RAILforum: More Sunset Horror Tales

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Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :

Our long awaited trip has just ended and I plan to submit a trip report sometime in the near future. Our routing was TLH-NOL-CHI-ABQ (then drive a rental to San Diego) then train again SAN-PDX-CHI-SAS-TLH.

#1 on June 19 was 4 hours late and we had to sit outside in the humidity since our station has been unstaffed. Thankfully we were not robbed but I was concerned.

A couple drunks had to be tossed at Crestview which cost about an hour as the police had to called. Freight interference delayed us further while I slept then the crew went on the law. By Mobile we were 10 hours late. We had to be bussed to Jackson, MS to catch #58. The bus was a small minibus and the ride was horribly bumpy. A few passengers begged the driver to stop so they could smoke but the driver ignored them after first acting as if it was a sightseeing trip with multiple stops. I had urged her to keep pushing as my map correctly showed a 5 hour trip. The driver had expected 3 hours. We made it by less than 45 minutes.

Coming home on #2 this Sunday from SAS (due home Monday afternoon) was another example of UP and CSX meltdowns with an assist from Amtrak. The train was less than 2 hours late as it pulled within 15 miles of SAS thanks to being short-turned in Tucson (due to a super late #1).But then freight interence hit and #2 was suddenly 5 hours late out of SAS after sitting 3 hours 15 miles west of SAS. More freight traffic slowed us further then we lost a bunch more time at HOS, leaving #2 approximately 11 hours tardy. We maintained that overnight to NOL. The baggage car already had been switched to the rear at El Paso due to HEP cables been blown out. There was no 0231 sleeper and its passengers were reaccomodated in the transition crew car. ne of the coaches had failing a/c. Our sleeper, the 0230 car, was working fine.

At NOL Amtrak swaps out two engines for 1 and, predictably, engine # 70 had trouble loading up soon after we left NOL. The conductor said it was pulling 600 HP. At Gulfport we added a UP freight engine which did fine until it totally died at Mariana, FL. It took 2 hours for a pair of CSX engines to arrive from nearby Chattahoochee then more time was lost there removing one of them (I assume it faced backwards so it could lead the run to Marianna). We continued with a CSX engine, UP engine, and Amtrak #70. Thankfully the HEP worked. We got home at 2:35a.m., over 14 hours late.

The rest of our trip went well and will be reported later. I am sad to see what the Sunset has sunk to as I am a major supporter, was invited and rode the inaugural 10 years ago, and promote rail travel anytime I can. Right now I must advise people to avoid the Sunset unless they don't mind extraordinary lateness. The crew, however, was fabulous despite the problems.

Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :

Has anyone else seen an Amtrak train assisted by freight engines from 2 different railroads? This was an odd sight but I was glad we got through.

Posted by pismobum (Member # 2628) on :

you had an "on time" Sun-done-set trip. Train due into Los Angeles is as of this moment FORTY SIX HOURS late and still not in....

Posted by UncleBuck44 (Member # 2049) on :

I would definitely ride the SL if I were guaranteed it not terminating en route.

As long as I dont have to be some where in a hurry.

Posted by M190 (Member # 3009) on :

Great news! As of 7:30 this morning, the Sunset is reported between Pomona and LAX so it may actually make it! Reported down 49hrs, 54min. Somebody call Guiness.

Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :

Train 1 (11) apparently terminated in El Paso approximately 35 hours late. Passengers were sent on by bus. This info is from an Amtrak reservations agent (not Julie) and confirmed by a ticket agent friend. The bus must be running even slower though much of that was lost waiting for the busses at El Paso. This assumes accurate info...remember I was told on train 2(9) that 1(11) would annul at NOL.

Posted by TheBriz09 (Member # 3166) on :

Buses make sense... Amtrak Train Status doesn't have anything for stops Lordsburg & Benson (AZ) and Ontario & Pomona (CA) so perhaps the buses skipped those stops.

On the other hand, isn't the #1(11) trainset needed in LA to cover today's (Friday) #2 departure? If the trainset is going to LA anyway, why take people off at El Paso? Unless the trainset is staying in El Paso and passengers are being bused from LAX to El Paso tonight. Who knows?

#1(13) was annulled. Does anyone know if #1(15) departed Orlando as scheduled yesterday? And is #2(16) still on for today? If not, then that makes pretty much a straight week of hell for the Sunset...

Edit: never mind... just checked Train Status. #1(15) did indeed depart Orlando... 2 hours and 1 minute late. Off to a terrific start.

[This message has been edited by TheBriz09 (edited 07-16-2004).]

Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :

Forget the schedule for the Sunset Lmtd! Just enjoy the scenery and the movement if you can and the free meals to compensate for the lateness.

Posted by UncleBuck44 (Member # 2049) on :

quote:
Originally posted by TheBriz09:
Buses make sense... Amtrak Train Status doesn't have anything for stops Lordsburg & Benson (AZ) and Ontario & Pomona (CA) so perhaps the buses skipped those stops.

Those stations are unstaffed so no one is there to report anything to the Amtrak Train Status page.

Posted by espeeboy (Member # 3346) on :

Amtrak arrival/departure times at stops are those reported by train crew to dispatcher. Has nothing to do with local station staff or lack thereof.

Posted by SilverStar092 (Member # 2652) on :

Trains are OS'd by ticket agents where available but unstaffed stations depend upon info from the crew which may or may not be entered into the Arrow system. The Sunset route has lots of unstaffed stations. Often the Sunset is short turned so it can start its next run somewhat close to schedule. No matter what UP and CSX have melted down to the point of making schedules irrelevant. The one good thing for us was the extra meals we got but most passengers don't look at it that way. Jokes such as "You are getting extra time on the train for no extra charge" are getting stale with Sunset passengers.

Posted by espeefoamer (Member # 2815) on :

"Extra time on the train"Only works for a few hours,NOT 49 hours!!!That's over TWO DAYS!!UP(and CSX)should be ashamed of themselves.In the darkest days of Southern Pacific operation,the train was NEVER as late as it is consistantly run by the Utterly Pathetic.

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Trust Jesus,Ride Amtrak.

[This message has been edited by espeefoamer (edited 07-17-2004).]