rerouting my trip, for Crescent service disruption early next year

[tricia]

Well, I'd been planning to travel, after a visit to Tucson, from El Paso to Greenville, SC, or Toccoa, GA (north of Atlanta) on the Sunset Ltd and the Crescent early next year, on a 2-zone-with-roomette AGR points redemption.

HOWEVER, I've just figured out that the Crescent's been cancelled between NOL and ATL on the date I'd be traveling there. (Need to leave ELP on Monday Feb. 4--no flexibility on that date, but I'm flexible about how long it'll take me to return home.)

Amtrak's website suggests this as an alternate route from ELP to Greenville, leaving Mon Feb. 4:

TX Eagle: ELP to Chicago (lv M 3:35 PM, arr W 1:52 PM)

Capitol Ltd: Chicago to DC (lv W 6:10 PM, arr Th 12:40 PM)

Crescent: DC to Greenville (lv Th 6:30 PM, arr Fr 4:54 AM)

Is there any reason why Amtrak or AGR wouldn't allow this instead:

Sunset Ltd: ELP to NOL (lv M 3:35 PM, arr Tu 9:40 PM)

City of New Orleans: NOL to Chicago (lv Wed 1:45 PM, arr Th 9 AM)

Capitol Ltd: Chicago to DC (lv Th 6:10 PM, arr Fr 12:40 PM)

Crescent: DC to Greenville (lv Fr 6:30 PM, arr Sat 4:54 AM)

Or can any of you suggest better way(s) to do this? Pros and cons of alternatives? Comments on on-time-arrivals of the various trains at these destinations? Other suggestions?

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Not related to this thread: I've changed computers, forgot my password, and the sign-in instructions emailed to me don't seem to be working. Might a moderator email me off-list with help? Thanks.

 

[Railroad Bill]

I think your best bet would be to call AGR and explain what happened to you as a result of the Crescent cancellations and see if they can reroute you this way. One problem is that it would involve an overnight in New Orleans (which you would be expected to pay for a hotel if needed). Normally, AGR will only route you on routes that show up on their computer and the Texas Eagle connection would be the fastest and most direct way of getting to your South Carolina destination.

But it would be worth the call to see if someone can manually do your route via New Orleans. I have found them to be cooperative on things like this and maybe it will work for you

Have a great trip.

 

[tomfuller]

Your best option would be to get to Flagstaff (bus?) on Feb 3 or 4. Take the SW Chief from Flagstaff to Chicago, the Capitol limited Chicago to Washington and the Crescent from WAS to ATL or a closer station to home.

El Paso is one of my least favorite Amtrak stations. There is/was bus service between El Paso and Albuquerque if you must be in El Paso.