Amtrak Auto Train Discussion

Mr. Norman, on average approximately how many cars are carried on a typical Auto Train trip?

DutchRailnut wrote:Freight engine speed is normally a max of 70, whom ever stated the Auto train did 75 , never rode in a U-boat at that speed, and don't forget at original Autotrain era there was not much welded rail.
The U -boats had also the nasty tendency to trip ground relay when getting to max speed, so I doubt the story very much.

The U boats did a lot more nasty things than that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Noel Weaver

Sgt. Hensley--

Ref:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 831#384831

Pertinent passage:

• Loadings on 53(18) was very light with 92 autos reported; for 52(23) as previously noted, there were 226. I don’t think there were any open rooms on 52. AT is certainly unique amongst LD’s. First, passengers need not worry about connections, or the paucity of rental autos readily available at Amtrak stations. Both those problems are “conveniently’ solved.

Dealing with any information requests requires labor, and this particular request can only be processed if there is communication in place which is another expense. secondly, once people get the idea that the information they seek is available but just not available to them they will be much more insistent about obtaining said information.

Because Amtrak is looking to minimize labor costs they are not likely to be interested in providing off load times to passengers, the easiest way to put off the requests and wasted time dealing with the requests is to act like the information is not knowable.

1. Amtrak knows which automobiles are loaded into which racks.

2. Amtrak knows the unloading pattern - which cars will be lined up at the terminus, etc.

3. Amtrak knows, roughly, how long it takes to unsecure the car and unload it.

Since the information exists, it's just a matter of loading that information into a computer (at the originating terminal), firing it through cyberspace to the other end, and upon train arrival have the information displayed on a series of computer monitors.

As the passengers enter the station they can look up at the monitors and quickly see:

"SMITH, JOHN: 23 MINUTES"
"DOE, JANE: 25 MINUTES"

I don't know exactly how the process works to claim one's car but the display could also include information about where the car will be located (i.e. is there a specific lane?)

The information can be updated in real-time; so those who unload the cars will have wristband devices (like a FedEx driver) that'll keep time of when an auto is removed and ready for pickup; if they are falling behind for any reason, the computer will automatically adjust the times and update the displays.

Of course, this costs money...

Not just a lot of money, but a complete waste. Why is such a system needed? Not really rocket science, but we are depending on humans. Even though I am not an amtrak employee, I've spotted my fair share of railcars at certain points (mostly intermodal). Sometimes it just takes longer to switch out the cars than other times. No real reason - just a bunch of variables at play.

How many ramps do they have, and how much switching is required? Sure they know which cars will be unloaded first, but the time it takes to spot and unload said car I doubt can be easily given. And if you promise Mr. Doe his car will be unleaded in 23 minutes, and he isn't in it in 25, he will have a fit.

Of course there's the whole communication between many levels and many different departments.

wigwagfan wrote: ...As the passengers enter the station they can look up at the monitors and quickly see:

"SMITH, JOHN: 23 MINUTES"
"DOE, JANE: 25 MINUTES"
...

Privacy considerations would preclude displaying passengers' names on monitors.

Amtrak gains nothing but some customer satisfaction by providing an estimated time of delivery. If they do not make that delivery time they get a dissatisfied customer. As long as they are unloading in a reasonable amout of time there is no benefit (and added cost, as noted above).

In the airlines the measurement is when the airplane lands, not when the baggage is retreived.

Amtrak already has a monopoly.

wigwagfan wrote:1. Amtrak knows which automobiles are loaded into which racks.

2. Amtrak knows the unloading pattern - which cars will be lined up at the terminus, etc.

3. Amtrak knows, roughly, how long it takes to unsecure the car and unload it.

Are you sure? I agree that Amtrak could know that info, and may even concede that Amtrak should know it, but I do not think it is at all a given that Amtrak does know it. Remember, we're talking Amtrak. They may not know any more than the fact that the car belonging to I. M. Snowbird, tagged with number 123 was loaded at Lornton. Even if they do have the "which autos in which cars info", I doubt that the info is accessed in Sanford unless something goes wrong (Where's my '98 Cadillac: the one with the left turn signal permanently blinking?).

I think we're making a mountain out of a small pile of ballast. This is a train ride. Delays are expected, even cherished. It all seems pretty simple to me. You get off the train, then you wait for your car to show up. It is like the airport baggage carrousel except with cars. Sometimes you're first, sometimes you're last, mostly your part of the mass of humanity in the middle.

By the way, using the luggage analogy, I wonder if they ever lost a car or left one back in Virginia. Now that would be funny.

If I remember correctly (I may not since it was 11/01) when our name came on the board it was just (example) Edward and not (example) Edward O'Brien. Someone had a car rustier than ours so I did not feel as concerned. I remember there was an old 50s boat that I thought I saw them push it onto the train. Anyway, I do remember they pushed it down the ramp in Florida.

Goodbye 2007

It's happened, Mr. Pittsburgher PRR 60.

There is a nose count made in each auto carrier before it is released to the Yardmaster for handling. That in total is supposed to agree with the number of autos checked in.

Now the most likely reason for a left auto is that the passenger has failed to check it in - the line was too long and 'just couldn't be bothered'. Obviously the check in desk is supposed to ensure that there is a loading number recorded on the ticket envelope....but (UNOWAT).

My journeys ghave always been "in season" with the Bennie-Caddy-Lex crowd; sorry to report some of the folk are just "not with it" and further can be very demanding.

I can recall an instance occurring in Lighthouse Point with my Father and his Wife where we had just got up from a table and a party was sneaking behind us to grab the seats. This past March with my Sister at a restaurant in Boca (OK it was Pete's on Glades Road @ the Tpk) where some older people were absolutely demanding to be seated now...because they were "not used to waiting around'. Another problem, and I was almost party to this one last March, are the electronic 'keys' inherent to many an "in season' auto on AT; I confess at Lorton I was halfway into the terminal when (this otherwise very courteous Amtrak employee) "MR NORMAN, your key'

Imagine the exceptionally courteous employees at either terminal having to listen to crap like that....be sure there are passengers ready to dish it out.

In short, I think we have concluded here that the existing "dunno' practice is likely the wisest course. Lest we forge,t all this expertise, including the previously mentioned "how to' deal with an auto that won't start and a million other important institutional details such as claim handling et magna alia, was likely part of Amtrak's 'steal of the Century'. While Amtrak did pay the Estate (ATCorp) fair market for equipment and facilities (i.e. the Bobcats noted earlier), all the institutional expertise they got, including assumption of a separate operating agreement with SCL/CSX, as well as the name, the inherent goodwill - for $1.00.

Lincoln78 wrote:Amtrak already has a monopoly.

There are one or more trucking services I seen advertised that offer NY area to/from Florida auto transport in enclosed trailers. One presumably flies and meets the car at the destination. So not quite a monopoly.

Is everyone scoffing at the speed of GE B-Bs, or GEs in general? FWIW, SFe allowed their six-axle passenger GEs 90 mph (initially anyway). Weren't Amtrak's P30s allowed 90 on the IC?

Trains also said DOT ran their U30C at 122 mph on the SFe west of La Junta, in the middle 1970s (before they built their own high-speed test track?)

Dunno how relevent it is, but remember AutoTrain U36Bs had Blomberg trucks.

Moderator's Note:

Auto Train, Inc has long passed as a corporation; it's equipment has long passed out of service.

Let's talk about A-T speeds in the context of CSXT, the current rail owners, and current Amtrak equipment, please.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:While Amtrak did pay the Estate (ATCorp) fair market for equipment and facilities (i.e. the Bobcats noted earlier), all the institutional expertise they got, including assumption of a separate operating agreement with SCL/CSX, as well as the name, the inherent goodwill - for $1.00.

I think Amtrak left something on the table, and later paid $200,000 for the mailing list!