Coast Starlight train 11 service disruption Nov 1

[jazzharris]

Engine hit a boulder on the track north of Redding. I wouldn't have known except my partner called me, having my old phone where they texted the alert (my AGR profile shows my current phone, why didn't they text THAT number??? I got the message on my computer which I had to unpack to see).

I'm supposed to get on the Sunset Limited tonight. What do I do from here (San Jose)? Do I go to the station anyway and see if there is alternate transportation to LAX?

 

[B&Ofan]

If you are signed up to get alerts and do not get one, go to the station as scheduled. Either they will have alternate transportation or the issuer was cleared up/ If you do not get alerts, check the status of your train to find out what is going on.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Engine hit a boulder on the track north of Redding. I wouldn't have known except my partner called me, having my old phone where they texted the alert (my AGR profile shows my current phone, why didn't they text THAT number??? I got the message on my computer which I had to unpack to see).

I'm supposed to get on the Sunset Limited tonight. What do I do from here (San Jose)? Do I go to the station anyway and see if there is alternate transportation to LAX?

If timing is right, you might be able to bus/San Joaquin/bus to LAX. Call Amtrak to see if this is viable

 

[B&Ofan]

Just checked the status:
AmtrakAlertsService Resumption: As of 8:04 AM PT, Train 11 has resumed service and is currently operating approximately 5hrs 10mins late. We sincerely apologize for the delay and we thank you for your patience.
It also shows that as of now they expect to be 1 hour 38 min. late into LAX

 

[Brian Battuello]

Looks like they are running and hope to make up some time. This is from the Train Status on the Amtrak home page. Looks like the Sunset is scheduled to leave on time at 10:00pm

B&O jumped in with the same info. If I were you, I'd go ahead and get on the Coast Starlight and hope that they hold the Sunset for you. It wouldn't hurt to ask a conductor if they can do
that.

Just for future reference, planning a 49 minute connection anywhere on Amtrak isn't the greatest idea. I usually get a hotel for a night and do some local sightseeing.

 

[TinCan782]

Amtrak also occasionally buses connecting passengers from Santa Barbara (or perhaps Oxnard) to Pomona/Ontario to make the connection.
Besides timing, that would also depend on how many passengers are expecting (guaranteed) to make the connection.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Looked it up, Amtrak doesn't guarantee connections of less than 60 minutes. And that's generous, long distance trains are often 2-3 hours late, despite huge padding in the schedule.

Just curious, were you able to make the booking with a single reservation, or did you need to split it into two? IIRC, even with the 60 minute rule, Amtrak won't guarantee a connection unless both legs are in the same reservation.

 

[zephyr17]

If you have not received an email from Amtrak with a modification, call them immediately.

It is a guaranteed connection, so Amtrak should be notifying you and may well already have a plan in the works for you. If you decide to fly, Amtrak will not reimburse you for that.

As of right now, 11:15 am PT, there is no alternate routing that will get you there in time. The last one that could have was a bus to Stockton to catch a San Joaquin that left at 11:00 am.

Amtrak doesn't like to lay passengers over for a missed 11-2 connection since it involves at least two hotel nights and usually doesn't. They will often bustitute connecting passengers between Oxnard and Ontario or Palm Springs to "cut the corner", but the Starlight appears late enough that even that's iffy. As of now, the estimated time at Oxnard is 9:46 pm. The Sunset is scheduled out of Palm Springs at 12:36 pm and it is about 170 miles from Oxnard, so a bus leaving at 10 pm couldn't get there until 1 am. Amtrak could hold the Sunset there for buses, since it has a station siding and a 30/40 minute delay is not outrageous.

Finally, in a potential misconnect situation it is always best to be proactive once the potential for it becomes clear. That means calling Amtrak and getting what their plan is for your reservation if they have not otherwise notified you. Being proactive does not mean posting here!. All we can do is make educated guesses. Let us know afterwards after having your status and revised plans clarified with Amtrak.

 

[zephyr17]

Looked it up, Amtrak doesn't guarantee connections of less than 60 minutes. And that's generous, long distance trains are often 2-3 hours late, despite huge padding in the schedule.

Just curious, were you able to make the booking with a single reservation, or did you need to split it into two? IIRC, even with the 60 minute rule, Amtrak won't guarantee a connection unless both legs are in the same reservation.

The time is just an internal guideline. Actual guarantees are set up on a case by case basis, some connections less than 60 minutes are guaranteed, some more than 60 minutes are not.

If you enter two points and Amtrak's routing includes a connection to get between them, that connection is guaranteed by definition. Amtrak only enters guaranteed connections in the system. They must be set up in ARROW on an individual city pair basis, they are not done algorithmically.

@jazzharris' reservation is between 11 and 2 is subject to the guarantee as long as it wasn't done on two reservations. The 11-2 connection is guaranteed and has been for years. It remained guaranteed after Starlight schedule changes reduced the connection time to under 60 minutes. No need to further panic him with misinformation when he's already in a bad spot.

 

[Steve4031]

IMHO, the best thing to do is to call Amtrak ASAP, ask for an agent, and see what can be done. Keep checking your Amtrak app because information may show up there.