I had the privilege of driving Patrick, a family friend, all the way from West Hartford, Connecticut to the Amtrak Auto Train station in Lorton, Virginia in his own car. He’s moving to Florida permanently to be close to his siblings, but did not want to tackle the full 1,366-mile drive to his new place, and the Auto Train was the perfect answer. I offered to get him and his car to the Amtrak Auto Train station in Lorton safely, spend two relaxed days on the road together, and then train home myself. This log is the day-by-day story of how smoothly (and enjoyably) it all went — and proof that the trip really is very doable when you break it into two easy days with an overnight stop.
Left West Hartford around 11:30 a.m. to drive Patrick in his own car down to the Amtrak Auto Train in Lorton, Virginia. Took I-84 across CT and NY into Pennsylvania, then hopped on I-81 south. Made it as far as Grantville, PA (Exit 80) late Thursday afternoon – filled up at Funck’s Exxon (480 Bow Creek Road, Grantville, PA 17028) and stayed at the Holiday Inn right off I-81 (604 Station Road, Grantville, PA 17028). I stayed in room #317 and Patrick stayed in room #327. We had dinner at Winner's Circle Saloon in the hotel. I ordered the Classic Burger with Fries and Patrick ordered the Chicken Cobb Salad.
Woke up early and had breakfast around 7:00 a.m. at the Great American Grille in the hotel. Got back on the road a little after 8:00 a.m., hopped back on I-81 south for a few miles, then took Exit 70 to I-83 S toward York/Harrisburg. From there it was a short hop on I-76 W, then off to US-15 south toward Gettysburg for 68 miles.
The highlight of the drive came on US-15 near Emmitsburg, MD – Patrick spotted the huge “Blessed Mother” statue on the hillside at the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg). You can’t miss it from the road when you’re heading south. Patrick got emotional and told me how much it meant to him to see her from a different perspective. He’s deeply religious, so that moment really touched him.
The exact spot on US-15 where Patrick spotted the Blessed Mother statue on the hillside (red pin). You can’t miss her when driving south— through Emmitsburg, MD. One of those quiet, powerful moments on the road.
Continued driving south on US-15, merged onto the I-270 spur/I-495 S around Frederick, crossed the Potomac on the American Legion Bridge into Virginia, took I-495 to I-95 south through Washington-area traffic, and arrived at the Amtrak Auto Train terminal in Lorton (8006 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079) around noon.
Waited until Patrick was checked in, stayed for about 45 minutes to make sure he would be okay until boarding time, then took an Uber to the Hampton Inn Potomac Mills/Woodbridge (1240 Annapolis Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191). Got a room for the night (room #410) – relieved everything went smoothly. (Originally I had planned to Uber to Reagan National, rent a car, and drive home, but several people warned me that the weekend before Thanksgiving is a nightmare getting out of DCA. I’m glad I listened — the train home was relaxing and cheaper!)
Quick tip for next time: the little café/gift shop (Faber News) inside the Lorton Auto Train station is convenient but very pricey — $12.99 for a basic sub, $5 for a yogurt, $5 protein bars, etc. There’s nothing else within walking distance of the station or some of the nearby hotels, so I learned the hard way: pack your own lunch, dinner, and snacks in a small cooler bag. You’ll save a bundle and eat better!
Checked out at 6:00 a.m., grabbed a quick continental breakfast, then took an Uber from the hotel to the Woodbridge VRE/Amtrak station (1040 Express Way, Woodbridge, VA 22194). Got there at 6:30 a.m. — still dark, and the unstaffed station felt pretty isolated (only two other people there, having a loud disagreement).
Quick tip: signage for Tracks 2 and 3 is confusing — I ended up climbing the stairs and crossing the pedestrian bridge three separate times before I was sure I was on the right side! Next time I’ll double-check the Amtrak app (or call ahead) and I won’t arrive quite so early.
Finally boarded northbound train #164 on Track 2 at 7:56 a.m. The ride was smooth, lots of stops, changed trains in New Haven to #464 to Hartford. Rolled into Hartford Union Station late afternoon. One last Uber and I was home in West Hartford — Hi honey, I'm home! ❤️
So grateful I could help Patrick get to the Amtrak Auto Train in Lorton, and I really enjoyed the conversations we had along the way — everything from his years in a Catholic monastery to family stories. I wish him well in this new chapter in his life! 😊🙏
Jim Fuhrmann
West Hartford, Connecticut
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