Sunset Limited discussion

[user 31979]

Sunset Schedule update effective 1/23/23. In order to reduce congestion in the Tucson, AZ area the Sunset's schedule has been re-timed between Tucson and El Paso. Fueling and daily inspection will now take place at UP's Santa Teresa Fueling Facility for both Trains 1 and 2 just west of El Paso. The Tucson stop has been shortened to 20 minutes strictly for passengers and baggage. 45 mins have been added to the schedule between El Paso and Deming to account for this change. There are no changes to the schedule between Los Angeles and Tucson or from El Paso to New Orleans. Only the intermediate stops at Benson, Lordsburg, and Deming are affected.

This has been in the works for awhile and pre-dates the STB filing over on-time performance.

#1 leaves stops between SAS-ELP 3 minutes later under the new schedule.

 

[frequentflyer]

Tonight #1 still refueled at Tuscon.

 

[user 31979]

Tonight #1 still refueled at Tuscon.

That was the last refueling in Tucson, even though the schedule technically started like it was going to refuel at Santa Teresa.

 

[billosborn]

Although it arrives Tuscon at the same time, the reduced time there is not quite enough to make up for the 10 minutes later arrival into El Paso. But, time at El Paso has also been reduced by 10 minutes, so no change beyond. I am sure fueling at Santa Teresa is a lot more efficient than the tank truck delivery at Tuscon, but that could be done concurrently with the station work.

The net effect of all this is to hurry up and get your burritos at El Paso!

This is a photo of the fueling location not long after it opened - from the railfan window on a 2014 Sunset trip. We slowed a bit but did not stop.


View attachment 31185

Having had a few of those burritos in El Paso when #2 stopped there a while back, I can concur that the shorter stopping time in El Paso may jeopardize the high point of the stop! She's busy almost non-stop while the train is there! She is on the platform with coolers full of the best burritos. Please remember to bring small bills - every second counts and there will be a line of folks behind you

 

[MarkInAustin]

Question: Do the windows get washed on the westbound Texas Eagle car in San Antonio during the long coupling/servicing wait? If not, is the stop in EP still long enough to DIY with Windex type wipes?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Question: Do the windows get washed on the westbound Texas Eagle car in San Antonio during the long coupling/servicing wait? If not, is the stop in EP still long enough to DIY with Windex type wipes?

The Windows Do NOT get washed in San Antonio during the Layover.( and due to the Switching with the Texas Eagle you won't be able to clean them yourself!)

Amtrak has begun refueling the Sunset @ UPs New Dump in New Mexico so the Layovers in El Paso (and Tucson ) are not as long as they used to be.

You might want to give prority to getting one of the Delicious Burritos while @ the El Paso Station. The Burrito Lady sells them to Crew and Passengers, there's always a Line! Ask your Attendant how long you have!

 

[daybeers]

Another 2.5 hours added to the schedule beginning 3/22?! Eastbound leaves LAX 7:30pm not 10pm. What a joke!!

 

[Cal]

Another 2.5 hours added to the schedule beginning 3/22?! Eastbound leaves LAX 7:30pm not 10pm. What a joke!!

But that does make the times much better for anyone departing out of the LA metro area. Honestly the Sunset is so heavily padded I think this change is good, because it just makes it more appealing. Maybe they will serve dinner out LA now too.

 

[Cal]

But that does make the times much better for anyone departing out of the LA metro area. Honestly the Sunset is so heavily padded I think this change is good, because it just makes it more appealing. Maybe they will serve dinner out LA now too.

New schedule now has an extra two hours of padding in San Antonio, everything east of San Antonio is the same. Tucson does get screwed as it's now served at 5 AM. Westbound schedule remains the same.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Track work is the reason. Expected to be back to normal time by mid-May.

 

[Trucker72]

Another 2.5 hours added to the schedule beginning 3/22?! Eastbound leaves LAX 7:30pm not 10pm. What a joke!!

We are on it n September and my reservation still shows 10 PM.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

We are on it n September and my reservation still shows 10 PM.

Track work is from 3/22 to around 5/10. The time while will change back to 10 pm in May.

 

[joelkfla]

Track work is the reason. Expected to be back to normal time by mid-May.

Track work is a good thing.

 

[Shanson]

Double track would be even better.

 

[Barb Stout]

Another 2.5 hours added to the schedule beginning 3/22?! Eastbound leaves LAX 7:30pm not 10pm. What a joke!!

Ironically, 2.5 hours was about the amount of time that Sunset 2 was late at Deming, NM when we took it to NOL in early January. But I read from other comments that the whole schedule is pushed forward for track work. Does anyone know where the track work will be?

 

[Barb Stout]

Amtrak has begun refueling the Sunset @ UPs New Dump in New Mexico so the Layovers in El Paso (and Tucson ) are not as long as they used to be.

Where is that in NM? Santa Teresa, NM?

 

[Bob Dylan]

But that does make the times much better for anyone departing out of the LA metro area. Honestly the Sunset is so heavily padded I think this change is good, because it just makes it more appealing. Maybe they will serve dinner out LA now too.

Look @ the Calling Times for Maricopa and Tucson!

And the 4 Hour Layover in San Antonio makes no sense if the Sunset can't arrive into New Orleans earlier in the evening instead of O Dark Thirty like it presently does!

Where is that in NM? Santa Teresa, NM?

Yes.

 

[billosborn]

Yesterday's Sunset limited departed at 10pm from LAX= so apparently the 2.5 hour pad for track work is no longer needed.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Yesterday's Sunset limited departed at 10pm from LAX= so apparently the 2.5 hour pad for track work is no longer needed.

It doesn’t start till 3/22/23

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Seeing threads about other trains needing to go double-daily while the Sunset remains unmentioned and triweekly makes me think it has lost a lot of support.

 

[jis]

From those that are attending the FRA LD Committee meetings there are vibes that if nothing else happens, at leas the one outcome that will most likely happen is that the Cardinal and the Sunset will become daily. There appears to be unanimity of opinion on that in the Committee.

 

[railiner]

How soon would that be likely?

 

[jis]

How soon would that be likely?

The Committee has to make its final recommendation to the Congress by November 15 of this year apparently. As for what the Congress may or may not do, your guess is as good as mine I suppose.

 

[railiner]

I won’t stand on one leg until it happens, but if I do actually see it, I’ll be both surprised and happy…

 

[Cal]

Seeing threads about other trains needing to go double-daily while the Sunset remains unmentioned and triweekly makes me think it has lost a lot of support.

I think that thread was a hypothetical, specifically out of the ones already daily. I think most here would rather see a daily Sunset before 2x daily anything else.