RAILforum: Upcoming Trip San Diego to Washington DC

This is topic Upcoming Trip San Diego to Washington DC in forum Amtrak at RAILforum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.railforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/11/2345.html

Posted by jp1822 (Member # 2596) on :

Well, I have decided to spend some time in San Diego around the July 4th holiday - fly out and take the train home. I originally wanted to take the Sunset Limited coming home, but passed due to its erratic behavior.

Have never taken the Southwest Chief eastbound (always westbound). I will connect in Chicago to the Capitol Limited. Hopefully this connection will go somewhat seemless. My last resort is going coach on the Three Rivers at 10:30 p.m. if things turn bad.

Opted for the Capitol Limited over the Lake Shore Limited this time - despite the fact that my final destination is New York City. Wanted to switch it up.

Any how, I think Amtrak switched my accommodations, as I recall having bedroom C or D (not B as I just confirmed) on the Southwest Chief, and room 7 on the Capitol Limited (recall room 5). Needless to say I am getting the tickets out if the Quick Trak machine this evening.

I am connecting to the Chief via the Pacific Surfliner - is this connection reliable? I am scheduled on the 3 p.m. Surfliner out of San Diego - gets me into LA at 5:45 p.m. But can't I take a later Surfliner and connect with the Chief in Fullerton? Will still want to allow an hour for transfer between the two trains. Will this present a problem if I am ticketed from LA but board in Fullerton? I would assume not, but I don't want my sleeping accommodations abord the Chief getting switched around - and I do want to have dinner in the diner. Read in another post that they will do one more seating just after Fullerton.

Thoughts?

Posted by jp1822 (Member # 2596) on :

Well I just received a call from Amtrak and it turns out they had to change my accommodations on the Southwest Chief because I was ticketed in the "third sleeper" that was taken off of the Southwest Chief for the 4th of July weekend - for the summer I suppose for that matter. Does this make any sense - or is this some bu!!$h*t story? I was in room D and now have room B - right above the wheels. Not happy but if the story is true, I am understanding about it. I'll have to look for my original itinerary with the car number and room number before they made this change.

Posted by TALKrr (Member # 683) on :

JP:

I doubt very much that you will be able to make the connection from the eastbound Chief to the Capitol, SAME DAY.

Amtrak changed to departure time of the Capitol east-bound from Chicago and made it about two hours earlier. I was told this was to make it easier for Capitol passengers to connect with southbound Silver Service trains in DC. BUT, this has totally "messed-up" connections to the east-bound Capitol from all the western trains.

Now I am certain there ARE days when the Chief , Zephyr and Builder arrive into Chicago in time for east-bound Capitol passengers to make the connection. But GENERALLY this does not happen because not enough "connecting-time" is available.

Bottom-line is that I , personally , would NOT expect to make a same-day connection from the Chief to Capitol EAST-bound.

This August I am taking the Chief round-trip,between LA and Chicago and returning to Pittsburgh where my trip will start. WEST-bound I CAN easily make the connection from the Capitol to Chief in Chicago. But, on my return, I will opt for the 3-Rivers east-bound because I know there is little chance I would make the connection otherwise.

There are, in my opinion, MAJOR disadvantages between the 3-Rivers and Capitol. First, the 3-Rivers does not GO to DC----but rather to Philadelphia, at which point one would have to transfer for a train south to DC. Secondly, the 3-Rivers is a single-level train with no observation-car and no full-service dining-car.

If I am correct, the Capitol used to depart Chicago EAST-bound about 7:00 PM----about two hours LATER than it does today. This made connections to it from the arriving western trains more likely. But this newer 5:00 PM departure is simply too early (in most cases) for east-bound passengers to make the connection to the Capitol. Now, it DOES happen sometimes. But, I know I certainly would NOT expect to make a same-day connection east-bound. Maybe this is just ME.

So I always "opt" for the 3-Rivers back to Pittsburgh from Chicago even though I really do not WANT to.

Another problem I have with the east-bound Capitol into Pittsburgh, anyhow (with this present schedule) is that it arrives in at 4:00 AM !!!YUCK ! The 3-Rivers arrives at a more "civilized" 9:30 AM.

So that is my "two-cents" worth.

Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :

I thought the E-bd SWC and the Capitol Ltd used the same trainsets, with the trainset laying over at CUS during the layover time for cleaning, etc. (similar to the E-bd EB and S-bd City of N.O. using the same trainsets)

Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :

"The Book" (i.e. the consist book) calls for a turn of #4's equipment to #30 next day, or a 26 some hour layover. #3, however, is a same day continuation of equipment from #29.

Posted by earmond (Member # 186) on :

I've just returned from my trip east. Part 1 concerned the connection to the SWC at Fullerton, from the 4pm Pacific Surfliner from San Diego. You will be able to make that connection, but your luggage will not. Checking in luggage at SAN through to CHI, I was not told that FUL was NOT a luggage transfer point. NO ONE, in the entire reservation process mentioned this, and the baggage check in did not tell me this. My luggage continued notrh to LAX where it missed the eastbound SWC. A great start to my trip.

I had to stay an extra day in CHI waiting for my luggage to catch up with me. (As I was going much further north into Michigan) and CHI was "contractually" the farthest destinaiton Amtrak needed to get my bags to.

I could guess that maybe, a bag could be checked into FUL, and when there, re-checked though to CHI. I wish someone would have given me that opportunity.

Meals were served after FUL, but it makes for a late dinner.