Southwest Chief discussion Q4 2023 - 2024

[Thechad0677]

I've used the Enterprise at 120 Lomas and they will pick you up. The only problem is if the train is super late and arrives outside their normal business hours. Also they're closed Sunday and Saturday they're only open 10-2. So if you're arriving on a weekend and need a rental you'll have to Uber to the ABQ airport.

I did ask them about after hours drop off at 120 Lomas. They said while they don't technically offer it you can leave the vehicle in their lot and put the keys through the mail slot. At that point you would want to have their full coverage insurance in case something happened to the vehicle after drop off.

Chad

 

[Cal H]

Albuquerque city bus depot is right next to the Amtrak station. it looks like all city buses are free to ride. see how close the bus gets you to where you want to go.

 

[MARC Rider]

We're planning a trip to Albuquerque on #3 with scheduled arrival around 3 pm. What's the easiest way to get anywhere from the Amtrak station in Albuquerque? Does anybody have any recent experience with motels or car rental agencies that will come pick up passengers? I've seen mixed responses and so far have not found any definite shuttle possibilities. So if nobody will come pick up Amtrak passengers, what's the easiest way to get to a hotel or car rental agency (with a couple of suitcases) from the Albuquerque Amtrak station? Thanks for any recent experience or advice.

The airport is not that far from the train station. I would think it would be an easy rideshare or taxi ride from the train station to the airport rental car counters. One advantage of renting a car at an airport location is that the rental counters (at least at the larger airports) are open 24/7. Another is that usually the prices are cheaper than at the neighborhood locations, as I found out in Boston a couple of years ago.

 

[Rasputin]

The airport is not that far from the train station. I would think it would be an easy rideshare or taxi ride from the train station to the airport rental car counters. One advantage of renting a car at an airport location is that the rental counters (at least at the larger airports) are open 24/7. Another is that usually the prices are cheaper than at the neighborhood locations, as I found out in Boston a couple of years ago.

In my experience I have found the reverse to be true - that the in city locations are cheaper than the airport locations although their hours can be limited and some are not open on weekends.

 

[Bill Eby]

When we did this earlier this summer, I used the Turo app to rent a car from an individual. He met me at the Albuquerque Amtrak station and provided us a nice Volvo to drive. He met us again when we got back to the station to leave.
It was a really good experience.

You will want to set up your profile before you go and you can see what cars will be available for your visit.

 

[Bob Dylan]

We're planning a trip to Albuquerque on #3 with scheduled arrival around 3 pm. What's the easiest way to get anywhere from the Amtrak station in Albuquerque? Does anybody have any recent experience with motels or car rental agencies that will come pick up passengers? I've seen mixed responses and so far have not found any definite shuttle possibilities. So if nobody will come pick up Amtrak passengers, what's the easiest way to get to a hotel or car rental agency (with a couple of suitcases) from the Albuquerque Amtrak station? Thanks for any recent experience or advice.

Enterprise used to pick up Customers @ the Station but not sure they still do???

Uber or Lyft as suggested, is probably your best bet if shuttles can't be found.

Most people pick up Rent Cars @ the Airport there since the choices are better.

Google up Hotels on one of the Travel Sites to see which ones might have Shuttles to/from the Amtrak Station.

 

[tgstubbs1]

So if nobody will come pick up Amtrak passengers, what's the easiest way to get to a hotel or car rental agency (with a couple of suitcases) from the Albuquerque Amtrak station? Thanks for any recent experience or advice.

The Amtrak station is at the intersection of 1st and Central (Old Rt 66). There is a Hilton at Central and Broadway, about two blocks east on Central from the station. If you walk you have to walk under the train overpass, but it is a short walk.

 

[erinch13]

When we go, we rent a car from the ABQ airport , usually Enterprise, and get an Uber form the train station. If the train is at all late, it makes getting to the downtown Enterprise almost impossible, and they tend to run out of vehicles towards the end of the day.

Uber has worked great for us 4 different times, and we never have waited more than 10 minutes. Make sure the Uber app is updated, as signal strength is a little low around the train station (Verizon).

 

[joelkfla]

Google up Hotels on one of the Travel Sites to see which ones might have Shuttles to/from the Amtrak Station.

I think it's rare to find a hotel that specifically advertises a shuttle to the local Amtrak station, but I have stayed at hotels that have a "local shuttle" that will take you anywhere within a few miles of the hotel. I've also stayed at a hotel that ran an airport shuttle, where the driver was happy to drop off at the nearby transit station on the way back from the airport; I didn't try to get picked up at the station.

 

[moosejunky99]

Does anybody recall what time this train calls for boarding at Chicago union station with the new 2:25pm time?

 

[Cal]

Does anybody recall what time this train calls for boarding at Chicago union station with the new 2:25pm time?

Probably about 45 minutes before departure, and it probably varies day by day.

 

[Shanson]

Most long distance trains have a boarding call 30 to 40 minutes before departure time.

 

[moosejunky99]

Okay cool. Thank you for the responses!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Does anybody recall what time this train calls for boarding at Chicago union station with the new 2:25pm time?

If you use a Redcap they'll take you to trainside on a cart before the rest of the passengers board.

Remember to tip for this service!

 

[zephyr17]

If you use a Redcap they'll take you to trainside on a cart before the rest of the passengers board.

Remember to tip for this service!

Um, maybe, maybe not at Chicago. For the Empire Builder, which is what I ride the most frequently out of Chicago, the passengers wanting Red Caps are often milling around the Met Lounge desk waiting when the train is called, while the rest of us are walking out the exit by the showers into the concourse. The last couple times in Chicago, they've stopped doing the "kindergarten walk" out of the lounge. Generally those passengers have gotten to the platform well before the Red Caps started to show up there.

At LA, they generally call for both Red Caps and walkers at the lounge at the same time. The first Red Cap carts will generally arrive at the platform before the walkers because they have a much shorter path to the platform at LAUS and they are right outside the back door when the call is made.

The one place you are pretty much guaranteed to hit the platform first with a Red Cap is NY Penn/Moynihan.

Note this applies to sleeper passengers. Generally coach passengers with Red Caps will get there before the rest of the coach passengers, depending on how many trips the Red Caps have to make.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Um, maybe, maybe not at Chicago. For the Empire Builder, which is what I ride the most frequently out of Chicago, the passengers wanting Red Caps are often milling around the Met Lounge desk waiting when the train is called, while the rest of us are walking out the exit by the showers into the concourse. The last couple times in Chicago, they've stopped doing the "kindergarten walk" out of the lounge. Generally those passengers have gotten to the platform well before the Red Caps started to show up there.

At LA, they generally call for both Red Caps and walkers at the lounge at the same time. The first Red Cap carts will generally arrive at the platform before the walkers because they have a much shorter path to the platform at LAUS and they are right outside the back door when the call is made.

The one place you are pretty much guaranteed to hit the platform first with a Red Cap is NY Penn/Moynihan.

Note this applies to sleeper passengers. Generally coach passengers with Red Caps will get there before the rest of the coach passengers, depending on how many trips the Red Caps have to make.

Thanks for the update, sadly it sounds like the decline in Customer Service continues in Chicago!

 

[Rasputin]

It appears that 4(1) is operating about 8 hours late due to locomotive failures in Arizona. Apparently it was hauled to ABQ by a BNSF loco and an Amtrak loco was added there and the BNSF removed.

Is a rescue Amtrak loco now stationed in ABQ (as it was years ago) or was this Amtrak loco taken from another train?

 

[alanh]

It was swiped from #3 which also had a freight loco added at Winslow. I assume both engines on #4 broke down so they needed one for head-end power.

 

[Cal]

It was swiped from #3 which also had a freight loco added at Winslow. I assume both engines on #4 broke down so they needed one for head-end power.

#3 stops at Winslow after ABQ, so I'm confused about the timeline here.

 

[PVD]

Thanks for the update, sadly it sounds like the decline in Customer Service continues in Chicago!

some of it is due to the congestion caused by the construction making it difficult for the carts to get through the crowds...that's what I observed last month

 

[TinCan782]

Noticed (on the La Plata cam) #3 was minus a sleeper this evening. Only the transdorm and a one regular sleeper.
I believe that removing a sleeper at the beginning of September was mentioned a while back.

 

[Cal]

Noticed (on the La Plata cam) #3 was minus a sleeper this evening. Only the transdorm and a one regular sleeper.
I believe that removing a sleeper at the beginning of September was mentioned a while back.

Its going to the AT for the winter season. Who knows when/if it will come back.

 

[railiner]

Its going to the AT for the winter season. Who knows when/if it will come back.

Seems a bit early to go to the AT...the "season" is still month's away...

 

[Charles785]

I did wonder why I've seen only two sleepers on the Southwest Chief #3 the last two nights. Is this also the case for train #4?

Why on earth would Amtrak do this if there continues to be demand for as much sleeper space as possible?

By the way, what is "AT?"

 

[Bob Dylan]

I did wonder why I've seen only two sleepers on the Southwest Chief #3 the last two nights. Is this also the case for train #4?

Why on earth would Amtrak do this if there continues to be demand for as much sleeper space as possible?

By the way, what is "AT?"

Because they can, and AT = Auto Train.