Southwest Chief discussion Q4 2023 - 2024

[pennyk]

Do you think there is any chance they will hold the Capitol Limited if there are many trying to make this connection? Or would they put the affected passengers on a bus to try to "catch up" with the Capitol Limited? Do you think my son should be trying to rebook to the Friday Capitol limited now or wait until he gets to Chicago? Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome. He is coming home to Maryland for Christmas and having an Amtrak adventure. By the way, he paid for a roomette but would probably settle for coach if he had to.

A few years back, I was on a long distance train running very late and when it was clear connecting passengers would miss connections, the conductor met with groups of passengers. Some of us connecting to the Capitol Limited were rebooked on the next day's train whereas others were booked on the Lakeshore Limited if that worked for them. Those of us that were rebooked were instructed to go the customer service in Chicago to get hotel, taxi and food vouchers. This was not during the holidays and I was fortunate to get a room on the next day's Capitol Limited (and Silver Meteor the day after). It is unlikely that Amtrak will hold the Captiol Limited more than a few minutes, but I have seen it done.
If I had been proactive and tried to book myself, I may have had to pay extra for a reservation change.
Good luck to your son.

 

[TBlack]

My son is on the #4 train that is running 8 hours late. He told me that the #4 "backed up" to Winslow, AZ and provided transport for the crew from the derailed freight train. After some hours in Winslow, the passengers (and Amtrak crew I think) were bussed to Albuquerque. They boarded the other train (that had been LA bound) and the passengers slotted into the same accommodations. Right now on the Amtrak website they are predicting that the #4 will arrive in Chicago at 8:43 pm on Thursday, which is too late for him to make his connection to the Capitol Limited which departs at 6:40 pm. Do you think there is any chance they will hold the Capitol Limited if there are many trying to make this connection? Or would they put the affected passengers on a bus to try to "catch up" with the Capitol Limited? Do you think my son should be trying to rebook to the Friday Capitol limited now or wait until he gets to Chicago? Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome. He is coming home to Maryland for Christmas and having an Amtrak adventure. By the way, he paid for a roomette but would probably settle for coach if he had to.

This happened to me earlier in the fall, try to make an EB to LSL connection. Instead Amtrak put us up at the Swissotel, and gave us food vouchers; then put us on the LSL the next day. Your son doesn't need to do anything; Amtrak does it automatically. BTW, Swissotel is very nice.

 

[Eric in East County]

Last summer when our SWC No. 4 train arrived in Chicago too late to connect with the Capitol
Limited, passengers were directed to the old South Waiting Room which was being used as a staging area for those with missed connections. We were bused to a hotel for the night and given food vouchers. The next day, we were bused back to Chicago Union Station and were sent back to the South Waiting Room. Our Capitol Limited tickets were collected and we were eventually issued new tickets for that day’s CL. Someone said that an extra coach was added to accommodate all the people with missed connections. Sleeping car passengers probably had to ride in coach.

 

[dcipjr]

A couple years ago I was on a very late #4 SWC that was going to miss its connection with the Cardinal. We were pulled off the Chief at Galesburg (with about 5 minutes' notice to gather our things) and bussed to Indianapolis.

The Cardinal had an engine failure and was 5 hours late. Nobody was in Indianapolis to greet us or give us updates. I got a hotel for part of the night, then came back and boarded the Cardinal.

Whole thing was a bit of a mess, to be honest. Amtrak was pretty generous with the compensation voucher though.

Anyway, they will bus if they can.

 

[alanh]

The line is open. #4 went through the area at about 15mph.

 

[allanorn]

I see the Southwest Chief is due into LA Union Station at 8 AM, and often arrives earlier. I've seen some references to an abbreviated breakfast - what is that like? Are there fewer menu options?

Fewer menu options because they usually have to have the kitchen and/or dining car clean by the time it rolls into LAX. It usually is open for about an hour to 90 minutes if it's on time.

They'll make an announcement the night before regarding the specific open/close times.

 

[west point]

Heere is something that is a puzzle. It would apply to any connection especially at CHI but here is an example. Say I was unable to get a seat in coach either /or a sleeper room on the Capitol. Once it is apparent to Amtrak that Capitol is going to have vacancies that day does IT have ability to open up those spaces on a very short notice? As well anyone with a coach ticket offered a step up to sleeper?

Realize Amtrak reservation system is ancient.

 

[Eric in East County]

Heere is something that is a puzzle. It would apply to any connection especially at CHI but here is an example. Say I was unable to get a seat in coach either /or a sleeper room on the Capitol. Once it is apparent to Amtrak that Capitol is going to have vacancies that day does IT have ability to open up those spaces on a very short notice? As well anyone with a coach ticket offered a step up to sleeper?

Realize Amtrak reservation system is ancient.

Good question. If a long distance train such as the Southwest Chief is delayed and it becomes obvious that it will miss connecting with the Capitol Limited in Chicago resulting in sleeping car bedrooms, roomettes, and coach seats that will not be occupied, are there provisions in place so that these bedrooms, roomettes and coach seats can be resold even as late as an hour or two before the Capitol Limited's scheduled departure? (By tracking the SWC's arrival time into Chicago using the Amtrak app, it could be determined if it will miss connecting with the Capitol Limited. When this does happen, could one call Amtrak or go to an Amtrak ticket counter and request tickets for accommodations that, due to a missed connection, will now be available?)

 

[alanh]

My best guess would be no, at least at the connecting station. Once the connection has officially departed and the connecting passengers are no-shows is probably when the inventory opens up.

 

[Eric in East County]

My best guess would be no, at least at the connecting station. Once the connection has officially departed and the connecting passengers are no-shows is probably when the inventory opens up.

You're probably correct. But if, for example, the SWC was running 7-8 hours late, it would be obvious to everyone that those people on the SWC with reservations on that day's Capitol Limited will be "no shows" (through no fault of their own.) At that point, why wouldn't the inventory become available before the CL departed Chicago?

 

[nanlmille]

Following up on my earlier post re my son on the SWC #4 who was affected by the AZ derailment... In fact his train arrived in Chicago 8.5 hours late and the missed connection folks were booked on the next day's Capitol Limited. And they were transported to the Swissotel for what was left of the night. The surprising part was that he was able to have a roomette on the new booking (not demoted to coach). And he is in that roomette right now trundling through Ohio, looking forward to doing Christmas shopping at Union Station in Washington DC, and then hopping on a MARC train up to Halethorpe or Odenton. He was totally not surprised by the delay and seems to have enjoyed the entire experience.

 

[Eric in East County]

Following up on my earlier post re my son on the SWC #4 who was affected by the AZ derailment... In fact his train arrived in Chicago 8.5 hours late and the missed connection folks were booked on the next day's Capitol Limited. And they were transported to the Swissotel for what was left of the night. The surprising part was that he was able to have a roomette on the new booking (not demoted to coach). And he is in that roomette right now trundling through Ohio, looking forward to doing Christmas shopping at Union Station in Washington DC, and then hopping on a MARC train up to Halethorpe or Odenton. He was totally not surprised by the delay and seems to have enjoyed the entire experience.

Thanks for the update. (We were all eager to hear how your son made out.) The fact that your son got a roomette and wasn't downgraded to coach was remarkable considering that these accommodations are usually sold out months in advance. One wonders if an extra sleeper or two were added to the consist to accommodate those sleeping car passengers with guaranteed connections.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for the update. (We were all eager to hear how your son made out.) The fact that your son got a roomette and wasn't downgraded to coach was remarkable considering that these accommodations are usually sold out months in advance. One wonders if an extra sleeper or two were added to the consist to accommodate those sleeping car passengers with guaranteed connections.

The Cap( along with the Eaglette,CONO,Cardinal and Crescent) has had very short consists for awhile, he was indeed lucky to get a Roomette on the next days Train!

Does anyone know if extra Cars were added to the Cap for the Holidays?

 

[railiner]

Thanks for the update. (We were all eager to hear how your son made out.) The fact that your son got a roomette and wasn't downgraded to coach was remarkable considering that these accommodations are usually sold out months in advance. One wonders if an extra sleeper or two were added to the consist to accommodate those sleeping car passengers with guaranteed connections.

Could possibly be as a result of some other western train missing the connection opening space on the next days train?

 

[user 14106]

I don’t think anything extra specifically but I think the cap has been running 2 sleepers and 2 coaches since just before thanksgiving which is a bit better than it was running before.

 

[dromio515]

We will be taking our first trip on the SWC this spring in a roomette. We are used to taking the Auto Train (also roomette). Are there any differences? Are water bottles easily available? Ice machine? Coffee? Showers? Any input would be welcome. We will be leaving from Chicago and getting off in Fullerton, CA. Thanks!

 

[TBlack]

We will be taking our first trip on the SWC this spring in a roomette. We are used to taking the Auto Train (also roomette). Are there any differences? Are water bottles easily available? Ice machine? Coffee? Showers? Any input would be welcome. We will be leaving from Chicago and getting off in Fullerton, CA. Thanks!

It's the same equipment as the Auto Train, so, yes, water and coffee available, and showers downstairs. Ice is available in the dining car or the cafe on the lower level of the lounge car. I always go to the dining car, cup in hand, and ask someone there for ice which is in a bin in the center of the car. But you can also ask your car attendant to get it for you.

 

[dromio515]

It's the same equipment as the Auto Train, so, yes, water and coffee available, and showers downstairs. Ice is available in the dining car or the cafe on the lower level of the lounge car. I always go to the dining car, cup in hand, and ask someone there for ice which is in a bin in the center of the car. But you can also ask your car attendant to get it for you.

Thank you. Do they keep the water bottles accessible for you to grab or do you have to ask your car attendant for them?

 

[BlackDiamond]

Thank you. Do they keep the water bottles accessible for you to grab or do you have to ask your car attendant for them?

It depends. I've seen it both ways.

 

[dromio515]

Looks like they have been arriving in CA 6, 7, 8 hours late! for the last few days. Anyone know what happened?

 

[alanh]

Seems to be engine failures. Had to leave an engine in Gallup a few days ago which was picked up by the next day's train.

 

[dromio515]

Seems to be engine failures. Had to leave an engine in Gallup a few days ago which was picked up by the next day's train.

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Amtrak's station page for Fullerton currently states that checked baggage service is not available. Can anyone confirm that that is indeed the case? And will there be checked baggage service in Nov/Dec of this year?

Thanks,
jb

 

[Asher]

Amtrak's station page for Fullerton currently states that checked baggage service is not available. Can anyone confirm that that is indeed the case? And will there be checked baggage service in Nov/Dec of this year?

Thanks,
jb

I found this. Not much to go by.

Date: 11/29/23 01:41
It was suspended for a while. They're "supposed to be" checking bags there again for the SW Chief!

 

[Eric in East County]

Amtrak's station page for Fullerton currently states that checked baggage service is not available. Can anyone confirm that that is indeed the case? And will there be checked baggage service in Nov/Dec of this year?

Thanks,
jb

This might be referring to checked baggage for Pacific Surfliner trains. The Santa Fe Depot in San Diego is currently not accepting checked luggage for PSL trains.