It’s more likely that Amtrak will realize ahead of time that the connection will not be made and will take connecting passengers off the CS train in Kalamath Falls and bus them 8 hours to Pasco to meet the EB. Getting a hotel is a good idea!
Empire Builder discussion
- Thread starter egurbi
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Just for fun I went down to the Everett station to watch 7 come through.
It is still the short consist.
ALC-42 319 pulling
Baggage
Actual transdorm running in 732 transdorm car line
Superliner I running Bedroom end aft (bedrooms and even roomettes on right) in 730 car line
Diner
Coach.
It is still the short consist.
ALC-42 319 pulling
Baggage
Actual transdorm running in 732 transdorm car line
Superliner I running Bedroom end aft (bedrooms and even roomettes on right) in 730 car line
Diner
Coach.
Then the Spokane-Portland section #27 would have the remaining 4 cars from the original consist.
leading the SSL (of which a lot of substitution is currently in play - perhaps lack of serviceable equipment ?)
Coach
Sleeper
Sleeper
At the eastern major city of MSP never know what to expect - not every day does the consist remain consistent -
other than the last 4 cars go to #27 Portland exception with an added baggage car tailing - - -
The standard consist of the Portland section is Sightseer, coach, coach/bag, sleeper.
With the raft of bad ordered Sightseers recently, diner/lounges, a diners, or even a coach/snack cars have taken their places on the EB and CZ. Last year they even took to running a transdorm as a "baggage car" for awhile (which was the biggest example of crazytown in Amtrak’s completely inept COVID era equipment management), but they did not sell space in it.
They also did run a baggage car to Portland for awhile and no coach bag.
Other than the Sightseer b/o issues, and sometimes running a standard sleeper in the transdorm 32 car line, things have appeared to have settled down. That is one reason I decided to go check it out occasionally.
The main thing I want to see is the restoration of the second Seattle coach, which is badly needed and was standard year-round pre-COVID, and the second Seattle sleeper (31 car line), which ran most of the year pre-COVID.
Devil's Advocate
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Even if Amtrak did cover a hotel room sleeper passengers should be aware that they'd likely be stuck in coach on every succeeding leg. This was true in the past but is even more true today thanks to what is likely to be the smallest active fleet (despite the largest ever budget) in Amtrak history.
danasgoodstuff
OBS Chief
I missed a connection in DC last memorial day weekend, did coach on the Cap Limited next day but then roomette on the Builder home to PDX when I had been booked on the Zephyr and the CS, got home same day as planned, got a $900 rebate, and stayed in a really nice hotel in DC on their dime. I knew it was tight and rolled the dice, not an option that will work for everyone but it worked out ok for me.
TheMalahat
Service Attendant
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No, the Via Charger hasn't missed service yet. There was one day the train set was down, but that was a venture cab car issue.
However, Via only runs the set one day a week, so experience is pretty limited.
I will be riding the Builder from MSP to CHI and back at the end of the month accompanying a family member. From the website, it seems that the Seattle section is fuller on average than the Portland section. It looks like some trains have 2 Portland coaches vs 1 Seattle coach, so it would be nice to be directly next to the lounge, all things being equal (guaranteed on the Seattle section, 50/50 on the Portland one).
Also, does the Builder usually go to a specific track number of the north concourse in Union Station, or does this depend on the day? We will be connecting with a Metra train on the south concourse regardless.
Also, does the Builder usually go to a specific track number of the north concourse in Union Station, or does this depend on the day? We will be connecting with a Metra train on the south concourse regardless.
Maglev
Conductor
You will be seated where the on-board staff directs you, sometimes in the Portland coaches and sometimes in the Seattle coach. It doesn't matter what your ticket says, so go with the lowest fare.
If you are in coach and your origin/destination is east of Spokane, it doesn't matter which section your ticket says, 8 or 28. The crew will treat the whole train as a single unit and will direct you to sit in the car/section that works best on that day with that mix of passengers.
The Builder almost always boards on Track 19, the through track on the north concourse at CUS.
The Builder almost always boards on Track 19, the through track on the north concourse at CUS.
Thank you both! I will go with the lowest fare, then.
What happens if you book thru Amtrak Vacations - did not pay for additional trip coverage
Amtrak covering hotels for misconnecting passengers on a guaranteed connection is not a function of having or not having travel insurance. Amtrak itself books the hotel and pays for it directly.
Amtrak's guarantee applies to any guaranteed connection when booked on one reservation, regardless of how it was booked, directly with Amtrak or through a third party travel agent (which is what Amtrak Vacations is, despite its name). As long as the trip is booked as one Amtrak reservation number, the 14-28 connection is guaranteed.
Note the guarantee does not mean you are guaranteed your sleeping accommodations in case you are laid over for the next day's train. If sleepers are sold out on that day's train, you'll be downgraded to coach. Amtrak will automatically refund the accommodation charge. That works very seamlessly and quickly when booked directly. But since you booked with a travel agent, Amtrak Vacations, the refund will be made to them, and you'll have to get it from them.
Thank you for taking the time to explain and provide the complete info. I have allowed for an extra day when it was booked. (one booking number) Meaning, in Portland I am supposed to arrive on April 26 but I am not departing until April 28 for CHI so I have the cushioned window. Same thing for CHI and the same thing for Wash. DC. fingers and toes crossed.
No 8 or 28 leaving 4/22? Late inbound or equipment issues??
trimetbusfan
OBS Chief
Late inbound arrival.
I’m on her right now and there’s been a washout past the Shelby Station so we have been told they are returning us to where we boarded. But my daughter called the Agent here in Shelby and he said the washout is fixable by tomorrow so are putting us up in a hotel for the night . Anyone on here akin to insider info?
Amtrak twitter has this:
As of 9:05 am CT: Due to inclement weather conditions along the route, Empire Builder Train 8 and Train 28 which departed Seattle (SEA) / Portland (PDX) on 6/2 will terminate in Shelby (SBY). For traveling assistance, please call or text 1-800-USA-RAIL.
As of 9:05 am CT: Due to inclement weather conditions along the route, Empire Builder Train 8 and Train 28 which departed Seattle (SEA) / Portland (PDX) on 6/2 will terminate in Shelby (SBY). For traveling assistance, please call or text 1-800-USA-RAIL.
Sounds like they are going to return in 7's slot, 6:21 pm departure.
They stopped 7 in Minot and are turning it around, too. If they were going to bus bridge, they would have done both 7 and 8, so I don't think you are going have a bunch of 7's passengers piling on.
Makes wonder why they didn't stop the trains closer together and bridge. Both Williston and Havre are staffed. Must have been a helluva long washout
Are there closer places to the wash out where they can wye or loop the trains, thoughSounds like they are going to return in 7's slot, 6:21 pm departure.
They stopped 7 in Minot and are turning it around, too. If they were going to bus bridge, they would have done both 7 and 8, so I don't think you are going have a bunch of 7's passengers piling on.
Makes wonder why they didn't stop the trains closer together and bridge. Both Williston and Havre are staffed. Must have been a helluva long washout
They often, if not most of the time, just run the consists backwards in such situations. There are more locations where they can turn just the engines and run them around the consist than there are places to wye the whole train. I am pretty sure they could turn the engines in Havre at least, BNSF has a big yard and other facilities there. They've done bus bridges before on the Builder, fairly frequently.
I think @Val04463's explanation that US 2 was closed as well probably makes the most sense. US 2 and the High Line run closely parallel in many places, so the same incident can easily affect both. So buses might well not be able to get through without a long and impractical detour.
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In addition to the possibility of the road flooded bus availability for last minute alternate transportation has become more of an issue lately than in the past. We had a service disruption locally with the Vermonter yesterday. There was no alternate transportation as they simply could not get busses.
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