Autotrain - Car size - regular or Oversize

[keepgoing]

How do they determine the car size? do they have a list of car that are in regular category from the manufacturer spec, or do they actually measure your car at the time of checking in?

thanks in advance,
Chun

 

[Dottie]

I think they must have a list. We took the auto train last summer for the first time. We have a Honda CRV. They never measured it. I do know that in past years we were considered oversize. They recently changed qualifications and now we are not oversize. I believe that about a year ago they got new taller cars. You can call them and ask.

 

[Sea Six]

From their web site:

Oversized Vehicles: 65-88 inches in height and 182 inches or greater in length. Maximum width: 84 inches. Ground clearance: at least 4 inches. Check-in is required at least 2 hours prior to departure.

If your car is less than 65 inches tall you can get the regular vehicle fare.

All aboard!

 

[Pro]

There is not much differance in price between a regular size vehicle and an oversized vehicle.

Joe

 

[Sea Six]

Also, be sure to apply your AAA membership discount if you have one

 

[keepgoing]

thank you

Thanks for all info and the nice picture. I measured my vehicle (Lexus RX300 SUV) and it is on the borderline between regular and oversize. I checked the manufacturer spec and the length (181 in) is just within the ranch of the regular size spec. I am just afraid of if I booked regular and by the time of arrival, they claimed it is oversized and they ran out of oversized spot!!!

Thank you all again for all the info. By the way, I found there is such a thing call autotrain in Tug. Amtrak should sponsor tug to ad their services.

 

[Sea Six]

Your owner's manual or dealer brochure may have a height number you can use if that would qualify you for regular vs. oversized. Generally though, the CUV/SUV vehicles are considered oversized, as opposed to a coupe or sedan. Check the price difference when you book your tickets and decide how much you want to challenge this. If you go coach class, I hope your train car is as empty as our's was! We parctically had the whole car to ourselves (which is really nice at night when you want two seats for yourself and the SNORING starts!).

 

[theo]

My Auto Train $0.02 worth...

Thanks for all info and the nice picture. I measured my vehicle (Lexus RX300 SUV) and it is on the borderline between regular and oversize. I checked the manufacturer spec and the length (181 in) is just within the ranch of the regular size spec. I am just afraid of if I booked regular and by the time of arrival, they claimed it is oversized and they ran out of oversized spot!!!

Thank you all again for all the info. By the way, I found there is such a thing call autotrain in Tug. Amtrak should sponsor tug to ad their services.

You need not worry about them "...running out of oversized spots". The nature of the carriers is such that, in truth, most carrier slots could probably accomodate virtually any "passenger" type vehicle. If you have a reservation and a ticket, your vehicle will be loaded. The distinction between vehicle sizes seems (to me) more of a "revenue generator" with Amtrak than an "actual size" issue. In any case, there is no "list"...

I took the Auto Train both ways to / from frozen FL this year, as I've done in numerous years past.
Never once have I seen any vehicle actually get "measured". This year, I made a concerted effort to try to observe closely and try figure out just how they do actually identify "oversize". I could not make heads or tails of any visible "system", except to note that longer vehicles (e.g. minivans) seemed to get numbered with an "AV" prefix on the magnetic sign which they affix to every vehicle in order to identify it upon offloading. Yet, an oversized monster vehicle like a Cadillac Escalade, for example, seemed to be treated and loaded the same among "regular" sized vehicles. In the end, I couldn't really puzzle it out.

One suggestion I'd make is to consider whether you will be comfortable in a coach seat for 17 hours, including having to try to actually sleep in same. You will not always have the luxury of taking up two adjoining seats as your own personal sleeping surface. If concerned, reserve a "sleepette" long in advance, as each and every one is usually sold out well in advance (in popular travel times). I've done it both ways. "Sleeping" in the 2.5 feet wide "sleeper" is no particular picnic either. To each his / her own.

 

[Banker]

I never got to actually watch the loading of vehicles on the AutoTrain...because I was always working inside or just outside the sleepers or the coach. I worked onboard the AutoTrain from 1984-1986, 20+ years ago!!! I had some great photos but that was prior to my computer and never loaded any pics on my computer and did not have a digital camera then....but I have a wonderful photo album. Ok, sorry big time, I did not mean to hijack this thread....but I did have a wonderful 2 years working onboard, but then had to move to Atlanta and Amtrak did not have onboard crew based here. Enjoy your trip!

 

[keepgoing]

Another big thanks.

Theo,
Thank you so much for the detail process. It helps a great deal on what to expected.

Sea Six,
So great to have entire car for yourself.

I booked two seperate Roomette (opposite of each other) because I have 3 little kids. The bigger family stay room are sold out which could host all 5 of us together. I could not sleep in chair at all and I don't want my kids to disturb other pessenger either. My last trip to Hawaii island has 10 hours flight from East Coast and I felt like dying. Beside the cost of the Roomette is way way less than upgrading to business class in the air. By the way, the Amtrak agent on the phone is super friendly.

 

[Sea Six]

According to the web site, your vehicle is 67.7" tall to the roof line, without counting roof rails or satellite antenna. My Ford Edge is 67" plus those other attachments. I'll be interested in knowing which vehicle option you chose, and how you made out at check-in if you went regular. Just curious!

 

[keepgoing]

According to the web site, your vehicle is 67.7" tall to the roof line, without counting roof rails or satellite antenna. My Ford Edge is 67" plus those other attachments. I'll be interested in knowing which vehicle option you chose, and how you made out at check-in if you went regular. Just curious!

I will let you know how it went during checkin. I read the dimension from my owner's manual to the Amtrak agent on the phone and he told me he will book the regular size for me.

My RX300 is 2002 model, the spec is:
Length: 180.3 in. Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 65.7 in. Wheel Base: 103 in.
Ground Clearance: 7.7 in. Curb Weight: 3924 lbs.
Gross Weight: 4950 lbs.

The newer one is taller.

 

[AnnaS]

Your owner's manual or dealer brochure may have a height number you can use if that would qualify you for regular vs. oversized. Generally though, the CUV/SUV vehicles are considered oversized, as opposed to a coupe or sedan. Check the price difference when you book your tickets and decide how much you want to challenge this. If you go coach class, I hope your train car is as empty as our's was! We parctically had the whole car to ourselves (which is really nice at night when you want two seats for yourself and the SNORING starts!).

Wow - what month did you travel in?

 

[theo]

On the subject of "check-in"...

I will let you know how it went during checkin.

... it's wise to arrive and check-in early enough to be able to actually have a choice for your dinner seating time. Since you are travelling with 3 children, I assume that you don't want to get stuck with a 9 p.m. dinner seating (...which the last folks to check-in get by default during any full trip). Seatings are at 5 p.m. 7:15 p.m and 9 p.m., if I recall correctly. I don't believe that they allow anyone to choose their dinner seating anytime in advance of actual physical check-in.

 

[Sea Six]

Wow - what month did you travel in?

That was a late October trip, north bound. As you can see, not many people head north that time of year.

My wife actually prefers coach to the little sleepers for 3 reasons:

1) The two seats face each other - one person rides backwards, and I think you lose the tray table convenience. They are not as nice as the coach seats.
2) As soon as you go to dinner, they convert your seats into beds, so once you get back from dinner there is nowhere to sit.
3) These rooms are so tiny, you feel like you're in a closet. My wife slept in the top berth - there is no head room, there is no window, and she felt like she was in a coffin.

Here's a pic of the ramps they use to drive your personal car onto the train. Most people take a carry-on bag with some personal items, and their favorite bed pillows.

As for dinner, it depends how many people are on the train as to when they serve. There are only 3 dinner seatings if there is a large crowd on the train. Most of the times we travelled, there were only 2 seatings (but we usually don't travel during the peak season). After the train pulls out, they will tell you on the PA system how many people and vehicles are on the train. I've been on trains with only 100 people, and on others with over 400. Also, there is a movie in the lounge car after each dinner seating, so it gives you and the kids something to do. Otherwise, it helps to take a DVD player along, as there are 120V outlets available by the seats. They used to rent video players, but now too many people travel with laptops, so they don't do the players anymore. There is cell phone coverage as you travel slowly thru some of the towns along the way, but coverage is spotty at best and should not be expected. Also, GPS receivers do not work in the stainless steel train cars. Tried it last trip - no go!

 

[elaine]

we have booked 2 roomettes for 2A, 3 kids--great

we often book the roomettes for us and 3 kids---you can ask that seats not be made into beds until later. DH and I come back from dinner and watch a movie on our DVD player while the kids watch a movie on theirs or play a board game. We ask for beds to be made at about 10 PM for kids and 11 PM for us. We prefer 2 roomettes b/c we can close our door and watch the movie in peace and still see the kids 3 feet across the hall---you can also close their door, but leave the curtain open--so you can see, but not hear the kids. At night, we split up and DH and older kid take 1 side and I and the two little ones take the other side. FYI--dinner in 1st class (all sleeping cars) is quite good. In coach, dinner is still OK. Have fun.

 

[AnnaS]

That was a late October trip, north bound. As you can see, not many people head north that time of year.

My wife actually prefers coach to the little sleepers for 3 reasons:

1) The two seats face each other - one person rides backwards, and I think you lose the tray table convenience. They are not as nice as the coach seats.
2) As soon as you go to dinner, they convert your seats into beds, so once you get back from dinner there is nowhere to sit.
3) These rooms are so tiny, you feel like you're in a closet. My wife slept in the top berth - there is no head room, there is no window, and she felt like she was in a coffin.

Here's a pic of the ramps they use to drive your personal car onto the train. Most people take a carry-on bag with some personal items, and their favorite bed pillows.


We took the autotrain northbound also a number of years ago (6?) and had two sleepers for the four of us (my oldest did not come). I have also taken Amtrak down twice - once to West Palm Beach and once to WDW.

We are flying down in August but my husband wants to drive for our October trip. I am going to see if he wants to do the north bound again - end of October. Thank you. I still can't believe you had the whole car

 

[keepgoing]

Wow, so much specific details.

Thanks a tons. My trip going down south is this Friday (Easter holiday). I could not book the north bound one because it was fully booked 5 months ago. Even in this south bound trip, there was no family room nor bedroom available, just the roomette. So I would assume the train will be full, and this is one reason why I picked roomette than coach.

"there is no head room, there is no window, and she felt like she was in a coffin.":hysterical: I guess I will be the one who took this special spot.

Thanks so much again for so many sharing their experience.