posted
Anybody have any thoughts on my trying to get off the Sunset and get on the Coast Starlight on the same day? There's about a 5 hour difference between arrive/depart? Tom
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
Tom, we did that a couple years ago and had no problem with the connection. The problem is that the Sunset often get in early. Our arrival was about 0430. We sat in the station zombie like until Phillipes restaurant opened. If the train does get in too late I believe Amtrak provides a bus bridge to catch up with the CS at some point, maybe SBA. Check with Amtrak. UP performance is much improved from the dark days a few years ago.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Back in 1998 I think it was, I was on a westbound Sunset that was 5 hours late into LA. The Starlight passengers were bussed from Ontario (about 40 miles outside LA Union) to meet the Starlight somewhere north.
But as Palmland says, the Sunset is often early these days. Having said that, the arrivals into LAX over the last month have ranged from 75 minutes early to 293 minutes late, with an overall average of 9 minutes late. (source). Even if the Starlight was held for that 293 late Sunset, the Starlight might have only left 20 late.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Amtrak can connect you inland via Fresno, if you are continuing north of Sacramento, until 3:10 p.m. that day. That of course means that you miss the coastline.
Happily, these days, in vivid contrast to the time of the SP/UP merger, as Geoff points out, there's not much worry that you'll pass through Fresno.
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Tom -- I had the same experience as Palmland on my trip in 2012 -- the westbound Sunset got into L.A. about 5:30 AM. I did not connect to #14 that year (I took the "inland route" instead -- bus to BFD, San Joaquin to Stockton, then bus to SAC), but I could have easily made the connection to the Starlight. If the Sunset runs late, AMTRAK will most likely offload those people making that connection in Palm Springs, and bus them north to someplace along the Starlight route.
As a contrast, on my 2002 trip (with the old Sunset schedule), the Sunset arrived about 9 hours late into LAX. That year, I caught a Surfliner and went to San Diego overnight, then caught the Starlight via another Surfliner the following day.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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The Coast Starlight gets into LA at 9:00 PM. The Sunset Limited leaves LA at 10:00 PM (Sun, Wed, Fri). If the Coast Starlight is late, will the Sunset wait for it to arrive before leaving LA?
Also, if the Sunset Limited returns to its LA-Florida route, is there a chance it could become a daily train?
Richard
Posts: 1909 | From: Santa Rosa | Registered: Jan 2004
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quote:Originally posted by yukon11: What about the opposite.
The Coast Starlight gets into LA at 9:00 PM. The Sunset Limited leaves LA at 10:00 PM (Sun, Wed, Fri). If the Coast Starlight is late, will the Sunset wait for it to arrive before leaving LA?
Depends on the lateness. I have been on the Texas Eagle from LAX that waited about 20 minutes for a late Starlight.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
I may have to re-think the whole thing. The Sunset schedule says it leaves NOL on Mon. Wed and SA, but the computer won't let me book Mon. Is it possible the train is full or that it doesn't run on 10/26? Tom
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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Never mind the previous message. I got it figured out. Silly me, thinking the date next to the itinerary was the departure date; it's the arrival date! Anyway, I'm all set now: BOS, NYP, NOL, LAX, SEA, CHI, BOS. Palmland, I must have gotten the last bedroom. Tom
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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-------------------- The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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