Maybe I'm missing something, but based upon the older and limited track maps that I have, I don't see how routing 5 & 6 via Stockton helps. There are no tracks that I see leading east from Stockton, all tracks around Stockton either go north/south or further west. So the only way to reach the Zephyr's normal route would be to head north to Sacramento. And doing that, would still leave the train sitting at the bridge that is now out of service.There routing the Starlight over the ex-WP5/6 are going via Stockon.
Alan,Ok, I think that I figured out what the answer might be and it does involve Stockton, but that's not the whole picture.
What would need to happen for a west bound CZ, is a northwest detour starting at Roseville. From there the train would run up to Marysville (near Yuba City). At that point it can turn south and join up with the much talked about ex-WP. That would allow it to then run south through SAC to Stockton. The detour however cuts out the SAC stop, as well as Davis, as well as probably adding at least 1 hour of run time, if not more.
At Stockton, the train once again turns west and runs out to Martinez where it can rejoin its normal route to EMY.
"Julie" is quite busy now likely dealing with this, the Empire snow cancellations, and hundreds of cancelled east coast JetBlue customers trying to get home for the weekend.Togo90,Your best bet would be to call Amtrak and see if they will let you board at EMY.
I fully agree with you. Amtrak Communication is Rotton, they should call all Passengers and let them know that will be effected.Amtrak absolutely needs to become more proactive in the information department. It is expected in thos day and age.Togo90,
Your best bet would be to call Amtrak and see if they will let you board at EMY.
Well I'm betting that Amtrak Comm was busy calling Saturday's passengers first, and not just for the CZ, but the Lake Shore too. And while any info would be better than none, perhaps part of the problem is simply that Amtrak doesn't yet know what it will be doing on Sunday. They can't force UP to let them detour the train, that is UP's decision. And even if UP says yes, then there is the question of, does Amtrak really want to add still more running time to a train that UP can't run on time in the first place?I fully agree with you. Amtrak Communication is Rotton, they should call all Passengers and let them know that will be effected.Amtrak absolutely needs to become more proactive in the information department. It is expected in thos day and age.Togo90,
Your best bet would be to call Amtrak and see if they will let you board at EMY.
you can see the former connection track perfectly in Google earthThe Zephyr is running, making all stops, and at least as far as yesterday's (3/16) #6 is concerned, the detoured train arrived in Reno 4 hours late which, by Zephyr standards, is not too bad. The UP is restoring a removed connecting track at Biddle Junction (Marysville CA) between the former SP to Roseville and the former WP to Sacramento that will eliminate the need to reverse ends and should further improve performance. That track will be in service today (3/17). They are using green ballast.
Calling passengers is very labor intensive, and I wouldn't expect Amtrak to do something like that. I've never received a call from an airline for a delayed or cancelled flight, ever.So calling a couple of hundred people to say, "we don't know" isn't an attractive option in today's market.
Yet Amtrak most times does indeed call people when there are changes for one reason or another.Calling passengers is very labor intensive, and I wouldn't expect Amtrak to do something like that. I've never received a call from an airline for a delayed or cancelled flight, ever.So calling a couple of hundred people to say, "we don't know" isn't an attractive option in today's market.
And it is already on Amtrak.com, I quote:Amtrak.com is a powerful tool that is being underutilized. The CZ reroute deserves at least a "Service Alert" mention. This train averages 4-6 hours behind schedule routinely, some pax know this... most probably do not - especially all the first-timers I meet on the rails. The Sac detour could make it 6 to 8 to 10 hours delayed. I love Amtrak and want to ride the CZ tomorrow and next week, but my line in the sand is a 6 hour delay. I cannot get into Glenwood Springs at 7pm - there will next to no options for getting me to my final at Breckenridge. Further, I cannot get into Chicago extremely late and miss the last Hiawatha to Milwaukee at 8:05pm. So I am here in Concord, CA having to decide if I will cancel the remainder of my Amtrak trip and fly home. I shudder to think what I will pay for a short notice air ticket from SFO to MKE. If I have to go that route it will affect my future decisions to travel Amtrak again. And it would be a shame for them to lose someone who has become so positive about their service.
Again, they need to be forthcoming about chronic delays as with the CZ and CS. On the web. The Faraz OTP tool is great, but Faraz shouldn't have had to create that tool in the first place... it should already be on Amtrak.com.
You can view the notice by clicking here. The Coast Starlight's notice can be found here. One needs only to attempt to book a trip on either train to see the link for the delay notices. The notices have been on Amtrak's site for well over a year, although they revise them from time to time as conditions warrant.Service Alert: California Zephyr Trains 5 and 6 - Temporary Service Delays
Please be advised that passengers traveling on California Zephyr Trains 5 and 6 may experience delays of approximately three to five hours due to freight congestion, speed restrictions and other operating conditions affecting its schedule.
Passengers are encouraged to plan for the possibility of a delay and visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL on the day of departure for the most up-to-date arrival and departure times. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience.
Thanks for the links, Alan, but how did you navigate to these? Not wanting to come off arrogant here, but I am a very proficient I.T. guy and I do not see a way to get to these Alerts from the home page. What steps do you take to get to the Service Alerts when starting at the Amtrak.com home page? I will wait to see how that goes before I cry "shoddy".You can view the notice by clicking here. The Coast Starlight's notice can be found here. One needs only to attempt to book a trip on either train to see the link for the delay notices. The notices have been on Amtrak's site for well over a year, although they revise them from time to time as conditions warrant.Service Alert: California Zephyr Trains 5 and 6 - Temporary Service Delays
Please be advised that passengers traveling on California Zephyr Trains 5 and 6 may experience delays of approximately three to five hours due to freight congestion, speed restrictions and other operating conditions affecting its schedule.
Passengers are encouraged to plan for the possibility of a delay and visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL on the day of departure for the most up-to-date arrival and departure times. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience.
Ps. Remember that Amtrak will still get you home to MKE, even if the train is too late to connect with the last Hiawatha.
Nate,Thanks for the links, Alan, but how did you navigate to these? Not wanting to come off arrogant here, but I am a very proficient I.T. guy and I do not see a way to get to these Alerts from the home page. What steps do you take to get to the Service Alerts when starting at the Amtrak.com home page? I will wait to see how that goes before I cry "shoddy".
And I do agree, far too many times important notices don't seem to make it up onto the home page, case in point the current problems with the CZ. There is no excuse for this either, as you are correct, it costs pennies to put something up.Amtrak's miserable handling of service alerts is a chronic and seemingly unfixable problem. The alerts that are posted are often posted in the reservations area which is OK for someone making a reservation but is useless for someone with a reservation who needs to know what is going on. Here in the Northeast the best way to find out about the operation of the NEC is to check the NJ Transit or SEPTA web sites, not Amtrak. This failure is not caused by lack of money (the ever popular excuse for all of Amtrak's shortcomings). Posting web notices costs next to nothing.
Amtrak needs a single link on the home page to a page where all current service alerts are posted. They need to actually post service alerts when there is a disruption. In 2007 there is no excuse for passengers being kept in the dark about the status of operations.
On at same time here I see.I can't contain mayself any longer and I am not waiting for Alan's response.
Amtrak.com --> SHODDY!
Nate (now fantasizing if there is a way to take over Amtrak I.T. in a "coup d' etat")
Nate,What did Amtrak put in our food to make this group of people so fervently interested in their organization? I need to stop pontificating and get back to my vacationI can't contain mayself any longer and I am not waiting for Alan's response.
Amtrak.com --> SHODDY!
Nate (now fantasizing if there is a way to take over Amtrak I.T. in a "coup d' etat")
Locations and distances from UP Roseville Area Timetable No. 3, June 22, 2003The UP is restoring a removed connecting track at Biddle Junction (Marysville CA) between the former SP to Roseville and the former WP to Sacramento that will eliminate the need to reverse ends and should further improve performance. That track will be in service today (3/17). They are using green ballast.
The route (westbound) is normal to Roseville. Then back up about a mile to the connection to the the line up to Marysville. Through Biddle Junction in Marysville onto the WP to Sacramento, Connect from the WP to the SP line just east of SAC station and then the normal route to EMY. With the connecting track done, UP power for a reverse move is not required.
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