Fire impacts Coast Starlight (6/29/21)

[Willbridge]

I'm glad that they're taking some action. Besides the long-distance traffic and local access stations between SAC and KFS, Trains 11/14 are integrated with the EUG<>SEA and PDX<>SEA corridor schedule. Other trains' fares in the corridors were creeping up or selling out. Some of that happens with fixed consists anyway but it would be a shame to think that passengers were paying more for less.

This is much better news than the alternatives that I had to research for a family reunion trip that is not an excursion.

One tip for people who have not tried sleeping in an intercity bus (which I've done on Greyhound, Trailways and Amtrak bus bridges) is bring along a stuffed neck brace. And, a bonus if the bus is new enough to have seat belts, use them! Aside from the safety aspect, you'll sleep better.

 

[WWW]

Willbridge - congrats 1000 posts status Conductor !

 

[Railspike]

Here's some info on the Marceline derailment:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/3-dozen-train-cars-derail-just-outside-marceline/ar-AALYAty
https://www.centralmoinfo.com/marce...caused-train-derailment-no-injuries-reported/

 

[Willbridge]

Willbridge - congrats 1000 posts status Conductor !

Thanx!

 

[Skimmy]

So, thanks to this group I've gotten a lot of good information about the 2nd leg of my western trip. I'm looking at options for leg 2 (SF) Emeryville to Portland on Sunday July 18th. Train leaves Emeryville-Sacramento scheduled 10:04 PM arriving 11:59 PM. I see the bridge(bus) from Sacramento leaves 12:15 AM arriving Klamath Falls 6:45 AM. Train travel to continue at 8:17 AM. arriving POrtland 3:32 PM. My question is: Is this still the Coast Starlight and do I keep my Roomette? or will this be a 'fill in' train cobbled together?

Thanks to all in this somewhat stressful time. (Looked at getting a rental car from SF to Klamath Falls.......No luck)

Kim

 

[sitzplatz17]

So, thanks to this group I've gotten a lot of good information about the 2nd leg of my western trip. I'm looking at options for leg 2 (SF) Emeryville to Portland on Sunday July 18th. Train leaves Emeryville-Sacramento scheduled 10:04 PM arriving 11:59 PM. I see the bridge(bus) from Sacramento leaves 12:15 AM arriving Klamath Falls 6:45 AM. Train travel to continue at 8:17 AM. arriving POrtland 3:32 PM. My question is: Is this still the Coast Starlight and do I keep my Roomette? or will this be a 'fill in' train cobbled together?

Thanks to all in this somewhat stressful time. (Looked at getting a rental car from SF to Klamath Falls.......No luck)

Kim

From my understanding this will be a "fill in" train. Not sure what the consist is but I'll try and take a look at what leaves King Street Station once the 9:45am SEA-EUG section starts running again later this week and report back. Looking on Amtrak.com it's showing rooms as "sold out" so that would indicate to me that it'll be a stub version of the usual consist.

 

[WWW]

The Coast Starlight trains going each direction should be the same consist i.e. 2 locomotives a baggage car and xx number of sleepers and a cafe car.
How Amtrak wyes the train consist to get the direction of travel figured out - I don't know - - -
If the train consist is not wyed there could be a locomotive (push-pull) a both ends of the trains.
(At Klamath Falls a mile or so south of the city is a wye over Lake Ewauna)

BUT

When you get off the Emeryville to Sacramento segment - you should expect to be boarding the Klamath Falls Portland segment in the same roomette
car location - the only think I can think of is Amtrak not having the same number of cars in the consist of either train (space to wye the train) or the
volume number of passengers is reduced who have selected other means of travel between the points.
That failing you should at least be guaranteed a roomette accommodation somewhere on that 2nd leg segment.
Perhaps the answer will come from the conductor or his representative at Klamath Falls - - - - - or a hammock in the baggage car LOL !

 

[Willbridge]

The Coast Starlight trains going each direction should be the same consist i.e. 2 locomotives a baggage car and xx number of sleepers and a cafe car.
How Amtrak wyes the train consist to get the direction of travel figured out - I don't know - - -
If the train consist is not wyed there could be a locomotive (push-pull) a both ends of the trains.
(At Klamath Falls a mile or so south of the city is a wye over Lake Ewauna)

BUT

When you get off the Emeryville to Sacramento segment - you should expect to be boarding the Klamath Falls Portland segment in the same roomette
car location - the only think I can think of is Amtrak not having the same number of cars in the consist of either train (space to wye the train) or the
volume number of passengers is reduced who have selected other means of travel between the points.
That failing you should at least be guaranteed a roomette accommodation somewhere on that 2nd leg segment.
Perhaps the answer will come from the conductor or his representative at Klamath Falls - - - - - or a hammock in the baggage car LOL !

I don't think there will be sleepers. They were blocked out in the reservation system and that way they can also omit the dining car.

They did re-issue my Business Class ticket for each side of the bus bridge.

The "amenities" list in the website does not mention food.

 

[zephyr17]

I don't think there will be sleepers. They were blocked out in the reservation system and that way they can also omit the dining car.

They did re-issue my Business Class ticket for each side of the bus bridge.

The "amenities" list in the website does not mention food.

Yeah, the amenities don't list any food service, but the schedules tab still shows all the sleeping accommodations. Although they apparently aren't bookable.

I would hesitate come to any conclusion about what is going to be offered on the stub trains starting tomorrow. The website info is pretty contradictory.

I guess we'll have to see what the ground truth is tomorrow.

 

[sitzplatz17]

Just observed 11 depart King Street station and it looked like it had the full consist. Couldn’t tell if anyone was in the sleepers but it definitely wasn’t an abbreviated consist.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Seen on FB. And someone commented that he received an email from Amtrak letting him know that they will have a room on the other "side" of the bus bridge.

 

[Oreius]

I’m going on the Starlight on September 15 from SEA to LA. What is the current status of this? I am not doing a “bus bridge” that is just too hard for me and my family. Has this this been fixed?

 

[Danib62]

Exact restoration is TBD but they’re shooting for early September so you might be ok but you also might not be. I’d have alternate plans ready.

 

[TinCan782]

Seen on FB. And someone commented that he received an email from Amtrak letting him know that they will have a room on the other "side" of the bus bridge.

View attachment 23551

"Limited to two pieces of luggage per per person" - in addition to the normal "carry on"?
Glad I cancelled and bailed out a couple of weeks ago...made other arrangements.

 

[Oreius]

Exact restoration is TBD but they’re shooting for early September so you might be ok but you also might not be. I’d have alternate plans ready.

Will Amtrak refund all money and points? This was supposed to be my parent’s first overnight train trip! I made the reservation back in January. I booked a Bedroom with points and cash for a Roomette..

 

[zephyr17]

I’m going on the Starlight on September 15 from SEA to LA. What is the current status of this? I am not doing a “bus bridge” that is just too hard for me and my family. Has this this been fixed?

UP is shooting for 9/1 to have the bridge repaired/replaced. It is a big bridge and the damage is severe. I've seen pictures where they have all the spans off now, leaving just the towers. At least one of the towers had steel deformed by the heat, so they might have to demolish the rest and start over. So no, it is not fixed.

Amtrak is supposed to resume 9/7, a week after UP finishes.

I don't think anyone knows for sure right now if they'll make the dates. It is a big job.

 

[Danib62]

I just saw #11 go past the VRF cam in Chehalis, WA. Looked like a full consist with diner, SSL, and two sleepers. Unknown if the sleepers were occupied though.

 

[Oreius]

Can’t Amtrak reroute the train seen as how this will be at least a two month disruption?

 

[Danib62]

Apparently not.

 

[zephyr17]

Can’t Amtrak reroute the train seen as how this will be at least a two month disruption?

BNSF is allowing just 2 UP freight detours a day over their Inside Gateway line, that's all. I do not know if Amtrak asked, but if they did, BNSF would almost certainly refuse.

The CORP Siskiyou Line through Medford is mostly 10 mph and at least one tunnel won't clear Superliners in any case.

The main UP detour, through Ogden, UT is simply too long, even if UP allowed it, and would miss all Starlight points south of Portland if they used the most direct route through Las Vegas. If they didn't, they could make it even longer by coming back through Reno.

That exhausts all rail alternatives, leaving California 99, Interstate 5, US 97 and a bus.

 

[west point]

Definitely Amtrak now says Sept 7 That is thru Sept 7th.

SERVICE ALERT: Coast Starlight Train 14 departing Los Angeles (LAX) on 7/15- 9/7 will operate as a bus between Sacramento (SAC) & Klamath Falls (KFS) due to a track closure. All intermediate stops will be made. For reservation assistance please call or text 1-800-USA-RAIL.

 

[zephyr17]

Still depends on UP getting the bridge fixed/replaced on their projected 9/1 completion date, though.

The 9/7 date is almost certainly the result of consultation with UP, but a project that big and that rushed might slip. Considering the whole picture, I wouldn't treat that date as totally firm if I had travel plans within a couple weeks of that date. While I wouldn't cancel it, I'd certainly be thinking of what to do as a Plan B now.

In 2019, I had tickets on the Maple Leaf east to New York then west to Toronto a week later. The Whirlpool Bridge at Niagara Falls had scheduled maintenance that was supposed to end 3 weeks before. Shortly before I left, the completion date was extended 2 weeks, and the train was bustituted Toronto-NF. While I was in New York, it was extended again so I was again bustituted NF-Toronto.

Now it was only 2 hours and the bustitution was no big deal, unlike this midnight ride SAC-KFS, my point it was a major construction project and it slipped, twice, at the last minute. Plus, it was long planned maintenance, not repairing/replacing a major structure severely damaged in a natural disaster an emergency rush. So at this point, I'd take any completion dates with a grain of salt until the project progresses further.

 

[DennisInGeorgia]

9/7 is the last day of the bus bridge? I’m on the NEXT train south, on 9/8 out of Portland. This ought to be enough to make me feel relieved. So why don’t I? Is it because there’s enough in the fine print to allow Amtrak to change things whenever and however? I’m hoping someone can make feel me safer about getting to spend the night in a Coast Starlight bedroom.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

9/7 is the last day of the bus bridge? I’m on the NEXT train south, on 9/8 out of Portland. This ought to be enough to make me feel relieved. So why don’t I? Is it because there’s enough in the fine print to allow Amtrak to change things whenever and however? I’m hoping someone can make feel me safer about getting to spend the night in a Coast Starlight bedroom.

It's up to UP as to when Amtrak can cross the bridge.

 

[zephyr17]

Well, it really isn't Amtrak. It is whether UP finishes the bridge that is out, and that bridge was taken out in a pretty spectacular fashion. Amtrak can't run a train over a bridge that is out.

As I pointed out in the post above yours, the issue is whether UP can get that bridge repaired/replaced, along with about 10 miles of fire damaged line, by or within days of their projected completion date of 9/1. Big, rushed construction projects can slip. UP wants their line back in service as soon as they can and is doing everything they can to do it, but sh*t happens.

Not saying it will, but not saying it won't. It is early. But if I were you traveling the very next day, I'd start thinking about Plan B