Getting to the Autotrain

slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
TTATraveler said:
I took the AutoTrain when I moved to Florida and thought it was neat until I too wasn't able to sleep. I think I got maybe an hour of sleep. The bouncing and rocking along with the train car doors opening were enough to wake the dead. I swear that train needed some WD40 too. The whole trip was an experience, one that I don't ever plan on duplicating, but I can say I have done it.
Click to expand...

May I ask: Coach seats? Bedroom? Roomette?
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks, both of you. As I said before, I'm going into this with a hope for the best/expect the worst mentality. We're going for the bedroom instead of the roomette. Both my wife & I are fairly tall, and I'm no beanpole, so two of us and a baby in a roomette seemed too cramped. I'd rather spend the extra $ on the way down then drive back. Fingers crossed (not while driving, of course).
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey, again all, just another minor update. We haven't gone yet, but a few days ago, after much consideration, we decided to go whole hog and make the trip on the Autotrain round trip, as opposed to taking it down and driving back. Most of our trips together involved driving round trip so that's not an issue. But with such a young one with us (and one who seems to hate naps), I just worried about frequent repeat breakdowns as we try to drive, the kind of breakdowns that fouls everyone's mood, and makes you pull over to soothe your child and hope you can ger back on the road soone rather than later. What is usually a 20-hour drive for us, taking turns driving and stopping for meals and leg-stretching breaks, could easily become up to a 2-night stayover trip. So why fight it? Being on the autotrain, we can at least always be holding her and playing with her and distracting her while someone else drives. But since the cutoff for refunds is 7 days, and we're staying for 8, this gives us the option of cancelling the return trip home on Amtrak if we didn't like it going down. We deiced, better to have the reservations and cancel them, than want them and not be able to get them.
 
Monty

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
Like I said, sleep was my only issue. Loved the service and food. DS slept like a log... So it is theoretically possible to do so [he was 12 at the time].

Have a great trip Slappy!
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
While I still intend to do a trip report/review thing, we're back & thought I'd touch a bit on the Autotrain (that did not sound right)...

Checking in was relatively hassle-free. We brought WAY too much stuff with us in our sleeper car, a mistake we didn't make on the way back. Room was about what I expected, neither blown away nor disappointed. Ditto the food. The attendants were very nice, serving us dinner in our sleeper car so the crying Slapperina wouldn't disturb others. Hard to describe what sleeping was like, as Slapperina was apoplectic and couldn't be soothed unless she was held, and whenever we tried to put her down, she'd awaken. Result? I "slept" sitting up, back propped up with pillows, holding Slapperina in a boppy pillow for up to 10 hours with periodic bathroom breaks. Nice to have a private bathroom in your car, but having your feet in the shower each time you had to "go" convinced us to wait for our destination before bathing (no biggie, we love each other). Return trip wasn't nearly as crowded, which was a blessing once I tried to open our table tray and it broke off in my hand! Necessitating a switch to the room next door. I'd ride the Autotrain again, if I had to, but I wouldn't mind if we never did it again.
 

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