There isn't much activity here and I'm still not sure that anyone is really interested in the statistics of these annual trips. I'm thinking, as I did last year, that I may not bother doing again. But for now.....
This was our 6th or 7th year taking the auto train. We find that it's the best alternative to driving on I-95 an additional 950 miles. This was a fairly typical trip although our arrival was later than we've come to experience.
So, we pulled out of the Lorton Station at 3:50 PM and stopped for a brief moment to hook up the car carriers and we were off. Our room attendant on this crew #3 " Joni" was perhaps the best, most efficient attendant we've ever had. The train was composed of 39 railcars, 18 passenger cars and 21 car carriers. There were a total of 382 passengers, 227 in coach and 155 in sleepers. There were a total of 232 cars of which 29 were designated for priority unloading.
The meal choices were typical, a short rib dish, a chicken dish, a fish entree and a lasagna. We had the lasagna and it wasn't bad at all. Our table mates had the short ribs and the fish and said both were good as evidenced by them finishing both dishes. This was perhaps the fewest number of sleeper car passengers we've had on a trip and it was noticeable in the crew not being as nervous or harried during the meal service. This was also the first time that we opted for the first service at 5PM. We actually found that this worked out better for us than eating at 7PM as we usually had.
In the morning we were the first to arrive for continental breakfast at 6:05 AM. Not another soul came in until after 6:30 AM which was very unusual and again spoke too the smaller that usual passenger load.
There is now wifi on the auto train. It worked OK. Not perfect but OK. When we went to bed at around 11PM the online info showed that the train would arrive before 8AM. When we got up in the AM it was showing arrival 30 minutes late at 9:30.
We actually arrived in the station at 9:45 AM and we were allowed to de-train at 9:55 AM. We have been taking advantage of the priority unloading option since it was first offered. Ours was the very first car off the train at 10:30 AM. It took some extra time for the car carriers to be moved to the unloading area because there were local trains on the track.
So, overall another good trip with no issues to complain about.
I'll be happy to answer any questions.
HJ