Sunset Limited: Maricopa to New Orleans?

[Donald]

Any ideas regard boarding east bound Sunset at Maricopa AZ. Parking, transit into PHX, waiting area at night.

 

[Shanson]

https://www.amtrak.com/stations/mrc...Phoenix metropolitan,to the mid-19th century.
If you don't wish to leave your car there, I would Uber from Phoenix.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

There is a bus service that connects Phoenix, Phoenix airport, and Tempe to Maricopa for the Sunset. That would probably be your best bet.

 

[joelkfla]

Confused why you're asking about transit to PHX if you're boarding at Maricopa?

If you mean transit from PHX to the train station, just type Phoenix into the FROM station and select Sky Harbor Airport. Amtrak will book your transfer as part of the reservation. It adds $42 to the fare from Maricopa.

You can also book it from Tempe, which as you know is closer to Mesa. There's a metered public parking lot across the street from the Tempe pick-up point, at $10/day. I don't know whether they allow long-term parking, but there's a phone number on the web page.

I would also contact the service provider, listed as Stagecoach Express, to confirm the pick-up location.

 

[Tod]

This is our first ever Amtrak trip. We are taking the Sunset Limited to Houston in mid-Sept. We live in Phoenix and it is a 1 hour drive from our house to the Maricopa Amtrak station.

I've seen that the Amtrak train has been on average 2 hours late departing Maricopa (in the last month) ... departing anywhere from 1 min late to 4+ hours late. I really don't want to be sitting at the Maricopa station for 4 hours.

If I monitor the train departing Yuma ... What's the quickest it can get to Maricopa?

I know that the Sunset Limited can still get delayed between Yuma and Maricopa, just attempting to use Yuma as a guide.

Any other thoughts on how to estimate it's arrival in Maricopa? I still have the 1 hour drive from Phoenix and being at the station 30 min before arrival to negotiate into the equation.

 

[tgstubbs1]

Do you have the links to the Amtrak Train Status pages?
https://asm.transitdocs.com/https://www.amtrak.com/track-your-train.html
You can monitor the train status from the pages, but I think in your case it might be wise to call Amtrak on the day of your departure, especially if the train is running late.

The schedule shows 3 hours between Maricopa and Yuma.

 

[west point]

It is 165 miles from Yuma - Maricopa. At max speeds of 79 MPH it will take at least 2:15 after train leaves Yuma to arrive. So, you can plan that for your leaving time. Just be sure you have the correct Yuma leaving time.

 

[Tod]

Got it ... monitor the Amtrak tracking map. And ... at best, 2h 15m to get from YUM to MRC.

Thx!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Maricopa to Houston is a long first ride. It would be like making a trip to Asia your very first flight. I'm guessing your time in the Navy implies you're comfortable spending long hours in tight spaces but your traveling companion(s) might struggle a bit. Hope everything goes smoothly.

 

[Tod]

Maricopa to Houston is a long first ride. It would be like making a trip to Asia your very first flight. I'm guessing your time in the Navy implies you're comfortable spending long hours in tight spaces but your traveling companion(s) might struggle a bit. Hope everything goes smoothly.

Good point. Appreciate the "Devil's Advocate" observation. We're travelling for a wedding in Houston.

This is a trial run trip of Amtrak to see what we are able to handle. I'd like to travel Amtrak around the country as we are heading into retirement. I intended to try out the worst/cheapest overnight Amtrak accommodations. We were originally booked in a roomette to Houston, and coach back to Maricopa. Due to equipment being taken out of service (our sleeper car for whatever reason) we were recently "upgraded" from Roomette 4 to the Accessible Bedroom ... more room, smaller windows, bottom level. Can we handle a cozy roomette ... won't be able to determine that this trip. Can we handle sleeping in coach ... we'll find out.

Because Amtrak doesn't come all the way into Phoenix, it is a bit of a challenge to utilize the Amtrak system via the Maricopa station (an hour drive from our house). Fortunately we have friends in Maricopa that are willing to allow us to park our car with them. Amtrak is just a hassle out of Phoenix, wish it wasn't, didn't used to be ... it is what it is, for now.

 

[Donald]

I recently checked with the Maricopa PD, no recorded incidents with the AMTRAK parking lot in the past year.

 

[Tod]

Well that then begs the questions ...

1. Has anyone ever left their vehicle in the Maricopa Amtrak parking lot for a trip?
2. How have the rest of you handled catching Amtrak at Maricopa?

 

[texline]

I live by the Maricopa Station. People leave their cars there all the time. You are required to have a permit. More often than not, a police car or two is sitting in the parking lot. The station is not much but it works. I know a few drivers that will pick up or drop off passengers. There is the shuttle van that contracts with Amtrak. Uber or Lyft might be tough to get. The biggest complaint I hear is from the night passengers and the fact the train is rarely on time anymore. The City has plans for a new station but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.

 

[Tod]

@texline

The City has plans for a new station but I don't think it will happen in my lifetime.

And ... if they reroute the train through Phoenix (which I doubt will happen in my lifetime) ... that probably means there won't be a stop in Maricopa. So, a new station would probably be a waste of money.

 

[alanh]

The whole problem is the ideal new station is in Phoenix, so no one wants to spend on a new Maricopa station.

 

[jccollins]

Are the triple-wide trailers serving as the Maricopa Station (formerly the Tucson station during the remodel there a decade or so ago) starting to get worn out? Last time I was there they seemed to be more than adequate to handle the small group of passengers on/off each train.

Best I could tell two of the modular coaches are reserved for staff, crews and supplies while the front coach portion serves as the waiting room with restrooms. Seems adequate.

 

[Tod]

I'll be able to provide a first hand report a week from today, next Monday.

 

[Donald]

Does the New Orleans station have Red Cap Service or at least electric cart handicap assistance to and from the Sunset Sleeper?
Also is there a Metro Lounge in New Orleans?

 

[jiml]

Also is there a Metro Lounge in New Orleans?

I don't think it's an official Metropolitan Lounge but there is an area for sleeper passengers called the Magnolia Room IIRC.

 

[JamesWhitcombRiley]

Does the New Orleans station have Red Cap Service or at least electric cart handicap assistance to and from the Sunset Sleeper?
Also is there a Metro Lounge in New Orleans?

The Magnolia Room at NOL was described on these forums in 2019: Magnolia Room in New Orleans

Web search has one result saying there are red caps at NOL, but official Amtrak sites say no:

• New Orleans, LA - Union Passenger Terminal (NOL) | Amtrak Station guide, lists services.
• New Orleans, LA – Union Passenger Terminal (NOL) – Great American Stations A parallel station guide by Amtrak, called Great American Stations. Lists services and describes history, etc.
• Amtrak At-Station Baggage Services Red cap services on Amtrak. Twelve stations are listed. Eight are on the Northeast Corridor, plus L.A., Chicago, Seattle, Portland OR.

For accessibility, the sites list various points, including:

• Wheelchair available
• Wheelchair lift available

Seems a staff member in the station would need to be on call for the first one? If you are staying at a hotel with van service, I would count on them to be helpful as well. New Orleans is very oriented to customer service for tourists, with a touch of unpredictability. Pad in twenty minutes to expectations.

 

[Rasputin]

Does the New Orleans station have Red Cap Service or at least electric cart handicap assistance to and from the Sunset Sleeper?
Also is there a Metro Lounge in New Orleans?

I do not believe that there is Red Cap Service in New Orleans but corrections would be welcome. I suggest that you check with Amtrak or try calling the station direct if you can locate the phone number.

The Magnolia Room at New Orleans is a rather spartan lounge for sleeping car passengers. It is a rather small room across the hall from the ticket desk. There is no attendant. You obtain a code from the ticket agent and punch in the code to access the room. The furniture is rather plain and dated but is adequate. Usually there is a modest selection of chips available and some coffee but in my experience once those chips are gone and the coffee pot is empty they are not replaced until the next day.

So it is a rather poor operation which doesn't compare well to Metro Lounges but certainly better than nothing and it offers a chance to meet some other sleeping car
passengers. Someone told me that the Magnolia Room was primarily created as an initiative by local Amtrak employees some years ago and if that is true they deserve great credit for this service.

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/neworleans.htm
Some station photos of New Orleans Union Station.

 

[flitcraft]

Definitely no Red Caps at NOL last time we were there, just before the Pandemic hit. My husband was using a cane at the time, and two other passengers could see he was having a bit of difficulty wrangling his carry-on, what with the cane. They offered to help him, even though one of the guys was bringing a largish cooler on board! New Orleanians have a well deserved reputation for being gracious and friendly, in my experience.

This thread reminds me that it's about time we thought about another trip to Nawlins soon. We lived there for about two years in the 80's, and have enjoyed our return trips every five years or so since. (Great place to visit, challenging place to live...)

 

[NativeSon5859]

Here’s a view of part of the Magnolia Room.

There are muffins, chips, a cooler full of bottled water, and coffee available. It’s honestly not that bad. *Much* more comfortable than waiting in the main waiting area. There’s also a large screen TV showing stuff like CNN usually. It was refurbished just a few years ago. Comfy seating plus tables and a few workstations.

 

[Tod]

I'll be able to provide a first hand report a week from today, next Monday.

My promised Trip Report can be found here ... Sunset Limited trip report