posted
Well, my wife and I are scheduled in deluxe sleepers on the Sunset Limited starting this week, not once, but twice! Once connecting through Jacksonville to Houston Thursday and again Houston to LA on Monday. Given the recent on-time performance of the Sunset, it looks like we might run into problems.
Any advice from the old hands around here on how to handle the delays for first time train travellers? I mean other than maintaining the best attitude we can.
I was thinking of questions like "what shoud we expect if we're put on busses?" (for example in the areas of meals, frequency of stops, overnight accommodations, ...) and "what happens when a train is really late and you're stuck in the station" (does Amtrak pick up hotel accommodations and meals while you're stuck on a "guaranteed" connection?). And "can we get compensation for a "bad trip"?" (cash instead of vouchers for the sleepers, maybe part of the fare, extra expenses incurred, etc). Anything we should remember to ask for or about if problems arise?
The rest of our planned excursion (Coast Starlight, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Silver Star) looks like it will be great fun and I think we'll be fine with any "normal" delays and missed connections along those routes, but the Sunset has had a particularly rough last few weeks and may be the most "memorable" part of the trip. Any advice from the old hands on what to expect and how to handle/negotiate the smoothest trip possible would be appreciated.
posted
The best advice for a Sunset Limited journey appears to have a mindset of "It's not a ride, it's an adventure".
Considering that the average arrival at destination appears to be 8 hours late, and en route annullments with resulting bustitutions seem to be "part of picture", that if you are not prepared to accept all of these exigencies, I would suggest arranging other transportation. I guarantee you that I certainly would be doing that, as I would "not exactly" be a happy camper if I were rousted at 3AM from my sleeper and were looking at a 500 mile bustitution.
Secondly, I hope that you have not planned a same day connection at LA with the Starlight. All to often, there is bustituting from Palm Springs to Bakersfield, a San Joaquin train to Sacramento, thence boarding the Starlight there. Amtrak has performed the transportation contract with you, as they are not obligated to transport you by the trains on which you have booked space. They are not even obligated to transport you by train and then regardless of what means are used, they are only obligated to transport you with "reasonable dispatch". If you are "rousted" from your sleeping accomodations en route, then I believe they are obligated to make an adjustment to your accomodation charges.
But then, there always is a "trackside lawyer" out there who has different ideas about what I have just set forth.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Although I prefer Mr. Norman's wording, here is the gospel from Amtrak:
"Amtrak's fares, time schedules, equipment, routing, services and accessibility information are not guaranteed, are subject to change without notice, and form no part of the contract between Amtrak and a passenger. Amtrak reserves the right to change its policies without notice. Amtrak disclaims liability for inconvenience, expense, or damage resulting from errors in its timetable, shortages of equipment, or delayed trains, except when such a delay causes a passenger to miss a guaranteed connection. When a guaranteed connection is missed, Amtrak will provide alternate transportation on Amtrak, another carrier, or overnight hotel accommodations at Amtrak's discretion. "
Posts: 363 | From: Southwest North Central Florida | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Based on previous recommendations here and elsewhere, we did change our original "guaranteed" connection from the Sunset to the Starlight to include a scheduled 28-hour layover. At the time, that seemed to be plenty!
Other than the 3am wakeup call, I _think_ we're prepared for the likely contingencies - we've got a couple of days extra time before we need to be at our destination in California, we've packed a snack or two, extra reading material, etc, but I suspect something will come up that we haven't anticipated anyway.
I guess we're going to try it anyway, though we may revisit the issue while we laying over in Houston - I suppose if the situation hasn't begun to sort itself out by next week (ever the optimist), we can look at switching to a plane from Houston to LA.
Thanks for the policy info. Does Amtrak usually adhere to the letter of their policy or do they usually cut the passengers some slack? For example, if our "guaranteed" connection in Jacksonville winds up being overnight, do they put us up somewhere or is it "have a nice night in the station" as far as they are concerned?
Jon
[This message has been edited by geojon (edited 08-03-2004).]
[This message has been edited by geojon (edited 08-03-2004).]
posted
I went back and reviewed your originating message, Mr. Jon, and note that rather than originating in Jacksonville as I surmised, you are originating at "point unknown" on "train unknown' and connecting to the Sunset at JAX.
Even if "train unknown' is the "Meteor" #97, scheduled to arrive JAX at 1210P, and it is late, the 530P Sunset departure should still be safe. I think more people than not will tell you that Amtrak will "go many more miles' to "look out for you" than will an airline, especially Sleeper when things go wrong. The liklihood of a night at "Camp Clifford Lane" is pretty remote.
You are indeed wise to have scheduled a 28hour overnight layover in LA. As I previously noted, Amtrak has performed their transportation contract with repsect to reasonable dispatch if they "bustituted/San Joaquined' you "up the Valley" with their efficient "from anywhere in the LA Basin" to "anywhere in Northern California (they even have a bus connection to Eureka - look at a map if need be to resolve any "huhs")" bus/rail service. You would get there, but you would be deprived of the Starlight's on-board amenities, and the magnificient Coast Line scenery.
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 08-03-2004).]
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I've been following it's performance since last March when I booked a Guest Rewards deluxe sleeper trip for September from Arizona to Glacier Park on trains #1-#14-#28.
I've given up any hope of taking that train, booked airline tickets, and I'm gonna throw away the TUS-LAX tickets.
Gone are the days when the SL's "normal" delay was only 2-3 hours. I read that the average delayd arrival at LAX in June was 6+ hours. Just one train last month is gonna add 4 hours to the average for July!
This morning, checking the status of the westbound SL I get the ol' "Due to a service disruption, we are unable to provide......" message.
According to an article in the New York Times a couple of months ago the situation on the disfunctional Union Pacific Railroad is going to get worse in the late summer and fall as the multitude of containers from Santa's elves in Asia make their way to the malls across America.
posted
We are originating from Columbia and arriving at Jacksonville on #91 in the early hours just before 8am, so any reasonable delay on #91 wouldn't be a problem. I was worried about an unexpected stay in "Camp Clifford Lane" (LOL), so I appreciate the reassurances.
We figure with the long layover in Jacksonville, we'll have most of the day to do something besides hang around the train station. Maybe we'll visit the zoo or find a park to walk around in.
Thanks for the comments. When we get back, I'll post to let you know how the whole trip went.
Possibly what follows is "verboten' and accordingly could be killed by this Forum's Moderator, but here is a link to another rail forum at which Membership has an annual dues assessment.
I think you should be mindful that even though "Clifford Lane" has an idyllic "ring" to it, be assured there is "nothing" around it. Venturing outside its fenced "compound" should only be done with caution. However, you will find that Jacksonville "proper" is an attractive city and as an aside, is the largest city in Florida (they annexed most of Duval County). Further, Jacksonville will host Super Bowl XXXVIV (39, think I got it right). That crowd does "not exactly" frequent "dumps".
I think you are prepared to approach your Sunset journey in "adventure mode", 91-JAX-1 has got to be safe, and you wisely scheduled a next day departure from LA on #14.
Enjoy!!!!
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 08-03-2004).]
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by geojon: Thanks for the policy info. Does Amtrak usually adhere to the letter of their policy or do they usually cut the passengers some slack? For example, if our "guaranteed" connection in Jacksonville winds up being overnight, do they put us up somewhere or is it "have a nice night in the station" as far as they are concerned?
I've heard different stories, and it depends on a number of things... including, perhaps, the ticket agent that you talk to. One lady I talked to on the train was booked in a sleeper and missed her Chicago connection (west to east). Assuming what she told me was accurate, Amtrak offered to fly her United. When she refused, they put her up in a medium-to-upscale hotel, provided her with spending money for food during the overnight stay, and booked her on the next day's eastbound train. Now that's not too shabby... but I have a feeling that it's the exception and not the norm.
posted
Well, maybe we won't get to find out how Amtrak handles failed guaranteed connections, at least on the first leg of this trip.
At least it looks like the Sunset Limited is going to make it to Florida this time, though about 12 hours late at the moment. Hopefully the turnaround will be fairly quick and can get us to Houston on Friday night or Saturday within 12 hours or so of the planned schedule.
If I can get to a computer somewhere along the week, I'll post how the first leg went here. Otherwise, I'll let y'all know how we did when we get back home again towards the end of the month.
The challenge will be next week when we are taking the Sunset Limited (again) from Houston to LA. Hopefully we'll make it past Tucson next week!
posted
The westbound Sunset limited is about 12 hours late too, looks like 12 hours late is as good as it gets these days.
Posts: 71 | Registered: Apr 2003
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