Coast Starlight Service Alert Jan-Feb 2012

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R

river

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So, after changing my reservations (CHI to LAX on the Texas Eagle) last week mainly due to the recently added bus bridge from Longview to Fort Worth, TX in Jan 2012, I am keeping a wary eye on my new reservations. My changed reservations include traveling on the California Zephyr from CHI to EMY and then taking the Coast Starlight in early February from EMY to LAX.

So, what do I see but a service alert for trains traveling NORTH on the Coast Starlight--due to track work. The alert states that in early February, the northbound Coast Starlight (train 14, I believe) will take a different route than it usually does. The service alert (although my route on train 11 was flagged with this service alert) says nothing about the Coast Starlight going south. There is no reference to train 11 at all.

It appears that my north to south route from EMY to LAX will not be affected--but I am wondering why not. Why would one route (heading north) be affected, but the route heading south wouldn't be? Don't these trains use the same tracks?

Thanks for clarifying for me.
 
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It's because the tracks are only out of service for part of the day (the part when train 14 would be traveling through), then open for the rest of the day (when train 11 would show up).

Note that the opposite happened last year, when train 11 detoured but train 14 ran normal.
 
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OK--that makes sense! I never heard of the Tehachapi loop--I will check it out on Wikipedia, unless you want to elaborate on what that is!
 
Are they going on the UP or BNSF tracks through the Central Valley?
 
How much of delay has 14 incurred in the past in this detour? I might book a points ticket on this and catch the red eye out of pdx to fly back to Chicago.
 
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The detour takes the same time as the regular route, if it doesn't encounter any issues.
 
Trogdor said:
The detour takes the same time as the regular route, if it doesn't encounter any issues.
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If it doesn't encounter issues, a Tehachapi detour will take less time than the regular route, and it will hold for time at Oakland.

If it works like the last time, they'll go UP all the way, wye the train at Lathrop and go over Altamont Pass. Service/crew change/smoke stop at Bakersfield. It won't pick up or discharge passengers between LA and Oakland, though.
 
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When I was on #11 going via the detour route a few years back, we actually arrived incredibly early into LA. It was amazing, something like 3:30 in the afternoon, with only a brief smoke stop/locomotive crew change stop in Bakersfield at the former Union Pacific station. If the same holds true for #14 this go-around, you may be able to get into Sacramento with time for a nice dinner and some sight-seeing before leaving north-bound at the scheduled time of midnight.

Unless you have a stop between LA and Sacramento you need to get off at, this is totally a win-win situation. Enjoy it!
 
Blackwolf said:
When I was on #11 going via the detour route a few years back, we actually arrived incredibly early into LA. It was amazing, something like 3:30 in the afternoon, with only a brief smoke stop/locomotive crew change stop in Bakersfield at the former Union Pacific station. If the same holds true for #14 this go-around, you may be able to get into Sacramento with time for a nice dinner and some sight-seeing before leaving north-bound at the scheduled time of midnight.

Unless you have a stop between LA and Sacramento you need to get off at, this is totally a win-win situation. Enjoy it!
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Service advisory says the detour is LA-Oakland, not LA-Sacramento. It will hold for time in OKJ if it is early, and then run as scheduled from there. It still might arrive early in Sacramento, because Sac has a pad, but not super early.
 
Blackwolf said:
When I was on #11 going via the detour route a few years back, we actually arrived incredibly early into LA. It was amazing, something like 3:30 in the afternoon, with only a brief smoke stop/locomotive crew change stop in Bakersfield at the former Union Pacific station. If the same holds true for #14 this go-around, you may be able to get into Sacramento with time for a nice dinner and some sight-seeing before leaving north-bound at the scheduled time of midnight.

Unless you have a stop between LA and Sacramento you need to get off at, this is totally a win-win situation. Enjoy it!
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That detour was from Sacramento to LA (likely via BNSF from Stockton to Bakersfield). This detour is the reverse of the detour that happened earlier this year, which is between Oakland and LA, all on UP. Going down to Oakland, then doubling back up, wyeing the train, and heading down on the UP (I forget if that line is 60 mph or 70 mph max) takes quite a bit longer.
 
The train doesn't have to go to Sacramento if it takes BNSF down the Central Valley, and could avoid the backwards movement at Hicks in Lathrop to get onto the UP Fresno Subdivision.

Theoretically, the train could move from the BNSF Riverbank Subdivision to the UP Oakland Subdivision at the crossing in Stockton. There are the appropriate connecting tracks there, and the train would not need to be wyed. Of course, they'd need permission from BNSF to do that; this reroute is really UP's problem.
 
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What are the dates of the re-route? I am thinking of an LAX-SEA Starlight trip sometime in January. I'd love to ge this rare mileage.
 
EMDF9A said:
What are the dates of the re-route? I am thinking of an LAX-SEA Starlight trip sometime in January. I'd love to ge this rare mileage.
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February 1 to 8, 2012 as per Amtrak's Service Disruptions notice. Coach tickets from LA to Oakland for Saturday Feb 4 are selling for $54. If I lived in California I'd have grabbed the offer for a nice weekend adventure.

Train 14 Operates Nonstop Los Angeles - Oakland: February 1 - 8, 2012

​

From February 1 through February 8, Train 14 will travel on an alternate route from Los Angeles to Oakland and will not stop at any intermediate stations. Passengers may contact Amtrak for other trains or Thruway motorcoaches serving stations between Los Angeles to Oakland.

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$393 for roomette LAX/SEA 02/04-05. Looks like I've found my trip!
 
ONE NOTE OF CAUTION:

If you book this trip--it's essentially the route the SP Valley Daylight took for years and offers GREAT scenery through the Tehachapis--book it for the earliest date(s) possible for you in February.

Last year, UP finished its track work early and cancelled plans for several CS 11 runs that were to use the Tehachapi route, disappointing those who had booked trips toward the end of the construction period.

It's very possible that UP will finish the track work early and trips for Feb. 5 onwards could be using the usual incredibly scenic coastal route.

Either way, it's hard to miss out, but just a word of advice for those whose sole reason to travel would be to ride the old Valley Daylight route.
 
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