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When The Super Chief carried 1st Class over this route. It ran 100 MPH.
Southwest Chief discussion
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I was also under the impression the ATS has been removed or is on its way out. Similarly UP is phasing out its legacy cab signal system. With the rollout of I ETMS PTC most of the roads don’t want the costs associated of maintaining the legacy systems. Eventually the only remaining class 1 tracks carrying Amtrak trains with legacy technologies like ATS and ATC will be those that had wayside signals removed and are operating under NORAC 562 rules - and I believe most if not all of those are former ConRail lines in the northeast.
MIrailfan
Lead Service Attendant
Is Tucson not a fuel stop anymore?
Their timetable now shows 15 minute dwell in Tuscon.
Their timetable now shows 15 minute dwell in Tuscon.
Yep, they fill up the Sunset @ the Huge New Fuel Station in New Mexico West of El Paso!
Reading over our 2005 Southwest Chief trip report, we noted that the consist included two freight cars which we assumed were there to generate extra revenue. When did this practice cease and for what reason?
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jis
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Most likely the now defunct Amtrak Express service cars. Was quite common back then.
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Interesting story about the Mail and Express Cars, a Amtrak Employee told me back then the Southwest Chief had been approved for up to 45 Mail and Express Cars on the back of a single train.
The host railroads took a very dim view of Amtrak expanding into the freight business, over their railroads. In one case, that I am very 
aware of, Amtrak had been running their Fast Mail over the Inland Route, from Boston to New York and Washington using Conrail Boston to Springfield. At the beginning, it was 'mail, baggage, and express only', and didn't carry any passenger coaches. That is until a certain Conrail shareholder, at the annual stockholders meeting in Philadelphia, questioned the officer's why they allowed Amtrak this practice, in effect competing with them. The officer was not aware of this, and ordered a subordinate to 'check into it'. Sure enough, a few days later, Conrail told Amtrak, that unless that train carried at least one coach to accommodate passenger's, they would not allow that train, or any other similar, over their railroad.
Amtrak complied, and began carrying passengers on it, although they could have rerouted it over their own NEC route to New Haven...
aware of, Amtrak had been running their Fast Mail over the Inland Route, from Boston to New York and Washington using Conrail Boston to Springfield. At the beginning, it was 'mail, baggage, and express only', and didn't carry any passenger coaches. That is until a certain Conrail shareholder, at the annual stockholders meeting in Philadelphia, questioned the officer's why they allowed Amtrak this practice, in effect competing with them. The officer was not aware of this, and ordered a subordinate to 'check into it'. Sure enough, a few days later, Conrail told Amtrak, that unless that train carried at least one coach to accommodate passenger's, they would not allow that train, or any other similar, over their railroad. Amtrak complied, and began carrying passengers on it, although they could have rerouted it over their own NEC route to New Haven...
Wasn't there a mail facility located in Springfield just South of the interlocking where the connection into Springfield station diverges from the Conn River line? Perhaps that is why they needed to keep this train on the Inland Route.
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I understand from comments on another list that No. 3(4) had no dining car and that the lounge on No. 4(4) was removed from the train at Albuquerque after failing a mechanical inspection.
From Flagstaff either take a shuttle or rental car or go to the next stop on the SWChief and take the scenic train from Williams.
Once you get to Grand Canyon Village it's easy to get around on foot or take the Park trams around the rim of the canyon for various sights and exhibits.
During the busy summer months you will probably find accomodations crowded and scarce without a reservation.
During the off season you might not need reservations but the hikes down into the canyon can become more dangerous in icy weather. They make a point of reminding people that every year people perish from falls and dehydration.
Have fun, it's a great trip!
Once you get to Grand Canyon Village it's easy to get around on foot or take the Park trams around the rim of the canyon for various sights and exhibits.
During the busy summer months you will probably find accomodations crowded and scarce without a reservation.
During the off season you might not need reservations but the hikes down into the canyon can become more dangerous in icy weather. They make a point of reminding people that every year people perish from falls and dehydration.
Have fun, it's a great trip!
Note the SWC does not stop at Williams. Flagstaff is the closest stop.
When we did this trip in Fall 2021 we rented a car from Enterprise who picked us up at our hotel and took us to the office which is on route 66 a couple of miles from the station. There is also the shuttle as published as the Amtrak connection. We wanted the car as after we rode the train to the canyon we were planning to drive from Williams to Durango to ride the Narrow Gauge.
The GC Railroad discontinued its shuttle pickup (supposedly because they were responsible for keeping the road open) from the train to the hotel. Why have a stop with almost no ability for passengers to get to or from it?
lsfinn
Train Attendant
Be aware that the Flagstaff stops are not at convenient times: Westbound you'll arrive no earlier than 8:50 PM; Eastbound you'll arrive no earlier than 4:30 AM.
Aside from proximity to the Canyon, Flagstaff has some interesting things to see, such as the Lowell Observatory (especially as it gets dark) and the surrounding area offers many sites of past civilizations, also not too bad a run to Sedona,
acelafan
Conductor
Here is a timetable for the Southwest Chief that shows connections for getting to the Grand Canyon.
https://juckins.net/amtrak_timetables/archive/timetables_Grand_Canyon_20230702_external.pdf
https://juckins.net/amtrak_timetables/archive/timetables_Grand_Canyon_20230702_external.pdf
Did so a few years ago with DW and here's what we did:
• Got off the SWC in Flagstaff and spent the night in a hotel.
• Picked up a rental car at the airport the next morning and took US 89 North to its junction with AZ 64 heading for the East entrance to GC Nat'l Park.
• I found the scenery along the later part of Hwy 64 quite stunning - quite flat and treeless with the tops of river canyons feeding the Colorado River visible on the right hand side.
• Entered the park and stopped at every available vantage point from East to West.
• Took Hwy 64 South out of the West park entrance and then US 180 back to Flagstaff where we spent the night.
• Total distance was about 200 miles taking perhaps 12 hours.
• Next day drove though Sedona (also stunning) on our way to Tucson where we caught the SL/TE for home.
Amtrak vacations . com has these tours including Grand Canyon.
https://www.amtrakvacations.com/vacation-types/most-popular
https://www.amtrakvacations.com/vacation-types/most-popular
I considered Amtrak Vacations for our 2021 trip which was somewhat similar to the above, but ended up planning it myself for a lot less money. I like playing at being a travel agent anyway, although I'm sure for some, having someone else do the heavy lifting is worth it.
That's interesting. I was looking at the itineraries. You'd almost think you get some kind of discount by getting a big package but I know they are in the business of making money. Did they insert a bunch of 'fat' someplace? I'm sure a certain amount of the pricing should depend on the dates of the trip, but they don't mention any variations in the pricing.
The Southwest Chief could be a major part of the expense, but the trips they offer don't include sleepers so if you add them the prices would be a lot higher.
justinslot
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Shoutout flitcraft and willbridge upthread, the Miyako is my favorite place to stay in my favorite Los Angeles neighborhood. I love getting a room facing 1st Street and watching people line up for the restaurants, or checking when the lines are short so I can go eat.
Anyway, and this is why I'm here, I was idly checking the CHI to LAX route in early October--not super serious, more of a "this might be a good time to take a trip after I go to that conference" sort of thing--and there are a good number of sold out sleepers for the first two weeks of October, like maybe half already sold out. Which is unusual in my experience as an occasional Amtrak traveler (one or two LD trips annually), to have that route sold out so often this far out. Did they take away a sleeper car in October or something?
Anyway, and this is why I'm here, I was idly checking the CHI to LAX route in early October--not super serious, more of a "this might be a good time to take a trip after I go to that conference" sort of thing--and there are a good number of sold out sleepers for the first two weeks of October, like maybe half already sold out. Which is unusual in my experience as an occasional Amtrak traveler (one or two LD trips annually), to have that route sold out so often this far out. Did they take away a sleeper car in October or something?
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