Texas Eagle -> Coast Starlight Connection

[BeckysBarn]

For my annual Turkey trip from SPI to SJC, I'd like to take the Texas Eagle connecting to the Coast Starlight. It looks like the TE has been running early into LAX, so it doesn't appear to be a problem. If TE does run late, I'm guessing I would be back to the bus, train, bus combo from LAX to SJC.

And why does Amtrak.com & Amsnag show the TE to CS connection on certain days from certain cities? For example, SPI to SJC on Sun. 11/20 does not give the option of connecting to CS, but leaving from PBF (Poplar Bluff)on 11/20 shows the CS connection. Both are train #421.

 

[Bob Dylan]

For my annual Turkey trip from SPI to SJC, I'd like to take the Texas Eagle connecting to the Coast Starlight. It looks like the TE has been running early into LAX, so it doesn't appear to be a problem. If TE does run late, I'm guessing I would be back to the bus, train, bus combo from LAX to SJC.

And why does Amtrak.com & Amsnag show the TE to CS connection on certain days from certain cities? For example, SPI to SJC on Sun. 11/20 does not give the option of connecting to CS, but leaving from PBF (Poplar Bluff)on 11/20 shows the CS connection. Both are train #421.

Could it be that the Train is SOLD OUT from say CHI-STL or even PBF, thats the week of thanksgiving as you said, Im not up on the blackout days either, if goingon AGR Points thats a consideration also! Perhaps you could ride #321 or #21 to STL or PBF and switch to #421 if it is Sold Out or the system wont let you book that day???? Maybe a call would answer your question if one of the Computer/Scheduling gurus doesnt have the answer!! :giggle:

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I recently connected from the TE to the CS and upon seeing the "brief" two hour window asked Amtrak about what would happen if the Sunset/Eagle train was delayed past the designated connection time. I was informed that unlike many other connections there are several options available for Amtrak to choose from thanks to California's pro-rail mentality. Alternative trains and their various feeder buses can be used to help get you back on your original shedule with a minimum of fuss or delay. As you might expect there is a point at which even the state with the most options will eventually have to put you up for the night, but it sounded like there are several hours worth of delays that can still be made up one way or another.

 

[the_traveler]

And why does Amtrak.com & Amsnag show the TE to CS connection on certain days from certain cities? For example, SPI to SJC on Sun. 11/20 does not give the option of connecting to CS, but leaving from PBF (Poplar Bluff)on 11/20 shows the CS connection. Both are train #421.

Remember that the TE only runs thru to LAX 3 times a week! Without looking up the schedule, (if my memory serves me correctly) PBF has an arrival after midnight, so it would not depart the same day as from SPI!

So that could be a reason!

 

[Shanghai]

I have experienced a similar situation. If I book NYP to PHG (Phoenix Greyhound) I get the

NER to WAS, Capitol Limited to CHI and the SWC to FLG, then a bus to PHG. No option for

the Lake Shore Limited to CHI to connect to the SWC. If I enter NYP to FLG, the LSL becomes

one of the choices.

I find it unusual that both the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited have 5+ hours transit

time to connect in Chicago.

 

[BeckysBarn]

Could it be that the Train is SOLD OUT from say CHI-STL or even PBF, thats the week of thanksgiving as you said, Im not up on the blackout days either, if goingon AGR Points thats a consideration also! Perhaps you could ride #321 or #21 to STL or PBF and switch to #421 if it is Sold Out or the system wont let you book that day???? Maybe a call would answer your question if one of the Computer/Scheduling gurus doesnt have the answer!! :giggle:

No, not sold out. I've also checked other non-holiday dates. I was hoping the gurus would have the answer. I don't mind calling Julie; it's just a lot more fun to ask here.

 

[BeckysBarn]

Remember that the TE only runs thru to LAX 3 times a week! Without looking up the schedule, (if my memory serves me correctly) PBF has an arrival after midnight, so it would not depart the same day as from SPI!

So that could be a reason!

That's what I thought at first, but #421 arrives & departs PBF at 11:42pm (west bound), so it is the same day as SPI.

Next theory, please. :giggle:

 

[rtabern]

Back in 2009 when I was "between jobs" and had about 300,000 AGR points at my disposal... I did the Texas Eagle/Coast Starlight/Empire Builder loop 4 times. 3 times I made the connection between #421 and #14. The other time they got us off at Ontario... bus to Bakersfield... a San Joquin to Oakland and caught #14 there (yes, it stunk!)

 

[AlanB]

I don't see any days, I took an Amsnag sampling from 11/15 through 12/14, where train #421 shows a connection to the Coast Starlight from Springfield.

That suggests to me that those who program the connections in ARROW, ARROW doesn't do it on its own someone must setup each valid connection, didn't setup that connection for this train out of SPI. My guess is that they figured that most people would take the shorter, faster, and generally cheaper connection via the SW Chief. Or perhaps they just missed dealing with SPI.

Poplar Bluff on the other hand doesn't have Lincoln Service, and therefore doesn't easily offer a connection to the SWC, which would be why that did get programmed in.

 

[dart330]

I seem to run into these unprogrammed city pairs a lot when planning upcoming trips. Is there anyone we can contact to get these corrected/added?

 

[A.J.]

I was on the TE connecting to the CS and despite the TE being more than two hours late, the CS was held. sometimes there are enough passengers making the same connection (it is very popular, after all) that it makes sense for amtrak to do this. if you find yourself behind schedule, have a chat with your SCA. that's how i avoided a panic and found out the CS was being held for us.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I seem to run into these unprogrammed city pairs a lot when planning upcoming trips. Is there anyone we can contact to get these corrected/added?

Even if Arrow can't build a single solitary route on its own it's bizarre that Amtrak apparently doesn't have a way to even run an external routine that builds these routes for it. I can see why Amtrak would want to retain some level of control over published routes but unless I'm mistaken they no longer publish their rates anymore.

 

[AlanB]

I seem to run into these unprogrammed city pairs a lot when planning upcoming trips. Is there anyone we can contact to get these corrected/added?

I'm not sure who you could contact, but even if you could contact someone I rather doubt that there are that many people wanting to book such a trip. Most people want the fast way, not the railfan way. So it would probably be at the bottom of a very long list.

You however can force ARROW to build that itinerary for you by using the multi-city function to book the trip.

 

[AlanB]

I seem to run into these unprogrammed city pairs a lot when planning upcoming trips. Is there anyone we can contact to get these corrected/added?

Even if Arrow can't build a single solitary route on its own it's bizarre that Amtrak apparently doesn't have a way to even run an external routine that builds these routes for it.

Probably 90% to 95% of all possible routings, and certainly 100% of all major origination/destination routings are already in ARROW. So why would Amtrak want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have someone write a program to fill in the few missing gaps for smaller stops like the one under discussion on such an obscure routing that most, save a railfan, would never book?

Better to spend the meager IT budget on some real problems that need fixing.

 

[dart330]

Just seems there are a lot of gaps to my dead-end station in OKC.

A simple example is my grandmother who is 80 and does not drive or fly would like to take the train from JEF to here, which you can book, but when you go to book the return it is not allowed even though it is possible through multi-city. It makes booking that trip on an AGR reward tough unless you can find a nice agent. It also can be a dead end for people new to Amtrak. They plug in the trip they want to take and the system tells them it is not possible even though it is.

Another example is I can't book anything straight from OKC to East of PDX or SEA on the builder, but you change the starting point to FTW and it works just fine.

Seems like it shouldn't be that hard to tell the system anywhere you can go from FTW, you can get to from any station North of there. I agree they shouldn't spend any money on it, just thought it might be an easy fix and nobody on staff is aware of the problem.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Probably 90% to 95% of all possible routings, and certainly 100% of all major origination/destination routings are already in ARROW. So why would Amtrak want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have someone write a program to fill in the few missing gaps for smaller stops like the one under discussion on such an obscure routing that most, save a railfan, would never book? Better to spend the meager IT budget on some real problems that need fixing.

Routines that typically take maybe a week to write and three weeks to test apparently cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. ARROW apparently has over 225,000 combinations manually programmed in it. Next you'll be telling us that the iPhone app took three years to write and cost a million dollars. And in Amtrak's case you might actually be right. :lol:

 

[AlanB]

Probably 90% to 95% of all possible routings, and certainly 100% of all major origination/destination routings are already in ARROW. So why would Amtrak want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have someone write a program to fill in the few missing gaps for smaller stops like the one under discussion on such an obscure routing that most, save a railfan, would never book? Better to spend the meager IT budget on some real problems that need fixing.

Routines that typically take maybe a week to write and three weeks to test apparently cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. ARROW apparently has over 225,000 combinations manually programmed in it. Next you'll be telling us that the iPhone app took three years to write and cost a million dollars. And in Amtrak's case you might actually be right. :lol:

Amtrak's ARROW is a 30 plus year old system. It doesn't come with all the bells and whistles available in more modern programs. One doesn't just snap one's fingers like you're imagining and suddenly have the data appear in ARROW.

Whether my quick estimate is high or low however, isn't the point. It's more time & money being spent on a minor, almost non-issue, instead of on something really important.

And I have no idea what they spent working on the iPhone AP. But that is a far more worthy project than worrying about obscure routings.