CS detour over Tehachapi Loop

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CHamilton

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Amtrak is planning to detour its southbound Coast Starlight between Oakland and Los Angeles in March and April due to track work. Instead of its normal route along the California Coast, train No. 11 will travel Union Pacific's ex-Southern Pacific route via the San Joaquin Valley and Tehachapi Loop. The detours are planned for March 13-15, March 24-30, and April 8-10.
Seattle departures of the train are one day earlier. Amtrak says that the track work may end early, so detours may not last all the way into April.
I've made reservations to take the loop on Sunday, 3/24 (leaving SEA Saturday, 3/23), since I missed this the last time it happened. PM me if you'd like to come along.

Edit: I got the dates wrong, but they've been fixed. See below.
 
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Now I'm getting slightly different dates from another (reliable) source.

Train 11 will detour On the following dates (Seattle departure one day earlier than shown) –

· Wednesday, March 13 through Friday, March 15
· Sunday, March 24 through Saturday, March 30, and
· Monday, April 8 through Wednesday, April 10 (this subject to change if the work ends early)

So it looks like train 11 departing SEA on 3/22 will NOT detour, but train 11 departing SEA on 3/23 WILL detour.
Shanghai, I don't know about mudslides on the detour, but since that's UP's main freight route, I can't imagine that they would let it stay blocked very long. And I don't think that UP has the "no passenger trains for 24 hours" rule that BNSF does, but others may know more.
 
Great news! I managed to miss the detour the last times it ran, so will have to try again this time. Unfortunately, the Loop may be done in darkness....anyone have any estimate of the times at Bakersfield and into Los Angeles?
 
All of those detour dates occur in Daylight Savings Time, so the loop will most likely be transited in daylight, while arrival into LA will likely be after dark.
 
I have no idea what the time-frame will be for an LA arrival, but here's a bit of consideration:

When I last took the southbound detour in 2009, it was non-stop between Sacramento and Los Angeles with only a crew-change stop at the now-abandoned Southern Pacific Bakersfield depot. The train left SAC at the scheduled 6:30 AM departure and, get this, arrived into LAX at 4:50 PM!

Now, this detour looks to be starting in Oakland, and will undoubtedly take the UP Niles Canyon route to Tracy (the same tracks used by ACE) and then the UP main through Bakersfield and up over the pass to Palmdale and LA. As such, I don't think it is out of the question that the train may arrive into LA with some daylight to spare. While Amtrak would never officially come up with an arrival time augmented for this detour, my guess would be anywhere around 7 PM.

If I somehow was able to get a shot at going, I'm going to have to consider my return back to Sacramento that night or very early the next morning. I have to look into doing a bit more homework.
 
Never mind. "loop" threw me for one.
 
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The detours are planned for March 13-15, March 24-30, and April 8-10.
I've made reservations to take the loop on Saturday, 3/23
How does that work? What am I missing?
Because he's in Seattle, which means the train taking that detour starting 3/24 originates on the 23rd. Makes for a nice well-rounded weekend trip. :)
Actually, I got the dates wrong. I should have said that I would be leaving SEA on the 23rd and taking the loop on the 24th. Sorry about that.
 
Actually, I got the dates wrong. I should have said that I would be leaving SEA on the 23rd and taking the loop on the 24th. Sorry about that.
Well dang it Charlie! Now I want my signature back from your waterfront streetcar petition! :p
Jeez, I'm sorry! Do you suppose my faculties were reduced due to an attack of foaming? :)
 
Actually, I got the dates wrong. I should have said that I would be leaving SEA on the 23rd and taking the loop on the 24th. Sorry about that.
Well dang it Charlie! Now I want my signature back from your waterfront streetcar petition! :p
Jeez, I'm sorry! Do you suppose my faculties were reduced due to an attack of foaming? :)
Okay, now I'm confused. Was the attack of foaming from the detour - or the beer windfall you could get from a bidding war? :eek:

Well, in either case you are forgiven as, based on personal experience :rolleyes: , I can understand how both trains and beer can distract someone. :excl: :D
 
The last time I booked this detour (northbound), someone on this board alerted me at the last minute that the detour was cancelled, and saved me hours away from flying to The Coast....

To try to avoid that pitfall, I am asking for recommendations as to the 'safest' date to book. The earliest date may find them not ready to begin construction and the detour, and the latest date may find them finished early and back to regular route.

I know there are no guarantee's....anything can happen....even bad weather could cancel construction for a given date, but with all that into consideration, I am still seeking some experienced guesses as to a 'safe date' to book. Appreciate all replys.....
 
With that said, how far in advance would they cancel for a day, say due to weather or what not? I ask because I noticed you can't book any of the intermediate stops along the coast. So if the detour were cancelled and the train were to operate the regular route would it allow anyone to book those stops to board/alight at the last minute?
 
When we did this last year, the people that went for the first two dates got taken to the cleaners by a freight derailment near the loop. Nevertheless I would lean towards the beginning of the detour dates. If there are 10 days total, go for day four. But, as mentioned *anything* can happen. I caught some of the derailed cars still waiting to be picked up in the video I took.

 
Well AMTRAK must know that these rare-mileage trips will bring out a lot of rail fans. I just looked at a March 23rd departure from Seattle and a roomette is $479 and the railfare was $177. Thats fully double what I paid for my #14 trip 3 weeks ago.
 
Not surprised. I forget how much it was a couple of days ago, but it was significantly less than that. Since I used AGR points anyway, it didn't matter for me, though.
 
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