Starlight Service Disruption: 4/25 through 5/9/17

[TrainLoverJoy]

Amtrak called to tell me my May 8 L.A. to Seattle trip has been cancelled. I see there was a landslide between Portland and Seattle but only a 48 hours rail closing because of it.

Amtrak Customer Service tells me my trip was cancelled even tho almost 2 weeks away because they might still be working on landslide damage. Anyone know anything about this? I decided not to cancel my reservation until the last minute, in case the route is reinstated

 

[JayPea]

There was a derailment near Dunsmuir that resulted in a damaged bridge. Estimated time for repairs is two weeks. But, as always, stay tuned for further developments.

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

Amtrak called to tell me my May 8 L.A. to Seattle trip has been cancelled. I see there was a landslide between Portland and Seattle but only a 48 hours rail closing because of it.

Amtrak Customer Service tells me my trip was cancelled even tho almost 2 weeks away because they might still be working on landslide damage. Anyone know anything about this? I decided not to cancel my reservation until the last minute, in case the route is reinstated

That explains it, thank you. So there is still an outside chance it will be fixed by the 7th. Alternative is driving the Coast from L.A. to Seattle, which I've done before and really wouldn't mind doing again . After all, still have the E.B. to take home from there.

 

[wdscott]

Amtrak called to tell me my May 8 L.A. to Seattle trip has been cancelled. I see there was a landslide between Portland and Seattle but only a 48 hours rail closing because of it.

Amtrak Customer Service tells me my trip was cancelled even tho almost 2 weeks away because they might still be working on landslide damage. Anyone know anything about this? I decided not to cancel my reservation until the last minute, in case the route is reinstated

That explains it, thank you. So there is still an outside chance it will be fixed by the 7th. Alternative is driving the Coast from L.A. to Seattle, which I've done before and really wouldn't mind doing again . After all, still have the E.B. to take home from there.

Check road conditions ahead of time. For example, CA 1 has been closed through Big Sur for months and will be for some time, eliminating the spectacular drive from Morro Bay to Monterey. Other issues as well.

Do a search on "caltrans road conditions". Similar for Oregon and Washington.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Amtrak called to tell me my May 8 L.A. to Seattle trip has been cancelled. I see there was a landslide between Portland and Seattle but only a 48 hours rail closing because of it.

Amtrak Customer Service tells me my trip was cancelled even tho almost 2 weeks away because they might still be working on landslide damage. Anyone know anything about this? I decided not to cancel my reservation until the last minute, in case the route is reinstated

That explains it, thank you. So there is still an outside chance it will be fixed by the 7th. Alternative is driving the Coast from L.A. to Seattle, which I've done before and really wouldn't mind doing again . After all, still have the E.B. to take home from there.

Check road conditions ahead of time. For example, CA 1 has been closed through Big Sur for months and will be for some time, eliminating the spectacular drive from Morro Bay to Monterey. Other issues as well.

Do a search on "caltrans road conditions". Similar for Oregon and Washington.

There's a landslide that keeps closing 101 in Humboldt County. They expect to have it open soon, but... they had it open yesterday, and it did not last.

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

Amtrak called to tell me my May 8 L.A. to Seattle trip has been cancelled. I see there was a landslide between Portland and Seattle but only a 48 hours rail closing because of it.

Amtrak Customer Service tells me my trip was cancelled even tho almost 2 weeks away because they might still be working on landslide damage. Anyone know anything about this? I decided not to cancel my reservation until the last minute, in case the route is reinstated

That explains it, thank you. So there is still an outside chance it will be fixed by the 7th. Alternative is driving the Coast from L.A. to Seattle, which I've done before and really wouldn't mind doing again . After all, still have the E.B. to take home from there.

Check road conditions ahead of time. For example, CA 1 has been closed through Big Sur for months and will be for some time, eliminating the spectacular drive from Morro Bay to Monterey. Other issues as well.

Do a search on "caltrans road conditions". Similar for Oregon and Washington.

Thank you...... I will definitely keep that in mind.

 

[Austruck]

I got similar emails from Amtrak today and will definitely be changing my itinerary tomorrow on the phone with them. Not happy about this... mostly because now I don't see a way to get to both Seattle and LA without a convoluted path in between. And now I have to reschedule hotel reservations that I made in January at good rates. Ugh.

 

[KmH]

Read The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, it explains why most of what happens in our life happens by pure chance.

 

[The Chief]

from Union Pacific

Our engineering and bridge teams have been able to further assess our main line outage between Redding and Dunsmuir, California. Extensive repairs will be required and initial estimates indicate this outage will last up to 30 days.

https://www.up.com/customers/announcements/customernews/generalannouncements/CN2017-28.html

(didn't see this here or another thread)

 

[The Chief]

Wow. Bridge strike messed up the mainline near Castilla.

http://www.mtshastanews.com/article/20170426/NEWS/170429677

photo credit Josh Spurlock Dunsmuir Drone. Nice job Josh.

http://www.krcrtv.com/news/local/shasta/train-derailment-reported-in-shasta-county/462736034

Highball and drag that derailed equipment til it tears loose!

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

What about going through the Keddie Wye?

 

[CCC1007]

What about going through the Keddie Wye?

That is the alternate route I mentioned above

 

[chakk]

Routing via the Feather River Canyon, Keddie Wye, and the Inside Gateway would add MANY hours to the transit time. Amtrak is not likely to do that for a month (or more?) of detours.

Folks wanting to catch most of the route could fly between The San Francisco area and Portland, taking the CS stubs between LA and Bay Area, and between Portland and Seattle. However, the PPC cars are not likely to be operating on the stub trains.

 

[fairviewroad]

.

Folks wanting to catch most of the route could fly between The San Francisco area and Portland, taking the CS stubs between LA and Bay Area, and between Portland and Seattle. However, the PPC cars are not likely to be operating on the stub trains.

If one *really* wanted to get as much of the actual CS route as possible, you could fly into EUG and catch a Cascades train from there to Seattle.

Also, I think an update to the thread title may be in order. The service disruption is clearly extending past 4/25.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

.

Folks wanting to catch most of the route could fly between The San Francisco area and Portland, taking the CS stubs between LA and Bay Area, and between Portland and Seattle. However, the PPC cars are not likely to be operating on the stub trains.

If one *really* wanted to get as much of the actual CS route as possible, you could fly into EUG and catch a Cascades train from there to Seattle.

Also, I think an update to the thread title may be in order. The service disruption is clearly extending past 4/25.

I second that. Since it is clear that the disruption will continue into early May, we should change the title to "Coast Starlight Spring 2017 Service Disruption" or something similar to that. Moderators and admins, what do you all think about the title change?

 

[chakk]

T.O. Quotes a Union Pacific notice to its customers that the route between Dunsmuir and Redding will be out of service for about 30 days.

 

[chakk]

I suggested SFO-PDX instead of SFO-EUG because the former has a one-way nonstop fare of $73 and the latter a one-way nonstop fare of $248.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

T.O. Quotes a Union Pacific notice to its customers that the route between Dunsmuir and Redding will be out of service for about 30 days.

I direct-quoted UP alerts and this is what they said. Source: https://www.up.com/customers/announcements/customernews/generalannouncements/CN2017-28.html

initial estimates indicate this outage will last up to 30 days

It is saying that it will take a maximum of 30 days. Depending on its progress, it can be done prior to 30 days, as no minimum was mentioned.

Wonder why I did not get an email from Amtrak, if I am supposed to travel that route at the end of this month.

 

[KnightRail]

It is saying that it will take a maximum of 30 days. Depending on its progress, it can be done prior to 30 days, as no minimum was mentioned.

Wonder why I did not get an email from Amtrak, if I am supposed to travel that route at the end of this month.

You said you are traveling at the end of this month? Do you mean tomorrow the last day of April or do you mean the end of May?

Right now, bookable inventory is shut down through the origin date of May 11th. Starting Monday May 1st Coast Starlight trains will operate Los Angeles-Sacramento-Los Angeles only, with reduced consists. There will be no stub trains on the northern end of the route. Cascades service is available for travel between Eugene and points north. Date for resumption of service is a moving target and it is unlikely that Union Pacific has an exact date yet. The railroad certainly wasnt planing on replacing this bridge at a moments notice.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

It is saying that it will take a maximum of 30 days. Depending on its progress, it can be done prior to 30 days, as no minimum was mentioned.

Wonder why I did not get an email from Amtrak, if I am supposed to travel that route at the end of this month.

You said you are traveling at the end of this month? Do you mean tomorrow the last day of April or do you mean the end of May?

Right now, bookable inventory is shut down through the origin date of May 11th. Starting Monday May 1st Coast Starlight trains will operate Los Angeles-Sacramento-Los Angeles only, with reduced consists. There will be no stub trains on the northern end of the route. Cascades service is available for travel between Eugene and points north. Date for resumption of service is a moving target and it is unlikely that Union Pacific has an exact date yet. The railroad certainly wasnt planing on replacing this bridge at a moments notice.

I meant end of May.

 

[Yumacool]

I hope I don't experience a problem due to the bridge damage. My wife and I are ticketed to travel on the Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles departing on May 23rd. This is near the end of the 30 day estimate, but I sure hope the train operates! We've been looking forward to this journey for a long time and have booked a roomette. Please keep us advised as this situation develops!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Read The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, it explains why most of what happens in our life happens by pure chance.

Yeah, pure chance that the US has some of the slowest and weakest passenger rail service among industrialized democracies.

 

[PRR 60]

Union Pacific is now projecting service restoration by the "end of May."

UP Customer News

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Union Pacific is now projecting service restoration by the "end of May."

UP Customer News

I saw that. Why was I not alerted by Amtrak, as I plan to travel on the CS at the end of the month.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Union Pacific is now projecting service restoration by the "end of May."

UP Customer News

I saw that. Why was I not alerted by Amtrak, as I plan to travel on the CS at the end of the month.

You're kind of in the grey area where it's debatable if they'll have it cleared by then or not. Maybe Amtrak is being cautiously optimistic. Or perhaps they're simply waiting for things to get closer to departure before tripping the communication flag and cancelling your tickets. Like you I generally prefer to know as much as possible for a major trip, but I've also had information overload for flights that looked like they would be in trouble but ended up being fine in the end.