Southwest Chief discussion 2025

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

The final IIJA Long Distance Study, the one with all the stakeholder meetings, has been released. https://fralongdistancerailstudy.or...istance-Service-Study-–-Final-Report-2025.pdf


Seems the thickness of each station-pair curve represents ridership. Fewer people ride between stations in the middle, where population density is low.

 

[Cal]

Tonight #4 detoured on Metrolink's San Gabriel Sub between LA and San Bernardino due to downed power lines between FUL and LAX. Always cool to see a detour.

 

[ryanwc]

It was revealing to see full interstation numbers for the Borealis at the Wisconsin ARO site. For all the talk of serving the smaller places, almost everyone was riding between the three major cities.

 

[hoosierrailfan]

Hello all,

Back in June of 2022, I made a post about my round-trip bedroom on the Southwest chief being downgraded to coach a week before departure. This was explained to be due to an equipment shortage. I was assigned to cars 331 and 431, respectively. Well, I have once again booked a round-trip on the Southwest Chief that is scheduled in about 3 weeks, departing Chicago on March 8 and departing Los Angeles on March 14. I am booked in a roomette in car 331 and a bedroom in car 431. I am a bit worried, as I have been checking railcams lately, and the Chief seems to currently only have 1 trans-dorm and 1 full sleeper. As I recall, the 331/431 cars are the 2nd full sleeper. Is that the case? I seem to remember that the last time this happened, my rooms were in the 2nd full sleeper, which was either removed suddenly, or was supposed to be added to the train but never actually was.

I am somewhat concerned that Amtrak is yet again selling inventory for cars that they plan to add to the train, but haven't yet. Does anybody have any input on this? If that's the case, based on what happened to me last time, I don't know that I trust them to add the car before my trip. Should I try to call customer service and get my rooms changed into another sleeping car? This trip is for business, and the dates that I need to be there are firm, so I can't really reschedule to later in the year. Being about 3 weeks from departure, I'm not sure how much availability, if any, would be in the other car(s).

Thank you.

 

[Eric in East County]

Hello all,

Back in June of 2022, I made a post about my round-trip bedroom on the Southwest chief being downgraded to coach a week before departure. This was explained to be due to an equipment shortage. I was assigned to cars 331 and 431, respectively. Well, I have once again booked a round-trip on the Southwest Chief that is scheduled in about 3 weeks, departing Chicago on March 8 and departing Los Angeles on March 14. I am booked in a roomette in car 331 and a bedroom in car 431. I am a bit worried, as I have been checking railcams lately, and the Chief seems to currently only have 1 trans-dorm and 1 full sleeper. As I recall, the 331/431 cars are the 2nd full sleeper. Is that the case? I seem to remember that the last time this happened, my rooms were in the 2nd full sleeper, which was either removed suddenly, or was supposed to be added to the train but never actually was.
I
I am somewhat concerned that Amtrak is yet again selling inventory for cars that they plan to add to the train, but haven't yet. Does anybody have any input on this? If that's the case, based on what happened to me last time, I don't know that I trust them to add the car before my trip. Should I try to call customer service and get my rooms changed into another sleeping car? This trip is for business, and the dates that I need to be there are firm, so I can't really reschedule to later in the year. Being about 3 weeks from departure, I'm not sure how much availability, if any, would be in the other car(s).

Thank you.

Call and asked to speak to Amtrak Customer Relations (not Customer Service.)

 

[zephyr17]

Hello all,

Back in June of 2022, I made a post about my round-trip bedroom on the Southwest chief being downgraded to coach a week before departure. This was explained to be due to an equipment shortage. I was assigned to cars 331 and 431, respectively. Well, I have once again booked a round-trip on the Southwest Chief that is scheduled in about 3 weeks, departing Chicago on March 8 and departing Los Angeles on March 14. I am booked in a roomette in car 331 and a bedroom in car 431. I am a bit worried, as I have been checking railcams lately, and the Chief seems to currently only have 1 trans-dorm and 1 full sleeper. As I recall, the 331/431 cars are the 2nd full sleeper. Is that the case? I seem to remember that the last time this happened, my rooms were in the 2nd full sleeper, which was either removed suddenly, or was supposed to be added to the train but never actually was.

I am somewhat concerned that Amtrak is yet again selling inventory for cars that they plan to add to the train, but haven't yet. Does anybody have any input on this? If that's the case, based on what happened to me last time, I don't know that I trust them to add the car before my trip. Should I try to call customer service and get my rooms changed into another sleeping car? This trip is for business, and the dates that I need to be there are firm, so I can't really reschedule to later in the year. Being about 3 weeks from departure, I'm not sure how much availability, if any, would be in the other car(s).

Thank you.

Yes, the 31 car line is the second regular sleeper on the Southwest Chief.

Amtrak has gotten much better at equipment scheduling now than the utter incompetence they demonstrated in 2022. I have not heard of passengers getting involuntarily downgraded due to equipment shortages for about the last 18 months or so (barring the occasional last minute bad order) The SW Chief ran with two sleepers and a transdorm last summer. Chances are good that the 31 car will be added back in to the consists between now and your trip as a seasonal adjustment.

With that said, the wholesale downgrades due poor equipment planning of 2022 has left a mark for me. While I happily was never the victim of it, many here were. Ever since then I always make sure and try to get the "base" sleeper at initial booking (which I always do with an agent for sleepers).

It would not hurt to call try and get moved to the 30 car, the "base" sleeper for the SWC. However, the date is late and chances are the 30 car is booked out, especially for Bedrooms since there are only 5. I do think, based on the lack of reports of downgrades, that the chances of the 31 running are very good, given recent experience and you will be fine even if you are unable to move to the 30.

Call and asked to speak to Amtrak Customer Relations (not Customer Service.)

Note that even Customer Relations has no access to equipment planning/ management and all they will know is the inventory showing on the reservations system, just like a regular CSR. Since your reservation appears to be fine, the 31 car is still in inventory (though I'd check it using the app if I were you. Equipment assignment problems tend to show in the app as soon as reservations system inventory gets changed and often long before they get around to notifying you by email).

While I am an advocate of using Customer Relations when problems are encountered, in this case they will be unable to do more or tell you more than a good AGR CSR. They do not have any access to actual equipment management, and cannot magic up a room in the 30 car if it is booked out. There is really no need to wait the additional time to get Customer Relations to try to get in the 30 car for this prospective trip. A good AGR agent will do fine. The time to utilize Customer Relations was back in 2022 to get better compensation for that downgrade.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Hello all,

Back in June of 2022, I made a post about my round-trip bedroom on the Southwest chief being downgraded to coach a week before departure. This was explained to be due to an equipment shortage. I was assigned to cars 331 and 431, respectively. Well, I have once again booked a round-trip on the Southwest Chief that is scheduled in about 3 weeks, departing Chicago on March 8 and departing Los Angeles on March 14. I am booked in a roomette in car 331 and a bedroom in car 431. I am a bit worried, as I have been checking railcams lately, and the Chief seems to currently only have 1 trans-dorm and 1 full sleeper. As I recall, the 331/431 cars are the 2nd full sleeper. Is that the case? I seem to remember that the last time this happened, my rooms were in the 2nd full sleeper, which was either removed suddenly, or was supposed to be added to the train but never actually was.

I am somewhat concerned that Amtrak is yet again selling inventory for cars that they plan to add to the train, but haven't yet. Does anybody have any input on this? If that's the case, based on what happened to me last time, I don't know that I trust them to add the car before my trip. Should I try to call customer service and get my rooms changed into another sleeping car? This trip is for business, and the dates that I need to be there are firm, so I can't really reschedule to later in the year. Being about 3 weeks from departure, I'm not sure how much availability, if any, would be in the other car(s).

Thank you.

Yes, the 31 car line is the second regular sleeper on the Southwest Chief.

Amtrak has gotten much better at equipment scheduling now than the utter incompetence they demonstrated in 2022. I have not heard of passengers getting involuntarily downgraded due to equipment shortages for about the last 18 months or so (barring the occasional last minute bad order) The SW Chief ran with two sleepers and a transdorm last summer. Chances are good that the 31 car will be added back in to the consists between now and your trip as a seasonal adjustment.

With that said, the wholesale downgrades due poor equipment planning of 2022 has left a mark for me. While I happily was never the victim of it, many here were. Ever since then I always make sure and try to get the "base" sleeper at initial booking (which I always do with an agent for sleepers).

It would not hurt to call try and get moved to the 30 car, the "base" sleeper for the SWC. However, the date is late and chances are the 30 car is booked out, especially for Bedrooms since there are only 5. I do think, based on the lack of reports of downgrades, that the chances of the 31 running are very good, given recent experience and you will be fine even if you are unable to move to the 30.


Note that even Customer Relations has no access to equipment planning/ management and all they will know is the inventory showing on the reservations system, just like a regular CSR. Since your reservation appears to be fine, the 31 car is still in inventory (though I'd check it using the app if I were you. Equipment assignment problems tend to show in the app as soon as reservations system inventory gets changed and often long before they get around to notifying you by email).

While I am an advocate of using Customer Relations when problems are encountered, in this case they will be unable to do more or tell you more than a good AGR CSR. They do not have any access to actual equipment management, and cannot magic up a room in the 30 car if it is booked out. There is really no need to wait the additional time to get Customer Relations to try to get in the 30 car for this prospective trip. A good AGR agent will do fine. The time to utilize Customer Relations was back in 2022 to get better compensation for that downgrade.

Yeah, I agree - personally wouldn't be too worried nowadays about being booked in car 31 these days. With your trip 3 weeks out (and with spring approaching), there's a very good chance of the car being added to the consist between now and then.