Amtrak Midnight Auto Train

Liner Notes:

Started late post for the skirmish (write a song in an hour) prompt 'Midnight Train' and song written and recorded in about an hour. The only midnight train ride I took was the Amtrak Auto Train which is about a 20 hour trip (when it is not delayed, that is another story) as described in the song. More and more electric car charging stations are being built (also another story) so the necessity along I-95 in the southeast, at least for our 115 mile range Ford Focus Electric (about 100 at interstate speeds, up to 150 miles at slower speeds on the US highways and in city driving), may disappear in a year or two.

Lyrics:

remove chords
Amtrak Midnight Auto Train

It’s a long drive from Sanford to Reston
840 miles thats two days in our Ford Focus Electric
A lot of small towns and sometimes
It’s over 100 miles between fast charging stations
Thats a long electric drive going slow
But its the only way to go
Along I-95 to the northeast

Chorus
So we take the Amtrak midnight auto train
So we can sleep through the darkness and rain
Cause it’s a long drive in a car
We’re skipping over charging station gaps
I can carry on my guitar
We can put away the map app
For a little while so my brain can relax gazing at the stars
On the Amtrak midnight auto train

Going to visit nieces and nephew in Massachusetts
And a couple of friends in Providence Rhode Island
A lot of big cities along the Atlantic coastline
Only a few miles between charging stations with something to do
Almost 500 more miles on the interstate
No hurry no worries to get there late
Along I-95 to see the changing of the leaves with you
Then we turn around and drive back to Reston

Repeat Chorus

It’s a long long long drive from Fort Myers to Providence
Next time we go we’ll still take the Amtrak midnight auto train

Comments

Good storytelling! You paint a good picture. Love the speaking, and then the singing. Nice!

This is a great story, I feel like I am with you on this journey. Great job with the prompt, very nice skirmish!

Sorry I missed your track earlier. I love the story teller approach with the finger picking guitar. I must try this. The story is so descriptive it’s like watching it unfold on the TV. Brilliant.

Classic American driving song!

But I don't remember them being about electric cars. Seems it's almost patriotic to keep on burning oil.

I'm chuckling here imagining you in the car just leisurely cruising along in the middle of 100mph traffic. Very nice. Very good.

I'm amazed with what you managed to do with a guitar and 60 minutes. It's a nice addition that you show the chords together with your lyrics. This got me curious to try the Amtrak midnight auto train and go between Reston and Sanford.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Amtrak (I’m intimately familiar with the delays you referenced in the liner notes lol). It also reminded me of driving on 95 around Boston when I lived there. You do a really great job of infusing this song with the freewheeling attitude of a Bob Dylan or a Woody Guthrie. In more normal times I’d be inspired to buy a train ticket right now. Nice song!