Starlight to Eagle to Cardinal -- What could go wrong?

[Phil S]

I'm thinking of doing this in late August-early September with no overnights at either LA or Chicago. How often do the connections not work? Currently, #22 is detouring but that should be long gone by then. If the 22/50 connection looks iffy, I gather they will try to bus me from Iowa to Indianapolis. Will Amtrak let me just say no and wait two nights in CHI for the next Cardinal?

Last year I traveled, ALY to PDX (by bus), then Amtrak to Seattle to Vancouver BC, one night in Vancouver then Canadien to Toronto, Toronto/Montreal, Montreal/Halifax, ate one lobster in Halifax and flew out the next day. Everything ran near enough to on time that I made all the connections. Pure luck?

Any data much appreciated!!

Phil

 

[the_traveler]

The connection between the CS and TE should be no problem. As far as TE to Cardinal, it depends on where you headed.

If it is missed, but you're going to IND, they could always put you on the next day's HS. If your going to WAS, they could put you on the CL. If going to NYP, they could put you on the LSL. Etc, etc... But if you're going to Cincinnati, I doubt they'll put you up for 2-3 days, so they will probably bustitute.

 

[zephyr17]

The Texas Eagle to Cardinal is a pretty long connection time, almost 4 hours. However, my experience with a missed connection to to a tri-weekly train with a multi-day layover (in my case, Empire Builder to Cardinal), they refund that portion of your fare and you are on your own to arrange alternative transportation. That was a number of years ago, though. If there were enough connecting passengers, they might do a bus bridge like between Bloomington and Indianapolis.

That seems like a fairly safe connection to me. With that said, for eastbound travel connecting long distance train to long distance train in Chicago, I usually build in a day layover in Chicago.

Coast Starlight to Texas Eagle/Sunset is a fairly safe connection. If it looks like the Starlight will just miss it, they'll hold the Sunset. If it looks like it will miss it by more, they'll usually do a bus bridge for connecting passengers, taking you off the train at like Oxnard and busing you to Pomona or Palm Springs.

 

[acelafan]

I'm thinking of doing this in late August-early September with no overnights at either LA or Chicago. How often do the connections not work? Currently, #22 is detouring but that should be long gone by then. If the 22/50 connection looks iffy, I gather they will try to bus me from Iowa to Indianapolis. Will Amtrak let me just say no and wait two nights in CHI for the next Cardinal?

Last year I traveled, ALY to PDX (by bus), then Amtrak to Seattle to Vancouver BC, one night in Vancouver then Canadien to Toronto, Toronto/Montreal, Montreal/Halifax, ate one lobster in Halifax and flew out the next day. Everything ran near enough to on time that I made all the connections. Pure luck?

Any data much appreciated!!

Phil

ASMAD has historical data on missed connections:

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/connections.php

Plug in the arriving train number and departing train number at the connecting station. Specify the dates you want to search.

For 22 to 50 at CHI from January 1st, the connection was missed 8% of the time.

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/connections.php?a_train_num=22&c_train_num=50&station=chi&date_start=01%2F01%2F2017&date_end=05%2F31%2F2017&df1=1&df2=1&df3=1&df4=1&df5=1&df6=1&df7=1&sort_dir=DESC&dfon=1

I've done a lot of Amtrak travel with connections of 4 or 5 hours. I'd say 90% of the time I was fine. Of course, when you miss the train, it stinks.

 

[Lonestar648]

Just to be safe on my CS to TE connection, I am arriving Saturday night, then leaving Sunday night on the TE. I would rather spend the night in LA so I can take the train without buses. In Chicago, I am spending the night since I would miss my connection west.

 

[MikefromCrete]

If the Eagle is late, they could put you on a bus at Bloomington and take you to Indianapolis.

 

[Lonestar648]

Bloomington to Indianapolis is about 175 miles, less than 3 hours so the TE can be really late but still make the connection with the Cardinal in IND.

 

[Phil S]

Finally getting back to my computer. Thanks, that's the info I needed. Yup, I should have said where I'm going on the Cardinal - White Sulfur if I can rent a car there or else Staunton. In either case the only way is the Cardinal, my favorite Amtrak train.

 

[Thirdrail7]

There's a decent chance the Cardinal will depart CHI late if you're behind.