Guaranteed Connections

[denmarks]

I wonder what is cost Amtrak for all services given when a connection is missed. Plane fare, busses, taxi fare, hotels, and food must cost a fortune. How does Amtrak's costs compare to airlines? Has it ever been considered to drop all guarantees?

Maybe the only guarantees should be bus connections.

 

[Midland Valley]

Maybe just eliminate guarantees under 6 hours. Right now a one hour guaranteed connection is pretty risky for Amtrak with trains like the CSL, CZ and TE performing so poorly. They could still buss passengers to meet trains if practible.

 

[trainboy325]

When I book an Amtrak trip these days, I try my best to make an overnight stay part of the connection. It would be my luck that the day I ride the train would make its connection, but the minute I don't, I miss the connection and most likely loose the first class room on the next day's train.

In the case of my last LD trip, I scheduled an overnight layover in LAX between the Coast Starlight and a flight back to Florida. After leaving DUN over 12 hours late and facing the fact that the cost to reschedule the plane back to Florida was going to be $500.00, I ended up bailing at RDD, taking a Horizon Air flight, booked last minute the day of departure for only $200, saved the $300 it would cost more to take the train and ended up spending less for an airport hotel at LAX than the hotel downtown next to Union Station where I was going to catch the LAX-LAX shuttle the next day. In my desire to avoid the cost of spending two nights (the suggested buffer between the Coast Starlight and the trip home suggested by my avid train rider travel agent) in LAX because, quite frankly Southern California doesn't interest me, I missed out on the majority of the Coast Starlight trip due to poor OTP. I ended up wasting Amtrak Guest Rewards points on a trip I didn't enjoy because the Parlour Car was pulled for mechanical issues and the staff was so tired from the trip north (over 15 hours late into SEA) that their service southbound was surly at best, especially in the diner. Lesson: do what is takes, including lengthy layovers, to ensure that you get the most out of your purchased "train" trip, not bus, plane, taxi, etc. <_<

 

[denmarks]

I've always hated the stress and always looking at my watch when I had close connections. My last trip was Chico-Sacramento-Chicago-New Orleans and I was late getting into Chicago. It was my luck that the train for New Orleans left one hour late and I made the connection.

For my trip on April 1, this year, from Chico-Seattle-Chicago I decided to stay overnight in Seattle rather than trying to make a same day connection in Portland. I am scheduled to arrive at 8:30 PM but more than likely it will be after midnight. My train leaves at 4:45 PM the next day. During the past year I have seen the train over 20 hours late once.

Coming home I will go Chicago-Portland-Chico with about 4 hours in Portland. The EB is usually on time so I'm not going to worry. No loss if I have to stay another day in Portland since the CS trip is in coach.

56 MORE DAYS :lol:

 

[battalion51]

You mean the non-exsistent connection in Portland. They switched to a bus connection at some point on either line a few months back.

 

[AmtrakFan]

I saw a Figure Somewhere that it usually costs Amtrak about $3,000 to $7,000 per mised connection at least in Chicago.

 

[AlanB]

You mean the non-exsistent connection in Portland. They switched to a bus connection at some point on either line a few months back.

No, only the northbound CS is a permanent bus to the eastbound EB. Going westbound on the EB, one normally still connects with the CS in Portland via train.

 

[battalion51]

Based on Dennis' trip, it's the only connection.

 

[MichigantoTexasbyrail]

When we returned to Chicago on the Texas Eagle in October, we missed the Pere Marquette connection. There was a 4+ hour layover in the schedule. We missed it by close to an hour. There were 4 of us on that train who went to customer service for the guaranteed connection. We then waited a couple more hours for the Zephyr, which was something like 7 houts late, and had passengers for the PM. Amtrak had chartered a 25 passenger mini-bus to take us to our stops on the PM run. There were 7 of us for stops on the PM. There were also a couple of passengers to Lansing on the Blue Water. The driver said the trip was a regular for him. He went on to say that he, or another driver for his Chicago charter company made the run once to twice a week on average over the previous summer. There could be anywhere from a couple passengers to a pretty full bus. Amtrak could save a fortune by doing away with what late trains cost on just this one run. Too bad, really.

 

[denmarks]

I just checked on the Portland connection for yesterday (2/4). The EB was over 5 hours late but it looks like the CS was held for it. The CS left 9 minutes after the EB arrived, about 1 hour late. On 2/3 the EB was 19 minutes late. What will be will be. Coming home I have no time requirements.

 

[user 683]

Realizing Amtrak strives to maintain a reliable schedule and solid connectivity (if you will), it appears folks need to understand that schedule performance depends upon factors beyond Amtrak's control. I was not aware of how often delays occur, or by the apparent fact delays are caused by host rail road routing bias until I joined this forum.

I planned a "big trip" out west later this year, during which I will use Amtrak for all travel between major locations. Based upon information gleaned from my brief experience with this forum, I would stand a good chance of experiencing travel headaches if I plan soley on the basis of the Amtrak timetable. Not that Amtrak wouldn't strive to keep to schedule.

Too bad the guaranteed connection related costs can't be picked up by the host railroads who apparently contribute to missed connections.

 

[denmarks]

I planned a "big trip" out west later this year, during which I will use Amtrak for all travel between major locations. Based upon information gleaned from my brief experience with this forum, I would stand a good chance of experiencing travel headaches if I plan soley on the basis of the Amtrak timetable. Not that Amtrak wouldn't strive to keep to schedule.

That is why I will always try to have an overnight stay at all connections. I don't care about the guarantee except for any monitary loss. If I am taking a train trip I don't want to go by plane and bus.