Connecting #8 with #30

[PJRACER]

It seems almost a daily occurrence but here is a late example. On 7-19 the Empire Builder #8 due in at Chicago at 3:55PM arrived at 6:17pm and then on 7-20 the #8 was into Chicago at 7:16pm. The #30 to D.C. leaves at 6:10 PM. What happens to all those guaranteed a connection????

 

[amamba]

If there is space available and depending on their final destination, they can be rerouted on another train such as the Lake Shore Limited, which leaves Chicago later that day. Or amtrak might pay for an overnight in a hotel in Chicago and the pax with missed connections will take the next day's Cap. However, it is important to note that those that missed their original train might get a forced downgrade to coach if no sleeper space is available.

 

[John-MCPO-USN]

It seems almost a daily occurrence but here is a late example. On 7-19 the Empire Builder #8 due in at Chicago at 3:55PM arrived at 6:17pm and then on 7-20 the #8 was into Chicago at 7:16pm. The #30 to D.C. leaves at 6:10 PM. What happens to all those guaranteed a connection????

I had the same dilema with an upcoming trip from Seattle to JAX.....so, I added a day buffer in between #8 and #30, in order to ensure that I do not loose my sleeper on #30.

I've heard that AMTRAK will hold #30 for passengers on a late #8 with tickets to DC....(if 8 isn't running to terribly late).....but, it wasn't worth the risk to me to miss my connection and get 30 the next day with no room availbility.

John

 

[rrdude]

Although it certainly adds to both trip TIME and trip COST, adding a day's buffer at each connecting point, is super-wise, if you can swing it.

If the connections time is hours, and hours, (like 29 to any of the West Coast trains), then it's a little easier to go for, but IF you have the TIME, and IF you have the $$$, no reason not to add a buffer day. Peace of mind certainly has a value.

 

[jmbgeg]

It seems almost a daily occurrence but here is a late example. On 7-19 the Empire Builder #8 due in at Chicago at 3:55PM arrived at 6:17pm and then on 7-20 the #8 was into Chicago at 7:16pm. The #30 to D.C. leaves at 6:10 PM. What happens to all those guaranteed a connection????

I had the same dilema with an upcoming trip from Seattle to JAX.....so, I added a day buffer in between #8 and #30, in order to ensure that I do not loose my sleeper on #30.

I've heard that AMTRAK will hold #30 for passengers on a late #8 with tickets to DC....(if 8 isn't running to terribly late).....but, it wasn't worth the risk to me to miss my connection and get 30 the next day with no room availbility.

John

I keep trying to schedule a trip in all bedrooms Spokane to Chicago, Chicago to DC, DC to Miami round trip. Paid round trip fares can be north of $6,000, so I have tried to use the 100,000 AGR points needed for a reward. Last time I booked the trip there was an EB cancellation, so my trip flubbed. Cutting to the chase, AGR won't allow building in Chicago overnight buffer on the 8 to 30 connection. :angry2:

 

[saxman]

It seems almost a daily occurrence but here is a late example. On 7-19 the Empire Builder #8 due in at Chicago at 3:55PM arrived at 6:17pm and then on 7-20 the #8 was into Chicago at 7:16pm. The #30 to D.C. leaves at 6:10 PM. What happens to all those guaranteed a connection????

I had the same dilema with an upcoming trip from Seattle to JAX.....so, I added a day buffer in between #8 and #30, in order to ensure that I do not loose my sleeper on #30.

I've heard that AMTRAK will hold #30 for passengers on a late #8 with tickets to DC....(if 8 isn't running to terribly late).....but, it wasn't worth the risk to me to miss my connection and get 30 the next day with no room availbility.

John

As of late, the Capitol Limited will not be held in Chicago due to track work east of Pittsburgh. IIRC, if it doesn't leave Cleveland by a certain time (3:30 AM?) passengers will have to be bussed east of Pittsburgh. This is going to go on for the next year or so.

And to PJRACER, it depends on where you are going. Anyplace between Chicago and Cleveland, you'll probably be put on the Lake Shore Limited. Most going to anywhere in the Northeast will probably be put on the same train as well. If you're going south toward Florida, I'm willing to bet they'll put you in a hotel and put you on the next days Capitol Limited.

I've always been put in a nice hotel in Chicago and given money for food and taxi during my stay. It's really not a bad deal at all.

 

[amamba]

IIRC, PJRACER is going coach for for much of his trip, so getting a night in Chicago at a hotel with food and taxi paid for by amtrak will not be a bad deal at all.

 

[PJRACER]

IIRC, PJRACER is going coach for for much of his trip, so getting a night in Chicago at a hotel with food and taxi paid for by amtrak will not be a bad deal at all.

No that wouldn't be a bad deal, food, taxi and hotel paid.....however this extended day would put us over the 15-day limit on our Rail Pass 8-segment......do they make allowances for that also......we are not in any hurry to get home.

 

[yarrow]

It seems almost a daily occurrence but here is a late example. On 7-19 the Empire Builder #8 due in at Chicago at 3:55PM arrived at 6:17pm and then on 7-20 the #8 was into Chicago at 7:16pm. The #30 to D.C. leaves at 6:10 PM. What happens to all those guaranteed a connection????

It's really not a bad deal at all.

actually it's quite a bad deal. yarrow and i are doing an agr redemption in september connecting the eb to the cl heading to dc. should we miss the connection we will forfeit our first night's lodging in dc plus our first day's sightseeing, much of which we have reserved. i love chicago but this is supposed to be a trip to washington.

 

[rile42]

Unless it changed, I think the cut-off point for the Capitol Limited is it's time into Pittsburgh, not Cleveland. What the original service disruption said was that if it was 90 minutes late into Pittsburgh, then the bustitute would be used.

I'm traveling in September and thinking of switching my reservations on #30 to a weekend. If an agent gave me the same fares I got two months ago when I booked, I'd do it. Fat chance of that though.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Unless it changed, I think the cut-off point for the Capitol Limited is it's time into Pittsburgh, not Cleveland. What the original service disruption said was that if it was 90 minutes late into Pittsburgh, then the bustitute would be used.

I'm traveling in September and thinking of switching my reservations on #30 to a weekend. If an agent gave me the same fares I got two months ago when I booked, I'd do it. Fat chance of that though.

saxman is right, it's now Cleveland that determines the bustitution for WAS pax on the CL! Amtrak issued an updated Service Advisory! Very confusing as usual, :wacko: when Amtrak releases info it's usually vague,incomplete,wrong!` and way behind people on AU, trainorders, OTOL etc. Maybe they need to hire one of our members to be in charge of PR info!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jb64]

I don't understand why they bus you from Pittsburgh if the train terminates in Cumberland. Why not bus from Cumberland. Seems far less disruptive, to me.

 

[The Cardinal]

Last fall I was on 28 connecting to 30. We were several hours late getting into Chicago and were informed just outside of Union Station that they would not be holding the Cap for those of us connecting and we were to go to Passenger Services. So a large group of us were directed to a room where a representative from Passenger Services would help up us. They ended up putting ALL of us on the Lake Shore limited. So we all had to go to the ticketing area and get reticketed. They got us all loaded up and I took my dramamine and was settling in for the night. Right before departure, a breathless Passenger Services rep boarded the train and pulled all of us going to Pittsburgh off. Apparently they had been unable to secure a charter from Cleveland to Pitt for us. So back to Passenger Services we went, to get our Hotel voucher and taxi/meal allowance. The Hotel was great. Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. I was not on a tight time table so it worked out for me. The next afternoon I went back to Union Station and was reticketed for that evenings Cap.

A few years earlier I was connecting from 28 to 50. We were going to miss 50 by about 15 minutes but we were told they would NOT be holding 50. And that those of us connecting to 50 should go to Passenger Services. In that instance I really needed to be in CIN the next morning or I would not have a ride back to Lexington, Ky. So going out on a limb I decided to go to the Cardinals gate and see if it was by chance still there. Sure enough, there he sat. And they were still boarding. So I got lucky. Of course I was out of breath and running like a madman, thinking the train was going to depart any minute. We ended up sitting in the station for another hour. And were told that we were waiting for a VERY late running Texas Eagle. So with Amtrak you never can tell exactly what will happen with a missed connection. They will take care of you, but the right hand usually doesn't know what the left hand is doing, lol..

 

[PJRACER]

IIRC, PJRACER is going coach for for much of his trip, so getting a night in Chicago at a hotel with food and taxi paid for by amtrak will not be a bad deal at all.

No that wouldn't be a bad deal, food, taxi and hotel paid.....however this extended day would put us over the 15-day limit on our Rail Pass 8-segment......do they make allowances for that also......we are not in any hurry to get home.

Would somebody please answer my question about how it would affect the 15-day Rail Pass. If we were held over @Chicago after missing the #30 while on the #8....on our way to Washington where our last day on the pass would be while on the #97 going south to Orlando.

 

[Rail Freak]

IIRC, PJRACER is going coach for for much of his trip, so getting a night in Chicago at a hotel with food and taxi paid for by amtrak will not be a bad deal at all.

No that wouldn't be a bad deal, food, taxi and hotel paid.....however this extended day would put us over the 15-day limit on our Rail Pass 8-segment......do they make allowances for that also......we are not in any hurry to get home.

Would somebody please answer my question about how it would affect the 15-day Rail Pass. If we were held over @Chicago after missing the #30 while on the #8....on our way to Washington where our last day on the pass would be while on the #97 going south to Orlando.

I would think they would honor your pass like they do with AGR Blackout Dates if a connection is missed!

 

[saxman]

Here is the official notice from Amtrak.

I don't understand why they bus you from Pittsburgh if the train terminates in Cumberland. Why not bus from Cumberland. Seems far less disruptive' date=' to me.[/quote']
It looks like the train will terminate in Cumberland if it departs CLE after 3:30 PM.

 

[HoosierStater]

Here is the official notice from Amtrak.

I don't understand why they bus you from Pittsburgh if the train terminates in Cumberland. Why not bus from Cumberland. Seems far less disruptive' date=' to me.[/quote']
It looks like the train will terminate in Cumberland if it departs CLE after 3:30 PM.

In which case it will be more than 12 hours late. I take it you mean 3:30AM?

 

[AlanB]

IIRC, PJRACER is going coach for for much of his trip, so getting a night in Chicago at a hotel with food and taxi paid for by amtrak will not be a bad deal at all.

No that wouldn't be a bad deal, food, taxi and hotel paid.....however this extended day would put us over the 15-day limit on our Rail Pass 8-segment......do they make allowances for that also......we are not in any hurry to get home.

Would somebody please answer my question about how it would affect the 15-day Rail Pass. If we were held over @Chicago after missing the #30 while on the #8....on our way to Washington where our last day on the pass would be while on the #97 going south to Orlando.

I would think they would honor your pass like they do with AGR Blackout Dates if a connection is missed!

Your pass is really more a license to buy cheap tickets than something that you need to actually ride the train. Therefore, once you have your tickets in your hand you are really just like every other passenger on Amtrak. You are holding a valid ticket that connects with another Amtrak train that is considered a valid connection by Amtrak. Therefore Amtrak must make sure that you are able to complete your journey. It's their fault and they have to reissue tickets for those additional trains even though they are outside the actual travel dates of the pass.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

I don't understand why they bus you from Pittsburgh if the train terminates in Cumberland. Why not bus from Cumberland. Seems far less disruptive, to me.

Because Cumberland has very few motorcoaches. Motorcoach operators are typically based in/near major cities. If Amtrak ran the Cap to Cumberland, they'd still be getting buses from Pittsburgh, but they'd be running empty to Cumberland.