what to do with late Empire Builder #8 ?

[colobok]

We are travelling GPK-CHI-NOL in 2 weeks. I just checked that EB is constantly late recently, today it arrived 17 (!) hours later, so our chance to be late for the next train is very high.

We are travelling with 2 kids in Family Bedroom, if they move us for the next day it's Ok, but I noticed that all sleepers are sold out for the next day and travelling in coach is not an option for us at all. So what do they do in this situation?

If there are sleepers available 2 days later - will they allow us to take the next train 2 days later? Will they pay for 2 night stay in Chicago?

And also - how do they contact us to discuss that? Will they call my cell phone or I should call Amtrak from the train when I see that it's too late?

Reservation is paid with AGR points, so cancelling CHI-NOL segment is not an option.

 

[EB_OBS]

I have a very good feeling, based upon the worsening situation in Minot, ND, that the Empire Builder is not going to be running at all, east of Havre, MT for the next few weeks. Possibly two to four weeks. It's pretty hard to predict. People are saying that the waters may not begin to recede by July 10th.

IF that's the case, the only way you are going to get to Chicago from Glacier Park, via train, is by heading west to Portland and catching the Coast Starlight then the California Zephyer.

 

[Rail Freak]

I have a very good feeling, based upon the worsening situation in Minot, ND, that the Empire Builder is not going to be running at all, east of Havre, MT for the next few weeks. Possibly two to four weeks. It's pretty hard to predict. People are saying that the waters may not begin to recede by July 10th.

IF that's the case, the only way you are going to get to Chicago from Glacier Park, via train, is by heading west to Portland and catching the Coast Starlight then the California Zephyer.

I agree. If this is within your budget, do it. Columbia River Gorge, Cascades, Pacific Parlor Car, Sierra Nevads, the Rockies. I just got back from that trip last night!!!! AWESOME

Have Fun

 

[Bruce-C]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

 

[colobok]

I have a very good feeling, based upon the worsening situation in Minot, ND, that the Empire Builder is not going to be running at all, east of Havre, MT for the next few weeks. Possibly two to four weeks. It's pretty hard to predict. People are saying that the waters may not begin to recede by July 10th.

IF that's the case, the only way you are going to get to Chicago from Glacier Park, via train, is by heading west to Portland and catching the Coast Starlight then the California Zephyer.

If it's not running at all it's gonna be a different story.

But my question is what to do if it is running, but it's late to CHI.

 

[colobok]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

Please tell me about this.

My reservation is for 07/11.

 

[Bruce-C]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

Please tell me about this.

My reservation is for 07/11.

My PDX-CHI reservation was for 7/19 and I re-routed SAC-CHI via CZ yesterday. At that time there were only 2 roomettes left for 7/19 .

Call Amtrak and tell the CSR that you want to re-route because of the service interruption on the Empire Builder line. I would think because of the service interruption you can also cancel your CHI-NOL reservation regardless whether it was paid for with points of cash.

Plus, all I can read on different weather services, the river in Minot is not going to crest until at least June 30th.

By the way. How are you getting to Glacier NP??

 

[Rafi]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

Please tell me about this.

My reservation is for 07/11.

colobok,

It is a 100% certainty that the Empire Builder will not be taking you to Chicago. As of Tuesday's departures from Chicago and Portland/Seattle, Amtrak is NOT providing service east of Havre, MT and west of St. Paul/Minneapolis.

You need to contact Amtrak IMMEDIATELY to see about rerouting yourself. Amtrak should cover reroute at no additional cost to you, although you may have to take different sleeper accommodations depending on what's available. Your route to Chicago would be the following:

GPK to PDX (Portland) on Train 27 (Westbound Empire Builder Portland Section)

PDX to SAC (Sacramento) on Train 11 (Coast Starlight)

SAC to CHI (Chicago) on Train 6 (California Zephyr)

Have your reservation number handy, and be prepared for a long phone call in case the agent isn't familiar with what to do in this case. There is a chance you could get an agent who is either unfamiliar with the precise details of the service disruption on the Empire Builder, or is not sure of how to handle your situation other than to offer a refund. My advice is to insist that Amtrak accommodates you on a different route at no additional charge if they give you any such pushback.

Again, you need to call ASAP, as there are plenty of other affected riders who are going to try to get rerouted similarly, and the Starlight and Zephyr will almost assuredly sell out of sleepers.

Rafi

 

[Bruce-C]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

Please tell me about this.

My reservation is for 07/11.

colobok,

It is a virtual certainty that the Empire Builder will not be taking you to Chicago. You need to contact Amtrak IMMEDIATELY to see about rerouting yourself. Amtrak should cover reroute at no additional cost to you, although you may have to take different sleeper accommodations depending on what's available. Your route to Chicago would be the following:

GPK to PDX (Portland) on Train 27 (Westbound Empire Builder Portland Section)

PDF to SAC (Sacramento) on Train 11 (Coast Starlight)

SAC to CHI (Chicago) on Train 6 (California Zephyr)

I don't know what the operational status is between GPK and Portland, however, so again, you need to call Amtrak Reservations as soon as possible.

Have your reservation number handy, and be prepared for a long phone call in case the agent isn't familiar with what to do in this case. My advice is to insist that Amtrak accommodates you on a different route at no additional charge if they give you any pushback.

Rafi

A long phone call is correct! My re-route took 45min. and that was working with a very good agent on the line. I also got a sizable refund without even asking for it. I would think by now the switchboard at Amrtak is getting swamped with requests for re-routes or cancellations on EB reservations.

 

[colobok]

By the way. How are you getting to Glacier NP??

PDX-GPK on 07/04.

If this train is also cancelled (bustituted) I will change my trip plans.

Re-route will not work for me because we need a family bedroom and they are completely sold out.

 

[Bruce-C]

colobok

You should be able to get a re-route to CHI because of the service disruption in Minot, ND.

But you better act today!!!!!!!

Please tell me about this.

My reservation is for 07/11.

colobok

You might want to go to www.amtrak.com. There is a red "alert" on the opening page entitled "Midwest and west service advisories". The top one is for the Empire Builder and there is a contact phone number for information.

 

[PRR 60]

By the way. How are you getting to Glacier NP??

PDX-GPK on 07/04.

If this train is also cancelled (bustituted) I will change my trip plans.

Re-route will not work for me because we need a family bedroom and they are completely sold out.

A portion of your trip to Glacier Park will be by bus. Amtrak is only running the train between Seattle and Havre. The train between Portland and Spokane is cancelled and is being replaced by substitute bus service. The bus from Portland will meet the train coming east at Spokane. Since the Portland sleeping car is also cancelled, you should check to see how you have been re-accommodated on the train from Spokane to Glacier Park.

 

[NY Penn]

Re-route will not work for me because we need a family bedroom and they are completely sold out.

Have you thought about getting two roomettes instead of a family bedroom and asking for them to be adjacent? You might get a nice agent who will let you do that.

 

[EB_OBS]

By the way. How are you getting to Glacier NP??

PDX-GPK on 07/04.

If this train is also cancelled (bustituted) I will change my trip plans.

Re-route will not work for me because we need a family bedroom and they are completely sold out.

The Portland to Spokane portion of the trip will be by bus. It's already noted in the Service Alert on Amtrak's website that #s 27/28 will be bustituted between SPK & PDX.

edit. I guess it's actually not 100% clear that 27/28 is a bus. It is however, for sure, a bus from Portland to Spokane. Connecting with and transferring to the train in Spokane.

 

[QueenCC]

Hi,

I was planning on taking the train on 7/1 from Ohio (Lake Shore Limited to Chicago then changing to Empire Builder) to Washington State... But last night at around 8pm I get a phone call to tell me that my train from Chicago to Washington was cxl do to flooding, in SD & MT..... So after 2 hrs on the phone with Amtrak I was able to get rerouted... I'm now going via the Southwest Chief to California, then the Coast Starlight to Washington. Has anyone been on the SWC or CS? Amtrak still has me scheduled to take the Empire Builder home on 7/9, so what do you think the chances of my return getting cxl as well?

CC

 

[Bruce-C]

Hi,

I was planning on taking the train on 7/1 from Ohio (Lake Shore Limited to Chicago then changing to Empire Builder) to Washington State... But last night at around 8pm I get a phone call to tell me that my train from Chicago to Washington was cxl do to flooding, in SD & MT..... So after 2 hrs on the phone with Amtrak I was able to get rerouted... I'm now going via the Southwest Chief to California, then the Coast Starlight to Washington. Has anyone been on the SWC or CS? Amtrak still has me scheduled to take the Empire Builder home on 7/9, so what do you think the chances of my return getting cxl as well?

CC

You have two great trains westbound. But I don't think much of your eastbound route around that date. hboy:

 

[AlanB]

I sure wouldn't be holding my breath for the 9th.

You might get lucky, but where I giving odds, I hate to say it but I'd expect maybe a 20% chance that you'll get through and not cancelled.

Your westbound trip should be very nice and if you do get lucky enough to come home on the EB, you'll have had a very nice trip.

 

[DET63]

It sounds like the EB will cancelled, at least in part, with some bustitutions for most of the summer. I would suggest that anyone planning to travel to or from any point along the EB route be ready to make some radical changes in plans, such as traveling by air, bus, car—or not at all.

If you are able to go around Robin Hood's barn to get where you want to go by train, at least you will have a chance to see some great scenery.