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battalion51

battalion51

Engineer
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
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7,193
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USA
This Saturday I'm supposed to take the train from FTL to WPK so that I can meet up with my family to take my sister to college. Any reasonable person would just take Train 98 to Winter Park, well I'm not a reasonable person. My HOPE is that the EB Sunnyset from LA (the first EB trip after its annullment) will stay on time and I will be able to take 98 to JAX followed by the 002 to Winter Park for an 20:03 arrival. So my message here, pray for an on time Sunset.
 
battalion51 said:
This Saturday I'm supposed to take the train from FTL to WPK so that I can meet up with my family to take my sister to college. Any reasonable person would just take Train 98 to Winter Park, well I'm not a reasonable person. My HOPE is that the EB Sunnyset from LA (the first EB trip after its annullment) will stay on time and I will be able to take 98 to JAX followed by the 002 to Winter Park for an 20:03 arrival. So my message here, pray for an on time Sunset.
Click to expand...
Ha...ha...you're jokin right! You make for a good laugh. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Oh...you're serious, well we can just hope! B)
 
Well there's no question you can make the transfer at JAX... it all comes down to how long you're willing to wait for it. You might want to check on train 2's progress as it moves across the states a few days before you'll be boarding in JAX. Its departure out of New Orleans should be able to give you a good idea of what time it will be blessing Jacksonville with its presence. Good luck!

P.S. This sounds like a trip I would try to book! B)
 
I'm going to be on # 2 out of SAS on Sunday (Aug 17) to NOL myself and have been watching this train the last several days . . . . and it "ain't been pretty" to say the least. Last night was over 6 hrs late into NOL. Now since I'm connecting with # 20 to ATL the next morning, I'm actually secretly wishing for a very late Sunset that day to save me a hotel night in NOL! So B51 let's cross our fingers that both our wishes come true - on time for your train and late for mine - LOL!
 
I'll be on the Sunset from SAS to NOL on August 19th!

The past couple of runs have been pretty darn late....but, since I don't have to show up at work until the 20th at noon, lateness is not really an issue.
 
Well it's one of those things where you check the train on its journey on Thursday and Friday. If they are too late out of Pensacola I'll probably just scrap the idea and just come back on 97 instead. But I will definitely be watching 002 as it makes its journey.
 
Regarding the Sunset's usual lateness, has Amtrak done anything recently to help improve the on-time performance of the route? Is Amtrak even concerned about it? I think by not doing anything to remedy this, it is a good way to alienate customers. Yesterday's #2 for instance...arrived into NOL 6 hours late. Probably quite a few p.o'd passengers on that train.

Would the possible re-route through Abilene and Dallas improve its overall operation?

Thanks as always!

Steve in NOL
 
#1 has been having much better arrival times in LAUPT. In fact, for the first time...since...possibly forever, a couple of months ago the Sunset arrived into LAUPT 1 hour and 34 minutes EARLY!! Of course this is no everyday accurance by any means.

They are starting to run closer to on time latley though.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
#1 has been having much better arrival times in LAUPT. In fact, for the first time...since...possibly forever, a couple of months ago the Sunset arrived into LAUPT 1 hour and 34 minutes EARLY!! Of course this is no everyday accurance by any means.
They are starting to run closer to on time latley though.
Click to expand...
Agreed. And take note that about 39 percent more passengers chose the Sunset Limited for their travel needs this July over last July.
 
And that's not including the fact that the train was annulled for a part of last month east of July.
 
#2 was spotted at about 7:30 this morning near Converse, TX (eastern suburb of SAS) running at track speed - that put it about 1 hour down out of SAS, not bad for the Sunset. Unfortunately from what I am seeing on the Amtrak status page now it looks like things fell apart somewhere after that - 2:30 late out of Houston and a 4:20 late arrival estimate into Lake Charles, LA. We'll continue to keep our fingers crossed for you . . . . . . . . . . .
 
Looks like a 10:55pm "scheduled" arrival into NOL with a 12:15am departure to Florida. Looks like the schedule has some padding between Schriever and New Orleans, so it may make up some time. Good luck!
 
I have given up on the Sunset being on time. I tell everyone that the train is a great trip but if you've GOT to be there on time, do NOT take the Sunset Ltd.

I took it to NO in December and got into the station 6 hours late. I was ticked off because I had already paid for a hotel room which I got to use for all of three hours since my train to ATL was leaving at 7:20 that same morning.

Apparently the crew "died" outside of Lafayette and a crew had to come from New Orleans and find us in the middle of God knows where. It would have been nice if someone from Amtrak had told us what was going on at the time.

My trip on the Sunset was much better in June of this year. We were only two and a half hours late. ;)

Even so, since I happen to have large blocks of time available, I will continue to take Amtrak. This Christmas I'm going to try the Southwest Chief to Chicago and then the City of New Orleans. I hope that they are on time but it really doesn't matter because I will be off from December 19 until February 9. :D

But back to the subject at hand: Beware the Sunset LTD if you are seeking an on time trip. :blink:
 
I've pretty much thrown up my hands and given up. I mean could they make up some time yes, but the way they stand now they'd need to make up at least 5 hours to make me consider going to JAX (showing 6 hours late out of New Iberia). So I will resign myself to another trip on 97, unless lightning strikes, no Sunnyset for me tomorrow. :(
 
Well no shot as I thought. He was due into Deland at 1145, so I ended up on 97 instead. But alas I will catch the Sunset tomorrow WB from Orlando to Deland and back on 97.
 
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