Southwest Chief discussion 2025

[alanh]

Some of the larger stations have WiFi, but it may not be accessible from the train. Plus most of the stops are not that long.

 

[zephyr17]

Basic Questions about my first ride on Amtrak Southwest Chief next week:

1. Is Wifi available on Southwest Chief or at any stations along the route? It’s not listed anywhere.

No

2. Can cell phones be easily used while on the train? Does reception likely vary depending on location?

Cell phones can be used. Cell service varies. It is pretty consistent when close to major highways. Can be sketchy or non existent in many places, though. Don't schedule any Zoom work meetings.

3. Can I get a glass/bottle of water in a roomette? If not, should I bring along my own water bottle to fill?

Bottled water is provided in sleepers. There should be two bottles in your roomette when you board. More water is available, it is either out and available to grab on top of the mid-car coffee station, or you ask the attendant. It depends on the attendant.

4. The Albuquerque Amtrak station website says that the Waiting Area hours are 10 am - 5 pm. What happens if the train arrives after 5 pm (which has happened 4 times since Dec 1)? Does the waiting area stay open or staff remain until the train arrives?

Staffed Amtrak stations remain open and staffed until scheduled trains arrive and depart regardless of how late.

 

[MennoRoger]

More newby questions:
Train 3 (Southwest Chief) originating on Jan 4 and Jan 5 were BOTH cancelled and Jan 7 was over 8 hours late into Albuquerque. Is there any way to find out what happened, and/or to know how likely it is to happen again in the coming week (when we are scheduled to depart)? Thanks for any information.

 

[zephyr17]

More newby questions:
Train 3 (Southwest Chief) originating on Jan 4 and Jan 5 were BOTH cancelled and Jan 7 was over 8 hours late into Albuquerque. Is there any way to find out what happened, and/or to know how likely it is to happen again in the coming week (when we are scheduled to depart)? Thanks for any information.

3(4) and 3(5) were cancelled because extreme winter weather was expected along the route. 3(7) experienced mechanical issues according to asm.transitdocs.com.

Stuff happens and you cannot predict the future. One run can be fine, the next experiences extreme delays.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

More newby questions:
Train 3 (Southwest Chief) originating on Jan 4 and Jan 5 were BOTH cancelled and Jan 7 was over 8 hours late into Albuquerque. Is there any way to find out what happened, and/or to know how likely it is to happen again in the coming week (when we are scheduled to depart)? Thanks for any information.

You can use this website to track the current trains. The cancellations were due to weather. Play around with the various icons on this website and you'll find you can see info about past trains.

https://asm.transitdocs.com/

Use this website to see past performances. Do note that it can't predict issues in the future (like weather and mechanical breakdowns).

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/history.php

 

[Rasputin]

According to a post on another list and based on information from a passenger on board, there have been significant issues with 3(7).

The passenger reports that the train hit some type of debris near Princeton. The passenger reported "numerous" additional stops after that for mechanical issues which may be related to the striking of debris. The passenger also reported that there was a fire (with flame, not just smoke) in the night in sleeper 530 and the passengers in that car had to be moved to the lounge and the coaches. In addition, there have been delays caused by crews running out of time.

The passenger had praise for the efforts by the on board crew.

It appears that the train is now over 12 hours late approaching Winslow, Arizona.

Corrections and additional information would be welcome.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

According to a post on another list and based on information from a passenger on board, there have been significant issues with 3(7).

The passenger reports that the train hit some type of debris near Princeton. The passenger reported "numerous" additional stops after that for mechanical issues which may be related to the striking of debris. The passenger also reported that there was a fire (with flame, not just smoke) in the night in sleeper 530 and the passengers in that car had to be moved to the lounge and the coaches. In addition, there have been delays caused by crews running out of time.

The passenger had praise for the efforts by the on board crew.

It appears that the train is now over 12 hours late approaching Winslow, Arizona.

Corrections and additional information would be welcome.

Do you mean 330?

 

[Rasputin]

Do you mean 330?

Yes it probably is 330.

 

[Steve4031]

The line numbers on the superliner sleepers often do not reflect the train they are on. The person who initially reported this probably saw 530 as the car number where the fire occurred. It is possible that the car was not positioned near the diner where the 430 car is supposed to be.

I wonder if those numbers can even be changed on the Superliner I cars. I think that the mechanisms to change them have stopped working.

 

[Rasputin]

The line numbers on the superliner sleepers often do not reflect the train they are on. The person who initially reported this probably saw 530 as the car number where the fire occurred. It is possible that the car was not positioned near the diner where the 430 car is supposed to be.

I wonder if those numbers can even be changed on the Superliner I cars. I think that the mechanisms to change them have stopped working.

Yes, I remember a few years ago boarding No. 3 in Chicago and found that the line numbers were still set up for No. 4. Not only that but the sleeping car attendants were totally confused and were directing passengers to the wrong sleeping car. I boarded what I was told by the attendant was my car, went to my room and found it occupied by other people because I was in the wrong car. Others did the same. Once that snafu got straightened out, the rest of the trip was fine.

 

[zephyr17]

The line numbers on the superliner sleepers often do not reflect the train they are on. The person who initially reported this probably saw 530 as the car number where the fire occurred. It is possible that the car was not positioned near the diner where the 430 car is supposed to be.

I wonder if those numbers can even be changed on the Superliner I cars. I think that the mechanisms to change them have stopped working.

The car line numbers are the car line numbers, including train number. The first sleeper in front of the diner on the westbound SW Chief is car line 330. But the indicators are not always changed and do not always have the right car line. They sometimes display not only the wrong train, but sometimes the wrong car line and sometimes both. I recall one time on the Builder, 730 was displaying both the wrong train and car line, something like 531. Since I knew 730's place in the consist I knew I had the right car, but it confused a lot of people on CUS' Track 19.

They also can be out of sync and incorrect between each side as well as with the end doors.

That they often are displayed incorrectly speaks to Amtrak's famed consistency.

On the Superliner Is the rollers with the numbers are accessible (if you have the tools to open the panel) and can (and should be) changed to reflect the correct car line. On Superliner IIs the car line display on the sides is electronic and is controlled on the main panel.

Unfortunately, at some point a refurbishment/upgrade on the Amfleet IIs apparently eliminated the access to the car line indicators on those cars. So they display the last ones they had before access was gone. Many times on the Lake Shore I have seen the coaches displaying random car lines from the Silvers. However, since they're coaches and seating is unassigned the lack of correct car line display isn't as important as on sleepers.

 

[Rasputin]

At the present time, 3(7) is in Arizona, 13 hours late, and 3(8) is in New Mexico, 2 hours late. So it appears that some communities along the route of the Southwest Chief will be served by two westbound trains today, which is one of the goals of passenger rail advocates for long distance trains.

 

[Cal]

I wonder if those numbers can even be changed on the Superliner I cars. I think that the mechanisms to change them have stopped working.

I think they probably work, but they just don't update it.

 

[moosejunky99]

Does 3 coming into LA turn into 4 the next day? and does 4 coming into Chicago turn into 3 on the way back? or do they have an extra set in case train is running really late.

 

[zephyr17]

Does 3 coming into LA turn into 4 the next day? and does 4 coming into Chicago turn into 3 on the way back? or do they have an extra set in case train is running really late.

3 to 4 is a same day turn in LA. 3's consist arriving in the morning is turned to become that afternoon's 4.
4 to 3 is an overnight turn in Chicago.

Amtrak does not have any entire protection consists anywhere for any LD train as far as I know. Certainly it does not for the SW Chief, the CZ (an overnight turn on both ends), the Builder or the Starlight at either end.

With that said, since LA is a base for 3 Superliner trains, they sometimes can scare up equipment. I don't think the Sunset/Eagle consists do same day/one day turns (Friday/Friday, Wednesday/Wednesday, Sunday/Monday) at LA since it is the major maintenance base for the train. I think they lay that consist over a couple days (Wednesday/Friday, Friday/Monday, Sunday/Wednesday). Note I am unsure about that so do not take it as a statement of absolute fact. So they can make up a SW Chief consist from a Sunset/Eagle consist. Then the Sunset/Eagle gets made up from the late SW Chief equipment. Chicago has a bit more wiggle room because the turns there are all overnight, so trains can be later and still be turned, though possibility with late departures. Chicago can also play some games because it's the hub, sometimes cobbling up a consist from equipment there. Although they've also been known to play musical chairs with consists with a train coming up without a chair and getting cancelled, and not necessarily the one whose incoming consist was late.

Mostly late inbound trains mean late outbound trains, especially at the West Coast terminals.

The Builder is kind of notorious for 8/28 being late because 7/27 was late. It has a really short turn, a bit less than 5 1/2 hours per the schedule. To avoid cascading delays, they'll sometimes bustitute it between Spokane and Seattle/Portland, turning the train at Spokane. Unfortunately, they've also been known to just cancel a run to get the rotation back on schedule.

 

[moosejunky99]

3 to 4 is a same day turn in LA. 3's consist arriving in the morning is turned to become that afternoon's 4.
4 to 3 is an overnight turn in Chicago.

Amtrak does not have any entire protection consists anywhere for any LD train as far as I know. Certainly it does not for the SW Chief, the CZ (an overnight turn on both ends), the Builder or the Starlight at either end.

With that said, since LA is a base for 3 Superliner trains, they sometimes can scare up equipment. I don't think the Sunset/Eagle consists do same day/one day turns (Friday/Friday, Wednesday/Wednesday, Sunday/Monday) at LA since it is the major maintenance base for the train. I think they lay that consist over a couple days (Wednesday/Friday, Friday/Monday, Sunday/Wednesday). Note I am unsure about that so do not take it as a statement of absolute fact. So they can make up a SW Chief consist from a Sunset/Eagle consist. Then the Sunset/Eagle gets made up from the late SW Chief equipment. Chicago has a bit more wiggle room because the turns there are all overnight, so trains can be later and still be turned, though possibility with late departures. Chicago can also play some games because it's the hub, sometimes cobbling up a consist from equipment there. Although they've also been known to play musical chairs with consists with a train coming up without a chair and getting cancelled, and not necessarily the one whose incoming consist was late.

Mostly late inbound trains mean late outbound trains, especially at the West Coast terminals.

The Builder is kind of notorious for 8/28 being late because 7/27 was late. It has a really short turn, a bit less than 5 1/2 hours per the schedule. To avoid cascading delays, they'll sometimes bustitute it between Spokane and Seattle/Portland, turning the train at Spokane. Unfortunately, they've also been known to just cancel a run to get the rotation back on schedule.

Thank you for all the information.

 

[jis]

As far as I know none of the Amtrak LD trains have a full standby consist at any terminal. Equipment is to scarce and service too sparse to afford such luxury.

 

[alanh]

They managed it today. 4(9) left on time, but 3(7) which was due at 7am hasn't arrived; it's 13 hours late.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

They managed it today. 4(9) left on time, but 3(7) which was due at 7am hasn't arrived; it's 13 hours late.

May have used the TE/SL consist for #4.