Travel South of DC

[gkn1ght]

Because of all the flooding around DC, Amtrak supposedly isn't running trains from DC to points south. I am taking the Auto Train next week and hope that service is running again.

Other than calling on the phone, how can I check online to see if the trains are running. Right now, I don't see anywhere on their site that the trains out of DC going south are not running.

Thanks.

On a side note, we opted to pick up our tickets instead of having them mailed. Do we need to go to the station BEFORE the departure day to pick them up or can we just drive up, drop off the car, and go inside and get our tickets. (For the Auto Train)

 

[AmtrakWPK]

As far as I can tell, Auto-Train is running and has been running at least the past two or three days or so, although it has been running several hours late in arrival in Sanford. Today it is expected to depart late from both ends. Fortunately the northern end of the route is south of Washington, so it apparently didn't get quite so heavily fouled up as stuff further north. Remember you can always call Amtrak and ask, and on the web site you can check the running status and arrival times for trains up to the past three days or so, which is what I just did.

Also, the Amtrak web site has the following notice up right now:

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Full service restored in Northeast, South, and Harrisburg; service suspended in northern New York

Amtrak is operating full schedules on most routes in the East today, but flooding conditions in Northern New York State have required train cancellations west of Albany.

All Empire Service train service west of Albany, (Utica, Syracuse, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Toronto and other stops) is canceled today. Because of road closures and limited availability of charter buses, no alternate transportation west of Albany is being provided. Limited train service between New York City and Albany will operate today.

The daily New York City-Chicago Lake Shore Limited will operate today between Syracuse, N.Y. and Chicago only.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[AlanB]

On a side note, we opted to pick up our tickets instead of having them mailed. Do we need to go to the station BEFORE the departure day to pick them up or can we just drive up, drop off the car, and go inside and get our tickets. (For the Auto Train)

The first step normally upon arrival at the Auto Train's station is to check your car in. As you drive down the entrance driveway, there is a booth much like a toll booth, were your tickets are checked and your car is given a number.

Since you won't have your tickets at that point, you most likely will not be able to check your car in. I believe that you will instead be directed to a parking area at the station. You'll then have to go inside and probably wait in line to get your tickets issued, unless you get there very early.

Then you'll need to go back outside, drive your car out of the parking lot and back to the booth and get in that line to check your car in. All this before you can ever unload your car and have everyone go inside. Then thanks to the inconsistant Amtrak ID check policy, they seem to want everyone to present ID's in Lorton, which will mean that you and your entire family will have to get on line inside again, to actually check in, have your tickets taken, and to get your seating time for dinner.

So if you have any chance to visit any Amtrak station, before your departure date, I would highly recommend it. It will make your life much simpler on your travel date. Please note: Auto Train tickets cannot be picked up from a Quik Trak machine, you must goto an agent to get AT tickets.

Finally, you might want to check out OTOL's Auto Train Hints and Tips located here.

 

[MrFSS]

Don't know why anyone would do it, but if you take AutoTrain, do you have to take a car? Can you ride it without one?

 

[AlanB]

Don't know why anyone would do it, but if you take AutoTrain, do you have to take a car? Can you ride it without one?

One cannot ride the AT without either a car, SUV, van, or motorcycle.

 

[Boxcar]

Full service restored in Northeast, South, and Harrisburg; service suspended in northern New York
Amtrak is operating full schedules on most routes in the East today, but flooding conditions in Northern New York State have required train cancellations west of Albany.

All Empire Service train service west of Albany, (Utica, Syracuse, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Toronto and other stops) is canceled today. Because of road closures and limited availability of charter buses, no alternate transportation west of Albany is being provided. Limited train service between New York City and Albany will operate today.

The daily New York City-Chicago Lake Shore Limited will operate today between Syracuse, N.Y. and Chicago only

My post doesn't anwer the persons question but the answers brought to mind my trip on the Lakeshore Limited (48)the 15th and the Capital Limited

(29) on the 19th. We wanted to take this trip before July in case rail travel across the country became a thing of the past even we later learned that it would be around at least 6 more months. As we passed through the beautiful countryside of Harpers Ferry, WVA and Cimberland, MD we wondered how often and how high the rivers might flood.

As it turned out, seems we left the Northeast for home right on time before we found first hand about the flooding "up" there.

 

[gkn1ght]

Thank you for your help. We will go and pick up our tickets tomorrow.

I found that today the train is running 7 hours late. I hope they can catch-up and not be late when we leave on the 6th. As long as we can arrive in Florida by noon, I'll be happy, but arriving after 3pm, when you are supposed to get in at 8 am, just won't cut-it for us.

 

[Sam Damon]

One cannot ride the AT without either a car, SUV, van, or motorcycle.

In fact, David P. Morgan, the longtime Trains magazine editor, actually rented a car in the Washington DC area so he could ride on the Auto-Train. I seem to recall the car rental place on the Florida end was surprised when he turned the car in at the end of the trip...

 

[AlanB]

I found that today the train is running 7 hours late. I hope they can catch-up and not be late when we leave on the 6th. As long as we can arrive in Florida by noon, I'll be happy, but arriving after 3pm, when you are supposed to get in at 8 am, just won't cut-it for us.

Assuming that there are no more weather problems over the next few days, they should be back closer to the norm by the 6th. The holiday on the 4th will help a lot, as there will be less freight interference due to the holiday. So that will go a long way towards getting them back close to the schedule.

One thing I feel compelled to point out though, a noon arrival doesn't mean that you'll be in your car and on your way at noon. It can take as long as an hour or more to get all of the autos unloaded from train.

 

[battalion51]

The only exception I can ever recall to the car rule was a few years back when there was issues with the coaches on 98, long distance PAX's from ORL were bussed to SFA, took AT to LOR then got on another bus to WAS where they boarded Regionals to their destination.

 

[Guest_Amtrak OBS Employee]

The only exception I can ever recall to the car rule was a few years back when there was issues with the coaches on 98, long distance PAX's from ORL were bussed to SFA, took AT to LOR then got on another bus to WAS where they boarded Regionals to their destination.

Happens more often than you think. Just a couple of weeks ago there were problems with the coaches on #91 up around PTB area. Defects with the AC in both of them. They took all of the passenegers who were traveling to ORL and WPK off the train at RMT, and loaded them onto #53 and sent them South where they were bused to ORL & WPK. When #91 got to Jax they took off the WPB to MIA passengers and bussed them to their destinations. I think they accomodated all the in-FL travelers on #97 and stopped #91 at SFA that day being #98 started out of SFA on the one day couple weeks ago, too. Looks as if everyone is having loads of fun at Amtrak!!!! OBS...

 

[gkn1ght]

Just FYI, it looks like the Auto Train will not run today (July 3) in order to get back on schedule. Hopefully everything will be on schedule when we leave Thursday.

 

[MichiganFoamer]

The Regionals and the Silver Service were all operating southbound as usual on 6/29. We were supposed to take #95 to FBG but missed it by a matter of minutes , so we took the VRE south instead.

 

[cbender]

Please note:  Auto Train tickets cannot be picked up from a Quik Trak machine, you must goto an agent to get AT tickets.

Just curious, but why is this?

 

[AlanB]

Please note:  Auto Train tickets cannot be picked up from a Quik Trak machine, you must goto an agent to get AT tickets.

Just curious, but why is this?

I've never asked why, I just know that one can't since I've tried on two different occasions.

It may have something to do with the tickets that are issued for your auto, or perhaps more likely the fact that they give you a special ticket folder. That special folder gives you directions to the terminals and other special info that one needs to know when one is riding the Auto Train. That folder is also where the agent in the booth writes down your auto's number.

Or I could be way off base and there may be a completely different reason. :blink:

 

[gkn1ght]

We took your advice and went to the station to get our tickets before our trip tomorrow. The agent was very nice and told us that we didn't need to get our tickets first. They would have packets for everyone at the check-in booth outside. You just give them your name and they pull out your packet it, check-in your car, and then you go inside to get your boarding pass.