"Guaranteed connection": options for missed connection

[hello]

I do know what Amtrak's term "guaranteed connection" means, but I do have a few questions.

 

We will be on the SEA - EB connecting to the CL to WAS: what are our options if the EB is too late for the CL? Will they bus us from an earlier stop? Do they put us in a hotel for the night, and then "hopefully" put us on the train the next day? Could we be put in a hotel for the night, and then fly to WAS? My concern is that we do have roomettes on both trains, but doubt very much that there would be an available roomette on the next days train (in May).

 

We will also be getting on the LSL, in CLE, to connect with the CZ to SFC: same question? What might the options be for this leg? I know that I would not be able to sit up for 2 1/2 days in coach ... so we would need to fly home.

 

I'm, of course, hoping for the best ... but would like to be at least semi-knowledgeable about what options might be presented to us. We realize that disruptions happen ... our 13 1/2 hour delay on the CS ... but have always been lucky with connections. We also know that we would be able to contact Amtrak about vouchers, but having never done this -- even on last years EB late arrival into PDX -- we would rather just deal with the problems as they arise.

 

 

 

Thank you.

 

[Ryan]

All of the things that you've listed are possible (other than the flight, that'd likely be on your own dime). It really depends on how late your train is and how many pax are connecting.

 

[hello]

Thank you, Ryan ...

 

[hello]

Sorry ... double post!

 

[Trogdor]

Unless the track is blocked, it's very unlikely that they would bus you from the Builder, as there is no highway route between St. Paul and Chicago that would be considerably faster than the train (if you believe Google Maps, the driving time is 40 minutes faster, and that's nowhere near enough time savings to make a bus a viable option). So, bottom line, don't count on a bus. (They do often run an "on-time" bus from St. Paul to Chicago if the Builder is really late, but as you'll be coming from Seattle, that on-time bus won't do you any good as it will have left several hours before your train gets in.)

Depending on the situation and capacity, they may put you on the Lake Shore Limited to NY, and have you connect to another train to get to WAS (assuming WAS is your final destination). Or, they could put you in a hotel and on the next day's train. Depending on what caused your train to be really late, if something similar happens to the next day's train, then there may be rooms available from passengers who are misconnecting that day.

It's also possible that they may hold the train. Depending on how many people are making the connection, if it's going to be close, the more people connecting, the more likely they will hold. If you were traveling in mid-June or later, then I wouldn't count on them holding the train (a major trackwork project out east will likely result in a no-holding policy for train 30), but since you're traveling in May, that's still a possibility.

As for the Lake Shore, pretty much the same thing, though it's much less common for an eastern LD train to misconnect in Chicago than for a western train. If you're particularly worried about it being late (you don't mention if you have a sleeper or coach on 49), you might want to consider booking train 29 instead, which is earlier. If 29 happens to run really late, you would probably be allowed to board train 49 as a backup. However, if 49 is really late and 29 is already gone, then you lose your chance. But again, it's rare that 49 is so late that it misses western connections (and often when that does happen, it's due to some kind of derailment or other track obstruction that delays 29 as well, and you wind up seeing a supertrain pulling into Chicago 10 hours late).

 

[the_traveler]

I'm a little confused by something you said.

We will be on the SEA - EB connecting to the CL to WAS ... We will also be getting on the LSL, in CLE, to connect with the CZ to SFC

How are you getting from WAS to CLE?

The CL goes from WAS thru CLE to CHI - why would you get off the CL in CLE, wait an hour or so and board the LSL?

Why not just stay on the CL?

 

[hello]

the_traveler, we're riding LAX-EUG / EUG-WAS / WAS-CLE / CLE-SFC. We've never been to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so thought we would take this opportunity to stop in CLE for a few days.

 

The CLE-CHI -- of the CLE-SFC trip -- is our only (luckily) portion in coach -- so no rooms to worry about there.

 

Trogdor, I will check the CL again -- we're actually on that train from WAS-CLE -- but we had thought to ride the LSL so that we could get both trains in one vacation.

 

I realize that it sounds paranoid, but with all the talk of flood levels, bustituions and -- horror of all horrors -- CANCELLED trains, I just wanted to -- at least think -- that I had thought out MOST of the possibilities.

 

[Trogdor]

I think that of all the train-to-train connections in your trip, 49 to 5 is the safest of them. But, as always, no guarantees.

 

[sttsxm]

The good thing is that you'll be automatically re-booked for the next day...(fingers crossed..that's what happened last month or so when, eh, close to 200 pax had to be reaccomodated...)

We were handed a letter for the hotel, and a voucher to take over to the ticket agents for cash for cab fare and food. IIRC the only people to be bussed were the ones that were very close to CHI...the East bound builder was so late it missed both the CL and LSL......(as a single traveler, i think i got about $50 for food and cab fare...the ride to the hotel we were assigned was around 10 bucks(maybe 12) without tip......i ate at the station-it was much cheaper than the hotel.)

Chicago had it pretty well organized-they opened an office next to the pax service office and just did their thing....BTW one of the station managers there was very helpful.

Enjoy your trip

 

[hello]

Great info ... thank you .... our fingers are crossed!!