Coast Starlight discussion

[trimetbusfan]

Well, I think the answer to is in your post about it. Employees don't ride in the first coach and certainly don't sleep in it. Revenue passengers appear to be of no concern.

They may emit fewer fumes, but I still doubt it would be healthy to be directly sucking in even "clean" diesel exhaust.

yep, and as I said, we'll see how it goes...

 

[sitzplatz17]

Was just at King Street Station in Seattle and got word that there's been a landslide (again) between Kelso and Vancouver, WA.

11 (8) is in service disruption and 14 (7) is truncated to PDX.

 

[zephyr17]

11(24) was terminated at Klamath Falls and 14(24) was terminated at Sacramento due to a wildfire around Shasta Lake, reportedly near the Pitt River Bridge. There was no bus bridge. There was a report on FB that 14(24) would be turned around and run back to LA discharge only, no boarding. I can't vouch for that, but the terminations are on @AmtrakAlerts.

It doesn't appear there was major damage to the UP, unlike the Dry Creek trestle fire damage a couple years ago. 11(25) and 14(25) are both running.

 

[Willbridge]

11(24) was terminated at Klamath Falls and 14(24) was terminated at Sacramento due to a wildfire around Shasta Lake, reportedly near the Pitt River Bridge. There was no bus bridge. There was a report on FB that 14(24) would be turned around and run back to LA discharge only, no boarding. I can't vouch for that, but the terminations are on @AmtrakAlerts.

It doesn't appear there was major damage to the UP, unlike the Dry Creek trestle fire damage a couple years ago. 11(25) and 14(25) are both running.

There's also a fire at Bonanza, OR, east of the Coast Starlight route, but the prevailing winds should keep it away from the rail line. National media may lump these together.

 

[desertflyer]

I'm traveling on the CS and EB over the next couple of weeks and I'm sure glad my credit card has decent travel insurance.

 

[lsfinn]

The Coast Starlight Business Class car (which I booked seats in during 23Q1) has apparently been pulled. Our seats for an Oct trip have been downgraded to coach.

 

[Maglev]

The Coast Starlight Business Class car (which I booked seats in during 23Q1) has apparently been pulled. Our seats for an Oct trip have been downgraded to coach.

Were you just informed of this by Amtrak? The Business class car has been gone for quite a while, and your late notification
would be another example of poor customer service by Amtrak.

 

[zephyr17]

The Coast Starlight Business Class car (which I booked seats in during 23Q1) has apparently been pulled. Our seats for an Oct trip have been downgraded to coach.

Yeah, they pulled it around the end of last year/beginning if this. Initially it was supposed to be temporary but it turned permanent.

 

[lsfinn]

Were you just informed of this by Amtrak? The Business class car has been gone for quite a while, and your late notification
would be another example of poor customer service by Amtrak.

I was informed 10 days ago . Reviewing my original ticket I booked it (online) 21 Feb.

 

[TheMalahat]

Is the removal of business class cars another equipment shortage?

 

[zephyr17]

Is the removal of business class cars another equipment shortage?

Well, initially one of the rationales that was rumored was it was to free up equipment for the Winter Park Ski train. That was the basis for it possibly returning in the spring.

At least some of Starlight BC cars kept operating on the Starlight, only as regular coaches. They're just Superliner coaches with standard Superliner coach seating anyway. The difference was the seats have brown faux leather upholstery instead of the old blue fabric or the new gray faux leather. The removal of BC basically just meant that the Starlight lost a coach.

It appears Amtrak has abandoned its relatively short experiment with Business Class on long distance trains generally. The Starlight was the last LD to have it. I'd guess being attributable to Amtrak generally quitting LD Business Class is at least as plausible as equipment shortages.

 

[wrowland]

Were you just informed of this by Amtrak? The Business class car has been gone for quite a while, and your late notification
would be another example of poor customer service by Amtrak.

We had a family bedroom booked on the CZ back in Oct last year, been booked for many months, about a month or so before departure they pulled the sleeper car and downgraded my entire family of 4 to coach with only an email, not even a call from customer service. We ended up taking the SWC, CS, and EB instead. Was a great trip but we still wanna hit the CZ at some point. Took LSL in July and taking the TE in Oct this year and back on the Chief in March of next year!

 

[trimetbusfan]

We had a family bedroom booked on the CZ back in Oct last year, been booked for many months, about a month or so before departure they pulled the sleeper car and downgraded my entire family of 4 to coach with only an email, not even a call from customer service. We ended up taking the SWC, CS, and EB instead. Was a great trip but we still wanna hit the CZ at some point. Took LSL in July and taking the TE in Oct this year and back on the Chief in March of next year!

Yes, there were many accounts of that happening for a while, there is a separate thread dedicated to it.

Amtrak long term service cancellations and restorations (2022-2023H1)

I just received a notification from Amtrak that train 11, the southbound Coast Starlight for June 29 is being terminated at Emeryville, thus not serving points such as San Jose. San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles. Does anyone know why? I have reservations to ride it between Eugene, Oregon, and...

www.amtraktrains.com

imo, getting a last minute downgrade from starlight buisness class to coach is much less severe than a last minute downgrade from a sleeper to coach.

 

[TheMalahat]

Looking at the last two departures from Seattle it looks like they're back to sleepers at the front of the train? Wonder what the rationale is for changing, and changing back?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Looking at the last two departures from Seattle it looks like they're back to sleepers at the front of the train? Wonder what the rationale is for changing, and changing back?

It's Amtrak!

 

[trimetbusfan]

Looking at the last two departures from Seattle it looks like they're back to sleepers at the front of the train? Wonder what the rationale is for changing, and changing back?

Also like the transdorm car is back. Can’t say for sure but this might be the new consist after recent derailments…

 

[lsfinn]

The Coast Starlight Business Class car (which I booked seats in during 23Q1) has apparently been pulled. Our seats for an Oct trip have been downgraded to coach.

Right now, just going through my folder for this trip, I discovered that when Amtrak re-ticketed my trip (downgrading me to coach on the Coast Starlight), they outright dropped an entire leg of the trip (on a date more than two weeks later!) on the Capital Corridor. Am waiting to speak to an agent about this . . .

Edit: And, reviewing the original receipt, they didn't refund the correct amount for the cancellation of the business class seats.

 

[Asher]

Amtrak Coast Starlight
What to expect.
Coach = 1 seat + cafe car food
Business Class = 1 Leather upholstered seat + Cafe car food
Good scenery available.
ApproxImate 9+ hours of travel.
Price TBD.

 

[niemi24s]

Amtrak Coast Starlight
ApproxImate 9+ hours of travel.

9+ hours = 34h 0m or 35h 21m for its entire route.

 

[lsfinn]

Right now, just going through my folder for this trip, I discovered that when Amtrak re-ticketed my trip (downgrading me to coach on the Coast Starlight), they outright dropped an entire leg of the trip (on a date more than two weeks later!) on the Capital Corridor. Am waiting to speak to an agent about this . . .

Edit: And, reviewing the original receipt, they didn't refund the correct amount for the cancellation of the business class seats.

After approximately five hours on the phone - half on hold - over the course of three days, a resolution of sorts:
* Finally received full credit for Amtrak's cancellation of my business class seting;
* Finally had my upcoming travel leg reinstated.

Why do I say "of sorts"? Because Amtrak claimed that my October 22 RIC-SAC ticket was "used" last Mar 24, when I rode RIC-SAC on a different ticket, and that I was a "no-show" on that other ticket.

Now, I always travel with a printed version of my "eTicket", showing my full itinerary, and only use that printed "eTicket" when a conductor asks to see the ticket for scanning. In this case, the RIC-SAC leg was sandwiched between earlier in Mar SC and CS travel, and later in the month SAC-LAX and SC eastbound. I couldn't say whether the ticket was scanned: my experience over the last two (post pandemic) years (on SC, CS, Capital Corridor, San Joaquin) is that scanning is irregular.

I was initially asked to purchase a new ticket since I was recorded as a no-show on the Mar 24 ticket and the ticket for future travel was punched. After it was agreed that I couldn't have used a ticket for future travel in the past a new ticket was issued with the future travel reinstated.

 

[Yumacool]

My wife and I rode the Starlight between San Luis Obispo and Portland in mid-June, with the consist including two sleepers -- one refurbished and the other (the one we were on) showing the wear of decades of use. Sleeper passengers pay a large premium and the first-class cars need to be in clean, up-to-date condition, not grimy and old. Attached are three photos I took of the worn-out sink in the upper-level bathroom. One other thing I noticed is that the number of stations that do not handle checked baggage means that the shelves for storing luggage on the train are stuffed to overflowing. A photo of that is also attached. This train ride was only the first leg of a multi-part trip, and the experience was overall nice. We look forward to our next Amtrak journey.

 

[gottago]

Going to be traveling from SF to LA next May, of course we want to be on west side of train, for ocean views. How can I choose roomette for best views ??

 

[TinCan782]

Going to be traveling from SF to LA next May, of course we want to be on west side of train, for ocean views. How can I choose roomette for best views ??

Generally, you can not choose what side of a train you are on. The cars may be oriented in either direction so a particular roomette may be on the west or east side of the train. There is no way of knowing until that particular train is made ready for departure (Seattle for a southbound Coast Starlight).
While it may possible to predict which side based on how prior trains are set up, there is no guarantee of what side of the train you will be on.
Head to the Sightseer Lounge car. You will not be along the coast until somewhat south of San Luis Obispo.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Going to be traveling from SF to LA next May, of course we want to be on west side of train, for ocean views. How can I choose roomette for best views ??

If you really want to be in a right (ocean) side facing room, call to book your reservation and ask to be in the 1140 car, see if rooms 18, 20, 22, or 24 is available. Those should all be facing the ocean.

That’s the only garuntee to have a right side room. If not, there’s always the lounge car.

 

[Bob Dylan]

If you really want to be in a right (ocean) side facing room, call to book your reservation and ask to be in the 1140 car, see if rooms 18, 20, 22, or 24 is available. Those should all be facing the ocean.

That’s the only garuntee to have a right side room. If not, there’s always the lounge car.

The only problem with this is if Amtrak doesn't run a Transdorm on the Starlight, but it's a good plan!