Metrolink Trackwork this Saturday 09/14/13

[hmy1]

Earlier this week I tried to book a trip on the Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight for this Saturday 9/14, only to be offered odd combinations of Thruway buses rather than the usual trains. After trial and error plugging in different cities and dates, I determined that Metrolink was most likely performing trackwork north of LA.

I couldn't find any information on this on Metrolink's website, Amtrak's website, Twitter, Facebook, etc. and I kept checking daily. Finally, today, the day before the day work is to be done, Amtrak posted the following service alert:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=am/AM_Alert_C/Alerts_Popup&cid=1251624613912

I wished they would have posted this information earlier. It's obvious they knew about it since you couldn't book the usual trains; there just wasn't a service alert. Interesting that 11 and 14 will be operating but skipping all of the intermediate stops between LA and Oakland.

 

[battalion51]

Usually when 11 and 14 are skipping those stops they're sending it through the Inland route. IIRC they only make one brief stop at Bakersfield to do a crew change since it takes a Pilot to get the train over the road south of Bakersfield. I don't know that a service alert is always warranted if the appropriate steps are taken with ARROW. To me the Service Alert way in advance is warranted when it is going to be months long that service will be effected, not just a day or two.