Sunset Limited schedule changes

[Trogdor]

I've been hearing from a few sources of the following schedule change (not sure of effective date, possibly April timetable change):

#1 to run two hours later from El Paso to LAX (big deal, it already runs later than that).

#2 to depart in the afternoon (around 2:30 PM, perhaps).

I don't know how the equipment rotation would work. If UP could make a half-assed attempt at running the train on time, it would be possible to trade Sunset and SW Chief trainsets in LA.

Regardless, everything I have seen suggests that the Starlight-to-Sunset connection will be broken (which is really too bad, because this one was occasionally made).

 

[battalion51]

On a similar but seperate note for those of you who use Silver Service word is one set of trains will be changing schedules in April. No word as to which set it will be, but changes are coming. On 97 today we were ahead of 91 even before we got to Auburndale. As we were rolling through West Palm on some new track I overheard on the radio that 91 was at Winter Haven. One word, ouch.

 

[Trogdor]

I read somewhere that the Silver Meteor would be run slightly later, and an Empire Corridor train would be run earlier, restoring a same-day connecton from Buffalo/Syracuse etc. to points south of DC.

 

[battalion51]

It's anyone's guess at this point. Until the wheels start rolling on April 24 we won't know anything for sure.

 

[Trogdor]

This is from several internet sources summarizing comments by Ralph von dem Hagen, Amtrak's Chief Operations Planning Officer:

Train 284 will arrive NYP at 1:30pm (1 hour EARLER than today) and Train 97will depart at 3:15pm (1 hour LATER than today), and this will restore the

upstate New York to Carolinas and Florida connection that was broken in

October 2004. The connection from Florida to upstate NY will be Train 98 to

Train 49.

 

[battalion51]

Something's going to have to give on 98's schedule then because there's currently no guaranteed connection between 98 and 49.

 

[Trogdor]

49 is going to leave NYP later. Essentailly, 49 and 29 are swapping arrival times in Chicago.

 

[lepearso]

If the Sunset moves to a 2:30 departure from LAX, what will happen to the Texas Eagle connection? It appears to me that it too will be broken!

 

[Trogdor]

Car may spend the night in San Antonio before heading north on the Eagle. On the other hand, the train might be 8 hours late, and still make the connection.

Assuming running times don't change too much, a 2:30 departure from LAX would put it into SAS at 9 PM. They may or may not allow passengers to occupy the car overnight (but, of course, that assumes the train even gets there on time).

Amtrak spent $2 million last year bussing passengers to make connections on the Sunset route. They clearly can't afford to continue doing that.

 

[Viewliner]

I would hope expect as you guys have said that 97 will get a later schedule. Because of the schedule change that occured initially I'll end up missing between a day and a half to two days of school instead of one because of the current departure time. Hopefully 97 will return to a 7pm ish departure at some point (maybe next October, but I wouldn't be surprised if it took longer).

 

[AlanB]

I would hope expect as you guys have said that 97 will get a later schedule. Because of the schedule change that occured initially I'll end up missing between a day and a half to two days of school instead of one because of the current departure time. Hopefully 97 will return to a 7pm ish departure at some point (maybe next October, but I wouldn't be surprised if it took longer).

Well it will definately have to be after 7:00 PM. Amtrak has decreed that no LD's will be scheduled to arrive or depart between 4:00 pm and 6:45 pm, due to volume at rush hour and the long period of time that a LD train requires at a platform.

At least, as of right now, here is the game plan for April. Note this is still subject to change.

Train 284 will arrive NYP at 1:30pm (1 hour EARLER than today) and Train 97 will depart at 3:15pm (1 hour LATER than today), and this will restore the upstate New York to Carolinas and Florida connection that was broken in October 2004. The connection from Florida to upstate NY will be Train 98 to Train 49.