# Service disruption on the Southwest Chief



## eee (Jun 24, 2010)

Any idea what happened to the Southwest Chief? No. 4 (22) is showing a service disruption.

I'm gonna be boarding 4 at Newton next week, so I'm a bit nervous. Don't want to get stuck on a bus from Newton to Chicago. It looks like 4 won't be arriving in Newton tonight, nor tomorrow night.


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## Trogdor (Jun 24, 2010)

"Service Disruptions" of that sort rarely last more than a day or two.


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## printman2000 (Jun 24, 2010)

It has been reported that tracks have been washed out East of Lamy, NM and that the SWC will reroute via Amarillo for several days.

Being in Amarillo, this would usually make me happy to see Amtrak here. However, we are scheduled to be getting on #3 in Lamy on Saturday (6/26). Looks like we may have to be bused to Albuquerque.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2010)

Please keep us posted as you get info, lots of members have plans to ride this route this summer including me, hope yall avoid the bustitution! (Perhaps they will end up moving the Chief so it runs through Amarillo, not much scenery but convient for you! :lol: )


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## MikeM (Jun 24, 2010)

Figures. I was supposed to ride the train from Newton to Chicago Friday, return Sunday. Per amtrak reservations, there was a washout near Las Vegas, and will take three days to restore the bridge that washed out due to storm, per Amtrak. Five buses have been ordered, to handle train 4 Friday, pick up normal stops and times. Glad someone posted this or else I'd have been sitting in Newton surprised to see a Greyhound in my future. Would have been nice if they'd sent an email or something out to flag there was a disruption, don't they do that (they have my email through Amtrak Rewards). On hold now trying to find out what's happening, when the train will flip, etc.


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## MikeM (Jun 24, 2010)

Another update... just finished with Amtrak reservations. Bus substitution will be between Albuquerque and Newton, with five buses running between all those locations. I'm getting confusing info, the operator was saying when she came back on the line that there was a mud slide that blocked the tracks. EB delay could run to 4am, not sure how they handle remaking all the bedrooms on the fly in the middle of the night, and if the delay in departure is to allow time to make beds and such or if the bus transit is slower than the train. Anyhow, it'll be a night that the on board team, particularly in sleepers, will be earning their pay tonight! BNSF started repairs yesterday, so the current thinking is that things will be back in place by Sunday / Monday.


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 24, 2010)

Did some test bookings CHI-LAX and LAX-CHI. Both of todays Chiefs (#3/#4)are shown as SOLD OUT), there are partial routings on the TE/SSL through SAS(sleepers SOLD OUT) and the last option is CHI-LAX vis PDX on #27/#11 with all sleepers SOLD OUT! It will be interesting to see when service is restored, as the OP said why bustitite when the Chiefs could be routed on the Transcon through Amarillo to ABQ to/from LAX??? :blink:


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## printman2000 (Jun 24, 2010)

From what I have heard the train will be rerouted through Amarillo. However, they have to bus people to all the stations in between Newton and Albuquerque.


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## MikeM (Jun 24, 2010)

jimhudson said:


> Did some test bookings CHI-LAX and LAX-CHI. Both of todays Chiefs (#3/#4)are shown as SOLD OUT), there are partial routings on the TE/SSL through SAS(sleepers SOLD OUT) and the last option is CHI-LAX vis PDX on #27/#11 with all sleepers SOLD OUT! It will be interesting to see when service is restored, as the OP said why bustitite when the Chiefs could be routed on the Transcon through Amarillo to ABQ to/from LAX??? :blink:


FWIW, I was checking bookings on Friday morning's train, and it had coach sold out on Wednesday morning, and only one family room available for the eastbound segment. Westbound on Sunday still had upper level coach and two sleepers. Full train! I've seen sleepers booked, but it's been a while (or maybe I haven't been looking) for Coach to be sold out.


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## printman2000 (Jun 24, 2010)

Talked to a local BNSF engineer who spoke with a local trainmaster. He said Amtrak came through here (Amarillo) at 11:00 last night (Wednesday, June 23, 2010) and that another one is not on their schedule to come through.

I suppose the trainmaster's info could be wrong or not updated, but I sure hope it is correct and the problem is getting fixed quickly.


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## printman2000 (Jun 24, 2010)

On another forum, someone saying they are on #3(24) was informed of a "bus bridge" from La Junta to Albuquerque. I assume that means stopping the train in La Junta, putting everyone on buses and getting back on the train in Albuquerque.

That does not make any sense to me. Every other time something like this has happened, they rerouted on the transcon. Course, this could also explain why they are not on the schedule to come through here.

I am wondering what happened to #3(23). Perhaps they made it through before it happened.


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## MikeM (Jun 24, 2010)

My understanding is that they are running buses between Albuquerque and Newton - but the agent didn't know if they were running the train around or just turning it in Newton. They did say they think the departure could be 4am, so two hours late approximately. Would that be enough extra time to make it through the Transcon, or is that just enough to remake beds and tidy / turn the train? Be interesting to see, first time I've experienced this sort of thing.


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## kspeed55 (Jun 24, 2010)

I am travelling on 4 tomorrow and just called Amtrak. The agent told me that I would be bussed from Lamy to La Junta so I assume the trains will be turned at Albuquerque and La Junta.


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## eee (Jun 24, 2010)

So the train from Newton to Chicago would still be running, just maybe late? Why would Amtrak's train status show service disruption, even though service isn't disrupted from Newton to Chicago?


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## Devil's Advocate (Jun 24, 2010)

MikeM said:


> FWIW, I was checking bookings on Friday morning's train, and it had coach sold out on Wednesday morning, and only one family room available for the eastbound segment. Westbound on Sunday still had upper level coach and two sleepers. Full train! I've seen sleepers booked, but it's been a while (or maybe I haven't been looking) for Coach to be sold out.


Yeah, some trains appear to be very full these days. In another thread I mentioned that in SAS a man in front of me was trying to buy a coach ticket and was told nothing was available for the next _week_. Of course I have no idea if it was just a few segments that were sold out or the whole route. Still kind of amazing though. Sleepers I expect to be iffy, but coach class is rarely completely full. On a ride back home from AUS on the Eagle I had a neighbor in coach tell me the the train was completely full until they reached Dallas. Not a single solitary seat that she could take to get away from a heavy snorer all day and night. Weird. On my trip to ELP on the Sunset Limited a couple weeks ago the coach seats were nearly full from the looks of it. Much larger numbers of folks at the stations than I'm used to as well. Seemed half the town in Alpine was at the depot. Maybe Amtrak could renovate _that_ building since it's apparently playing host to a substantial number of riders, especially relative to the size of the town. In any case we might be looking at a continued upswing in traffic for 2010. Just imagine if Amtrak was able to run more trains or add-on a few cars to current trains. Would have been nice.


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## eee (Jun 24, 2010)

No. 4 (22) is showing an arrival into Chicago 15-plus hours late. But the date for said arrival is 6:38am Thursday, which would be many hours early, not late. I guess this just means the status tracker is all screwed up.


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

From what I have read, only one train, #4(22) detoured via Amarillo Wednesday night. Trains departing on the 23rd and 24th will be bus bridged between La Junta and Albuquerque. Supposedly, 3(25) & 4(25) will be back to normal operation.


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

Just got an automated call saying my train #3(25) will get bused between La Junta and Albuquerque.

For me and my family it means about 1.5 hour bus ride from Lamy to Albuquerque. Not too bad, but we will miss one of my favorite things. Waiting on the train to arrive.


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## Rafi (Jun 25, 2010)

I'm hearing that the track is going to be out for at least a week at this point. Wish I could ride that detour! 

Rafi


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## CNW (Jun 25, 2010)

printman2000 said:


> On another forum, someone saying they are on #3(24) was informed of a "bus bridge" from La Junta to Albuquerque. I assume that means stopping the train in La Junta, putting everyone on buses and getting back on the train in Albuquerque.
> 
> That does not make any sense to me. Every other time something like this has happened, they rerouted on the transcon. Course, this could also explain why they are not on the schedule to come through here.
> 
> I am wondering what happened to #3(23). Perhaps they made it through before it happened.


What is meant by the "transcon"


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

CNW said:


> What is meant by the "transcon"


Short for transcontinental. It is BNSF's main East/West rail line.


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## stan ames (Jun 25, 2010)

Just got a call for the June 28 (which means the 29 in that area) that we will be bussed from Raton to Alb. And it will not delay the train getting in to LA.

Me thinks that is a tad optimistic.

Stan Ames


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

stan ames said:


> Just got a call for the June 28 (which means the 29 in that area) that we will be bussed from Raton to Alb. And it will not delay the train getting in to LA.
> 
> Me thinks that is a tad optimistic.
> 
> Stan Ames


Probably will be on time into LA. Typically buses get places faster than the train.


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## MikeM (Jun 25, 2010)

Train 4 arriving today in Chicago was about an hour late into Newton. Arrived 15 minutes late into Chicago, made up most of the time in the final two stops (can anyone say "padding"?). Crew told me that they turned #3 at La Junta last night, did a bus bridge from Alb. Crew is LA based, they are flying a replacement crew to Chicago for the next run, and the crew that brought this train in got to fly home either tonight or tomorrow. Trip was relatively uneventful, but crowded as heck. Insufficient seating in coach, they were accommodating many in the lounge. PA announcement coming into Kansas City apologized to coach passengers, noted one coach had malfunctioning AC, another had malfunctioning toilets. Diner didn't have enough food for breakfast - when I ate at 8, they only had scrambled eggs, and egg sandwich with cheese. They cancelled serving breakfast about 8:30 or thereabouts as they ran out of food. Lunch was fine, as the dining car attendant indicated they'd skipped serving a lunch the prior day. Everyone ran out of Ice by La Plata, not sure how that happened, but it did. (I thought they restocked Ice each day?). Oh well, at least we made it in on time, but I feel for the coach passengers, they seem to have caught the roughest part of it.


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

Read on another site that #3 left Chicago four hours late. While that is not my actual trainset, it is my train and we have to wait in Albuquerque for the buses to arrive. Guess a late departure is likely.


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## MikeM (Jun 25, 2010)

printman2000 said:


> Read on another site that #3 left Chicago four hours late. While that is not my actual trainset, it is my train and we have to wait in Albuquerque for the buses to arrive. Guess a late departure is likely.


If the train and you are both there together, I wonder if they'd let you board early rather than camp in the station? Are you in a sleeper or coach?


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## printman2000 (Jun 25, 2010)

MikeM said:


> printman2000 said:
> 
> 
> > Read on another site that #3 left Chicago four hours late. While that is not my actual trainset, it is my train and we have to wait in Albuquerque for the buses to arrive. Guess a late departure is likely.
> ...


We are in sleeper. I wondered the same thing. I doubt they will let us on too early, though.


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## Doug (Jun 25, 2010)

The train is bus-bridged between ABQ and La Junta.

No. 4 was stalled in Las Vegas, NM, south of where the washout is near Onava, N.M., for several hours Wednesday.

That train was reversed to ABQ.

No. 3 made it through earlier in the day without fail.

When I drove through LaJunta, Amtrak was there loading for departure Thurs. eve. No. 4 was no longer stationed at Las Vegas.

The washout looked like several 100 feet of ballast washed out from the tracks along I-25 about 21 miles north of Las Vegas.


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## The Chief (Jun 26, 2010)

This from a friend of mine in New Mexico:

On the BNSF Northern District there have been two extremely serious

washouts in the vicinity of Las Vegas (MP 770.1). The first washout

occurred near Onava (MP 759.5) and washed out trackage between MP 757.5

and 758.0. The second and most destructive washout occurred between

Chapelle (MP 788.8) and Blanchard (MP 793.6.) Trackage in addition to

hillside is washed out between MP 791.1 (near Bernal) and MP 792.0.

For now Amtrak will terminate its trains at Albuquerque and La Junta, CO

and use buses between those stations. This will continue until at least

7-1-10. As far as I know only one eastbound Amtrak #4 was rerouted via

Belen and Amarillo on 6-24-10.


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## printman2000 (Jun 26, 2010)

Here is the latest. We are now in Albuquerqe waiting to leave. Got a call from Amtrak while traveling here saying no service at all to Lamy. Had to come here.

Because #3 was delayed leaving Chicago, we are not scheduled to leave here until 7:00.

We got here around 12:00 and #4 was already here and unloaded. It is now getting fueled. I assume they will go wye it sometime soon but I guess they could wait until we depart. That would not be smart since we will already be running late.


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## printman2000 (Jun 26, 2010)

Update.

They pulled the train out of the station at 1:15 to go wye it. It did not show back up at the station turned around until 4:00.

They let us board the train at 4:30 and they are serving dinner to people on board at 5:30 & 6:00. The buses from La Junta are way behind and we are not expected to leave until 8:30.

Right now we are the only ones in our sleeper so there must be lots of people coming on the buses. It is liable to be madhouse when they arrive.


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## printman2000 (Jun 26, 2010)

Finally pulled out of Albuquerque at 8:02pm.


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## eee (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for all the updates. Information seems to be scarce. Amtrak's website seems to show "service disruption" in lieu of any actual details. Like tonight it won't show whether #4 has passed through Garden City or is expected in Newton. Hopefully my trip from Newton to Chicago on Thursday won't be adversely impacted. Guess I'll be calling Amtrak frequently as my trip approaches, since the status tracker on the website is hit or miss.


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 27, 2010)

the reason amtraks website says service disruption is it gets its info from a computer. if a train let says bypasses a station for some reason and the computer doesn't get a time for that location it forgets where the train is at and puts service disruption.


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## MikeM (Jun 27, 2010)

Just checked this morning, I'm on tonight's #3 to Newton... getting the service disruption message. Be interesting to see if it's another monumental delay like last night, saw yesterday's #3 hit Newton at 7am. Really wouldn't break my heart though, getting a full night's sleep isn't that bad of an option...


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## printman2000 (Jun 27, 2010)

eee said:


> Thanks for all the updates. Information seems to be scarce. Amtrak's website seems to show "service disruption" in lieu of any actual details. Like tonight it won't show whether #4 has passed through Garden City or is expected in Newton. Hopefully my trip from Newton to Chicago on Thursday won't be adversely impacted. Guess I'll be calling Amtrak frequently as my trip approaches, since the status tracker on the website is hit or miss.


You should be good to go. The only thing that would effect you is if #4 is late into Albuquerque which would make the buses late.


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## printman2000 (Jun 27, 2010)

Our latest problem.

Our Surfliner train is being stopped in Irvine and we will change to a bus. Apparently they are not offering checked baggage like normal. However Albuquerque checked our bags through to San Diego. Not sure what is going to happen with them.

We will be at LA Union Station from 10:30 till 12:25 if anyone is going to be around.


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## Bob Dylan (Jun 27, 2010)

printman2000 said:


> Our latest problem.
> 
> Our Surfliner train is being stopped in Irvine and we will change to a bus. Apparently they are not offering checked baggage like normal. However Albuquerque checked our bags through to San Diego. Not sure what is going to happen with them.
> 
> We will be at LA Union Station from 10:30 till 12:25 if anyone is going to be around.


Craig: They might take the bags off in LAX,(Irvine doesnt have checked baggage) check with Amtrak and the baggage room in LAX! Wouldnt hurt to visit the Info booth there in LAX if noone has any answers! :help: Perhaps theyll have the luggage by the busses like they do on other thruway/bustitution situations??Good luck, let us know what happens! :unsure: Jim


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## printman2000 (Jun 28, 2010)

jimhudson said:


> printman2000 said:
> 
> 
> > Our latest problem.
> ...


When we were trading out tickets for a later Surfliner, I told them about my bags being checked through to San Diego. The made some calls and they showed up in baggage claim for us to haul.


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## eee (Jun 28, 2010)

#4 arrived into Chicago 4:32 late yesterday, at 7:42pm. The #4 train scheduled for arrival into Chicago today still shows a service disruption. Anybody know if/how late the train is running today?


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## MikeM (Jun 28, 2010)

Yesterday's #3 left Chicago on time, but was about 30 minutes late into KC and Newton. Train crews are being flown into Chicago from LA to staff the train, they're staying with it when it turns at LaJunta. The sleeper attendant I was with told me that they had one washout fixed, but another section washed out, this time west of Las Vegas, so that was the delay in service now. Crews seem to be taking it in stride, our sleeper attendant did a nice job of going room to room explaining what was happening, how Amtrak was handling it, etc. Much better than the 1-800 number seems to be managing information.


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## Kim (Jun 28, 2010)

Just confirmed that they are busing folks on the #4 from Albuquerque to Lamy today. They said passengers will arrive at the scheduled time, just on a bus.


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## eee (Jun 28, 2010)

amtrakwolverine said:


> the reason amtraks website says service disruption is it gets its info from a computer. if a train let says bypasses a station for some reason and the computer doesn't get a time for that location it forgets where the train is at and puts service disruption.


I guess someone at Amtrak has to manually override this service disruption message at some point when the train resumes making stops on the other side of the washed out area???

I've been able to track #4 on previous days, but today, 35 minutes before its scheduled arrival into Chicago, it's still showing service disruption.


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## Tony (Jun 29, 2010)

I was scheduled to take No.3 to Raton next week, but the washout helped me to change my mind, am now booked on train 5 into Glenwood Springs.

The question I have is whether its possible to take a bike to Raton during the summer months. I understand the station is staffed, yet no checked baggage? Huh? Someone please explain to me what the heck is someone to do if they want to bring a bike to Raton.

Thank you for your time.


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## RTOlson (Jun 29, 2010)

You may be out of luck taking the bike on Amtrak because of the lack of baggage service. BTW, the Raton station is only staffed during the summer. I'm guessing that the seasonal nature of staffing makes checking baggage unlikely, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

I don't know if anyone here has done it (I haven't), but Greyhound offers Package Express to its Raton station (575-445-9071). It is at Greyhound's main station instead of Greyhound's bus stop at the Amtrak station. They are 1.6 miles away (about a 32-minute walk as Google Maps flies).

I've done pricing before for Package Express, and it doesn't seem like a horribly expensive way to ship items. In the best-case scenario, your bike arrives on a bus, but you get to take the train!


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## Tony (Jun 29, 2010)

RTOlson, thank you for the reply. At this time we switched our itinerary to GSprings instead. I am going to miss Raton, but that's just the way it goes.

I will try package express per your suggestion next time, my only worry is that the bike will be a bit large to put underneath the bus.

Further adding to this, I wanted originally take the SW CHief to Raton, then get the Motorcoach Thruway service to DEnver to catch number 5, but I wasn't able to get a definitive answer on whether the bus would take a bike or not.

Thanks again for your quick reply, it is appreciated.


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## gwbischoff (Jun 29, 2010)

I was on #3 on Saturday. All ran pretty smoothly. Detrained in Raton. Bussed to Albuquerque. Made it into LAX about 10 min early Monday morning.

The bus ride was a little hairy due to the torrential thunderstorms coming through the mountains near Lamy/Santa Fe. Including enough hail to make the ground look like it was snowing!

I'm guessing the rough weather has something to do with the disruptions today. It was ugly. The train ride itself was pretty uneventful, thankfully.


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## MikefromCrete (Jun 29, 2010)

I wonder if this bus bridge, instead of rerouting the SWC over the Transcon, is BNSF's way of saying they want the SWC to stay on its present route and off the Transcon.


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## Guest (Jun 29, 2010)

MikefromCrete said:


> I wonder if this bus bridge, instead of rerouting the SWC over the Transcon, is BNSF's way of saying they want the SWC to stay on its present route and off the Transcon.


Excellent post, I know BNSF treats Amtrak lots better than UP but if New mexico actually has bought the raton area trackage who is going to pay to run only 2 trains a day, I dont think New Mexico or Amtrak has the money to maintain/improve this route! :unsure:


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## MikeM (Jun 29, 2010)

Guest said:


> MikefromCrete said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if this bus bridge, instead of rerouting the SWC over the Transcon, is BNSF's way of saying they want the SWC to stay on its present route and off the Transcon.
> ...


Trains magazine newswire now reporting Amtrak and BNSF are planning to have the Raton route reopened by Thursday. The article also mentions that BNSF has "offered to negotiate with Amtrak to reroute the Chief over what's currently the freight route via Clovis, N.M., an offer Amtrak hasn't accepted yet.", which reads like an opening to Amtrak off this route and abandon / downgrade it. Yikes!


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## Guest (Jun 29, 2010)

Guest said:


> Excellent post, I know BNSF treats Amtrak lots better than UP but if New mexico actually has bought the raton area trackage who is going to pay to run only 2 trains a day, I dont think New Mexico or Amtrak has the money to maintain/improve this route! :unsure:


New Mexico only owns the track up to Lamy. To the east (or northeast) of there, it's still BNSF-owned. New Mexico had planned to buy the remainder of the track, but the deal was never finalized.

IMO, the Newton-Albuquerque portion of the Amtrak network is the most endangered at the present time. I just can't see BNSF continuing to maintain track in the long term between Lamy and Trinidad solely for the benefit of Amtrak. The situation might be different if there were businesses that BNSF could serve along this stretch of track, but there are none right now and little hope of any popping up in the future.


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## printman2000 (Jun 30, 2010)

Guest said:


> MikefromCrete said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if this bus bridge, instead of rerouting the SWC over the Transcon, is BNSF's way of saying they want the SWC to stay on its present route and off the Transcon.
> ...


I had been contemplating the question as well, though I figured it was Amtrak who wants to keep the current route. It was reported that BNSF approached Amtrak about a reroute. So I was wondering if Amtrak did not want to do the reroute cause it might show everyone how well it could work.

Course, I don't know anything. I am just spitballing.


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## MikeM (Jun 30, 2010)

printman2000 said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > MikefromCrete said:
> ...


One other thought I had this weekend, when admiring the hordes of boy scouts headed to camp, is what impact it would have on ridership, both on this train and connecting trains, if Amtrak no longer served the Boy Scout camp in the summer? There has to be at least a coach full of scouts on both legs of my trip this last weekend, and that's pretty consistent with last year's trip on this line in the summer. If you reroute the train, say farewell to all that business, not to mention a long time tradition.

As a side note, at the Amtrak Town Hall, I specifically asked Boardman if there were plans to reroute to the Transcon given Amtrak was the only train on much of the northern route. All I got was a stare and comment of "I haven't heard anything about that". To the extent BNSF likes Amtrak off the Transcon, vs. Amtrak likes the northern route with less congestion and business, I don't think Amtrak is actively seeking out a reroute.


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## printman2000 (Jul 3, 2010)

Just FYI, Friday (July 2) both #3 & 4 successfully got through the repaired track. So the bus bridge is over.


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## teacherkay (Jul 7, 2010)

printman2000 said:


> Just FYI, Friday (July 2) both #3 & 4 successfully got through the repaired track. So the bus bridge is over.



thanks for the update!


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