RAILforum: New Sunset Schedule

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Posted by TALKrr (Member # 683) on :

I have heard that there will be a schedule change for the Sunset---I presume both east and west bound from New Orleans.

If I remember correctly, the Sunset was to depart LA east-bound about 8 hours earlier----at 2:30 PM instead of 10:30 PM

Anyhow, just when will this change take effect and how soon will the new full schedule be listed at the Amtrak website ? Or is this something that is not scheduled to take effect until the Spring time-table change ?

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

Is there anyplace where someone can find the new schedules online? I've not had any luck finding them and the Sunset is one of the trains I've been trying to keep an eye on.

Thanks,
David Pressley

Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :

Look at the Amtrak.com website----all route maps and schedules for the whole system are there to be looked at and printed-out.

Posted by mr williams (Member # 1928) on :

I rang Amtrak yesterday and asked if there were any changes planned. The agent didn't have any information in front of her, but when I explained that I was booked on the westbound SL in May but was coming all the way from England and had to book flights & hotels etc she went off to see what she could find. She came back with the news that from the end of April the westbound SL will leave Orlando at the same time but arrival time at LA will be three and a half hours later at 10.10am compared to the present 6.40. Sorry, don't know anything about the eastbound or where the extra padding will be - I thought that would have been pushing it as it wasn't relevant to me!

Posted by Railvt (Member # 1397) on :

Here's the complete Amtrak schedule change for the SUNSET/EAGLE.

Planned consist is: One baggage car ( peak season), one dorm sleeper, some room
sold to public, one sleeper, one coach, one baggage coach, diner,lounge, between Orlando and Los Angeles, plus one coach, one sleeper on the Eagle through between Chicago and Los Angeles.

Extra sleeper will operate to protect some group moves. March 9th is one of these dates.

The schedules below are out of Arrow. These do not correspond with previous proposed schedules, particlury as it relates to times in and out of Maricopa.
No change of schedules New Orleans and east on the CSX.

Same day of operation, will required one additiional set of equipment for 1-2, as well as 421-422 the Texas Eagle. Q will remain overnight in Los Angeles for servicing. This should help!

CATEGORY-MGC SUBJECT-FEB ... 22FEB05 1321 8210 PAGE NO 50
01 MAJOR SUNSET LIMITED SCHEDULE CHANGE
02
03 EFFECTIVE ON THE ORIGIN DATES SHOWN, THE SCHEDULE OF THE
04 SUNSET LIMITED, TRAINS 1/2, AND THE TEXAS EAGLE THROUGH CARS
05 WEST OF SAN ANTONIO, TRAINS 421/422, CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY.
06
07 THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHEDULE CHANGE IS TO REALISTICALLY
08 REFLECT RAILROAD OPERATING CONDITIONS IN AN EFFORT TO
09 IMPROVE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE.
10
11 TRAIN 1 - EFFECTIVE WITH ORIGIN DATE MARCH 8, 2005:
12 - NO CHANGE ORLANDO THROUGH BEAUMONT.
13 - DEPARTS HOUSTON 950P, 22 MINS LATER.
14 - DEPARTS SAN ANTONIO 540A, 2 HRS LATER.
15 - DEPARTS EL PASO 555P, 2 HRS 30 MINS LATER.
16 - DEPARTS TUCSON 105A, 4 HRS 8 MINS LATER.
17 - ARRIVES LOS ANGELES 1010A, 3 HRS 30 MINS LATER.
18 - NO LONGER CONNECTS WITH TRAIN 14, THE COAST STARLIGHT.
19 PASSENGERS FOR NORTH OF MTZ/SAC CAN TAKE SAN JOAQUIN
20 SERVICE FROM LAX AND CONNECT TO TRAIN 14. MORE, PAGE 51

CATEGORY-MGC SUBJECT-FEB ... 22FEB05 1321 8210 PAGE NO 51
01 TRAIN 2 - EFFECTIVE WITH ORIGIN DATE MARCH 9, 2005:
02 - DEPARTS LOS ANGELES 230P, 8 HRS EARLIER.
03 - DEPARTS TUCSON 220A, 7 HRS 20 MINS EARLIER.
04 - DEPARTS EL PASO 900A, 6 HRS 41 MINS EARLIER.
05 - DEPARTS SAN ANTONIO 100A, 5 HRS EARLIER.
06 (NO CHANGE TO 22/422 DEPARTING SAN ANTONIO.)
07 - DEPARTS HOUSTON 615A, 4 HRS 40 MINS EARLIER.
08 - ARRIVES NEW ORLEANS 400P, 4 HRS 30 MINS EARLIER.
09 - NO CHANGE NEW ORLEANS TO ORLANDO.
10
11 - ALL CONNECTIONS FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BROKEN. AN
12 OVERNIGHT STAY IN LAX AT PASSENGER'S EXPENSE REQUIRED.
13 - CONNECTION FROM BFD IS BUS 5872. NOTHING CONNECTS
14 FROM NORTH OF BFD TO THIS BUS. TRAIN 702/BUS 5802
15 IS NOT A VALID CONNECTION.
16 - CONNECTION FROM SLO IS TRAIN 774. NOTHING CONNECTS
17 FROM NORTH OF SLO TO THIS TRAIN.
18 - CONNECTION FROM SAN IS TRAIN 769.
19 - A LATER DEPARTURE TIME FROM LAX WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE
20 TO CONFLICTING METROLINK COMMUTER TRAIN TRAFFIC. MORE, PAGE 52

CATEGORY-MGC SUBJECT-FEB ... 22FEB05 1346 8210 PAGE NO 52
01 REACCOMMODATING PASSENGERS:
02
03 PASSENGERS WHO ARE NOT ABLE, OR DO NOT WANT, TO TRAVEL AT THE
04 NEW TIMES MAY BE REFUNDED IN FULL WITHOUT REFUND FEE, NON-
05 CANCELLATION PENALTY, OR ANY OTHER CHARGE OR RESTRICTION.
06
07 THIS APPLIES BOTH TO PASSENGERS WHO ARE ON THE ROUTE
08 BUT CANNOT TRAVEL AT THE NEW TIMES, AND TO PASSENGERS
09 WHOSE CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN BROKEN AND WHO HAVE NO
10 OTHER WAY TO GET TO THE TRAIN (THIS MAINLY APPLIES TO
11 SOUTHBOUND PASSENGERS FROM NORTH OF SLO OR BFD, INCLUDING
12 EVERYONE WHO WAS ON TRAIN 11 FROM NORTH OF SLO).
13
14 PASSENGERS WHOSE CONNECTIONS ARE BROKEN AND WANT TO CHANGE
15 SOUTHBOUND TRAVEL TO MAKE THE CONNECTION IN LAX MAY MAKE
16 THE FIRST CHANGE TO SOUTHBOUND TRAVEL WITHOUT ADDITIONAL
17 FARE. HOWEVER, AMTRAK WILL NOT PAY FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOTEL
18 STAY THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED IN LAX.
19
20 CONNECTIONS, WARNING! SEE PAGE 53.

CATEGORY-MGC SUBJECT-FEB ... 22FEB05 1345 8210 PAGE NO 53
01 CONNECTIONS:
02
03 DIRECT SERVICE SHOWS THE CHANGE NOW (FEBRUARY 22). HOWEVER,
04 CONNECTION DISPLAYS WILL NOT SHOW THE CHANGE UNTIL AFTER
05 ARROW GOES THROUGH NIGHTLY FILE MAINTENANCE ON THE NIGHT OF
06 FEBRUARY 22-23. WHAT THIS MEANS IS IF YOU ASK FOR CONNECTING
07 SERVICE YOU WILL SEE TRAINS 1/2/421/422 AT THEIR OLD TIMES,
08 WITH SOME CONNECTIONS STILL POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU
09 ACTUALLY BOOK SPACE, YOU WILL GET THE NEW TIMES, AND YOU
10 COULD END UP WITH A MISCONNECTION IN YOUR PNR.
11
12 HERE IS AN EXAMPLE:
13 1 11 C MTZ-LAX 734A WE 09MAR 900P 09MAR YD HK1
14 ND 3 FLD
15 2 2 C LAX-HOS 230P WE 09MAR 545A 11MAR YD HK1
16 ND 3 FLD
17
18 OBVIOUSLY, THIS WILL NOT WORK. PLEASE WATCH VERY CAREFULLY
19 FOR THIS.

TS 2 09MAR05
*NO HISTORY*
P 0230P LAX *NO ENTRY*
P 32 0311P :POS *NO ENTRY*
P 7 0324P :ONA *NO ENTRY*
P 67 0506P :PSN *NO ENTRY*
M 146 0824P :YUM *NO ENTRY*
M 165 1117P MRC *NO ENTRY*
M 86 0220A TUS *NO ENTRY*
M 50 0320A :BEN *NO ENTRY*
M 119 0520A :LDB *NO ENTRY*
M 60 0615A :DEM *NO ENTRY*
M 88 0900A ELP *NO ENTRY*
C 219 0220P :ALP *NO ENTRY*
C 91 0411P :SND *NO ENTRY*
C 126 0637P :DRT *NO ENTRY*
C 169 0100A SAS *NO ENTRY*
C 210 0615A HOS *NO ENTRY*
C 82 0810A :BMT *NO ENTRY*
C 61 0934A :LCH *NO ENTRY*
C 74 1139A :LFT *NO ENTRY*
|
C 18 1235P :NIB *NO ENTRY*
C 72 0126P :SCH *NO ENTRY*
C 56 1030P NOL *NO ENTRY*
C 56 1155P :BAS *NO ENTRY*
C 15 1223A :GUF *NO ENTRY*
C 12 1246A :BIX *NO ENTRY*
C 20 0121A :PAG *NO ENTRY*
C 40 0220A :MOE *NO ENTRY*
C 45 0326A :ATR *NO ENTRY*
C 59 0630A PNS *NO ENTRY*
C 49 0740A :CSV *NO ENTRY*
C 67 0910A :CIP *NO ENTRY*
E 86 1232P :TLH *NO ENTRY*
E 56 0159P :MDO *NO ENTRY*
E 49 0300P :LEC *NO ENTRY*
E 66 0500P JAX *NO ENTRY*
E 58 0622P :PAK *NO ENTRY*
E 52 0709P DLD *NO ENTRY*
E 16 0734P :SFD *NO ENTRY*
E 16 0803P WPK *NO ENTRY*
E 5 0845P ORL *NO ENTRY*
i

TS 1 08MAR05
*NO HISTORY*
E 0145P ORL *NO ENTRY*
E 5 0203P WPK *NO ENTRY*
E 16 0228P :SFD *NO ENTRY*
E 16 0251P DLD *NO ENTRY*
E 52 0337P :PAK *NO ENTRY*
E 58 0530P JAX *NO ENTRY*
E 66 0633P :LEC *NO ENTRY*
E 49 0723P :MDO *NO ENTRY*
E 56 0847P :TLH *NO ENTRY*
C 86 0953P :CIP *NO ENTRY*
C 67 1120P :CSV *NO ENTRY*
C 49 1252A PNS *NO ENTRY*
C 59 0222A :ATR *NO ENTRY*
C 45 0329A :MOE *NO ENTRY*
C 40 0411A :PAG *NO ENTRY*
C 20 0436A :BIX *NO ENTRY*
C 12 0455A :GUF *NO ENTRY*
C 15 0518A :BAS *NO ENTRY*
C 56 1155A NOL *NO ENTRY*
|
C 56 0124P :SCH *NO ENTRY*
C 72 0250P :NIB *NO ENTRY*
C 18 0337P :LFT *NO ENTRY*
C 74 0508P :LCH *NO ENTRY*
C 61 0643P :BMT *NO ENTRY*
C 82 0950P HOS *NO ENTRY*
C 210 0540A SAS *NO ENTRY*
C 169 0835A :DRT *NO ENTRY*
C 126 1110A :SND *NO ENTRY*
C 91 0124P :ALP *NO ENTRY*
M 219 0555P ELP *NO ENTRY*
M 88 0726P :DEM *NO ENTRY*
M 60 0821P :LDB *NO ENTRY*
M 119 1026P :BEN *NO ENTRY*
M 50 0105A TUS *NO ENTRY*
M 86 0232A MRC *NO ENTRY*
M 165 0519A :YUM *NO ENTRY*
P 146 0637A :PSN *NO ENTRY*
P 67 0805A :ONA *NO ENTRY*
P 7 0815A :POS *NO ENTRY*
P 32 1010A LAX *NO ENTRY*

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

Well this blows big chunks into my Houston-LA-Portland-Boise-Chicago trip in May. Spend an extra day in LA and 1 less day with my parents?
I don't think so. I like the CA scenery, but I'm not fond of the kooks that live in the LA region.

Looks like I'm completely bypasing the west coast, this trip.

Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :

Good move. #1 will actually arrive when it is arriving now..just after 10. For passengers headingnorth of Sacramento,the afternoon Bakersfield bus and the San Jouquins will connect with the Starlight aroud Midnight in Sacramento.

With the mid afternoon departure of #2, the Salton Sea and the Palm Springs area will be visiblein daylight forthe first time going East, and with an 8 hour layover(assuming the train is running close to on time)in San Antonio, passengers going North should connect with @22. I would imagine this will save Amtrak many dollars on lodging and bustitution.
Also assuming the train is running on time there will be quite a layover in new Orleans. By keepingthe same schedule from Orlando-New Orleans and New Orleans-Orlando it seems the SL will be adding a lot of padding,keeping it on time
hopefully.

This will be the first time in 8 years ther will be a afternoon departure from LA on a LD train. Last was the Desert Wind.

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

quote:
Originally posted by graynt:

This will be the first time in 8 years ther will be a afternoon departure from LA on a LD train. Last was the Desert Wind.

Wow. It doesn't seem like it's been that long since we lost the Desert Wind.

Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mikesmith:
I'm not fond of the kooks that live in the LA region. Looks like I'm completely bypassing the west coast, this trip.

Cancel an entire rail trip at the mere thought of spending one brief night in L.A.? Hmmmm. Sounds like a little stopover in the City of Angels might do you a world of good.

There are quite a few hotels within a short walk or cab ride from Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal, including a Days Inn if you're on a budget. And of course, there's always Priceline.com.

As for the kooks. . . yes, Los Angeles has some of the finest. But I've encountered plenty during my trips to Texas, too, and always lived to tell the tale.

Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :

LOL- Hey mike, do you know the difference between a California Kook and a Texas Kook? Punchline: their accents [Big Grin]

. You get Kooks of all shapes and sizes no matter what major city your in: Houston or LA.

Seriously though, that part of LA isn't too bad. It's the touristy area/historic district. There are some homeless folks, but they'll leave you alone. Day's Inn is right across the street and there are other nicer hotels real close by.

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

People, you don't understand. I am not retired, yet.

Spending a day in LA is a total waste of vacation time, and it cuts my visit to my parents down to 1 day, instead of the two I had planned in Boise. Now, I'm going via the Eagle and the Empire builder. and flying Southwest Air back to Texas. (3 days in Boise)

As for the Kook stigma, CA's kooks have absolutely no concept of reality, whereas Texas kooks do know what reality represents, they just choose to ignore it.

Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :

I've always felt Houston and LA have a lot in common; both are magnificent, terrible, beautiful cities with superb skylines, real character and tremendous culture. The art scene in Houston has been world class at times and I've always believed it is the dominant city in that part of the country. I also believe LA is the dominant city in the US, its just that not everyone realizes it yet. As for kooks, aren't they the ones that call the Rush Limbaugh show...? You can now flame away and lobby for your city and rail against LA and Houston. We've heard it before.

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

Notelvis has given me an idea...

I can fly Houston Hobby to ABQ for $200 total for both my wife and I. I can then go SW Chief to LA and then CS to Portland and EB to Pasco WA., rental car to Boise and back, then EB to CHI and fly back from Midway to Houston Hobby for $175.

Looks like that's the plan, right now.

And RR Bob, only about 10 people get on the Rush show each day. We have MANY, MANY, MANY more kooks than that... [Smile]

Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :

Is Amtrak going to publish an up-to-date timetable for the Sunset? The Amtrak's on-line version for the Sunset only shows the old times e.g. departing L.A. at 10:30 pm.

Posted by The Chief (Member # 2172) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Railroad Bob
"I also believe LA is the dominant city in the US..."

Ha! Thanks for the laugh, Bob!

Smitty, your alternate plan sounds good. I usually combine air segment w/my rail trips when time counts...

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

Oh.... Dominant......

I thought he stated "LA is the dominatrix city"....

Who knew.....

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mikesmith:
Notelvis has given me an idea...

I can fly Houston Hobby to ABQ for $200 total for both my wife and I. I can then go SW Chief to LA and then CS to Portland and EB to Pasco WA., rental car to Boise and back, then EB to CHI and fly back from Midway to Houston Hobby for $175.

Gee.........thanks for the credit. I'm honored.

"You are now free to move about the country" from an old Southwest Airlines commercial.

A friend of mine used to say that Southwest was kind of like what you'd get if Greyhound could fly.......but you can't often beat their prices. I'll be using Southwest in about 4 different airports this year.

Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :

Mike and Chief, haha, u took the bait I tossed out. "Dominant" sure does not equate to "best;" many US cities are probably more pleasant places to live than LA, such as the nearby San Diego. But as for culture, legal and political issues, social, food, music, art, ecstatic and nightmarish TRENDS, I still think LA is the point of the arrow. In these ways LA is kind of a dominant place. Starts here and later filters out to the rest of the country. As to Mike's mentioned dominatrix scene, sorry I spelled dominatrix wrong. Sorry to go off thread; jes' havin' fun. [Cool]

Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :

What a crappy new schedule--ruins plans to stay one last complete day in LA before returning to Florida.

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

Notelvis;
My trip is booked. I leave Houston Hobby via SW Air to ABQ, Amtrak bedroom it to Pasco WA, Family room it to CHI, and SW Air it back to Hobby.

My wife and I leave April 29 and return May 9. SW Air was $420 for both of us and Amtrak was $490 {PSC - CHI}. This included a bedroom from ABQ to PSC on my Amtrak reward points.

It was odd that the family room was cheaper than a roomette by about $70, seeing as though there is only 1 family room on the Portland section of the EB.

Posted by hayos (Member # 3647) on :

If deep cuts are made to Amtrak, will the Sunset survive? Does it have the passenger count to make it?

Hayos

Posted by CHANGEATJAMAICA (Member # 3737) on :

When you get past all the rhetoric in the news release about Amtrak and Union Pacific cooperating to ensure the Sunsets operate on a more reliable shedule it appears they're merely acknowledging the current schedule is bogus; and adjusting the arrival and departure time to reflect the real world.
Rodger

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

Well, I sent a letter to Mr Gunn, complaining about the change in the Sunset schedule. He sent me a $50 travel voucher and explained the Sunset schedule was changed to minimize the risk of delay due to the heavy freight traffic. Reading between the lines, the Sunset is taking a less active time slot.

This voucher has caused us to change our plans. Instead of pulling our travel trailer to Alpine, TX over Labor Day {as we had planned}, we will take the Sunset and use the $50 voucher.

The new schedule leaves Houston at 9:50PM Wednesday 8-31, allowing us to work that day and leave that night, and the return trip now arrives at Houston at 5:45 AM Tuesday 9-6, allowing us to go to work that same day. We effectively gain another travel day with the time change between Houston and Alpine and only burn 2 vacation days.

Not bad.

Posted by SuperFudd (Member # 3775) on :

"If deep cuts are made to Amtrak, will the Sunset survive? Does it have the passenger count to make it?"

Probably there were too many pasengers. Perhaps that is why the schedule change, to drive off many of us pesky potential riders. No longer will the Starlite connect with it. We were going to take the Starlite and Sunset to Florida from San Jose. Now we shall fly. [Frown]

Posted by mikesmith (Member # 447) on :

I went down to the Houston station today to exchange my family room for a $71.00 cheaper roomette (it was $70.00 more expensive when I booked it) for my Pasco to Chicago trip. The attendants stated that the new time was working out much better for the SL. UP had requested the schedule change to better "slot" the SL through UP's crowded route schedule. Looks like it is working.

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mikesmith:
Notelvis;
My trip is booked. I leave Houston Hobby via SW Air to ABQ, Amtrak bedroom it to Pasco WA, Family room it to CHI, and SW Air it back to Hobby.

My wife and I leave April 29 and return May 9. SW Air was $420 for both of us and Amtrak was $490 {PSC - CHI}. This included a bedroom from ABQ to PSC on my Amtrak reward points.

Am looking forward to hearing about your trip on the forum when you get back. Have a good one!

Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :

With all the lateness and problems be happy that the train is still running. I will enjoy the Sunset Limited no matter what---terrific ride even if it is 12 hours late on some runs to the east. Riding Amtrak is for train lovers, retired folk and families on the yearly vacation to see the glorius scenery of this great country! Let's enjoy this train before the Bush budgetary cuts ruin our fun.

Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :

When you think about it, th SL has a lot of untapped potential. It's the only Coast to Coast train still running. Look at the major metropolitan areas it services!!!: Los Angeles, Tucson, El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans, Jacksonville, and Orlando!! These areas have tremendous market potential, if it were a reliable train. As it is, I have NEVER, despite it's reputation, been on an empty SL. As a matter of fact, it sells out a lot during the summer months. This is a vital service, otherwise it would have been dropped years ago.

As far as the new schedule, I don't think the slot is that much better. All it appears to do is allow 8 more hours EB for it to get to NOL. The new schedule is nothing more than a more realistic estimate between LAX and NOL. It leaves NOL EB at the same time. It still takes an eternity to get anywhere. I'm curious, are there alternate routes via BNSF? I know BNSF runs through New Mexico and Texas.

Posted by rY (Member # 3528) on :

quote:
When you think about it, th SL has a lot of untapped potential. It's the only Coast to Coast train still running.

Someone with more knowledge might want to fill in the gaps here, but, on a scale of Amtrak and passenger trains in general, isn't the Sunset Limited's transcontinental service relatively new? (early-mid 90s?) If memory serves, the SL's transcontinental service is actually unique to Amtrak, and was not something that was "inherited" from the days of private rail service.

Posted by ethelred (Member # 3672) on :

I took the Sunset Limited recently, connecting with the Silver Meteor in Jacksonville. We were about 2 1/4 hours late arriving in Jacksonville, and the Silver Meteor was about an hour late getting to Jacksonville. Dinner was announced at about 5 pm on SL, but I decided to wait for the SM for dinner, having been told the SL would arrive in Jacksonville at about 6 pm. Big mistake! We actually arrived at 7, and there would have been plenty of time for dinner before Jacksonville. The SM folks were not happy at serving dinner at 9 pm, and all that was left was t-bone steak that was only so-so.

I boarded the SL in Tucson. It seemed to be 1-2 hours late much of the route. It was a great trip, though.

Posted by Pojon (Member # 3080) on :

There used to be daily transcontinental service from Jacksonville to LA from the original Union Station in Jax which is now a convention center. That station had 50 trains a day coming and going in it's heyday in the 1940s and 50s and was one of the busiest in the USA. Used by the Southern Railway, Norfolk and Western, Seaboard, Atlantic Coastline, Florida East Coast and others. Remember?