Coast Starlight diversion between Klamath Falls and Eugene?

[BCL]

First, isn't there an oversized fee for bicycles? It's easy enough to disassemble one and place it in a box like you would on Amtrak.

As for getting up to Klamath Falls, I think the question is where it could be turned around and serviced. The CS normally only turns around at yards in LA and Seattle. There's a yard in Sacramento.

No boxing on the CSL, CZ or CL.

On the CSL and the CZ you hand the bike to an attendant (with bags removed) and they will hang it in the bike car. The CL requires you hang the bike yourself (at least in Cumberland).

Any train you book with a bike symbol has one of these features. It requires reservations.

But boxing in an Amtrak bike is fairly easy . Remove pedals and turn handlebar is about all you need to do. You can still box your bike on trains that take bikes if there are no bike slots left.

Sure about that? The last time I took the CZ on a long trip I remember seeing a couple of bikes in Amtrak specific cardboard boxes for bikes.

 

[BCL]

First, isn't there an oversized fee for bicycles? It's easy enough to disassemble one and place it in a box like you would on Amtrak.

Amtrak bike boxes are significant larger (~10 inches taller, ~10 inches longer and a couple inches wider) than a standard bike box, like the one you get from a bike store or as specced by Greyhound (and airlines and UPS/Fedex). A standard box takes a lot more disassembly, and you have to be careful about padding it, because the tolerances are smaller. Last time I did it, it took me a couple of hours to get it right. And you need to get it right because if it comes out mangled on the other end you're screwed.

Even then there's no guarantee. Last year, I used cardboard bike boxes in Europe (on planes, you can just roll aboard on trains and ferries there). On a flight to Oslo, the box burst open and everything was delivered to me in a pile. It was Norway, so everything was there and the pile was neatly and carefully arranged. I was lucky, but luck is a bad basis for planning.

It's annoying to pack a bike into an Amtrak box, enough to discourage casual trips. It's also risky – you don't know pain unless you've seen your bike box sitting on a luggage cart under a ton of suitcases. That's why the roll up policy was welcome, even if poorly conceived and implemented. But it's a total pain and even riskier to pack a bike into a standard cardboard bike box. If you only do it occasionally (like me -- I usually use a hard case that's designed for airline travel) it's a major project.

To say it's "easy enough" means one of two things: either it's something you do all the time (like, you work in a bike shop) or you've never done it at all.

I never worked in a bike shop, but I've owned a number of bicycles. Nearly all had quick-release skewers. Removing the front wheel is easy. The rear isn't necessarily hard, but kind of messy because of the chain. Beside that - anyone who rides should know to remove and replace both wheels if only to fix a flat. I never had a rack, but I had placed my bike in a car trunk before and needed to remove both wheels. Removing it to place in a case shouldn't be that hard for someone who knows how to remove the wheels.

In any case, Greyhound's baggage information says that passengers can bring bicycles as long as the passenger pays an oversized fee.

https://www.greyhound.com/en/help-and-info/travel-info/baggage

What kind of baggage can I bring?

Bicycles, golf clubs, skis and ski poles must be packed in a wood, canvas or other substantial containers, and securely fastened (you’ll need to pay an oversized item charge too).

 

[spinnaker]

First, isn't there an oversized fee for bicycles? It's easy enough to disassemble one and place it in a box like you would on Amtrak.

As for getting up to Klamath Falls, I think the question is where it could be turned around and serviced. The CS normally only turns around at yards in LA and Seattle. There's a yard in Sacramento.

No boxing on the CSL, CZ or CL.

On the CSL and the CZ you hand the bike to an attendant (with bags removed) and they will hang it in the bike car. The CL requires you hang the bike yourself (at least in Cumberland).

Any train you book with a bike symbol has one of these features. It requires reservations.

But boxing in an Amtrak bike is fairly easy . Remove pedals and turn handlebar is about all you need to do. You can still box your bike on trains that take bikes if there are no bike slots left.

Sure about that? The last time I took the CZ on a long trip I remember seeing a couple of bikes in Amtrak specific cardboard boxes for bikes.

Nothing says you have to curb side check. Maybe all the curbside slots were filled or maybe the passengers didn't want to mess with moving the bikes from train to train.

 

[BCL]

First, isn't there an oversized fee for bicycles? It's easy enough to disassemble one and place it in a box like you would on Amtrak.

As for getting up to Klamath Falls, I think the question is where it could be turned around and serviced. The CS normally only turns around at yards in LA and Seattle. There's a yard in Sacramento.

No boxing on the CSL, CZ or CL.

On the CSL and the CZ you hand the bike to an attendant (with bags removed) and they will hang it in the bike car. The CL requires you hang the bike yourself (at least in Cumberland).

Any train you book with a bike symbol has one of these features. It requires reservations.

But boxing in an Amtrak bike is fairly easy . Remove pedals and turn handlebar is about all you need to do. You can still box your bike on trains that take bikes if there are no bike slots left.

Sure about that? The last time I took the CZ on a long trip I remember seeing a couple of bikes in Amtrak specific cardboard boxes for bikes.

Nothing says you have to curb side check. Maybe all the curbside slots were filled or maybe the passengers didn't want to mess with moving the bikes from train to train.

I thought there was always the option to just check in a bike a box - as baggage.

 

[spinnaker]

First, isn't there an oversized fee for bicycles? It's easy enough to disassemble one and place it in a box like you would on Amtrak.

As for getting up to Klamath Falls, I think the question is where it could be turned around and serviced. The CS normally only turns around at yards in LA and Seattle. There's a yard in Sacramento.

No boxing on the CSL, CZ or CL.

On the CSL and the CZ you hand the bike to an attendant (with bags removed) and they will hang it in the bike car. The CL requires you hang the bike yourself (at least in Cumberland).

Any train you book with a bike symbol has one of these features. It requires reservations.

But boxing in an Amtrak bike is fairly easy . Remove pedals and turn handlebar is about all you need to do. You can still box your bike on trains that take bikes if there are no bike slots left.

Sure about that? The last time I took the CZ on a long trip I remember seeing a couple of bikes in Amtrak specific cardboard boxes for bikes.

Nothing says you have to curb side check. Maybe all the curbside slots were filled or maybe the passengers didn't want to mess with moving the bikes from train to train.

I thought there was always the option to just check in a bike a box - as baggage.

There is. Some people don't want the hassle to transfer. Or remember to transfer.

I like the idea of seeing my bike on transfers. Plus I can get to use it at layovers. And you don't have the hassle of boxing. But I think it is cheaper to check. It is $20 a leg to curbside check which can add up.

 

[hmy1]

14 is now showing as "sold out" on Sunday 6/24 and Monday 6/25.

 

[spinnaker]

14 is now showing as "sold out" on Sunday 6/24 and Monday 6/25.

So that either means it will be running or there will be a WHOLE lot of disappointed people.

 

[TiBike]

I never worked in a bike shop, but I've owned a number of bicycles. Nearly all had quick-release skewers. Removing the front wheel is easy. The rear isn't necessarily hard, but kind of messy because of the chain. Beside that - anyone who rides should know to remove and replace both wheels if only to fix a flat. I never had a rack, but I had placed my bike in a car trunk before and needed to remove both wheels. Removing it to place in a case shouldn't be that hard for someone who knows how to remove the wheels.

I don't mean to imply it's rocket science (sorry if I did -- it's just a pain) but there's more to packing it in a standard cardboard bike box than removing the wheels. Amtrak does a good job with its bike boxes, compared to pretty much everybody else. The boxes are big enough that disassembly is minimised. Being able to ride your bike to the station and buy the box there is huge. If you have to buy the box offsite, it turns into a project -- finding a box, packing the bike and then getting it to the bus station/airport is a chore, often an expensive one (i.e. cab ride). It's easy to waste half a day getting that done. Amtrak or not though, I always needed a plan B -- what happens if no box is available -- and allowed time for that. Amtrak made it lot easier by allowing roll up bikes.

 

[TiBike]

The pattern I've seen over the last couple of weeks is that Amtrak first lists days as sold out, on a rolling basis, before cancelling.

14 is now showing as "sold out" on Sunday 6/24 and Monday 6/25.

So that either means it will be running or there will be a WHOLE lot of disappointed people.

 

[Triley]

The pattern I've seen over the last couple of weeks is that Amtrak first lists days as sold out, on a rolling basis, before cancelling.

14 is now showing as "sold out" on Sunday 6/24 and Monday 6/25.

So that either means it will be running or there will be a WHOLE lot of disappointed people.

Correct. That is done to block more ticket sales when management is unsure if a train is going to be able to run, or if a train is in service disruption/, will require alternate transportation.

 

[spinnaker]

The pattern I've seen over the last couple of weeks is that Amtrak first lists days as sold out, on a rolling basis, before cancelling.

14 is now showing as "sold out" on Sunday 6/24 and Monday 6/25.

So that either means it will be running or there will be a WHOLE lot of disappointed people.

Correct. That is done to block more ticket sales when management is unsure if a train is going to be able to run, or if a train is in service disruption/, will require alternate transportation.

Not good.

 

[Texan Eagle]

So if the train is only going to run between LA-Sac for the "forseeable future", can they please divert it over Caltrain route at San Jose and bring it to San Francisco 4th and King, thus recreating the erstwhile Coast Daylight? Please Amtrak... pretty please?

 

[MikefromCrete]

So if the train is only going to run between LA-Sac for the "forseeable future", can they please divert it over Caltrain route at San Jose and bring it to San Francisco 4th and King, thus recreating the erstwhile Coast Daylight? Please Amtrak... pretty please?

How would it be serviced? Is the station capable of handling a LD train? What happens when the tunnel is open again? Seems like a lot of trouble for what could be only a few weeks. It would also confuse passengers about what station to use.

 

[jis]

It would definitely increase cost of operation that is unlikely to be covered by increased revenue, so it is pretty safe to surmise that it won;t happen.

 

[railiner]

It would definitely increase cost of operation that is unlikely to be covered by increased revenue, so it is pretty safe to surmise that it won;t happen.

Not to mention, what about those expecting the various Thruway bus destination's? Would they have to bring those over to San Francisco, as well?

 

[cpotisch]

So if the train is only going to run between LA-Sac for the "forseeable future", can they please divert it over Caltrain route at San Jose and bring it to San Francisco 4th and King, thus recreating the erstwhile Coast Daylight? Please Amtrak... pretty please?

Sounds great for rail fans, and complicated, expensive, and confusing for everyone else.

 

[BCL]

So if the train is only going to run between LA-Sac for the "forseeable future", can they please divert it over Caltrain route at San Jose and bring it to San Francisco 4th and King, thus recreating the erstwhile Coast Daylight? Please Amtrak... pretty please?

How would it be serviced? Is the station capable of handling a LD train? What happens when the tunnel is open again? Seems like a lot of trouble for what could be only a few weeks. It would also confuse passengers about what station to use.

The Caltrain 4th and King Station is a terminal station that ends about 75 ft from 4th Street. I'm not even sure the rails are long enough for an LD Amtrak train. Not to mention lack of baggage handling and no Amtrak personnel.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+Francisco+Station/@37.7755807,-122.397625,17z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x808f7fd68e2b9b97:0x5ba9b4735d0a5522!8m2!3d37.7766874!4d-122.394857

I mean - the CZ doesn't stop at Oakland-Jack London even though a train could conceivably pass through and turn around at a wye before going to the Oakland maintenance yard.

 

[spinnaker]

Can we please stop discussing what is not going to happen? I know I am as guilty taking the thread off topic about bicycles.

But we really should keep this thread clear for only status updates till the tunnel opens again.

 

[cpotisch]

Can we please stop discussing what is not going to happen? I know I am as guilty taking the thread off topic about bicycles.

But we really should keep this thread clear for only status updates till the tunnel opens again.

Do you want a "Coast Starlight Diversion. Just the facts" thread? I feel like while there's been some conjecture and "conversational detours" on this thread, it's still easy enough to read through and conclude what is and isn't an actual status update.

 

[jis]

The inside photos of the tunnel that I saw seemed to show a tunnel of which the linings were rotting away - a collapse waiting to happen, and perhaps other parts of the tunnel will collapse too, unless they do a wholesale fix up. The wonders of private ownership of railroads?

 

[railiner]

Reminds me of that tunnel at Thistle, UT. collapsing, at about the time Amtrak was to move over to the Rio Grande route from Denver to SLC...that was a major disaster, that took about 5 months to fix....

I certainly hope that this doesn't turn into something similar....

 

[spinnaker]

The inside photos of the tunnel that I saw seemed to show a tunnel of which the linings were rotting away - a collapse waiting to happen, and perhaps other parts of the tunnel will collapse too, unless they do a wholesale fix up. The wonders of private ownership of railroads?

Can you imagine the disaster if this happened while a train was inside? A freight would be bad enough but a passenger train???

I don't know how this happens. Sounds like penny wise and pound foolish.

Your news does not sound encouraging. I wonder if it is time to make a backup plan for July 1.

 

[jis]

Reminds me of that tunnel at Thistle, UT. collapsing, at about the time Amtrak was to move over to the Rio Grande route from Denver to SLC...that was a major disaster, that took about 5 months to fix....

I certainly hope that this doesn't turn into something similar....

Well at Thistle UT it was complicated, not just a tunnel collapse. See the following article for a brief overview of what happened, and it will become clear why it took five months:

http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=57412583&itype=cmsid

 

[CHamilton]

UP announced that the tunnel repairs are to be completed tomorrow afternoon (via TO). https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,4577616

 

[zephyr17]

Reminds me of that tunnel at Thistle, UT. collapsing, at about the time Amtrak was to move over to the Rio Grande route from Denver to SLC...that was a major disaster, that took about 5 months to fix....

I certainly hope that this doesn't turn into something similar....

That wasn't a tunnel collapse, that was massive landslide that covered the tracks, US 6 and dammed the river. They had to build an entirely new railroad for about 5 miles, IIRC, that climbs up the side of the canyon. The tunnels in that general area are now there are part of the new railroad, not the old one on the bottom of the canyon, which didn't have a tunnel there.