Handling of misconnect from Sunset Limited to Texas Eagle at San Antonio

[Shanson]

22 couldn't wait less than an hour for 422?

The SAS crew needs an hour to detach the 422 cars from #2, connect them to 22, reestablish the electricity, and do a brake test. Passengers are advised that if 2/422 doesn't arrive by 6:00 a.m., connection will be by bus.

On a recent trip, we arrived at 6:10 a.m., but we got lucky and we continued by train, although the departure stretched to 7:30 a.m.

I agree that an 8 a.m. departure would reduce the likelihood of being moved to a bus.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The SAS crew needs an hour to detach the 422 cars from #2, connect them to 22, reestablish the electricity, and do a brake test. Passengers are advised that if 2/422 doesn't arrive by 6:00 a.m., connection will be by bus.

On a recent trip, we arrived at 6:10 a.m., but we got lucky and we continued by train, although the departure stretched to 7:30 a.m.

I agree that an 8 a.m. departure would reduce the likelihood of being moved to a bus.

This would be better for us, but no way UP would agree to such a Schedule since they own most of the Tracks on this route, and their Freights are numerous from San Antonio to Taylor, and in East Texas from Ft. Worth/Dallas to St Louis.

Same thing for West Texas between El Paso and San Antonio with other traffic in LA almost mandating the current Schedule of Late Night Departures and O-Dark-Thirty Arrivals.

 

[Sidney]

How about an earlier depature from LA on 2?..8PM instead of 10. Passengers connecting from Washington,Oregon and Northern California could connect in Sacramento to the bus/San Jaoquin combination. Certainly would be a much better chance of catching 22.

 

[marcoloco]

It's a big problem on this route. They used to hold #22 until the train #2/22 arrived at SAS. But lately, they have not been doing that. I think that the answer would be to make #22 leave SAS at 8AM or 9AM. (Change the schedule) as 7 AM is too early anyway in my opinion. Even now, leaving at 7AM, it arrives late into Chicago and basically does not connect to anything anyway. That's just my opinion as to a partial solution to this problem. I'm a frequent rider on the Sunset Limited and I always go to Houston, so it does not affect me, but, yes, sometimes #2/22 arrives into SAS at 8AM, 9AM or even later in some rarer cases.

 

[marcoloco]

How about an earlier depature from LA on 2?..8PM instead of 10. Passengers connecting from Washington,Oregon and Northern California could connect in Sacramento to the bus/San Jaoquin combination. Certainly would be a much better chance of catching 22.

There's too many southbound passengers on the Coast Starlight that like to connect to the Sunset Limited. An earlier departure time of train #2/22 would break that connection. This connection has been a part of Amtrak since the beginning and I don't think it's a good idea to break it. I think a later departure of the #22 out of San Antonio would be a good idea, like 8AM or 9AM instead of 7am.

 

[zephyr17]

There's too many southbound passengers on the Coast Starlight that like to connect to the Sunset Limited. An earlier departure time of train #2/22 would break that connection. This connection has been a part of Amtrak since the beginning and I don't think it's a good idea to break it. I think a later departure of the #22 out of San Antonio would be a good idea, like 8AM or 9AM instead of 7am.

It has been broken periodically. There was a period for a few years when the Sunset was changed to a 2 pm LA departure.

When the Starlight has had severe timekeeping issues they have dropped the guarantee even with the 10 pm departure and started routing connecting passengers on the San Joaquin/Thruway bus connection. When the Starlight improved they reinstated it. That has happened a couple of times in my recollection.

 

[Widfara]

My very first Amtrak adventure was interrupted by the Eastbound Sunset not connecting with the Texas Eagle. Back in 2004, we were put on a bus to catch up and connect, I think in Dallas?
I remember being astonished that a bus was faster than a train in America. (I soon got used to that concept...)

I abhor riding buses.
After my Seattle stopover, I was booked on the Coast Starlight to LA, and was booked in a bedroom for the 61+ hour 3-nighter from Los Angeles to Chicago, but due to the recent repetitive delays on the Sunset Texas Eagle Limited have truncated my trip, and will now go only to Sacramento, and pick up the California Zephyr the next day back to Chicago. I have a room reserved in Rancho Cordova, and will get to use the Light Rail, and the hotel will let me check in early for a not exorbitant fee of $30 (some want $10-15/hr for early in).

 

[marcoloco]

It has been broken periodically. There was a period for a few years when the Sunset was changed to a 2 pm LA departure.

When the Starlight has had severe timekeeping issues they have dropped the guarantee even with the 10 pm departure and started routing connecting passengers on the San Joaquin/Thruway bus connection. When the Starlight improved they reinstated it. That has happened a couple of times in my recollection.

keep in mind also, that the portion of the trip (Coast Starlight) along the ocean between San Luis Obispo, is one of the most scenic routes on the entire Amtrak system. When passengers are routed from Sacramento to Lax on the San Joaquin line, they missed this part of the trip and some are very disappointed.

 

[ScottR]

I think I may have made a mistake. I am on a trip from LA to Longview on the 422. When booking online, there were no available roomettes. However, I’ve done the trip a number of times as my family lives in East Texas, so I know the sleeper car for 422 gets disconnected and proceeds north In the morning as the truncated Eaglet.

Now I WAS able to book a 422 roomette to San Antonio, then another 422 roomette on the San Antonio to Longview leg. Both in the same car if course, since there is only one sleeper. roomette Is 5 to San Antonio, then 8 to Longview…so almost Next to each other. But after reading this thread

1. I have two separate reservations. It occurs to me they are not linked. So if indeed the 422 arrives too late to get connected and the reserve sleeper is attached and the northbound has left, then I just missed my train with no obligation on Amtrak’s part to get me anywhere….right?

2. Even if we do arrive and the switch is made, what does one do between 4.50 am and 7.00 am? I assume I’ll have to clear out of 5 so they can prepare it for the next passenger, and can’t move into 8 until that one is ready, and there is no observation Car since that one is going on to NOLA…and I don‘t recall San Antonio station as very good to be at at 5.00 am? Do I hide in the bathroom for two hours

I will call customer support and see what they can do (Maybe I should have done a multi city booking…wonder if that would have worked?)but I wanted to get something on paper anyway, and it was a cheap roomette from San Antonio to LVW, so not a disaster….

 

[marcoloco]

I think I may have made a mistake. I am on a trip from LA to Longview on the 422. When booking online, there were no available roomettes. However, I’ve done the trip a number of times as my family lives in East Texas, so I know the sleeper car for 422 gets disconnected and proceeds north In the morning as the truncated Eaglet.

Now I WAS able to book a 422 roomette to San Antonio, then another 422 roomette on the San Antonio to Longview leg. Both in the same car if course, since there is only one sleeper. roomette Is 5 to San Antonio, then 8 to Longview…so almost Next to each other. But after reading this thread

1. I have two separate reservations. It occurs to me they are not linked. So if indeed the 422 arrives too late to get connected and the reserve sleeper is attached and the northbound has left, then I just missed my train with no obligation on Amtrak’s part to get me anywhere….right?

2. Even if we do arrive and the switch is made, what does one do between 4.50 am and 7.00 am? I assume I’ll have to clear out of 5 so they can prepare it for the next passenger, and can’t move into 8 until that one is ready, and there is no observation Car since that one is going on to NOLA…and I don‘t recall San Antonio station as very good to be at at 5.00 am? Do I hide in the bathroom for two hours

I will call customer support and see what they can do (Maybe I should have done a multi city booking…wonder if that would have worked?)but I wanted to get something on paper anyway, and it was a cheap roomette from San Antonio to LVW, so not a disaster….

Don't worry, this happens to me all the time. The attendant (porter) will understand your situation and just keep you in the same room. In case 422 arrives late into San Antonio, there will be a bus to take you to Longview. So don't worry, enjoy your trip.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

I think I may have made a mistake. I am on a trip from LA to Longview on the 422. When booking online, there were no available roomettes. However, I’ve done the trip a number of times as my family lives in East Texas, so I know the sleeper car for 422 gets disconnected and proceeds north In the morning as the truncated Eaglet.

Now I WAS able to book a 422 roomette to San Antonio, then another 422 roomette on the San Antonio to Longview leg. Both in the same car if course, since there is only one sleeper. roomette Is 5 to San Antonio, then 8 to Longview…so almost Next to each other. But after reading this thread

1. I have two separate reservations. It occurs to me they are not linked. So if indeed the 422 arrives too late to get connected and the reserve sleeper is attached and the northbound has left, then I just missed my train with no obligation on Amtrak’s part to get me anywhere….right?

2. Even if we do arrive and the switch is made, what does one do between 4.50 am and 7.00 am? I assume I’ll have to clear out of 5 so they can prepare it for the next passenger, and can’t move into 8 until that one is ready, and there is no observation Car since that one is going on to NOLA…and I don‘t recall San Antonio station as very good to be at at 5.00 am? Do I hide in the bathroom for two hours

I will call customer support and see what they can do (Maybe I should have done a multi city booking…wonder if that would have worked?)but I wanted to get something on paper anyway, and it was a cheap roomette from San Antonio to LVW, so not a disaster….

When you call customer service, ask them to “cross-reference” the two reservations (make sure to call the AGR line, they are much better). This will allow the crew to see both reservations and be able to help you out with the room-change or connection and keeps the connection guaranteed. This can be done with any two separate reservations and I learned about it when linking a points trip with a dollars trip which can’t be on the same reservation.

 

[ScottR]

Thanks Capitan , I did that and they linked them together and did that on the AGR Line. Called, left a message, and got a call back within 10 minutes. Still no guarantees that the 422 won’t up and leave before we get to San Antonio…but I’ll at least have a bustitution I guess. Prob more a stay overnight if I get a choice but between the crew and the passengers sharing the one sleeper accommodation is sparse.

I am way more worried about that 49 minutes between the Southbound Coast Starlight arriving in LA at 9.11 pm and the Sunset/Texas Eagle leaving at 10.00…but I’ve made it 9 times in a row now Over these last 10 years or do. Prob due for a mix up

 

[zephyr17]

Thanks Capitan , I did that and they linked them together and did that on the AGR Line. Called, left a message, and got a call back within 10 minutes. Still no guarantees that the 422 won’t up and leave before we get to San Antonio…but I’ll at least have a bustitution I guess. Prob more a stay overnight if I get a choice but between the crew and the passengers sharing the one sleeper accommodation is sparse.

I am way more worried about that 49 minutes between the Southbound Coast Starlight arriving in LA at 9.11 pm and the Sunset/Texas Eagle leaving at 10.00…but I’ve made it 9 times in a row now Over these last 10 years or do. Prob due for a mix up

Probably the worst thing that could happen is a bus ride between Oxnard and Palm Springs.

 

[marcoloco]

When you call customer service, ask them to “cross-reference” the two reservations (make sure to call the AGR line, they are much better). This will allow the crew to see both reservations and be able to help you out with the room-change or connection and keeps the connection guaranteed. This can be done with any two separate reservations and I learned about it when linking a points trip with a dollars trip which can’t be on the same reservation.

don't worry, you can stay in the same room. This happens all the time to me. Your porter (attendent) will just keep you in the same room all the way to Longview. He (she) will take care of all the details.

 

[Widfara]

Just noticed something odd: the Sunset Limited arrived in San Antonio at 9:15 AM, 4 hours and 21 minutes late.
According to Track Your Train, Train 22 departed at 7 AM, but has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:32.
According to asm.transit.docs, Train 22 departed San Antonio at 10:20 and has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:30.
Apparently, THEY HELD THE EAGLET!
Who decides? This hold makes sense because there is so much slop in the schedule that right now they show an on time arrival to stations in Illinois. Annoying for people along the way, but any delay is annoying, and this way the 422 goes through.
The remainder of the Sunset Limited left San Antonio at 10"46 AM, heading for Houston.

 

[Widfara]

When you call customer service, ask them to “cross-reference” the two reservations (make sure to call the AGR line, they are much better). This will allow the crew to see both reservations and be able to help you out with the room-change or connection and keeps the connection guaranteed. This can be done with any two separate reservations and I learned about it when linking a points trip with a dollars trip which can’t be on the same reservation.

(At San Antonio) what does one do between 4.50 am and 7.00 am? I did the transfer from the WB SL to the Eaglet to get up to Austin (12:05 AM to 7 AM) one time, and it was my misfortune that the SL was on time into San Antonio.
It's a problem. The waiting room is unpleasant, a musty smell from years of smokers (not allowed any longer), and the clothing of present day smokers waiting there. GAG!
If it's warm enough, and you wait outside, smokers will come out and sit right where you are, to share their smoke with you.
Now, when I come this way, I have a friend who is willing to come and pick me up; I bribe him with breakfast on the way back.

Just noticed that the note that a post has not yet been cleared (This message is awaiting moderator approval, and is invisible to normal visitors.) implies that since I can see it, I am not normal. This is true, but do they have to say so?

 

[marcoloco]

Just noticed something odd: the Sunset Limited arrived in San Antonio at 9:15 AM, 4 hours and 21 minutes late.
According to Track Your Train, Train 22 departed at 7 AM, but has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:32.
According to asm.transit.docs, Train 22 departed San Antonio at 10:20 and has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:30.
Apparently, THEY HELD THE EAGLET!
Who decides? This hold makes sense because there is so much slop in the schedule that right now they show an on time arrival to stations in Illinois. Annoying for people along the way, but any delay is annoying, and this way the 422 goes through.
The remainder of the Sunset Limited left San Antonio at 10"46 AM, heading for Houston.

yes, sometimes the Eagle is held and sometimes it's not, but there will be buses at San Antonio to take the passengers to their final destination. People going north of Longview, Tx will be buses to Longview to catch up with the train. The train will WAIT in Longview for all the passengers going NORTH of Longview, Tx that got busses from San Antonio.

 

[Widfara]

yes, sometimes the Eagle is held and sometimes it's not, but there will be buses at San Antonio to take the passengers to their final destination. People going north of Longview, Tx will be buses to Longview to catch up with the train. The train will WAIT in Longview for all the passengers going NORTH of Longview, Tx that got busses from San Antonio.

Still get to enjoy (shudder) 6 hour bus ride across Texas without lunch or the comfort and privacy of the sleeper space.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Still get to enjoy (shudder) 6 hour bus ride across Texas without lunch or the comfort and privacy of the sleeper space.

My main problem with buses are the restrooms. Every bus I've taken in the US either had no restroom or it was a disaster zone. Then the bus pulls into midpoint stop that has more disgusting bathrooms. At no point is the restroom ever cleaned or tidied up. If you mention it to the driver he either shrugs or blames the passengers for messing it up. Yeah, we understand how it got messed up but does the bus company understand why the industry is dying?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Just noticed something odd: the Sunset Limited arrived in San Antonio at 9:15 AM, 4 hours and 21 minutes late.
According to Track Your Train, Train 22 departed at 7 AM, but has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:32.
According to asm.transit.docs, Train 22 departed San Antonio at 10:20 and has an estimated arrival at San Marcos at 12:30.
Apparently, THEY HELD THE EAGLET!
Who decides? This hold makes sense because there is so much slop in the schedule that right now they show an on time arrival to stations in Illinois. Annoying for people along the way, but any delay is annoying, and this way the 422 goes through.
The remainder of the Sunset Limited left San Antonio at 10"46 AM, heading for Houston.

Today's #22/#422 is now running 7+ Hours Late and not yet to Dallas ,after waiting 3+ Hours for the Late #2 in San Antonio this morning!

 

[railiner]

My main problem with buses are the restrooms. Every bus I've taken in the US either had no restroom or it was a disaster zone. Then the bus pulls into midpoint stop that has more disgusting bathrooms. At no point is the restroom ever cleaned or tidied up. If you mention it to the driver he either shrugs or blames the passengers for messing it up. Yeah, we understand how it got messed up but does the bus company understand why the industry is dying?

Have you ridden this line? Based in Texas?

https://www.vonlane.com/index/gallery

 

[marcoloco]

Still get to enjoy (shudder) 6 hour bus ride across Texas without lunch or the comfort and privacy of the sleeper space.

You know, I went though a lot of times with Amtrak and still am one of their most frequent passengers. having 900,00 miles in, I have to say that the number one thing that affected me the most, though late trains, a few buses due to late trains (but not many buses), it slowed my down in life, train travel was everywhere in the US prior to 1950 in a "different day and time". So I say to you, slow down, take Amtrak, after all, we can fly, right. Don't do it, Take Amtrak. It might change your life in some form. Try it and give it a chance

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Have you ridden this line? Based in Texas?

It looks like it only goes to Houston from here. At 200 miles that is a short trip relative to the size of Texas and arriving in Houston as a pedestrian is not very appealing to me. That being said I hope these types of services do well and become more common so I can use them in the future.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

What happens if one is in a SL car (coach or sleeper) which is supposed to form part of the TE consist after San Antonio? Or if one is in a TE car which is supposed to form part of the westbound SL consist after San Antonio? If the one train is late, is the 2nd train held for the sake of those cars which are intended to form part of the 2nd train's consist? If not, what happens to those passengers who had a reserved seat or sleeper compartment in those particular cars? Where does Amtrak put them, if that car isn't moved to the 2nd train as scheduled?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What happens if one is in a SL car (coach or sleeper) which is supposed to form part of the TE consist after San Antonio? Or if one is in a TE car which is supposed to form part of the westbound SL consist after San Antonio? If the one train is late, is the 2nd train held for the sake of those cars which are intended to form part of the 2nd train's consist? If not, what happens to those passengers who had a reserved seat or sleeper compartment in those particular cars? Where does Amtrak put them, if that car isn't moved to the 2nd train as scheduled?

Normally there are two protect cars (one Coach and one Sleeper) held in reserve on a house track in San Antonio. Under Stephen Gardner that may no longer be the case (for all I know).