We were up with the lark yesterday, Saturday morning, it being Valentine's Day and all.
After celebrating with a breakfast served by our B&B hostess, it was time to pack and prepare.
Car loaded, we departed Washington for Lorton, just across the state line in Virginia.
The Amtrack Autotrain has been providing this service for 30 years, and it being a long weekend, was at full capacity. The longest passenger train in the world, the coaches combined with the car carriers stretches just under a mile long, and is hauled by two rather large diesel locomotives.
We arrived in good time, which was just as well because they loaded just short of four hundred automobiles, and nearly 600 passengers.
The total trip was scheduled at 17 hours long, and as we boarded, we watched as they shunted and connected the loaded auto carriers onto the rear of the passenger train.
Once settled into our two bed Roomette, we could relax and watch the last of the auto carriers getting connected.
The whole Amtrack service is totally impressive, very well organized, and great on-board attention by the crew. We left minus 8C behind . . .
. . . got used to our new home for the night . . . and relaxed.
A good dinner in the dining car, a restful night sleep, and by the time breakfast was done this morning, we were arriving at Sanford in Florida with 15C of warmth and blue skies! Watching vehicles emerge from the auto carriers with baited breath, ours was delivered unscathed, ready for us to load up and head out for new adventures!
after a dinner of fresh seafood of course . . . snow crab, crab cakes, jumbo shrimp and orange beer . . .
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