Actually the autotrain runs from Lorton, VA (DC area) to Sanford, FL (Orlando area).

When it is on time it takes 16 hours (4 p.m. - 8 a.m.), but when we've used it, we've averaged 20 hours.� The fare includes dinner and breakfast.� Be careful when timing your reservation because they can carry only so many large vehicles like vanagons (required vanagon content).� We never did take a vanagon on the train, just Mama's E320 wagon.

It is utilized mostly by well seasoned snowbirds, and costs less when you are going the opposite seasonal flow.

The bottom line is that it is neither cost or time efficient, but it sure is fun!

Cheers, Anthony
'89 Syncro GL (Hidalgo)

--- On Sun, 9/20/09, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET> wrote:

From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Hydrogen cars ... a lot of hot gas!! ;)
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2009, 5:40 PM

On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 6:45 PM , Don Hanson wrote:

>���Or how bout doing it like some European countries?� Drive your rig
> up onto
> an auto carrying train and go cross country with your vehicle onboard.
> We
> have a rail system, we just refuse to use it much or take the time to
> bring
> it into modern times.
>
>���All these huge motorhomes that head south during the winter...They
> could
> drive onto flatbed cars and save oceans of fuel.� Mom and Pop could
> sit
> inside and play Canasta all the way to Quartzite..Then drive off and
> head
> over to the RV park burning only a couple of dozen gallons of fuel ...

That is (or was at least) available on the east coast (via an Amtrak
from Boston to Miami).� If it still exists, it is the only one in the
country.� Whether it took large vehicles or not, I don't know.

Dave Mc