Southwest Chief discussion Q4 2023 - 2024

[Rasputin]

There is an Amtrak Alert concerning the Southwest Chief:

"Service Disruption: As of 2:54 PM MT, due to a freight derailment, Train 3 will terminate in Albuquerque. Customers due to travel past ABQ should deboard in Lamy and board Train 4 back to their original destination."

 

[BlackDiamond]

There is an Amtrak Alert concerning the Southwest Chief:

"Service Disruption: As of 2:54 PM MT, due to a freight derailment, Train 3 will terminate in Albuquerque. Customers due to travel past ABQ should deboard in Lamy and board Train 4 back to their original destination."

So someone traveling from say Chicago to LA should take train 4 all the way back to Chicago then fly to LA, instead of flying from ABQ? Makes no sense.

 

[Rasputin]

This must be Amtrak's version of "Chutes and Ladders" if I can recall the name of the game correctly. At least Amtrak is providing passengers with "alternative transportation" right back to where you started just as if you never left. A true time machine.

 

[Eric in East County]

So someone traveling from say Chicago to LA should take train 4 all the way back to Chicago then fly to LA, instead of flying from ABQ? Makes no sense.

No, this does not make any sense. The logical thing would be to bus SWC No. 3 passengers from Albuquerque to wherever SWC No. 4 is stopped and bus SWC No. 4 passengers east to Albuquerque. SWC No. 4 would become No. 3 for the return to LA and No. 3 would become No. 4 for the trip back to Chicago. (Restocking food items might be a problem, but there is always pizza, KFC, Subway sandwiches, etc.) It will be interesting to learn more how this situation eventually plays out.

 

[Eternityroad]

So someone traveling from say Chicago to LA should take train 4 all the way back to Chicago then fly to LA, instead of flying from ABQ? Makes no sense.

Why not bus them to LA and points in between? Say my destination is Flagstaff. Makes little sense toship me all the way back to Chicago when they could hire a bus. In the 90's we had a break-down on the Zephyr near Barstow, Calif. They didnt bus us back to LA. They bussed us to Vegas, paid for hotel room and we got the train next evening. I realize this is a derailment but does it take so long to clear tracks? (btw at that time the CZ went through Vegas on its way to hook up with trains in Salt Lake City)

 

[alanh]

This is going to be several days. They're waiting for the propane tanks to burn out. Not that Amtrak communicates well, but they were offering an opportunity to return to your origin if you wanted.

Bus substitution is tough because I-40 is also closed. There's a detour but it's over two lane roads with huge backups. The only real alternative is flying, but Amtrak usually doesn't do that.

News report with some shots of the derailment site.
https://www.koat.com/article/interstate-40-closed-train-derailment-lupton-gallup/60621052

 

[Bob Dylan]

Why not bus them to LA and points in between? Say my destination is Flagstaff. Makes little sense toship me all the way back to Chicago when they could hire a bus. In the 90's we had a break-down on the Zephyr near Barstow, Calif. They didnt bus us back to LA. They bussed us to Vegas, paid for hotel room and we got the train next evening. I realize this is a derailment but does it take so long to clear tracks? (btw at that time the CZ went through Vegas on its way to hook up with trains in Salt Lake City)

Correction: the Desert Wind ran from LA to Salt Lake, not the Zephyr!

 

[pennyk]

So someone traveling from say Chicago to LA should take train 4 all the way back to Chicago then fly to LA, instead of flying from ABQ? Makes no sense.

The son, and his family, of a friend of mine were on train 4 on their way to LAX. They were told that they would have to stay in Albequerque for about 3 days before another train could get them to LA. They decided to fly and have arrived in LA safely. My friend has no idea what, if any, compensation her son will receive from Amtrak.

 

[west point]

Busing in this case IMO was not an alternative. With the interstate I=40 closed and traffic backed up indefinitely delayed the train schedules would have been messed up beyond recovery. Probably would have needed several trains to be cancelled.

https://www.koat.com/article/interstate-40-closed-train-derailment-lupton-gallup/60621052

 

[Rover]

The son, and his family, of a friend of mine were on train 4 on their way to LAX. They were told that they would have to stay in Albequerque for about 3 days before another train could get them to LA. They decided to fly and have arrived in LA safely. My friend has no idea what, if any, compensation her son will receive from Amtrak.

Train derailment leads to stranded Amtrak travelers in Albuquerque

 

[Eternityroad]

Correction: the Desert Wind ran from LA to Salt Lake, not the Zephyr!

Thanks. It's been nearly 30 years. I should have said "what is now the CZ" to cover all that. After Salt Lake Coty it ran the same route as CZ.

 

[west point]

Any indication of when route west of ABQ will reopen for #3 & 4?

 

[alanh]

I-40 opened about half an hour ago. It's going to take several days to clear the wreck and rebuild the track.

I-40 wasn't damaged but was closed due to the danger of explosions. The site should finally be safe for recovery crews to approach.

 

[Eric in East County]

The son, and his family, of a friend of mine were on train 4 on their way to LAX. They were told that they would have to stay in Albequerque for about 3 days before another train could get them to LA. They decided to fly and have arrived in LA safely. My friend has no idea what, if any, compensation her son will receive from Amtrak.

To paraphrase a famous quote from World War II: in preparing for an Amtrak trip, planning is indispensable. Once the trip begins, however, plans are often useless.

 

[Shortline]

Supposed to board the Chief tomorrow AM in KC, to Chicago, then on to Washington and Birmingham, on the way home from a business trip-Popped on to see how it was doing its first night out of LA and it's not on the map.....I know there were cancellations and early turns for 3/4 a day or two ago, is it still in recovery mode? If I am not going to catch the train tomorrow, I'd rather just fly home tonight when done. Anyone have any idea what the status is? Haven't gotten anything from Amtrak yet.......

 

[Eric in East County]

Shortline,

It is my understanding that SWC Nos. 3 and 4 are only providing service between Albuquerque and Chicago for the time being due to the BNSF derailment that took place near the Arizona-New Mexico border last Friday. No trains are departing LA but one should be departing from KC as scheduled.

 

[niemi24s]

Uh. . . why not ask Amtrak?

 

[slasher-fun]

"As of 12:33 PM MT, Train 4 is currently delayed departing Albuquerque (ABQ) due to crew delays. Updates to follow as more information becomes available."

 

[Rover]

To paraphrase a famous quote from World War II: in preparing for an Amtrak trip, planning is indispensable. Once the trip begins, however, plans are often useless.

Plan for The Best...
Pack for The Worst...

 

[Shortline]

Uh. . . why not ask Amtrak?

Uh, I did. That was no help….the agent I finally got in the phone, was fairy clueless. But thank you?

 

[niemi24s]

Hint: Join AGR. AGR agents are the best Amtrak has and I've never waited more than about a minute to get in touch with one.

 

[slasher-fun]

"As of 12:33 PM MT, Train 4 is currently delayed departing Albuquerque (ABQ) due to crew delays. Updates to follow as more information becomes available."

And... now 25 min late into Lamy, first scheduled stop east of Albuquerque. So you should be fine.

 

[alanh]

Service between Albuquerque and LA will resume tomorrow.

 

[dlagrua]

The best information that I can find on trains 3 and 4 is; as of today 4/30/24 is the line has reopened and trains are running again. There are two tracks where the derailment occurred. My guess is that one track is open while the other is being repaired but I have no official information. For people heading West of Albuquerque this is good news.

 

[Eric in East County]

The best information that I can find on trains 3 and 4 is; as of today 4/30/24 is the line has reopened and trains are running again. There are two tracks where the derailment occurred. My guess is that one track is open while the other is being repaired but I have no official information. For people heading West of Albuquerque this is good news.

This derailment serves to remind us how vulnerable Amtrak passenger service can be to events caused by the weather and/or human or structural failure.