Coast Starlight Train #14(17) Delay Due to Mudslide

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Rush2112

Train Attendant
Joined
Feb 10, 2011
Messages
38
Location
SAC
I am booked on train 14 from Sacramento tonight at 11:59 PM for a trip to Portland.

When checking the status on the Amtrak website it said to call for the status. Never a good sign.

Amtrak told me the train is being held in San Luis Obispo due to a mudslide. When I called it was two hours late at that point.

My cousin and I had a limited time for our visit to Portland as it was. Since the Amtrak website does not give details on delays I was checking the Dixieland Software website someone here told me about but that website does not seem to be updated either.

Anyone know where I can get up-to-date on train location and status? I looks like I will need to cancel at this point but was hoping to be able get updated information before calling Amtrak again. They are getting slammed calls right now.

I had a ADA (Room H) bedroom and hope I can reschedule with the same booking if I have to cancel but I wanted updated train status information before looking into it.

​The good news? Looks like our drought in California is coming to an end, for this year at least. :p
 
Just a helpful hint when using the Dixieland software. Look and see if the train is listed in "service disruption". If so, click on the train number in the list of service disruptions and it will open up and show you location of the train and status. Doing this I see where 14 at or near San Luis Obispo 3hrs 45min late. Looking to the left there is an estimated 2hrs 20late for 14 to be a OKJ or Oakland. Looks like the train will be in Sacramento eventually so if you don't mind being late, I think the train will get you to Portland tomorrow but probably a couple hours late.
 
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Thank you TN Traveler and BuffaloBoy for the responses. I finally got through to Amtrak. Number 14 is now cancelled for my trip. Dixieland does not show that. I will check out the website recommend by BuffaloBoy. Wish Amtrak had better tracking information for travelers.

I would have been doing last minute packing getting ready to head to my train if I had not looked into train status on my own.

No text or call from Amtrak to tell me not to bother showing up at the Amtrak station in Sacramento near midnight for a train the will not be showing up at all.

Sad, very sad, believe me, so sad.

I love Amtrak and every time I talk to people on the phone they are the best. Their online information and lack of text or automated phone calls for updates sucks.
 
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I'm stuck in San Luis Obispo right now and we were told we are not going farther tonight and are staying on the train tonight. We were given the option to get on 14 north and go "home" or stay here. Suprised to hear they cancelled 14 that train had ppl in the ppc and lounge because they were out of seats. We took 11 down today and were supposed to go home tomorrow, I guess we will see what happens.
 
#14 (18) is 6 hrs late out of Redding, and getting steadily later, I'll guess due to continuing weather problems.
 
11 never left SLO we stayed here all night on the train. They fed everyone complimentary breakfast and busses eventually came. 11 is being turned here and will be come 14. We were only going down and back so we stayed here.

They ran the engines around and they now connected to the coaches and the baggage car will be the last car in the consist. "Backwards" if you will. They say they are bussing a staff, food and bedding here. As of 1pm nothing is here besides the train we were stuck on last night.
 
11 never left SLO we stayed here all night on the train. They fed everyone complimentary breakfast and busses eventually came. 11 is being turned here and will be come 14. We were only going down and back so we stayed here.

They ran the engines around and they now connected to the coaches and the baggage car will be the last car in the consist. "Backwards" if you will. They say they are bussing a staff, food and bedding here. As of 1pm nothing is here besides the train we were stuck on last night.
Sounds like what happened to my train two years ago, in December 2014. I was ticketed to LA, but instead of going all the way down to SLO, I was rebooked on the #702 (the San Joaquins) then bus bridge between BFD and LA, also due to the floods.
 
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