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Unfortunatly #2 lost 12 hours and he will miss his connection to #1 they will probably make him get off Deming to catch #1. Again UP has taken another rail friend meet away from me!!
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If Sunset was daily, he could stay the night. What were they thinking when they made sunset tri-weekly.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Actually, the tri-weekly Sunset frequency pre-dated Amtrak. The SP adopted such during 1969, in which they "struck a deal' with the Interstate Commerce Commission, whereby in exchange for reducing frequency to tri-weekly, they would restore Sleeper and Diner service to the train.
Riding such during December 1970 NO-El Paso, I think the SP lived up to their side of the bargain. I have long thought the SP took a "bum rap' on their latter day passenger operations, and my experience on this ride was indicative of such.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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This was the worst train ride I've been on. I was orginally scheduled to ride from Los Angeles to El Paso yesterday (Jan. 27), and make a same-day turnaround in El Paso, and take #1 back to LA. We arrived into Pomona at 5:50PM, and Ontario at 6PM. We sat in the Ontario station until 7:45, waiting for 4 westbounds! Even some of our crew went to eat at a local restaurant while we idled at Ontario.
I went to bed while we sat in a siding west of Beaumont (California). We were waiting for 5 trains to pass us. Apparently our crew died at Thermal, and Amtrak drove the replacement crew from Yuma to Thermal-that took about 3-4 hours. Then when the crew was relieved, we had to wait for 3 eastbounds to pass us before we could move.
This all happened while I was asleep. I got this info from the engineer who was supposed to take us to El Paso, but died at Maricopa. He was deadheading on the train to El Paso. We arrived into Yuma at 8:15AM, 12 hours late!!!
As time went on I knew we weren't going to make up time, so I went and talked to the conductor. I explained that I was making a same-day turnaround in El Paso, and was taking this trip just for the train ride, so I'd rather ride #1 back rather than ride to El Paso and get bussed back to Los Angeles. The best option for me was when we were going to meet #1 at a siding somewhere, I could just transfer between the trains. He said I couldn't do that because of safety concerns. He said the best thing to do is get off at Tucson, and catch #1 at Tucson. The stops between Tucson and El Paso are flag stops. I've seen these stops, and there is little more than an empty dirt lot! No shelter, no restrooms, no one around-not the place to wait for a train at 10 PM!
So that's what I did. I'm now sitting in the nicely restored Tucson train station. The only bad thing is that I will have to get on #1 at 1 AM (if it is on time!)
Sorry SunsetLtd, but I can't make it. I doubt I will be taking this route for at least a year, until after UP finishes their double-tracking and tie replacement.
Posts: 286 | From: Knee deep in the retention tank | Registered: Jan 2006
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Paul's report is analagous to having former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite "turn on" President Johnson and urging withdrawal from the Viet Nam War (I was "over there' when this occurred, BTW). LBJ reportedly once noted that "when I lost Cronkite, I lost the war'.
If even a railfan had "had it', what must the traveling public think?
As for myself, who probably is more an "industry observer' than railfan (I don't take photos, ride just to ride, or wear railfan apparel), I have definitely "reassessed' future use of the LD's. In all likelihood, my next Florida trip will be by auto. If, as part of the trip, I have reason to travel to the Washington or New York area, then I could possibly use Auto Train onward to Florida, where my usual destination is Boca. Otherwise, Amtrak travel is something that will simply have to wait until I have reason to visit the Northeast (travel from Chicago by air or auto) and have occasion to travel away from the New York area on such trip.
Sic transit gloria.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Paul after they finish doubling the tracks, take sunset to this side of Texas. Houston as 14 hours between Friday morning East bound train to Friday night west bound train. The Houston area has 2 rail museums. If Beaumont has a new station, do your turn around here. 10 hours between trains. Downtown Beaumont have every type of restaurant you can imagine;Sea Food Cajun, Mexican, Tex-Mex, take your pick http://www.crockettstreet.com/ Or Lake Charles 7 hour turn around. Which is just enough time to lose all your money at the casinos. I wouldn't go further east than Lake Charles for fear of missing the westbound train.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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No need to give on all the LD's. The SWC and EB still run reliably, and most of the time the CZ. You just have to give up on going where you want to go.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Quite true, Mr. Twin Star; if one simply wishes to take a joyride, then by reviewing this board they could learn that trains operated by the BNSF and CN have a reasonable chance making it over the road more or less on time (I observed #4(27) passing 18.34 @ 245P today; should have made CUS in good shape).
But, if one has specific travel requirements, namely to the New York area and Florida, you are obligated to use trains operated over CSX and NS lines and controlled by their dispatchers, which at present does not forebode a very reliable trip.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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For those who have not been keeping up with the posts at trainfoamers dot com, here is the final update on this all too interesting trip by Paul.: --- Daniel
Finally arrived into LAX (Los Angeles Union Station) at around 6:30PM. Yes, we took the Alhambra Sub as usual (normal route). We then took Metrolink from El Monte to LA.
Posts: 283 | From: Palo Alto,CA | Registered: Jul 2000
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