Amtrak Auto Train Discussion

did your Sleeper car count of nine include the 390XX T-Dorm, which on #52 is rearmost, or was such in addition?

Nine on the platform, so probably yes. Never made it back that far to see.

I can see priority offloading southbound is sold out already for all of October.

Auto Train Departure Time Change. Effective May 2, 2022 the departure and arrival of the Auto Train between Lorton, VA, and Sanford, FL, will be one hour later.
Gives a little more time to get there before the cut off time.

Departures and arrivals will slide one hour, but check in is only extended from 2:30 to 3.

I read the b***ing on trainorders.com about the service and this change and thought I would comment further.

I follow people disappointed about en suite meal service instead of dining car but in most respects we prefer it. During the 5 to 9 window all the between-car doors were open and the attendants were sailing through at great speed delivering meals. A lot of work for them. But our attendant was quite clear (this was clearly something they were aware of), that if you were on the 7pm "seating", you should expect things somewhere during that hour as they delivered to rooms. It seems obvious for 150 people not to expect their meal to arrive exactly at 7. Or 5 or 6 or 8 or 9. But the food was hot and the tableware was sturdy. They've improved the packaging.

Perhaps allowing the consist to be more than 50 cars will allow another diner car and allow the seasonally long trains to return to diner car service.

If the schedule change results in more on-time arrivals that would be good, and some people clearly think 9am in Lorton is too early given Washington rush hour. We've never had that problem. But for us it means closer to NY rush hour, so it is a bit of a wash.

Boy the reviews are just terrible lately:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserRev ... orida.html

They'll likely return to dining service when they can require people to sit communally again in the diner. That's going to be the major factor.

I'm starting to wonder if the solution to the success of the Autotrain is to change it to twice daily. By cutting the train length in 1/2, you can add more cars to each train, and have a bit more flexibility all around. Of course it would make scheduling at either station a bit tighter.

A lot of the complaints on there were about the problems they had with that crazy snowstorm that also shut down I-95.

Any official Amtrak notices?
Has CSX issued a bulletin allowing Auto Train to be longer than 50 cars?

There are also HEP limitations on the Genesis locomotives. One thing Amtrak toted about the new Chargers is that the higher HEP capacity could eventually allow a higher number of Superliners on the Auto Train.

lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 29, 2022 6:32 am There are also HEP limitations on the Genesis locomotives. One thing Amtrak toted about the new Chargers is that the higher HEP capacity could eventually allow a higher number of Superliners on the Auto Train.

This statement needs some clarification. The Genesis P-42s came with some different kW outputs. But as far as I know there are none built that have 1000 kW output. The 6 P-40s assigned to Auto train service were all modified for 1000 kW HEP. Now are they the same P-40s still operating on Auto Train that were modified have no idea. That leaves at any time 4 to operate the 2 daily trains. 2 spare for depot maintenance. Once in a while one of the road switchers are rotated out of Sanford. Probably the P-40 which always seems to lead in that case provides the HEP. Have noted that configuration is on shorter passenger car consists.

EDIT: Thoughts.
1. All ALC-42s are delivered with 1000 kW so they might get rotated onto Auto Train eventually allowing retirements of the P-40s.
2. LD trains are limited to lengths by P-42s various HEP outputs. This might be one reason why Amtrak seems to limit trains to 12 - 13 cars or less for HEP outputs. Note the super Star might be an example? Modifying P-42s might be considered too costly or GE inverters not available in sufficient amounts? Another reason for more ALCs?