Southwest Chief discussion

[AmtrakBlue]

The audio which runs in connection with the video includes a radio conversation presumably between the conductor and a crewman indicating that the train is SRO and that he (presumably the conductor) is sending people to the lounge car.

Ok. I never have the sound on on my computer since I usually have my “ears” off at home.

 

[John Santos]

The person above answered the question. as how I knew they were SRO, but I still would like to know how this situation can come about when they have a reservation system.. do they intentionally overbook like the airlines?

Maybe these were passengers from the previous day's train which was cancelled due to a freight derailment? Amtrak may have offered them a choice of coach seats on the next SWC or some sort of refund or payment towards alternate transportation, and these folks chose the train.

 

[billosborn]

Maybe these were passengers from the previous day's train which was cancelled due to a freight derailment? Amtrak may have offered them a choice of coach seats on the next SWC or some sort of refund or payment towards alternate transportation, and these folks chose the train.

That make sense. Anyone else have thoughts/insights?

 

[Bob Dylan]

That make sense. Anyone else have thoughts/insights?

This is pretty common on the NEC and in California where Passengers, after a Service Disruption, are often put aboard a " Rescue" Train which often is already Full.

I've had to sit in the Cafe Car and even stand many times till people get off and seats Open up.

 

[billosborn]

This is pretty common on the NEC and in California where Passengers, after a Service Disruption, are often put aboard a " Rescue" Train which often is already Full.

I've had to sit in the Cafe Car and even stand many times till people get off and seats Open up.

That makes perfect sense - the previous day's SWC had been cancelled, so these folks opted to continue their trip a day later, and if they called Amtrak Customer relations they would have received compensation.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

It was great to see the Operation Lifesaver unit 203 leading on Chicago-bound #4 today (3/28/23) passing through Fullerton, CA...

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Some questions

I will be in a roomette on the Southwest Chief. I can imagine needing ice from time to time. Do I ask the attendant? Bug the dining car steward? How would this ice be provided? Should/can I provide a large cup or container so that I won't have to bother anybody so often?

I don't drink tea but I have a miniature Nespresso device that needs hot water. I am assuming that getting hot water with a meal is easy. Can I get it in the roomette?

I understand that either the sleeping car attendant or the dining car steward will come through the sleeping car and take reservations. Is that just for the next meal or can you make the reservations for the whole trip? I've read that you can make reservations for lunch and dinner. What about breakfast? Since the people in coach can come in and pay for meals is there some danger of not getting seated?

 

[zephyr17]

Some questions

I will be in a roomette on the Southwest Chief. I can imagine needing ice from time to time. Do I ask the attendant? Bug the dining car steward? How would this ice be provided? Should/can I provide a large cup or container so that I won't have to bother anybody so often?

I don't drink tea but I have a miniature Nespresso device that needs hot water. I am assuming that getting hot water with a meal is easy. Can I get it in the roomette?

I understand that either the sleeping car attendant or the dining car steward will come through the sleeping car and take reservations. Is that just for the next meal or can you make the reservations for the whole trip? I've read that you can make reservations for lunch and dinner. What about breakfast? Since the people in coach can come in and pay for meals is there some danger of not getting seated?

You ask the car attendant. They'll often bring you a cup or two unless you specify a bucket, they have waxed cardboard buckets they can use. Some attendants are not terribly thrilled about getting ice.

You can get cups of hot water from the café on the lower level of the Sightseer. They're free.

The dining car LSA (lead service attendant) or someone they delegate will come through the sleeping cars a couple hours before each meal service that reservations are required for. That's always for dinner, most of the time for lunch, never for breakfast which is first come, first served. There is no danger of not being seated for breakfast as long as you present yourself in the diner by last call. If they fill up at any time during breakfast service, the LSA will start a wait list. Note that breakfast coming into LA is abbreviated. They'll make last call around San Bernardino and stop seating at Riverside.

They'll announce they are coming through for reservations before they start. You should be in your room with the door and curtain open when they do. If your door is closed and especially if the curtain is drawn they'll skip it. They won't disturb a passenger for reservations. They do the Sightseer last, so the choice of times will be limited by then. You get the reservations one meal at a time, you cannot do them for the whole trip.

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Here is what I am hoping is a dumb question. I paid for a roomette on the SWC. I did this is on the Amtrak website. It was a single amount. When I read about ticketing I see that there are separate amounts, one for the roomette and one for the passenger. Were these two amounts combined in what I paid or am I missing something? The pass in my Apple Wallet has by name and a roomette number...

 

[trimetbusfan]

Here is what I am hoping is a dumb question. I paid for a roomette on the SWC. I did this is on the Amtrak website. It was a single amount. When I read about ticketing I see that there are separate amounts, one for the roomette and one for the passenger. Were these two amounts combined in what I paid or am I missing something? The pass in my Apple Wallet has by name and a roomette number...

Yes.

Roomette fare structure is room fare + rail fare. Amtrak combines these two amounts when booking. (And often times, they will only show the total amount). If you have a ticket, your good to go.

 

[zephyr17]

Here is what I am hoping is a dumb question. I paid for a roomette on the SWC. I did this is on the Amtrak website. It was a single amount. When I read about ticketing I see that there are separate amounts, one for the roomette and one for the passenger. Were these two amounts combined in what I paid or am I missing something? The pass in my Apple Wallet has by name and a roomette number...

Amtrak has suppressed showing the rail fare/accommodation charge split entirely on the website now. I think someone at Amtrak thought it confused people and when they did the appalling and incompetent "modernization" of the website it vanished. The last vestige, the old "Multi-City" dialog, was "modernized" and it doesn't show anymore there, either. Nevertheless, that is still how Amtrak sleeper fares are constructed. These days the only place is still shows is on the "eTicket and Receipt" email. It doesn't show on the boarding pass, nor on the "receipt" section of the ticket on the mobile app. I don't have an Apple, and I don't appear to have an option to add an Amtrak ticket to Google Wallet, but since it doesn't show in the mobile app, it makes sense to me that it wouldn't show on Apple Wallet.

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Amtrak has suppressed showing the rail fare/accommodation charge split entirely on the website now. I think someone at Amtrak thought it confused people and when they did the appalling and incompetent "modernization" of the website it vanished. The last vestige, the old "Multi-City" dialog, was "modernized" and it doesn't show anymore there, either. Nevertheless, that is still how Amtrak sleeper fares are constructed. These days the only place is still shows is on the "eTicket and Receipt" email. It doesn't show on the boarding pass, nor on the "receipt" section of the ticket on the mobile app. I don't have an Apple, and I don't appear to have an option to add an Amtrak ticket to Google Wallet, but since it doesn't show in the mobile app, it makes sense to me that it wouldn't show on Apple Wallet.

Thanks. Found the "eTicket and Receipt" email. Now I feel better.

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Another dumb question: As I head to the bank to get cash for tips, I've been assuming that purchases on the train can be done with plastic, do I have that right?

 

[zephyr17]

Another dumb question: As I head to the bank to get cash for tips, I've been assuming that purchases on the train can be done with plastic, do I have that right?

Yes, in fact cash wasn't accepted onboard at the height of COVID.

The POS machines go down with some frequency, though. At such times they can only accept cash until they can get them back on line. I'd bring some cash as a backup.

 

[Eric in East County]

Another dumb question: As I head to the bank to get cash for tips, I've been assuming that purchases on the train can be done with plastic, do I have that right?

The only dumb question is the question you didn't ask! Although we've already done 10 long-distance Amtrak trips, we still post questions here if there is something we don't understand or feel uncertain about. The responses we've received have always contained useful information that have made our trips all that more easier.

Eric & Pat

 

[Eric in East County]

Apparently, last night's SWC #4 was terminated at Needles due to a disable freight train further up the line. Did it just turn around and return to LA? (I can't imagine that a train load of people would be left stranded in Needles.) Any additional information on this incident would be appreciated.

 

[lrh442]

BNSF put 20 auto racks on the ground near Williams Jct AZ, fouling both main lines. Interestingly, this is the same freight that broke a knuckle in Flagstaff. Train full of new cars, vans derails east of Williams, authorities say

According to Amtrak Alerts: Amtrak Twitter Alerts
3(7) terminated in ABQ
4(7) terminated in Needles
3(8) and 4(8) are cancelled.

I read elsewhere that 4(7) was added to 3(6?) in Needles and taken back to LA. I thought maybe they would double up tonight's 4 to get the equipment and passengers back to Chicago. But, with the cancellation of 4(8) maybe that will occur tomorrow?

Big ole mess anyway you slice it.

B.t.w, for those unfamiliar, the abbreviation 4(8) means Amtrak #4 orginating on the 8th day of the month.

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Wow. Dodged a bullet. Currently on the SWC that left a day earlier.

 

[Eric in East County]

BNSF put 20 auto racks on the ground near Williams Jct AZ, fouling both main lines. Interestingly, this is the same freight that broke a knuckle in Flagstaff. Train full of new cars, vans derails east of Williams, authorities say

According to Amtrak Alerts: Amtrak Twitter Alerts
3(7) terminated in ABQ
4(7) terminated in Needles
3(8) and 4(8) are cancelled.

I read elsewhere that 4(7) was added to 3(6?) in Needles and taken back to LA. I thought maybe they would double up tonight's 4 to get the equipment and passengers back to Chicago. But, with the cancellation of 4(8) maybe that will occur tomorrow?

Big ole mess anyway you slice it.

B.t.w, for those unfamiliar, the abbreviation 4(8) means Amtrak #4 orginating on the 8th day of the month.

Question re: SWC No. 3 (7) which terminated in Albuquerque: what are passengers expected to do? Will Amtrak put them up for the night and then send them out on the next day’s No. 3, assuming it isn’t sold out? Will Amtrak help them find alternate transportation or run a bus bridge? I’m guessing that passengers will probably just get a refund and then be expected to find their own way home from Albuquerque. Those with connections to other trains are doubly SOL unless Amtrak runs special buses for them. Will passengers be able to sue BNSF for any money they lose and the emotional stress they suffer?

 

[TinCan782]

Watched the 3/4 double set on the Hesperia/Cajon Pass Virtual Railfan camera this morning.

 

[John Bredin]

I've got tickets on 4(9) so here's hopin' that runs. We're not stuck if it doesn't, but still

 

[Eric in East County]

BNSF put 20 auto racks on the ground near Williams Jct AZ, fouling both main lines. Interestingly, this is the same freight that broke a knuckle in Flagstaff. Train full of new cars, vans derails east of Williams, authorities say

According to Amtrak Alerts: Amtrak Twitter Alerts
3(7) terminated in ABQ
4(7) terminated in Needles
3(8) and 4(8) are cancelled.

I read elsewhere that 4(7) was added to 3(6?) in Needles and taken back to LA. I thought maybe they would double up tonight's 4 to get the equipment and passengers back to Chicago. But, with the cancellation of 4(8) maybe that will occur tomorrow?

Big ole mess anyway you slice it.

B.t.w, for those unfamiliar, the abbreviation 4(8) means Amtrak #4 orginating on the 8th day of the month.

A similar wreck happened on June 14, 2021, near Marmon, N. M. We went by the wreck site a week or so later on the SWC, and it looked like a massive junk yard of railroad container cars, some of which still had vehicles inside of them. A large crew was working to clean up this mess. We later learned that the wreck had seriously disrupted train movements in this area.

 

[Asher]

Watched the 3/4 double set on the Hesperia/Cajon Pass Virtual Railfan camera this morning.

I’ve often ridden a motorcycle just south of that along those tracks. When a locomotive appears from around a bend, it looks like it’s heading straight for you, with all the noise created by the engines and wheels it’s a rush.

 

[TinCan782]

Checked tracking info on my delayed Amazon order (shipped via UPS):
"A train derailment has delayed delivery by one business day."

 

[ratinthekitchen]

Here we see the cancelled June 8th #4 and today’s scheduled #3.