Taking the 21 to Los Angeles from Chicago

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
I

inspiration100

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Aug 17, 2007
Messages
365
Location
Seattle, WA
Hello all,

I'm taking the 21 from Chicago to Los Angeles soon. I'm hoping to meet someone in San Antonio during the late evening/morning stop for a couple hours. A couple questions:

1). Do people often get off the train, check out San Antonio and come back near boarding time? Any issues doing so?

2). How accurate is the train schedule (arrive 9:55 PM, depart 2:45 AM) Is there buffer time, or is that pretty typical? Could the train ever leave before 2:45 AM?

3). Can you usually re-board before 2:45 AM, or do you need to re-board with the crew getting on in San Antonio?
 
inspiration100 said:
Hello all,

I'm taking the 21 from Chicago to Los Angeles soon. I'm hoping to meet someone in San Antonio during the late evening/morning stop for a couple hours. A couple questions:

1). Do people often get off the train, check out San Antonio and come back near boarding time? Any issues doing so?

2). How accurate is the train schedule (arrive 9:55 PM, depart 2:45 AM) Is there buffer time, or is that pretty typical? Could the train ever leave before 2:45 AM?

3). Can you usually re-board before 2:45 AM, or do you need to re-board with the crew getting on in San Antonio?
Click to expand...
I'm answering out of order. A train may not leave in advance of its published departure time unless there is some sort of emergency (e.g. there's a fire heading that way.) However, if the train arrives late and the station work is completed, it will leave without regard to the scheduled dwell as long as it is the published departure time or later.

As for question 1 and 2, here is a direct quote from Texas Eagle route information page:

Passengers traveling on trains 421 and 422 to and from points between Chicago and Los Angeles will experience an overnight layover in San Antonio, TX, ranging from 7 to 9.5 hours in order to accommodate train coupling operations. Passengers are welcome to remain onboard during this layover or may detrain if they wish. Access to train cars may be limited and temporary power outages will occur, including loss of air conditioning. For more detailed information on the Texas Eagle visit the Texas Eagle State Site.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for the quote. However, the math doesn't add up... the timetable shows 5 hours, yet the site quotes 7 to 9.5 in San Antonio?
 
We've done 21 (actually 421) from Temple, TX twice. Both times I stayed close to the train while in San Antonio as I had no desire to wander around at that time of day.. I usually stayed aboard our sleeper while the switching moves are being made and when complete, would just stay on the platform. We have also done the reverse 3 times (LA to Temple twice and LA to Chicago last year). Same in that direction, stayed near the train. My wife slept though the whole thing!

Accuracy of the train schedule is dependent on the on time performance for THOSE PARTICULAR TRAINS (#21 AND #1). In December 2012 our #21 arrived thirty minutes early; #1 3 minutes early. In August 2013, our # 21 arrived 2:04 late; #1 was 5 minutes early. Trains NEVER depart before the time published in the timetable.

As I stayed close the the train (never went inside the station), never had a problem getting on and off. Keep in mind that your SCA will change in San Antonio.
 
Hopefully you will be on #421 and not the #21 Cars. ( you didn't indicate if you were in a Sleeper or Coach?) #421 is the LAX Sleeper and Coach that are cutout in San Antonio and switched to the back of #1 when it arrives into SAS from NOL.

If you ride #21 from CHi to SAS you would have to get off the Train when it arrives into SAS and wait to board the #1 (.scheduled for a 1205 am Arrival but often early) when it boards 30 mins before the Scheduled 245am Departure.(#1 will not leave early!)

Since the San Antonio Amshak sucks as a waiting place, you'd want to walk the few blocks West on Commerce St. to the Riverwalk, check out the Alamo (it's closed at night but lighted and worth a look).

Then head for the 24/7 Dennys on East Commerce on the way back to the Station for a snack and to check out the street people that hang out there.

There are a few bars in St Paul Square around the Station but they're dead at night, might as well check out the places on Bourbon Street Light, er The Riverwalk.

Once the switching of the #421 Cars is completed from the Eagle to #1, thE New SCA and Conductors and Engineer will board. It will be up to them if you are allowed to reboard your Car before the regular boarding time of 215am. Sometimes they lock the doors and sometimes they stand by the Doors so it will depend.

Hope this helps, it's not really far to the Riverwalj, I say go for it if you don't want to stay aboard and go to sleep after the switching!
 
Thanks everyone. I checked and the ticket is for #421, but car 2130... I assume that car goes through to Los Angeles?

Why doesn't Amtrak update the site to ~5 hours?? :angry2: Just adds extra confusion to an already confusing situation.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
inspiration100 said:
Thanks everyone. I checked and the ticket is for #421, but car 2130... I assume that car goes through to Los Angeles?

Why doesn't Amtrak update the site to ~5 hours?? :angry2: Just adds extra confusion to an already confusing situation.
Click to expand...
There is only ONE sleeper on train 21/421 which is car 2130. Yes, that car does goes throught to Los Angeles on three days a week. It just so happens that on those same three nights, the train 2 from Los Angeles arrives and the 422 sleeper and coach are attached to train 22/422 going north to Chicago replacing the sleeper and coach that connected and departed on train 1. Thus, there is always only ONE sleeper on trains 21/421 and 22/422.
 
Technically correct that there is only one Revenue Sleeper on #421/#422 between Chicago and San Antonio, but Amtrak sells Roomettes in the Transdorm also.

Once the #421 Cutout cars are switched to #1, the #421 Coach and Sleeper are on the tail end of the train making for a hike to the Diner and Sightseer Lounge/Cafe.(and #1.and #2 will have it's Two Revenue Sleepers plus the Transdorm between LAX and NOL.(I've not ever been in a Transdorm Room on #1 or #2, don't think they are sold to Revenue pax? )
 
Last edited by a moderator:
inspiration100 said:
2). How accurate is the train schedule (arrive 9:55 PM, depart 2:45 AM) Is there buffer time, or is that pretty typical? Could the train ever leave before 2:45 AM?
Click to expand...
For the past 45 days, #21 has pretty good timekeeping. Here's a chart of the median delays by station. It's 10 minutes early into San Antonio, and the route has several areas of "recovery time" built into the schedule.

Have a good trip!

(link)

21_median.png

21_table.png
 
All of you have been very helpful. Thanks everyone. Another question: Does the car attendant change in San Antonio, or does the one from Chicago go the entire journey to Los Angeles in the 2130?
 
inspiration100 said:
All of you have been very helpful. Thanks everyone. Another question: Does the car attendant change in San Antonio, or does the one from Chicago go the entire journey to Los Angeles in the 2130?
Click to expand...
The SCA does change in San Antonio...each direction. Interestingly on our LA to Chicago trip a year ago on the Eagle, our LA SCA moved to a coach for the San Antonio to Fort Worth leg of the trip.
 
I have always optioned to stay with my sleeper during the time in San Antonio. I checked to find that the stores and most restaurants on the River Walk are closed after arrival. Normally, I sleep through the switching, but this summer the car was so warm with the AC off and there were so many heavy jerks and bumps, sleeping wasn't possible for an hour or so. If you get off, I know a couple neighbors made sure they had access to board again so they didn't have to wait until 2:15. Usually with the help of the CHI SCA before arriving in SAS, talking with a conductor. For me, I love eating breakfast as the sun is rising, so I want to rest as much as I can during the night. 21 can arrive as early as 8:45, but usually sometime between 8:45 - 9:55 unless the weather plays a factor as it does sometimes in Texas, Arkansas, or Missouri with tropical downpours of several inches per hour.

Have a great trip, enjoy all the beautiful scenery outside, Have a great trip!!
 
I just got off of 21 in Little Rock this morning. i was in car 2130 which is the thru sleeper but when we left Chicago it wasn't at the very back of the train. There were 2 coaches behind it that were cut off in St. Louis. I gather from the announcements that there was another sleeper forward of the diner and cafe car but that might have been a trans dorm sleeper. The train was packed due to the holiday weekend. There was a medical emergency following the Carlinville stop and we later found out it was the attendant for our sleeper, she had been eating dinner i guess when it happened. There were several announcements asking if there was a doctor or nurse on the train and asking that they come to the dinner. We stopped in Shipman, IL where an ambulance and paramedics met us at a road crossing that they took her off. I had asked that my room be made up for the night during the St Louis stop which of course it isn't due to the emergency which cost us i think close to an hour of delay. The new conductor came thru as we were leaving St. Louis and she made up my room so i could sleep, which was nice of her. After all of that we arrived in LR down about 40 minutes so they made up time between StL and LR. When we stopped here there was no one to open the door for the two of us detraining so after a couple of minutes I opened it myself, which I know is a No-No but since there wasn't anyone to open it for us. All in all it was a good trip from Chicago and i hope the Attendant is OK, The paramedics were able to walk her off the train rather than having to have a stretcher.
 
Our LA > CHI trip August '15 we had a coach added to the rear of our sleeper at St Louis for the remainder of the trip. I believe that is normal during summer (or other busy times).
 
Good news that the Eagle was crowded, and this the first time I've heard of Two STL-CHI Coaches, usually only One is run, and during slow times on the Eagle it is run all the way to SAS, not cutout in STL.

As for your bed being made up, I think another OBS Crew member made up your room, Conductors don't perform this service.
 
FrensicPic said:
Our LA > CHI trip August '15 we had a coach added to the rear of our sleeper at St Louis for the remainder of the trip. I believe that is normal during summer (or other busy times).
Click to expand...
They have been adding/cutting a local Coach in STL for quite some time; I believe it runs year round.
 
Bob Dylan said:
Good news that the Eagle was crowded, and this the first time I've heard of Two STL-CHI Coaches, usually only One is run, and during slow times on the Eagle it is run all the way to SAS, not cutout in STL.

As for your bed being made up, I think another OBS Crew member made up your room, Conductors don't perform this service.
Click to expand...
No it was the Conductor since there wasn't a OBS available when I need to have my room made up. having to wake up at 2 - 2:30 am meant I needed to go to sleep as soon as possible after StL. And she said, she normally didn't do this service but due to the problem with the car attendant she would do it.
 
Wow,old time Conductors must be rolling in their graves!

Most of the Conductors I know would rather have a "carry by"(highly frowned upon) than to make up a room in a Sleeper!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top