Sold out Lincoln Service trains

[ScottP]

The Lincoln trains are shown as sold out completely between 6/1/11 to 6/9/11 and 6/16/11 to 6/21/11. It appears to be due to track work since the Texas Eagle is running from Saint Louis to Chicago with no stops. If its because of track work I would think they would provide bus service as they are doing now but none shows up. I was just wondering why they are not offering a bus alternative on these dates for the Illinois service.

 

[Trogdor]

The bus schedules have not been loaded into the system yet. The trains aren't going to run, so there's no point in selling tickets for them.

 

[fairviewroad]

The bus schedules have not been loaded into the system yet. The trains aren't going to run, so there's no point in selling tickets for them.

You know, I really try to be positive about Amtrak but it's stuff like this that really makes it hard. Someone wants to buy a ticket

for a trip that's less than a month away and Amtrak won't let them...because they haven't loaded the bus schedules into the system

yet? Please, can someone tell me this is not true. :angry2:

And people wonder why Megabus is stealing so many passengers.... :wacko:

 

[ScottP]

I kind of figured something like that was happening. I called Amtrak twice trying to find out, but was told both times the trains were actually sold out and not do to any other reason. Neither agent would look at space control to see if that was the case even after I told them I thought it was really unlikely the trains were all sold out.I just wish they would load the bus schedules so I could secure a seat.

 

[Trogdor]

You know, I really try to be positive about Amtrak but it's stuff like this that really makes it hard. Someone wants to buy a ticket

for a trip that's less than a month away and Amtrak won't let them...because they haven't loaded the bus schedules into the system

yet? Please, can someone tell me this is not true.

So, you'd rather they sell tickets for a train they know won't run?

And people wonder why Megabus is stealing so many passengers.... :wacko:

Stealing...from who? Amtrak's ridership is the highest it has ever been (limited more by lack of capacity than anything Megabus has done).

 

[fairviewroad]

You know, I really try to be positive about Amtrak but it's stuff like this that really makes it hard. Someone wants to buy a ticket

for a trip that's less than a month away and Amtrak won't let them...because they haven't loaded the bus schedules into the system

yet? Please, can someone tell me this is not true.

So, you'd rather they sell tickets for a train they know won't run?

That isn't what I said, actually.

I pointed out that while Amtrak was providing service on the Lincoln corridor during the specified dates, they were not actually selling

tickets. In fact, if you go to the Amtrak website right now, it is possible to buy a bus ticket for dates during the period specified by the OP.

But as the OP discovered, and I independently verified, there was a period of at least two days when Amtrak was not offering tickets for sale,

despite planning to provide (bus) service. Thus, potential customers were turned away.

It's not about "selling tickets for a train they know won't run." It's about having a lag between the time they cancelled the train and the time

the bus schedules were loaded into the system. That's a problem, IMO. It shouldn't take two days to load in bus schedules, especially since

Amtrak has frequently been bustituting along this corridor.

 

[Nicole]

I have tickets for the 3rd and 11th on the Lincoln Service, so does this mean that we will be riding a bus instead? It's our first train trip and I want to ride a train, not a bus.

 

[John Bredin]

I have tickets for the 3rd and 11th on the Lincoln Service, so does this mean that we will be riding a bus instead? It's our first train trip and I want to ride a train, not a bus.

On trackwork days, Amtrak is running both: trains between Chicago and Bloomington-Normal and buses between Bloomington-Normal and Saint Louis.

Also, the 3rd (of June, I presume) is going to be a trackwork day, but it's not clear that the 11th is going to be, as the latest service alert runs through June 9th.

 

[Trogdor]

I have tickets for the 3rd and 11th on the Lincoln Service, so does this mean that we will be riding a bus instead? It's our first train trip and I want to ride a train, not a bus.

On trackwork days, Amtrak is running both: trains between Chicago and Bloomington-Normal and buses between Bloomington-Normal and Saint Louis.

Also, the 3rd (of June, I presume) is going to be a trackwork day, but it's not clear that the 11th is going to be, as the latest service alert runs through June 9th.

That's only correct through May 19. Starting on May 20, it will be buses only (except the detoured Texas Eagle) the entire route.

June 11th will not be a trackwork day.

 

[babytweety2yo]

My kids and I have tickets on Texas Eagle from Houston to Chicago June 19th and then going to Michigan from Chicago...coming back on June 29th.

We have had our tickets for a while, only second time we've ever rode a train. Will this mean we will get stuck on a bus all the way there? Or will we still be on the train.

I hope they will let me know ahead of time, one I need to be prepared for food not only for my kids, but myself since I'm diabetic.

We had a bedroom on the train, so as to get meals, but we planned on bringing snacks and such, hopefully I won't have to bring even more. So much to carry already with two kids.

Anyone who can give info I apperciate it. Still new to this train stuff being its only the second time.

Thanks!

 

[Trogdor]

Texas Eagle passengers traveling between Chicago and St. Louis (and points beyond) are not put on buses. Only those traveling to points in between Chicago and St. Louis will need to take a bus. The train itself will detour, missing intermediate stops.

That said, if you're traveing from Houston, the first segment of your trip will be on a bus, but that's normal (connecting service from Houston to Longview).

 

[Nicole]

Thanks Trogdor and John! I had called Amtrak today and they had told me that we were still on a train, but I was very skeptical of that answer. What are the buses like? We have 2 kids and I am worried about restroom availability. It's only the first leg of our trip and I am would be worried about leaving my car in Chicago for a week. We catch the Empire Builder from Chicago. We are so excited about our first train trip, I understand that the work has to happen, but riding the train is all my kids have talked about;-)

 

[Trogdor]

Usually, these are your typical highway coach type buses. Not overly comfortable, but better than a school bus or transit bus. I would imagine they would have a restroom at the back of the bus (most highway coaches do, especially for a trip that can be 5-6 hours for some people), but as I haven't actually seen the buses being used for the shuttle, I wouldn't know with absolute certainty.

 

[ScottP]

I rode a bus from Alton to Bloomington on May 7 to get to Chicago after the Texas Eagle was delayed in Arkansas. The bus operator was Vandalia Bus Lines. I am not sure who operates the busses that go to CHI but if it is a different operator I would think the busses would be similar. The bus was typical of every charter bus I have been on. The seat pitch was somewhat smaller than what is on a train and the bus had TV's that hung down from the ceiling. There was a bathroom in the back but I didn't go look at what size it was. The trip took about 2-1/2 hours and was not bad per se, it just was not as enjoyable as riding the train.

 

[Nicole]

It looks like the Illini service, Saluki, and City of New Orleans are running, is that correct? I think I will see if we can catch one of those instead. Thanks for the info. I can't wait to ride my first train!