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I bought tickets yesterday for my summer journey from LSE through Chicago to DC on the Empire Builder, switching to the Capital Limited in Chicago. When I arrived at the depot at 11 AM, I overheard the station agent remark to another customer that the train (south bound Empire Builder) was 2 hours and 35 minutes late, and that the trains had been running like that all week. I looked at train staus this morning on the internet, and found today's train into La Crosse was running over 3 hours late. Is this a winter phenomenon? Is it a temporary condition of cars being overhauled and, if so, will things be improved by summer? When I travel at the end of June, if I miss the connection in Chicago, is it possible I my be routed on another train? If that happens, I'm assuming the deluxe sleeper I've paid for on the Capitol won't be available. Will I be refunded the difference if I spend the whole journey in coach? I understand that any connection of over an hour is guaranteed, but for someone to whom this has actually happened, what exactly does that mean? I look on all travel as an adventure, but when travelling with a 4 year-old, adventure is best kept to a minumum.
CG96 Member # 1408
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I strongly suspect that the Ampire Builder - Capitol Ltd is a guaranteed connection, meaning that if the train is late (unlikely with the Builder; it has a history of being on time between 80 - 93 % of the time), Amtrak would make every effort to accomodate you. That would include paying for any hotels in chicago, or, if you're travelling on days that the Cardinal runs, putting you aboard the Cardinal to D. C. I think that amtrak would also honor your reservation for a sleeper. amtrak may also do such things as bussing you to a place where you would meet the train. the hotels would be used only as a last resort. It also depends on how many other passengers are connecting to the Capitol and other east bound trains as well. Amtrak may delay the eastern trains' departures in order to accomodate the passengers from the Builder. That's what Amtrak means when they talk about a guaranteed connection - they will hold the Capitol for you ( under certain conditions). Its too early to tell, there are several variables.
This tardiness that has plagued the Builder over the past few weeks is a winter phenomenon, and is sue in part to the weather, and the avalanches that have occurred in Montana over the past week or so. It's nowhere near as bad as the scarcity of sleeper cars that is now vexing the single-level, eastern trains. Things should be back to normal by June. If you're put on the Cardinal ( assuming that you're travelling on a day that the Cardinal runs) you might not get the deluxe, but Amtrak will make every effort to get a sleeper for you. If not, Amtrak will refund the difference to you. Don't worry, things usually clear up by June, and the builder has the reputation of being one of Amtrak's most organized and least troublesome trains.
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