A Couple Auto Train Questions

[Porter20]

During the past two years, my family has had a wonderful traveling north via Amtrak and the Silver service (both Meteor and Star Service). This summer we have decided to try something different with the Auto Train. Needless to say we are excited. I have been able to seach for most of the answers to most of my questions - but figured I would throw the three that I haven't found answers to yet.

1) Disable the Car Alarm - when I first read this, I assumed it meant for the aftermarket car alarms that seem to go off all the time during a thunder storm or something else to set it off. My car has the standard factory "auto deterent / beep beep when I hit the lock button" which I think just beeps with the panic button. I am sure there is a way I can turn it off via the manual (which I can't find - but I am sure is online) but my question is - How many of you disable that type of factory alarm / alert (even though I don't think it is really an alarm)?? Obviously the last thing I want is a dead battery but I am liable to screw something up on my wifes car and then you know how that will go for me.

2) Am I going to have an issue taking my wife's car without her? My name is on the insurance but not on the registration. We do share the same last name so that shouldn't be an issue but do I need some sort of notizied statement saying she is aware I am taking this family car? Do they check the registration? Or just the reservation? (And just in case you are wondering - she is flying up early to DC to spend sometime with some college friends & I am bringing the luggage and kid).

3) During our trip on the Silvers, after dinner the setup of putting down the top bunk of the roommette so my daughter could sit up there and read or watch a movie but I could sit upright on the bottom seem to work really well for us. Can we do that in the Superliner Roommette as well?

4) I know on the Silvers (in the rommette) we were allowed to bring a small coolers with some sodas and some beer. I assume that would be ok on the Auto Train as well?

Thank you everyone for your help.

 

[sitzplatz17]

Hi Porter20,

I will try to answer some questions. Hopefully correctly too!

1) I've never had a problem with this. I've taken 3 different cars over the years on the Auto Train and never worried too much about it since I don't have any aftermarket alarm system. My understanding is that they leave the cars unlocked in the locked Auto-Carrier anyway.

2) No this won't be an issue, iv'e never been asked for registration and as long as your name is on the insurance I'm confident you'll have no issues,

3) Superliner Roomettes aren't quite as spacious on the top bunk as the Viewliners. Maybe it's because the top bunk doesn't have a window but i think it's also because it's a different mechanism. The Superliner Roomettes are kind of an all or nothing fold down bunk. you can always try though!

4) Definitely Ok, you might just be a little tight for space. Leave as much as you can in your car and travel light. But a small cooler that can fit under a chair should be great.

 

[Porter20]

Great!! Thanks for the help. We are looking forward to spending a couple days in your city in a couple weeks.

 

[Joeker]

1. When you arrive at Lorton, VA you will be issued a car number that stays on your car and a receipt given to you. At that time the car is inspected and photographed. The car jockey then takes control of your car and you will not have any access to it until you arrive in Sanford.

The car alarm should not be a problem because the keys travel with the car and the car door is unlocked in the car carriers.

I have heard alarms going off but it seems the car jockeys know a way to hush them.

Once the cars are loaded into the auto carriers and the bulkhead doors are sealed shut there is no more access until the train arrives in Sanford and the reverse procedure is followed.

2. I was never asked for registration or insurance. At the car check in you give them your name and or reservation number

and that's all they care about.

3. You will be assigned a dinner time at the boarding station inside customer service window. You swill have a choice of 4 dinner times if they are still available upon check in. There is a separate dining car for first class passengers.

As for the Superliner roomette. I believe the top bunk in the down position gives you some headroom, but I think that the height of the of the room is slightly smaller than the silvers viewliner sleeper as the superliner has two levels vs one for the silvers. There is a lounge car for your entertainment.

4. That is the great advantage of having a private roomette or bedroom on Amtrak. You can bring your own adult beverage and imbibe in the comfort of your room.

 

[chakk]

Unless you are very "long" from top of head to waistline, you should be able to put down the upper bunk in a Superliner roomette while the person below sits in the seats, which slide together into the center to form the bottom bunk (with a small mattress added on top of the slide-together seats to make a bed. This mattress is stored on the top bunk when closed up.

 

[me_little_me]

When the Superliner roomette top bunk is "down" i.e. set so someone can lie on it, there is very little room between it and the ceiling and no way can you sit on the "down" top bunk. In fact some people will feel a little claustrophobic lying on it as the ceiling is close to your head. Big difference between Superliner and Viewliner roomettes.

 

[Porter20]

Thank you all for the clarification. I had read somewhere there was a difference between Superliner roommette & Viewliner roommette and now I can better visualize it. Sounds like if the little one is going up there to sleep or lay down; I can still keep the seats up; but as for her previous "play area" - its probably not going to fit that bill.

 

[VentureForth]

What Joeker said is essentially the case for the smaller headroom on Superliners. Superliners have two levels of sleeping accomodations (a lower level and upper level). You basically have two stories of train with only about 1.5x the height of a Viewliner (if not less). That's why they can afford to get a little more headroom and a window on Viewliner roomettes. On the upper level of a Superliner, the upper bunk is in the curvature of the roof of the car. It really is as tight as a coffin up there, but completely do-able. That being said - other than being tiny - I wonder why they didn't put windows for the upper bunk on the lower level roomettes.

When I travel, it's usually solo. When I'm in a roomette, I like the bed down and keep the seats upright. Since I get hyperactive when travelling on a train, I rarely sleep and bounce around like Tigger on Red Bull. I can sleep when I want, and sit in the seat when I want - day or night.