I am taking the Amtrak autotrain in September. I drive up to the train and leave the keys in the car so that the attendant can drive the car onto the train. Then the next morning the attendant drives the car off the train (hopefully, the keys are still in the car). All told the keys remain in the car for about 20+ hours and the car is not running during that time. My question is, will leaving the keys in a car over night be harmful, i.e. draining the battery, etc?
My wife and I took the AutoTrain with our new Gen III last October and didn't encounter a problem. At the time I was quite worried about the battery because there had been a number of alarming posts about leaving the key in the car for any length of time. I was told to make sure all accessories were turned off before turning the car over to the Amtrak employees. We had no problem once we and the car reached Sanford, FL.
Wow, what a cool concept! They should be offering that service between SF and LA here in CA. Fact is, ALL passenger trains should offer 'Autotrain', it really makes sense in this day and age. You're lucky to hve that available to you and I'm sure it'll work out fine. Hve fun!
We don't have an Autotrain. What we have is a car ferry. A coal fired, steam powered car ferry. The concept is the same, including leaving your keys with the attendant. My wife and I went to bed in our stateroom. The next morning the ferry was part way across the lake, with our Prius safely tucked inside. Tom
