Amtrak Auto Train

[joelkfla]

Has anyone taken their Tesla on the Amtrak Auto Train?

Did the drivers know how to shift into Drive & Park?

Did the car go to sleep with the key card left on the console?

Was the car reachable by the app while in the Autorack?

 

[WheresMyKeys]

I am in Canada. I cannot answer your question. I'm just here to say that as a guy with a family where having your own personal vehicle and all it's kit is a huge plus this service looks awesome. I'd be all over that service, seems pretty awesome.

 

[Pianewman]

HAHAHA! I'm the opposite. I NEVER let anyone drive my cars, even relatives.
I've watched cars being clumsily loaded/unloaded on the Amtrak Auto Train. That taught me that it's a service I won't ever use.

 

[WheresMyKeys]

I just mean to be able to take your car across country with you without having drive the whole thing yourself

 

[GtiMart]

You can try leaving your card on the console at home and see if it affects sleeping. I would think not. Are you sure it will be left exactly where it needs to be put to get the car to drive? Because leaving it in the cupholders would be a different thing.
The car should be reachable if it has LTE connectivity so I guess it depends where you are on the trip?

 

[bluenycom]

Has anyone taken their Tesla on the Amtrak Auto Train? Done it with my S2000 way before Tesla even existed. Good experience

Did the drivers know how to shift into Drive & Park? Tesla is not that rare now. It would be unusual if they don't know.

Did the car go to sleep with the key card left on the console? Key card is passive NFC device (no internal power). The only way your car "knows" that the key is there is when you put it near the sensors (center console, driver's b pillar).

Was the car reachable by the app while in the Autorack? As long as there is data then yes.

 

[joelkfla]

You can try leaving your card on the console at home and see if it affects sleeping. I would think not. Are you sure it will be left exactly where it needs to be put to get the car to drive? Because leaving it in the cupholders would be a different thing.
The car should be reachable if it has LTE connectivity so I guess it depends where you are on the trip?

I don't know, but I assume the drivers just leave the keys in the ignition, and would probably do the same with a key card. Maybe I'm wrong, and they know enough to move it to the cupholder and back to the transmitter area upon arrival.

I'm wondering whether the steel shells of the Autoracks would block cell phone reception. There are no windows as there are on passenger cars.

 

[DanDi58]

I don't know, but I assume the drivers just leave the keys in the ignition, and would probably do the same with a key card. Maybe I'm wrong, and they know enough to move it to the cupholder and back to the transmitter area upon arrival.

I'm wondering whether the steel shells of the Autoracks would block cell phone reception. There are no windows as there are on passenger cars.

I suspect yours won't be the first Tesla they have encountered. I also think that if the key card is moved to another location (cup holder, phone charger) it will allow the car to sleep. It has to be in a specific location on the console to work. Not sure about the app, but I've had mine work while the car is in an underground parking garage in NYC.