Sold out trains this weekend in Chicago

[amtrak_flyer]

So Im in Chicago on a 3 day layover, want to do a Amtrak trip on Sunday (3/19). I work for the airline so I can go a good distance and fly back here sunday night or monday.

So far Ive looked at the City of New Orleans CHI-MEM SOLD OUT

Texas Eage to STL SOLD out

Hoosier to Indy SOLD out

Everything to KC Sold OUT

Plus more I cant remember, everythings sold out on these trains sleepers, business, etc etc.

What gives? Call me a pessimist but I think Amtrak is really trying to self destruct. Theres no way all these trains can be sold out.

 

[Guest]

Did you call the Amtrak number and check there? I'm not sure if they work the same way as the airlines do, but, I know the airlines will show sold out online when in actually there are seats available; you just have to contact them on the phone. Its worth a shot if you really want to travel somewhere this weekend..

 

[Trogdor]

What gives? Call me a pessimist but I think Amtrak is really trying to self destruct. Theres no way all these trains can be sold out.

Looks to me like a computer glitch. It's a long stretch to say a computer glitch is equivalent to "trying to self-destruct."

 

[stlouielady]

Not all the trains leaving Chicago are sold out. I'm looking right now and see seats available to St Louis; on not only one train, but two! Not sure where you're headed to, exactly....I also see seats on the SW Chief to Kansas City available, along with seats on the Ann Rutledge. Sleepers available on the Chief. I guess I'm confused why you were having difficulties finding seats. Again though, I don't know where you're thinking of heading to...

 

[Trogdor]

I'm checking CHI-STL on March 19. Everything shows as sold out except for sleepers on the Texas Eagle. I also tried a few other trips, and they were all listed as sold out. I'm convinced it's a computer glitch, as the only thing (that I checked) that's not showing sold out is the Hiawatha (which is unreserved), but even there it says "Other options sold out," which is a glitch because there are no other options (coach only).

 

[stlouielady]

Oops, me bad. I checked for the 18th (didn't see the 19th in the original post).

 

[sechs]

Consider that the train only needs to be sold out between any one city pair on your trip for there to be no seats available for the entire trip.

There will be a lot of people going out for a drink this weekend....

 

[GG-1]

Consider that the train only needs to be sold out between any one city pair on your trip for there to be no seats available for the entire trip.

Aloha

And if this is the case why not add a car, turning away a sale is an easy way to lose money.

 

[Trogdor]

Can't add a car if there are no cars to add.

 

[haolerider]

Remember, this is Spring Break time and a lot of the trains in the system are sold out or close to being sold out on certain legs. As someone has mentioned, if a leg of the trip is full, there is no way to accommodate more people on either side of the sold out leg. This is not an airline that goes from point A to point B.

 

[sechs]

Consider that the train only needs to be sold out between any one city pair on your trip for there to be no seats available for the entire trip.

And if this is the case why not add a car, turning away a sale is an easy way to lose money.

Actually, accepting a sale can be an easy way to lose money, as well.

Consider that there is a cost involved with adding a car to a consist, and hauling and staffing it -- out and back, and, possibly, on another train sharing the same equipment. There is also the lost revenue of not being able to put that car on some other route. You can dig a pretty nice hole here.

Obviously, if there are going to be enough riders to defray these costs, you'd add that car. But don't you think Amtrak has already figured this out?

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

I've been on the Texas Eagle two times between CHI and DAL the past two weeks, and both times the train was packed full. It looked like there were a hand full of empty seats in coach and I don't recall seeing empty sleeper rooms. I was working off sleeper reservations made more than a month ago. From my limited perspective, there appears to be a run on Amtrak service these days; a bit longer in duration than spring break may be able to explain. Is congress looking?