Southwest Chief discussion 2025

[dcipjr]

I’m on #4 tomorrow so I’m watching this closely.

Any thoughts on whether it might get canceled?

I’d probably just fly home if necessary, but hoping not to have to.

 

[allanorn]

Summarizing the latest Amtrak alerts at 3pm PDT because they're missing words:

3(13) is reversing direction and will hold ... somewhere ... until the tracks are released.
4(13) is at ABQ but holding there until the tracks are released due to fire activity (and possibly the winds dying down). No ETA.

 

[dcipjr]

Someone on Reddit is reporting that the train 3 passengers are getting bussed from Raton to Albuquerque and put on train 4, which will turn and go to LA.

That’s just hearsay though…

 

[allanorn]

Seems that 4(13) left ABQ and 3(13) is back on the move towards ABQ, if Track-a-Train is correct.

 

[dcipjr]

I’m scheduled to depart on 4 today (3/15), but the consist from 3(13) which would become my train is 9 hours late.

The fire seems to have gotten bigger, but I can’t tell whether it’s spreading in the direction of the tracks or not.

Trains 3(14) and 4(14) are both running late and each have a “please stand by for more information” status message. Neither have crossed through the Wagon Mound area yet, they’re still a ways out, so I’m curious to see if they get through.

So many questions abound:

• Will today’s train 4 run at all?
• If they have to sub in equipment, will there be a 31 sleeper? (Since I’m in that one)
• Will the trains be able to transit the Wagon Mound area?
• Will we make our connection to the Floridian in Chicago?

Stay tuned…

 

[zephyr17]

I’m scheduled to depart on 4 today (3/15), but the consist from 3(13) which would become my train is 9 hours late.

The fire seems to have gotten bigger, but I can’t tell whether it’s spreading in the direction of the tracks or not.

Trains 3(14) and 4(14) are both running late and each have a “please stand by for more information” status message. Neither have crossed through the Wagon Mound area yet, they’re still a ways out, so I’m curious to see if they get through.

So many questions abound:

• Will today’s train 4 run at all?
• If they have to sub in equipment, will there be a 31 sleeper? (Since I’m in that one)
• Will the trains be able to transit the Wagon Mound area?
• Will we make our connection to the Floridian in Chicago?

Stay tuned…

1. LA, being the maintenance base for 3 Superliner trains, is usually able to cobble up a replacement consist. Likely it will be the Sunset's equipment that arrived yesterday and is not scheduled to go out until Monday.
2. If there's a replacement consist, it will almost certainly be the same equipment roster, so there will be a 31 car line.
3. Fires are fickle and it's more than 24 hours before 4(15) reaches the area, so there's no way to know. Although if Amtrak management genuinely thinks that it's likely that it won't be able to get through, they'll cancel it entirely and it will not depart LA. They will not make that decision until much closer to departure time than 7:45 am PT as I am writing this.
4. Any number of things can affect any trip. There is no way to know that for a train that won't even depart for several more hours. I do not think anyone here is clairvoyant, which would be required to make that call at this time.

 

[dcipjr]

1. LA, being the maintenance base for 3 Superliner trains, is usually able to cobble up a replacement consist. Likely it will be the Sunset's equipment that arrived yesterday and is not scheduled to go out until Monday.
2. If there's a replacement consist, it will almost certainly be the same equipment roster, so there will be a 31 car line.
3. Fires are fickle and it's more than 24 hours before 4(15) reaches the area, so there's no way to know. Although if Amtrak management genuinely thinks that it's likely that it won't be able to get through, they'll cancel it entirely and it will not depart LA. They will not make that decision until much closer to departure time than 7:45 am PT as I am writing this.
4. Any number of things can affect any trip. There is no way to know that for a train that won't even depart for several more hours. I do not think anyone here is clairvoyant, which would be required to make that call at this time.

Thanks for the reply!

I was thinking that the Sunset consist would be in LA, but I wasn’t sure of the sleeper situation. Thanks for confirming that the 31 car would be there—I’m always less concerned about delays and more concerned about getting shunted to coach.

We’ll see how the fire pans out. Hopefully the crews can get it under control. Looking at a wind map of the fire area, the wind appears to be blowing southeast, away from the tracks. The fire appears to be southeast of the tracks so the wind would be taking it away from where the train would run. We may get through.

I’m following 4(14) closely to see if it clears the area today—fingers crossed.

As for my connection to 41, I know it’s far too early to do anything but speculate and hope for the best.

I appreciate the insights; I’m feeling good about the whole situation and looking forward to an adventure either way!