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 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.

 

[Brian Battuello]

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.

I sit corrected.

 

[zephyr17]

As of 1 am 11/2, the Starlight has continued to lose time. It has not made it to Oxnard yet. The Sunset left LA on time and has just left Palm Springs at 12:58 am.

I do wonder how things worked out for @jazzharris and how Amtrak protected the 11-2 connection. If he had gone San Jose Dirdion station in time for the Starlight's scheduled departure, even without having called Amtrak, he could have been reticketed on the 11 am Stockton-Bakersfield-LA bus/train/bus connection and made the Sunset.

His original post here was at 6:31 am. I hope he contacted Amtrak shortly after he posted here. Happily, in the worst case, a complete miss, as of now there is a roomette open on Sunday's train to Ft Worth, both on the Eagle and Sunset/Eagle combinations, so he could get that. But I hope he got that 11 am bus.

 

[caravanman]

No need to further panic him with misinformation when he's already in a bad spot.

It is as well to remember that most here are enthusiastic amateurs, who can err at times. Not all of us are qualified to post in almost every single thread with authority...

 

[Trogdor]

Not all of us are qualified to post in almost every single thread with authority...

But that doesn’t stop folks from trying.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I certainly proved that

Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story. Hope jazzharris isn't sleeping in the waiting room in Los Angeles...

 

[jazzharris]

I certainly proved that

Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story. Hope jazzharris isn't sleeping in the waiting room in Los Angeles...

Where i got a text with alternate arrangements - I was already at Diridon (SJC). New arrangements: were a Surfliner bus to Santa Barbara and Surfliner Business Class to LAX, earlier than the CS would've been. I was freaking out because I had two pieces of luggage I wanted to check (because I could not navigate them with the two carry-ons I had). I arrived at the station at 8:30, an hour ahead of when the CS was supposed to arrive, not knowing that the Amtrak ticketing agents wouldn't arrive till 9:15 AM - and my newly revised bus ticket said departure was at 9:25. I thought I had to check my bags for the bus. So I stood in line for an hour. The bus driver seemed to know about me, came looking for passengers, found me and helped my with my luggage.

The bus ride was OK, we stopped at a McDonald's and I picked up something I regretted later, at my own expense (this whole trip was supposed to be sleeper cars). We stopped at every college campus on the way and being Friday, the kids were numerous! We also stopped at a lot of small towns, sometimes for one passenger; I finally got to see Solvang... I was less nervous once we came out from the mountain foothills; my mother once told me a nightmare story about a bus (contractor, not Amtrak) from SJC to Santa Barbara.

At Santa Barbara I had to beg station personnel to help me with my luggage I had wanted to check; the Business Car attendant was gracious and very helpful. My mom once raved about California Surfliner Business Class and I agree; they're wonderful. When we got to LAX the attendant called a Red Cap for me, who took me and my luggage all the way to the Metro Lounge. (and trust me, he got a big tip, as did the BC attendant) The Metro Lounge checked my baggage for me. I slept most of the way to Fort Worth. The only complaint I have about the 422 is that the electrical outlet in my room was worthless, couldn't plug-in didn't stay in and connection was faulty even when I physically tried to hold it in. I ended up going to the restroom to use the outlets there to recharge my phone, I tried to do that in the middle of the night so as not to inconvenience anyone.

Finally. it looks like I was awarded the points for a bus and Business Class, not for a sleeper first part of the trip. But no refund for the loss of the sleeper. I don't know if I'm entitled to that, given Amtrak didn't cause the boulder to fall on the tracks north if Redding... this is not like my April trip to San Antonio when I was completely abandoned when the 21 coming down to become the 22 had an accident.

I need to reconsider traveling alone! I used to love traveling with my mom but being older now, complete with back problems, I might need to rethink that women have no limitations....

 

[Brian Battuello]

Thanks so much for the detailed report. Amtrak at its weirdest. Glad you got to sleep to Fort Worth. I hope Kat from another thread is watching.

Of course you should be credited for the first sleeper. If it doesn't come through in a few days, call customer service. When "Julie" finally hands over the phone to a customer service person, tell them you want to speak to a customer relations person about a disrupted trip. You'll wait again, hopefully not as long, but you might actually get someone who cares.

 

[TrainPerson]

Where i got a text with alternate arrangements - I was already at Diridon (SJC). New arrangements: were a Surfliner bus to Santa Barbara and Surfliner Business Class to LAX, earlier than the CS would've been. I was freaking out because I had two pieces of luggage I wanted to check (because I could not navigate them with the two carry-ons I had). I arrived at the station at 8:30, an hour ahead of when the CS was supposed to arrive, not knowing that the Amtrak ticketing agents wouldn't arrive till 9:15 AM - and my newly revised bus ticket said departure was at 9:25. I thought I had to check my bags for the bus. So I stood in line for an hour. The bus driver seemed to know about me, came looking for passengers, found me and helped my with my luggage.

The bus ride was OK, we stopped at a McDonald's and I picked up something I regretted later, at my own expense (this whole trip was supposed to be sleeper cars). We stopped at every college campus on the way and being Friday, the kids were numerous! We also stopped at a lot of small towns, sometimes for one passenger; I finally got to see Solvang... I was less nervous once we came out from the mountain foothills; my mother once told me a nightmare story about a bus (contractor, not Amtrak) from SJC to Santa Barbara.

At Santa Barbara I had to beg station personnel to help me with my luggage I had wanted to check; the Business Car attendant was gracious and very helpful. My mom once raved about California Surfliner Business Class and I agree; they're wonderful. When we got to LAX the attendant called a Red Cap for me, who took me and my luggage all the way to the Metro Lounge. (and trust me, he got a big tip, as did the BC attendant) The Metro Lounge checked my baggage for me. I slept most of the way to Fort Worth. The only complaint I have about the 422 is that the electrical outlet in my room was worthless, couldn't plug-in didn't stay in and connection was faulty even when I physically tried to hold it in. I ended up going to the restroom to use the outlets there to recharge my phone, I tried to do that in the middle of the night so as not to inconvenience anyone.

Finally. it looks like I was awarded the points for a bus and Business Class, not for a sleeper first part of the trip. But no refund for the loss of the sleeper. I don't know if I'm entitled to that, given Amtrak didn't cause the boulder to fall on the tracks north if Redding... this is not like my April trip to San Antonio when I was completely abandoned when the 21 coming down to become the 22 had an accident.

I need to reconsider traveling alone! I used to love traveling with my mom but being older now, complete with back problems, I might need to rethink that women have no limitations....

Why wouldn't you get a refund for the loss of a sleeper? You paid for a room and didn't get it.

 

[jazzharris]

To my great surprise I got an automatic refund, it was there in the account I paid from when when I finally looked. I thought I was going to have to go to Customer Relations to fight for it.

 

[trimetbusfan]

To my great surprise I got an automatic refund, it was there in the account I paid from when when I finally looked. I thought I was going to have to go to Customer Reactions to fight for it.

It's pretty typical for them to refund the roomette accommodation in situations like these. Glad it all worked out.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Also glad you got your refund. It does sometimes take a few days cause I think someone has to do it by hand, but they do give you your points or money back.