Southwest Chief discussion

[tgstubbs1]

It's departed, but an hour and 23 mins late. Does this mean they expect to have the tracks cleared by Saturday?

 

[west point]

It's departed, but an hour and 23 mins late. Does this mean they expect to have the tracks cleared by Saturday?

seems reasonable not that hard to clear then add panel track.

 

[John Bredin]

There was a Southwest Chief trainset at Kansas City Union Station. I saw it pull away towards the east at about 2:34 pm.


I was passing through the station anyhow so I stopped at the ticket counter to see if my 4 back to Chicago on the 11th would run. I waited behind two passengers who seemed to have just arrived and needed to be reaccomodated for Los Angeles. I didn't listen closely, but I believe they were told they'd be accommodated on tonight's 3. I was then assured 4(9) would be running.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

I saw that tonight's 4(9) was longer than usual tonight observed from the Fullerton railcam. Three leaders up front and superliners for as long as the eye could see. I also saw that it had a special BNSF car at the end.

 

[John Bredin]

I'm on the SWC 4, which arrived KCY about 9:40 and left a hair after 10. I didn't look for how many sleeper cars we have, but we've got five coaches. I'm in the last coach, overlooking the private car visible in the post above mine. Lots of people on & off at Kansas City. Coaches very quiet, lots of people sleeping even at nearly noon.

I went about 11am to the dining car in hope of making a lunch reservation, but was told in no uncertain terms between the extra cars, lateness & having "half a griddle" they weren't sure they'd have enough food. I'm still going to try again when we actually want lunchunderstanding we're probably eating cafe food.

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

I'm on the SWC 4, which arrived KCY about 9:40 and left a hair after 10. I didn't look for how many sleeper cars we have, but we've got five coaches. I'm in the last coach, overlooking the private car visible in the post above mine. Lots of people on & off at Kansas City. Coaches very quiet, lots of people sleeping even at nearly noon.

I went about 11am to the dining car in hope of making a lunch reservation, but was told in no uncertain terms between the extra cars, lateness & having "half a griddle" they weren't sure they'd have enough food. I'm still going to try again when we actually want lunchunderstanding we're probably eating cafe food.

Cool to hear on your report while on board the SWC. Sorry to hear about the cafe car experience though.

 

[joelkfla]

I'm on the SWC 4, which arrived KCY about 9:40 and left a hair after 10. I didn't look for how many sleeper cars we have, but we've got five coaches. I'm in the last coach, overlooking the private car visible in the post above mine. Lots of people on & off at Kansas City. Coaches very quiet, lots of people sleeping even at nearly noon.

I went about 11am to the dining car in hope of making a lunch reservation, but was told in no uncertain terms between the extra cars, lateness & having "half a griddle" they weren't sure they'd have enough food. I'm still going to try again when we actually want lunchunderstanding we're probably eating cafe food.

Four sleepers.

 

[John Bredin]

Epilogue: My 4, and outbound 3 & 5, were held for some time around Naperville due to an electric line across the tracks. Metra BNSF service was also paralyzed. There was some uncertainty for a while, but we were allowed to proceed into Naperville station & then on to Chicago.

We made Union Station about 6:10pm, in just enough time to make our Metra train home at a brisk walk instead of a run. Judging from the announcements, people connecting to the Wolverine had to be reaccomodated but connections were made to the Hiawatha, Pere Marquette & Capitol Ltd.

 

[allanorn]

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?

Depends on the Contract of Carriage but generally it's a bus somewhere. Sometimes it's a bridge to the other train; sometimes it's onward bus to all remaining destinations. This assumes something happens in the middle.

However, if the train never ran it may depend on why it was canceled.

 

[zephyr17]

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?

The contract of carriage actually just says they will get you there. It doesn't guarantee accommodation or even mode.

I don't recall whether they bus bridged on this or not. My vague recollection is they didn't. While bus bridges used to be almost universal in such cases, a recent incident on the Builder, they just turned both trains around and didn't bus, and took their passengers back to their origins. Bus bridges have become a bit fraught with the Great Resignation, it seems they often can't charter buses at the last minute. I don't know what they do when just throw up their hands like that, the worst I've ever experienced myself was a bus bridge.

Suing BNSF is just going the long way around to go after Amtrak. Amtrak and all its host railroads have hold harmless agreements. Any passenger damages will be paid by Amtrak, irrespective of fault, as will any Amtrak equipment damage. Also Amtrak will assume all defense costs. The railroads will pay for any damage to their plant, again regardless of fault. Suing BNSF will wind up suing Amtrak, because BNSF will get dismissed from the case. Plus, it will likely get thrown out entirely and forced into arbitration, because that's part of Amtrak's terms and conditions of the ticket sale.

 

[allanorn]

The contract of carriage actually just says they will get you there. It doesn't guarantee accommodation or even mode.

I don't recall whether they bus bridged on this or not. My vague recollection is they didn't. While bus bridges used to be almost universal in such cases, a recent incident on the Builder, they just turned both trains around and didn't bus, and took their passengers back to their origins. Bus bridges have become a bit fraught with the Great Resignation, it seems they often can't charter buses at the last minute. I don't know what they do when just throw up their hands like that, the worst I've ever experienced myself was a bus bridge.

I don't think they did a bus bridge on this particular one.

Jeb Brooks ran into a similar situation when a freight train derailed on the Cardinal route - he was able to rent a car, but apparently they just loaded everyone back on the train and headed back to Chicago after replacement buses never showed up.

 

[railiner]

I saw that tonight's 4(9) was longer than usual tonight observed from the Fullerton railcam. Three leaders up front and superliners for as long as the eye could see. I also saw that it had a special BNSF car at the end.

View attachment 32797
View attachment 32798View attachment 32799

That’s an interesting looking “business car”, with only 3 widely spaced windows on this side.
And it appears to have solar panels on its roof…
Anyone have an details on it?

 

[Eric in East County]

While bus bridges used to be almost universal in such cases, a recent incident on the Builder, they just turned both trains around and didn't bus, and took their passengers back to their origins.

(I doubt that those passengers who originated in Chicago were taken back there from Albuquerque.) I will be interested to hear how this situation was resolved.

 

[zephyr17]

(I doubt that those passengers who originated in Chicago were taken back there from Albuquerque.) I will be interested to hear how this situation was resolved.

Well, they took the Chicago passengers back from Minot on the Builder. That's 940 miles. 400 miles closer than the 1341 from Albuquerque, but still...

 

[trimetbusfan]

Depends on the Contract of Carriage but generally it's a bus somewhere. Sometimes it's a bridge to the other train; sometimes it's onward bus to all remaining destinations. This assumes something happens in the middle.

However, if the train never ran it may depend on why it was canceled.

I think they had canceled and turned around some trains for the SWC service disruption. However, the first train that did go through ended up having a mega consist w 5 coaches and 3 or 4 sleeeprs, I assume that was to accommodate those folks who were unable to make it on the prior trains.

 

[Zephyer Rider]

The last car was a Geo car. ( checks tracks)

 

[chadamfleetrailfan]

So, I saw that the SWC #3 headed into LA today (6/14/23) was approximately 8 hours late and had a BNSF leader. Per the reports on the AmtrakAlerts Twitter feed, I saw that it encountered unexpected trackwork along with mechanical issues as well.

 

[HammerJack]

Anyone notice the Chief has really been struggling on the Transcon, specifically between Needles and Albuquerque? Seems like it’s always losing 1-3 hours.

 

[user 32753]

Taking a trip to L.A. over Labor Day weekend. Wife and I have a bedroom. Gonna be there for five days. We have to get our rental car at LAX. What the best way to get from union station to the airport?

 

[zephyr17]

Taking a trip to L.A. over Labor Day weekend. Wife and I have a bedroom. Gonna be there for five days. We have to get our rental car at LAX. What the best way to get from union station to the airport?

FlyAway Bus. It runs every half hour from Patsaouras Bus Plaza on the east side (Vignes St side) of the station. Follow the signs to Union Station East when you come down to the pedestrian tunnel, not "Historic Station". Note once at LAX, you will have to take a rental car shuttle bus for your company from the LAX terminal loop to the rental car location. Also that the navigating the World Way terminal loop for the shuttles/buses (and every other vehicle) is often a very, very slow affair.

Note that Hertz and Budget both have rental car agencies right in LAUS. If you are returning by train that will be a lot easier. Hertz at LAUS opens at 8:00 am on weekdays, 9:00 am on Saturdays and is closed Sundays. Budget opens at 8:00 am Monday-Saturday and is also closed Sundays. Also note that rentals at LAX incur a pretty stiff surcharge.

 

[user 32753]

FlyAway Bus. It runs every half hour from Patsaouras Bus Plaza on the east side (Vignes St side) of the station. Follow the signs to Union Station East when you come down to the pedestrian tunnel, not "Historic Station". Note once at LAX, you will have to take a rental car shuttle bus for your company from the LAX terminal loop to the rental car location. Also that the navigating the World Way terminal loop for the shuttles/buses (and every other vehicle) is often a very, very slow affair.

Note that Hertz and Budget both have rental car agencies right in LAUS. If you are returning by train that will be a lot easier. Hertz at LAUS opens at 8:00 am on weekdays, 9:00 am on Saturdays and is closed Sundays. Budget opens at 8:00 am Monday-Saturday and is also closed Sundays. Also note that rentals at LAX incur a pretty stiff surcharge.

I will explore the rental agencies at LAUS! Thanks!

 

[user 32753]

I will explore the rental agencies at LAUS! Thanks!

I got one at Hertz Union Station!

 

[delayed Zephyred]

On June 9th the Amtrak train 3 the southwest chief was delayed out of CHI to LAX Due to mashing up this mega trainset 2 hours . we were going fine until we got into the ABQ. Station inspection point where for the 6th time we got delayed because of turning off the train and restarting the train the Positive train control computer and Amtrak computer would not engage to allow operations. So we were delayed 3 hours which made connection to train 14 impossible despite a guaranteed connection. I hope this is soft vernacular of a real account of issues at ABQ. no wonder why 3 can't make the 14 connection. More than 6 times over the past year. I've been on it.

 

[LongHauler]

we got delayed because of turning off the train and restarting the train the Positive train control computer and Amtrak computer would not engage to allow operations. So we were delayed 3 hours which made connection to train 14 impossible despite a guaranteed connection. I hope this is soft vernacular of a real account of issues at ABQ. no wonder why 3 can't make the 14 connection. More than 6 times over the past year. I've been on it.

Thanks for the report. After a very good May, it's been a rough June for the 3.

 

[moosejunky99]

Looks like 4 got hosed by flooding today near Raton