Hope this is a good place to ask this question. We have reserved 2 vehicle spots for our trip from Sanford to Lorton on the Auto Train next month. In the past, we've towed a 5 x 8 trailer, but this time we need to take a 5 x 10 or larger. The Amtrak rep said the wheels of the trailer have to be "in the same line" as our pickup truck wheels. I found a web site that says our Tundra has a 66-inch "front track/tread". We're not sure how to measure the trailer - from the inside of one tire to the inside of the other on the same axle?
By the way, why is this necessary - do they load the vehicles onto a track inside the vehicle cars of the train?
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
thanks!
I have seen quite a few motor cycle trailers loaded onto auto train. Never seen any one ever take a mesurement. Auto check ins are fast in both direction. With cars they just slap a number on it and off it goes.
Think of an old-time lift in an automobile service station. Nowadays the lift attaches to jacking points on the frame; but they used to be set up so that the car's tires ran in a sort of trough, and the car rested on its tires. The auto carriers are set up like that. The automobile rests on its tires, in narrow troughs. So when the automobile is driven onto the carrier, the trailer tires must follow the same track as the auto tires. At the destination, the auto is driven forward, and exits from the opposite end of the carrier.
It probably wouldn't hurt to call the station where you intend to board, and talk directly to the people who will be loading your vehicle. Loading of autos with trailers is a fairly infrequent occurrence, but it does happen. I have even seen them load boats on trailers! As far as I know, this probably means dual tires on the same axle won't fi. The station personnel will know for sure.
Motorcycles and their trailers are a very different matter. In order to secure the motorcycles, they are loaded on specially-built floats, and the wheelbase of the float is what matters. In order to be loaded on the float, the wheels of the trailer don't have to match the wheels of the motorcycle.
Tom
Thanks, Robert - we've taken a trailer on before, but always a 5x8.
Thanks, Tom - that's good info!
I finally got to talk to someone at Lorton and he said not to worry, as long as the trailer is not wider than 90 inches at its widest point. That's a lot easier to measure than the track/tread, so I hope he's right - he sounded confident in his answer.
Like I said never seen them measure, lol, safe travels.
bonnie_miller Thanks, Tom - that's good info! I finally got to talk to someone at Lorton and he said not to worry, as long as the trailer is not wider than 90 inches at its widest point. That's a lot easier to measure than the track/tread, so I hope he's right - he sounded confident in his answer.
Same method applies to measuring overall width as does measuring track - just the measuring points are different. Outside fender to outside fender, instead of center of tire tread to center of tire tread.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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