Amtrak Thruway Bus Service

[Allen Dee]

Below is a link to pix of 2 Amtrak California buses operated by Greyhound.

http://www.strayhound.com/id360.htm

I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country, but here in California, the Amtrak Thruway bus connections provide service to many communities that the trains cannot or won't serve. I've heard that 70% of the passengers on the San Joaquins use the bus connections as part of their trips.

While all of us here on this forum would rather ride trains than buses (or airplanes for that matter), the bus connections do provide a vital link.

 

[jccollins]

The San Joaquins would be dead without the vital bus connections to Southern California. And I would much rather take a two hour bus connection (especially on the new, nice motorcoaches they provide from Bakersfield to Southern California) than be on the train for the estimated additional 7 hours estimated to travel from Bakersfield to Los Angeles via the Tehachapi Loop tracks.

Amtrak California / Caltrans was smart when they built the new Bakersfield Station. The train to bus and vice versa connections are so fast, easy and close to each other that the connection is seamless (unlike some other connections, like Sacramento where the buses have to wait for the Capitols AND San Joaquins and there are more delays frequently).

 

[PRR 60]

While all of us here on this forum would rather ride trains than buses (or airplanes for that matter), the bus connections do provide a vital link.

Not quite “all” of us. I certainly agree with the bus, but I enjoy a plane ride every bit as much as a train. You might be surprised how many train enthusiasts are aviation buffs as well. It is a common love of travel.

 

[Superliner Diner]

On an almost annual basis, I've ridden the Thruway bus in Florida between Orlando and Tampa. The operator there is Martz Trailways of St. Petersburg. They recently painted the buses dedicated to this service in Amtrak livery, complete with the turquoise lava lamp designs and the words "Amtrak's Thruway Service" on the side. Unfortunately I don't think I got any photos of it, but if I do find one, I'll post it here.

 

[EmpireBuilderFan]

To catch the Empire Builder on Sunday, I rode one the Oregon Thruway busses from Salem, OR to Portland, OR on bus #5528, which is scheduled to meet with the departing eastbound EB. They use some pretty nice busses with large windows (almost comparable to Sightseer Lounge size) and quite a bit of leg room between seats. The side of the bus has a picture of a Cascade Talgo set that covers most of the side. The Thruway busses are definitely a convenient way to catch a train.

 

[Allen Dee]

The San Joaquins would be dead without the vital bus connections to Southern California. And I would much rather take a two hour bus connection (especially on the new, nice motorcoaches they provide from Bakersfield to Southern California) than be on the train for the estimated additional 7 hours estimated to travel from Bakersfield to Los Angeles via the Tehachapi Loop tracks.
Amtrak California / Caltrans was smart when they built the new Bakersfield Station. The train to bus and vice versa connections are so fast, easy and close to each other that the connection is seamless (unlike some other connections, like Sacramento where the buses have to wait for the Capitols AND San Joaquins and there are more delays frequently).

Most of the connections between Bakersfield and Southern California are provided by Coach USA/Antelope. Many of the people who work there, top management included, are ex-Greyhound like myself.

I no longer work in the biz, but I am glad that you enjoy the service.

Enjoy riding the new Van Hools, Prevosts, and MCIs over the ridge route for now. For the most part, the bus trip is better than a long train ride over the Tehachapi Loop.

 

[Allen Dee]

While all of us here on this forum would rather ride trains than buses (or airplanes for that matter), the bus connections do provide a vital link.

Not quite “all” of us. I certainly agree with the bus, but I enjoy a plane ride every bit as much as a train. You might be surprised how many train enthusiasts are aviation buffs as well. It is a common love of travel.

I am also an aviation buff.

My next scheduled train ride will be to the Aviation Expo at the Van Nuys Airport on June 21. Expect a full report with lots of pix here on this forum.

We just don't like being treated like cattle.

 

[amtrakadirondack]

:lol: Yes, if the San Joaquins did not have the bus connections, that route would be dead as the Doe-Doe. :lol:

 

[steve_relei]

We have Thru-way bus services here in Oregon. They connect to Amtrak trains in Eugene, Albany, and Portland. They take people to and from these trains to and from the coast (Newport, Seaside, Astoria), Central and Eastern Oregon (Ontario, Bend, and along the old "Pioneer" route), as well as provide services in addition to trains service between Eugene, Albany, Salem, and Portland. These buses are paid for by the State of Oregon and are also in danger of being lost of the legislature does not allocate money for it (as well as Cascades train service).

 

[battalion51]

I've got one of our Thruway Buses here. It's sort of funny on of the Amtrak Execs liked it so much he made it the background on his laptop, he is very proud of his buses.

 

[Allen Dee]

I've got one of our Thruway Buses here. It's sort of funny one of the Amtrak Execs liked it so much he made it the background on his laptop, he is very proud of his buses. <img src='http://www.trainweb.org/amtrakflorida/Pictures/Amtrak Thruway Bus S56.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

B51,

The background on my desktop computer is a GM model PDG-3701, otherwise known as a "Silversides", from the pre-WWII days. And I hated those buses.

 

[Superliner Diner]

I've got one of our Thruway Buses here. It's sort of funny on of the Amtrak Execs liked it so much he made it the background on his laptop, he is very proud of his buses. <img src='http://www.trainweb.org/amtrakflorida/Pictures/Amtrak Thruway Bus S56.JPG' border='0' alt='user posted image'>

That S-56 bus is the exact one that I rode twice while I was in Florida last month, both of them from Tampa to Orlando. One was on the 6092 run to the Silver Star, and the other was the 6098 run to catch the Sunset Limited. One of its left rear tires blew while before we got to Lakeland, and we had to wait 1-1/2 hours while they sent somebody to fix it.

 

[battalion51]

Amtrak has three or four buses that generally work the Thruway service, S56 and S55.

 

[Allen Dee]

Amtrak has three or four buses that generally work the Thruway service, S56 and S55.

Who operates these Amtrak Thruway buses?

 

[Viewliner]

I think Martz, but I could be wrong.

 

[battalion51]

Yes it is Martz that operates the service. Ocasionally when the Amtrak bus is in the shop a regular Martz red and white bus will pinch hit. As my favorite Conductor says "When you step off the train a big red and white bus or blue and whit bus will be waiting at the end of the platform to your left."

 

[Viewliner]

Yes it is Martz that operates the service. Ocasionally when the Amtrak bus is in the shop a regular Martz red and white bus will pinch hit. As my favorite Conductor says "When you step off the train a big red and white bus or blue and whit bus will be waiting at the end of the platform to your left."

Yeah, I remember the Day after the Auto Train Derailment we were going to Orlando (Silver Meteor was diverted via TPA), so people had to be bussed that were going to Palatka, Deland, Sanford, Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimmee. All of the busses in Jacksonville were Martz busses.

 

[jccollins]

Now we just need loud train horns installed in each of the motorcoaches and to supply the coach engineers/conductors with official conductors hats! All aboard!

 

[PRR 60]

Now we just need loud train horns installed in each of the motorcoaches and to supply the coach engineers/conductors with official conductors hats!     All aboard!

Having a bus use a train horn brings to mind a business trip from about 10 years ago.

I was returning home (Philadelphia) from Denver and was sitting on a United 757 awaiting the push at Stapleton International (Stapleton was closed 2/27/95 when new Denver International opened). As the door was being closed and the jetway retracted, the Captain came on the PA, gave the usual welcome speech, and then closed with a hearty “All Aboard!”, and blew one of those wooden train whistle gadgets. Every head in the cabin looked up and smiled.

I’ve been on several hundred flights, and remember maybe a dozen or two as being special. That was one.

 

[battalion51]

I think that man was in the wrong line of work. One funny story I have though comes from Tri-Rail. I was taking P648 north to Deerfield from Opa Locka. The Engineer (in the cab car) was making the announcements on the PA rather than the Conductor. In the Bombardier Cab Cars the Engineers radio can also be used to make PA announcements by dialing a special code into the radio. That was fairly cool.