as sort of an overflow).

The Starlight is supposed to be able to serve all passengers - offering "meals at your coach seat" or "meals in your room."

So the fact that coach passengers could be denied the dining car experience is not what I hope Amtrak is looking for in its business model.

The LA to Bay area coach passenger may want the benefit of an "add-on" to pre-pay lunch and dinner - especially if someone else is paying for said ticket. The later is more at issue, as I've encountered that as Treasurer for an organization where we sent some members to a conference via overnight coach.

what is the consist? does it ever change? does anyone know what amtrak paid for the equipment? i believe the original operator went bankrupt. i'm thinking the car carriers are 89' 2 level 10 cars per car. at $175 per car, $1750 per railcar gross for 1000 miles is a little light at $1.75 per car per mile when amtrak pays csxt $.50 per mile per car. i think amtrak is at $6 per mile operating costs so that means they need 60 autos in 6 cars to break-even. is that happening? ken patrick

KEN PATRICK wrote:what is the consist? does it ever change? does anyone know what amtrak paid for the equipment? i believe the original operator went bankrupt. i'm thinking the car carriers are 89' 2 level 10 cars per car. at $175 per car, $1750 per railcar gross for 1000 miles is a little light at $1.75 per car per mile when amtrak pays csxt $.50 per mile per car. i think amtrak is at $6 per mile operating costs so that means they need 60 autos in 6 cars to break-even. is that happening? ken patrick

Doesn't the auto train cover its operating costs?

KEN PATRICK wrote:what is the consist? does it ever change? does anyone know what amtrak paid for the equipment? i believe the original operator went bankrupt. i'm thinking the car carriers are 89' 2 level 10 cars per car. at $175 per car, $1750 per railcar gross for 1000 miles is a little light at $1.75 per car per mile when amtrak pays csxt $.50 per mile per car. i think amtrak is at $6 per mile operating costs so that means they need 60 autos in 6 cars to break-even. is that happening? ken patrick

Just some back of the envelope calculations:

Auto Train carries about 200,000 passengers a year. That's roughly 550 passengers per train.
If you assume most travelers are couples (just a guess here) that's about 275 cars per train.
Even at 4 people per auto, that's 137 autos per train.

Wikipedia claims about 20-30 autoracks per train. So that's 200-300 cars per train.

So I'd say yeah, sounds like it's in the right ballpark.

Has Amtrak ever considered implementing Autotrain along other routes? If Lorton to Sanford is working so well, then it seems to me that there are a number of other potential routes which would also be popular and well-patronized. For example, perhaps somewhere in the Chicago area to Sanford. There may even be some long day trips on which this service would work well.

Midlands Steve wrote:Has Amtrak ever considered implementing Autotrain along other routes? If Lorton to Sanford is working so well, then it seems to me that there are a number of other potential routes which would also be popular and well-patronized. For example, perhaps somewhere in the Chicago area to Sanford. There may even be some long day trips on which this service would work well.

I've heard something about a Chicago-Phoenix route being looked at as it would provide service again to Phoenix and cater to the west coast snowbirds who go to Arizona/California.

The original Auto-Train corporation was basically undone by running a Louisville KY to Sanford expansion. It wasn't close enough to Chicago to pull in the volume needed for solvency.

viewed a photo . what are those cars behind the loco with the hi-up rectangular windows? the bi-levels followed 4 of these. ken patrick

4 Superliner Coaches typically behind the engines.

Search these forums, there's at least one if not more discussions that cover expansion.

Possible, but unlikely.

(Personally I'd like to see more, but doubtful it's practical.)