THE SUNSET LIMITED IS BACK!

[jccollins]

Here's a copy of the official Amtrak Advisory issued in ARROW earlier today:

SUNSET LIMITED/TEXAS EAGLE SEPARATE TRAINS AGAIN

FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS THE THROUGH TRAIN OPERATION (TRAINS

421/422) HAS PROVEN UNWORKABLE. THEREFORE, THE SUNSET AND

EAGLE WILL RETURN TO THEIR FORMER OPERATION.

- TRAINS 1/2 WILL OPERATE LAX-SAS-LAX ONLY, THREE DAYS A WEEK.

- TRAINS 21/22 WILL OPERATE CHI-SAS-CHI, DAILY.

- THROUGH CARS, ONE SLEEPER AND ONE COACH, WILL BE SWITCHED

BETWEEN THE TWO TRAINS. THESE THROUGH CARS ARE 421/422.

THE CONSIST OF THE TRAINS WILL BE:

- LOCAL TRANSITION SLEEPER (1/2 AND 21/22, SEPARATELY)

WITH ROOMETTE SPACE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC

- LOCAL BAGGAGE-COACH (1/2 AND 21/22, SEPARATELY)

- LOCAL COACH (1/2 AND 21/22, SEPARATELY)

- DINER (HALF DINING CAR SERVICE, HALF LOUNGE SERVICE)

- COACH (421/422 THREE DAYS, 21/22 THE OTHER FOUR)

- SLEEPER (421/422 THREE DAYS, 21/22 THE OTHER FOUR)

- COACH (321/322 CHI-STL-CHI ONLY)

-source: Amtrak

 

[Midland Valley]

So there won't be a real diner or a real sightseer lounge on any of these trains? I guess I don't know what a half diner, half lounge is. And the only sleeper will travel the whole distance from Chicago to Los Angeles?

Does that mean if the #2 train is extremely late, the 22 sits and waits?

 

[jccollins]

An extra coach and sleeper will sit at SAS to protect an on time departure of train 22 if train 2 arrives too late. That extra coach and sleeper will be put on the Texas Eagle trainset so that it has a full consist and then passengers would be bused from train 2 before SAS to train 22 at a point beyond SAS.

It sounds like 1/2 of the dining car on the Sunset and Eagle is being used for lounge car sales and the other 1/2 for a "regular" dining car operation. I agree that this operation stinks if this is what's happening and can't see Amtrak's purpose for cutting the sightseer lounge.

 

[RandyJay]

Yes, that's it exactly. Just came in to SAS on 21(4) - ooops - make that 421(4) - and the forward half of the diner is in "normal" operation, with the rear half set up crudely as a snack lounge. The lounge attendant sells his stuff out of cardboard boxes sitting on the table tops, has use of the microwave and refrigerator in the prep area. Certainly not a good thing, as the diner capacity is effectively cut in half and the whole atmosphere and functionality of the lounge is gone. According to the LSA, the current belief is that this is just a temporary situation as Sightseers are going in for refurb . . . . . but I wouldn't bet money on it.