Detour+bus bridge schedule for LA Union Station bypass 12/26-12/29

[thully]

This has been discussed a bit in the commuter rail forum, as Metrolink was the first to announce anything about this:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/metrolink-los-angeles-outage-in-december-2023.86339/
Anyway, in addition to Metrolink, the Pacific Surfliners and Amtrak long-distance routes are going to be bypassing LA Union Station from 12/26-12/29 for some work on the tracks. They announced the general operations of the Surfliner bus bridge+detour a couple weeks ago, but the schedules are now showing on the Amtrak site/app. Of note, it seems the 500-series trains get a bus bridge from Fullerton to LAUS, and the 700 trains get a bus bridge from Glendale to LAUS. The latter applies even if you’re taking a 700-series train to/from points south to/from LA - for those trains the only bus bridge is to/from Glendale. That does make those trips take longer SAN-LAX - wonder why they’re doing that…

Still unclear what they are going to do for the LD trains - for now, those only show “sold out” to LAX with availability to/from earlier points (though weirdly not Fullerton/Glendale - it looks like those trains are terminating at different points from what we see now as far as availability (Simi Valley for the Starlight, Riverside for the Chief, and Palm Springs for the Sunset). I had considered taking one during that time, but once I heard of this I decided not to - don’t want to pay high bucket to be rousted before 6am at Riverside.

I may do one of the Surfliners on the detour route - going to be in SoCal around that time, and may be headed from San Diego or Orange County to LA.

 

[west point]

For clarification it is not trackwork at LAX Union Station. The trackwork was completed in stages earlier. But it is now time to cut in a new signal system that of course will have more logic, make provisions for the future thru running. The signal work includes all station tracks and CPs as well track on the west side of the LA river so some trains will use the east side of the river trackage. Wonder how many signal personnel will be involved with this work?

 

[TinCan782]

This has been discussed a bit in the commuter rail forum, as Metrolink was the first to announce anything about this:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/metrolink-los-angeles-outage-in-december-2023.86339/
Anyway, in addition to Metrolink, the Pacific Surfliners and Amtrak long-distance routes are going to be bypassing LA Union Station from 12/26-12/29 for some work on the tracks. They announced the general operations of the Surfliner bus bridge+detour a couple weeks ago, but the schedules are now showing on the Amtrak site/app. Of note, it seems the 500-series trains get a bus bridge from Fullerton to LAUS, and the 700 trains get a bus bridge from Glendale to LAUS. The latter applies even if you’re taking a 700-series train to/from points south to/from LA - for those trains the only bus bridge is to/from Glendale. That does make those trips take longer SAN-LAX - wonder why they’re doing that…

Still unclear what they are going to do for the LD trains - for now, those only show “sold out” to LAX with availability to/from earlier points (though weirdly not Fullerton/Glendale - it looks like those trains are terminating at different points from what we see now as far as availability (Simi Valley for the Starlight, Riverside for the Chief, and Palm Springs for the Sunset). I had considered taking one during that time, but once I heard of this I decided not to - don’t want to pay high bucket to be rousted before 6am at Riverside.

I may do one of the Surfliners on the detour route - going to be in SoCal around that time, and may be headed from San Diego or Orange County to LA.

I am booked on a Pacific Surfliner round trip (Chatsworth to Fullerton and return) that week to get that "rare mileage" on the East Bank, UP LA Sub and a bit of the Alameda Corridor Sub (not the corridor itself).

 

[thully]

Bus bridges are now showing for the LD trains in the reservation system, and they are in fact bussing those as well. Chief is bussing to/from Fullerton, Sunset to/from Ontario, and Starlight to/from Van Nuys. Those are at least better than what the “sold out” status on the reservation system was showing (Riverside, Palm Springs, and Simi Valley respectively). FYI, Itineraries with additional connections aren’t all showing properly - which is typical with things like this.

 

[01piglet_patinas]

This has been discussed a bit in the commuter rail forum, as Metrolink was the first to announce anything about this:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/metrolink-los-angeles-outage-in-december-2023.86339/
Anyway, in addition to Metrolink, the Pacific Surfliners and Amtrak long-distance routes are going to be bypassing LA Union Station from 12/26-12/29 for some work on the tracks. They announced the general operations of the Surfliner bus bridge+detour a couple weeks ago, but the schedules are now showing on the Amtrak site/app. Of note, it seems the 500-series trains get a bus bridge from Fullerton to LAUS, and the 700 trains get a bus bridge from Glendale to LAUS. The latter applies even if you’re taking a 700-series train to/from points south to/from LA - for those trains the only bus bridge is to/from Glendale. That does make those trips take longer SAN-LAX - wonder why they’re doing that…

Still unclear what they are going to do for the LD trains - for now, those only show “sold out” to LAX with availability to/from earlier points (though weirdly not Fullerton/Glendale - it looks like those trains are terminating at different points from what we see now as far as availability (Simi Valley for the Starlight, Riverside for the Chief, and Palm Springs for the Sunset). I had considered taking one during that time, but once I heard of this I decided not to - don’t want to pay high bucket to be rousted before 6am at Riverside.

I may do one of the Surfliners on the detour route - going to be in SoCal around that time, and may be headed from San Diego or Orange County to LA.

Travel Advisories | Pacific Surfliner.
Track Closures
Updated Nov 16, 2023
LA Union Station will temporarily close for track and signal upgrades from Dec. 26 - Dec. 29, 2023. During this time, for the first time ever, Pacific Surfliner will bypass Union Station to journey along the east bank of the LA River and through part of the Alameda Corridor. This will be a historic week for the service, providing passengers with a one-of-a-kind travel experience along a never-before traveled route.
The train schedule during this period will be modified to provide alternate travel accommodations to passengers.
• Shuttle bus connections to and from LA Union Station and Glendale Station will be provided for all 700 series trains.
• Shuttle bus connections to and from LA Union Station and Fullerton Station will be provided for trains 562, 564, 572, 586, 573, 581,
589, and 595.
• Trains 580 and 591 will be suspended.
• Train 587 will also be suspended and replaced with a special train, 589, which will operate one hour later.

 

[overlycurious]

Scheduled on Texas Eagle and received an email that I will be bussed from Ontario, CA. Arriving at 3:54a, departing at 4:10a and arriving into LAX at 5:00a with a whopping $6.67 refund for this. I was expecting to be asleep in my room until 5:30.

 

[glensfallsse]

The travel advisory makes it sound as if they’re actually catering to train people.

 

[thully]

Amtrak has posted alerts detailing the detours/busing that will be in effect on all impacted routes - one for the Southwest Chief/Sunset Limited, and another for the Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner.