Discourse.net

I did this, for the first time, a couple of months ago. It beats driving the distance, but there is little to be said for the train itself! The rolling stock must have been state-of-the-art long years ago (some of it dates back to the middle of the last century -- see http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Auto_Train). Combine that with the typical US roadbed and it is a sad comparison to almost any European or Japanese train trip.

Your mileage may vary....

That drive from Lorton to Chevy Chase could be the most dangerous part of the trip, especially if the weather deteriorates by the time you get to Lorton.

You know, you could be travelling on a British train... Richard Branson might fly a good airline but he can't run a railway!