Changes to check in times (Auto Train) ?

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BLNT

Service Attendant
Joined
Nov 5, 2019
Messages
147
In the past (our few experiences) I thought that they wanted people to have their cars checked in by 1:30. We board today in Sanford, and I just looked at our tickets:

Allow plenty of time to get there. All passengers and vehicles must be checked in by 2:30pm on the day of travel.

Has this always been the case?

THANKS
 
maybe, but have you ever missed boarding? Has your vehicle always been safely loaded? Maybe not really a waste of time to be a little early if you ask me.
 
maybe, but have you ever missed boarding? Has your vehicle always been safely loaded? Maybe not really a waste of time to be a little early if you ask me.

My philosophy is always try to be early for any appointment. In January, my hotel's check-out was Noon. I arrived at the Sanford station shortly after Noon and the check-in was quick and easy. Very short lines of cars that did grow as the afternoon went on.
 
We arrived (SFA) at 2:05. Received our auto # (29) and went inside to check in. We went outside to wait near our sleeper - and boarding began at about 2:15-20.

Train departed around 3:40. We pulled into Lorton about an hour early this morning, and were on the road by 8:40.

Without a doubt, the most flawless trip we've had with Amtrak!

-----

BTW - we had planned on getting to the Sanford station at 2 (we live an hour away), and the only delay was two houses down from ours right after we pulled out of the driveway!! A yard waste truck was parked in the middle of the road for nearly 10 minutes (no turning back) picking up debris. Not the type of delay I had considered, but that's the nature of many glitches! We'll shoot for arrival a good 30 minutes earlier next time... next Saturday in fact (our trip time to LOR is ~ 3 hrs).
 
I always arrive early (12:30 to 1) and set up a picnic. Mainly 'cause I want an early dinner seating (ahhh, the ol' daze). We luv to watch the entry gate close at 2:30 exactly, and the cars doin' 60 down the drive. Many don't make it. It could be a good week for the next opening! I do it enough to have seen it all from the 9:00pm fried chicken in the station, to downright cancellations.
 

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First time seeing this (upon check in):

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Supposedly the Beekman products were going to be part of the "new amenities" rollout. I love them myself, and really hope that this truly is the beginning of the rollout they promised us earlier.
 
Couldn't it be possible that the supplier of the products gives them gratis to Amtrak, as a form of advertising?
 
When the door tag says "exclusively with our Bedroom customers", do they really mean only bedroom and not roomette customers? Yea, I know, I can read, but Amtrak seems to be have a more loose definition of some sleeper class terms at times.
 
We are traveling from LOR to SFA on Sept 15. Taken lots of trips in the past. In the Before Times, we would arrive at the Lorton Ststion around 11:30, check in, get our preferred rrred dinner seating, leave to go get lunch, and then arrive back at 1:30 or so. What is check in like these days? Are there dining delivery time options? (have a bedroom). Any reason to get there earlier to check in?
 
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