The point of my Carmageddon comment was you can get a lot more done when things are shut down, and you're not working around traffic. It's extremely disruptive, but it's typically better for everyone in the long run. But to suggest that the railroad is the only one's to do this doesn't take all the facts into account.
OK, gotcha. I misunderstood your comment. I thought you were using it as an example of a time when there was no alternative option provided.
I don't think anyone on this thread is questioning the strategy of a complete shutdown. It's the fact that Amtrak California is offering no
options to passengers other than "go find another transportation provider." It's not too wide of a logical leap for the beancounters to
conclude that if SoCal can do without Amtrak service between LAX and SAN on three weekends in October, then maybe it just doesn't
need service on the weekends at all. After all, if people can use Greyhound this time, why not every weekend?