What happened to train 2 the sunset limited

[railfangns]

Has the Up shut down?I seen that train number 2 the sunset limited is running very late about 16 hours last time i looked.The train status on amtrak said it left LA on time friday but had lost many hours by the time it got into Yuma.Was their a derailment in California? Or did they suffer a mechanical breakdown?I thought perhaps an engine might have broken down in the desert.I seen they are expected to arrive in El Paso at 930 pm

MST tonight.

 

[AlanB]

Umm, did you read this post from BNSF1088? :unsure:

He explained it all it that post.

 

[railfangns]

Ok i see their is a meltdown on the UP.I had planned to ride the sunset in March but now im wondering if i should even try it.I dont wont to get into New Orleans so late i will miss my crescent connection the next morning.If the Sunset is more than15 hours late train 20 the crescent will leave without me.I have a sleeper on the sunset and the crescent.Perhaps i should ride the Southwest Chief into Chicago Then take the City of New Orleans And make my crescent connection on time.I will see if i can do that if push comes to shove.Going through Chicago will cut my time in LA down by 1 day but i need to get home so i can keep my job.

 

[had8ley]

BEWARE OF #58 & 59 if you want to tell your grand children abut the trip !! It stinks as bad as the food...

 

[had8ley]

Train #2, The Sunset Limited, has drug into New Orleans in excess of 24 hours late even with the recent schedule padding that it received in hopes of avoiding the inevitable UP side trackings. It is nothing to sit behind a hog-lawed UP freight for 6-8 hours befoe you move again. When the train was able to run to Orlando there were entire months that it did not make it on time at all. Stay away unless you love to hear people moan and complain; a great train to steer way clear of especially if they decide to terminate the train in New Orleans and bus everyone to Orlando.(There is no sleeper service on a Greyhound as you probably know; and they are the loudest complainers. Sometimes I wish I could handcuff sleeper passengers to the Amtrak manager's office back in New Orleans than listen to them for 16 hours from New Orleans to Orlando.) BEWARE !!!! This is VERY common...

 

[Guest_Amtrak_flyer]

I recently wrote NARP about the delays that Amtrak encounters due to the UP and other host railroads. Pointing out how insane it is that Amtrak wont book passengers on the last 300 miles of the Coast starlight due to late running trains. I couldnt beleive the response I received from NARP.

Basically they said, "the delays UP causes are not intentional and they do the best they can with the capacity they have". When Congress complains about Amtraks OTP NARP doesnt push the fact its the host railroads fault for the most part. NARP did nothing but issue a small press release on Gunn's firing, acting like it was no big deal and now is almost praising the Diner lite concept.

I know theres a tight line you have to walk in politics, but has anyone else noticed what I've pointed out? I'm getting the feeling that NARP's leadership has been compromised just the same as Amtraks board has been.

 

[haolerider]

Train #2, The Sunset Limited, has drug into New Orleans in excess of 24 hours late even with the recent schedule padding that it received in hopes of avoiding the inevitable UP side trackings. It is nothing to sit behind a hog-lawed UP freight for 6-8 hours befoe you move again. When the train was able to run to Orlando there were entire months that it did not make it on time at all.  Stay away unless you love to hear people moan and complain; a great train to steer way clear of especially if they decide to terminate the train in New Orleans and bus everyone to Orlando.(There is no sleeper service on a Greyhound as you probably know; and they are the loudest complainers. Sometimes I wish I could handcuff sleeper passengers to the Amtrak manager's office back in New Orleans than listen to them for 16 hours from New Orleans to Orlando.) BEWARE !!!! This is VERY common...

Had8ley: If you are an Amtrak employee, please find another job that will keep you away from Customer Service responsbility.

 

[trainboy325]

I find the Sunset Limited passenger, the few that remain, generally friendly and understanding. They know what they're getting into and almost all agree that the printed schedule serves as a coaster versus a timetable.

I did five station jobs when I was in active in NOL (protect and ready crew) and had to do the standard train to bus ordeal with those on coming off the day late train. The few people going east of NOL maybe numbered 50 or so with the bulk going directly to ORL. I'll be the first to say that when I was helping them with their bags, they were glad to get on the bus. They could smoke, get fresh air and most importantly, actually move down the road. The bus was going to get into ORL at around the same time they were scheduled to get in on the train. It's almost a 24 hour trip by rail anymore between NOL and ORL and a direct bus trip via I-10, I-75 and the FLA Turnpike is a short 12 hour run. I'd be upset with the loss of the train because I'm a railfan, but after the hellish experience on UP, most agreed that the highway was the way to go. Even the train buffs I spoke with as they drank the complementary coffee and bagel that would become their "all inclusive meal" as sleeper passengers were OK with the bus as they didn't want to miss their connections to Silver Service trains to the north and actually get to see the tourist attractions that they'd promised the kids and wives to take a rail trip with them.