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Although I don't have an upcoming trip I like to check the train statuses at the Amtrak Location site. Some trains are running smoothly, others, well, not so smooth. When a train is really running late the cause of the delay usually occurs at just one stretch. Wouldn't it be nice to see the...

Long distance trains are always an adventure. We know that. We expect that. We plan for that. It's always best for our peace of mind to move away from disgruntled-looking people who keep looking at their watches. But, seriously, can't the information of expected delays be given to us in...

How can one find out more details about a train when it is stopped and described as "service disruption"? I sometimes track the location of various trains on the Amtrak/VIA Real Time map. The Sunset Limited (Train 1 and Train 2) happens to be my favorite. These last two days have shown trains 1...

Hi all, I used to use my Chase credit card to rack up Amtrak points, but that amenity is now only available with a Bank of America credit card. I'm thinking of changing cards in order to get Amtrak points again. Question: Which is cheaper, buying points and applying them or just buying the...

An Amtrak Guest Rewards rep just told me that as of today Train 2 is taking a new route to New Orleans. This would bypass the disabled Brazos River Bridge west of Houston. The "Check Status" site lists the Train 2 that departs tonight from Los Angeles arriving ahead of schedule into New Orleans...

I don't see the east bound Sunset Limited on the Amtrak Location Map. Last night the avatar was near Sanderson. It had turned grey with the ominous message: service disruption. This morning (6/3/16) it isn't there at all. Any idea what could have happened?

I see that the Sunset Limited is dealing with some severe weather in the Houston area. The train tracker symbol for trains 1 and 2 has turned grey. The message states its time and mph, but is followed by the words "service disruption." Does that mean that the passengers are being bused?

I'm planning a trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans in June. I see that the train is still not going all the way through to New Orleans because of flooding. Does anyone have an update on the prognosis? Is the bridge out?

I see that I-10 is closed in east Texas as it crosses the flood-stage Sabin River. Has anyone been delayed or stopped on the Sunset Ltd. in that part of the country?

Chase Bank Master Card and Amtrak Guest Rewards are ending their relationship at the end of September. I just spoke with a Guest Rewards rep who tells me that Amtrak will soon announce a new relationship with another credit card. I've gotten a couple of very nice cross country trips using credit...

I’m in my 70s now and more grateful than ever to take an Amtrak long-distance train. It’s an exciting occasion for me. My wife and I are soon to board the Coast Starlight for a trip from Los Angeles to Portland in a bedroom. I booked the trip online and printed an electronic ticket, but I still...

On a recent Sunset Limited trip (departed LAX on June 6) the heat was so intense that a rail buckled somewhere east of El Paso. The train was delayed 4 hours while a crew came to replace it. I'm puzzled as to how this was done. If the 2 adjacent rails had expanded to push the middle one into an...

Has anyone here ever ridden in a private car? I've visited them during the annual Train Day celebrations, but don't know anyone who has ridden one, much less leased one. I think that it would be so cool to ride out on the open air platform of a rear car. When I hit the lottery I'm going to...

Has the Sunset Ltd. departure time been moved back to midnight? If so, is it a permanent change? I was tracking its status today and found it listed "late" into cities along the route.

Why doesn't Google Earth mount a camera on Amtrak long distance trains? You can travel (virtually) nearly every road and highway in the world. Why not train routes?

I just read a fun (short) mystery novel that takes place on the Capitol Ltd and Southwest Chief. It's The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. The plot may have some holes in it, but his on-board descriptions and train jargon are correct and well researched. The central character boards the train...

I am planning a Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans trip in June. There'll be a one night layover in Chicago. Any recommendations for a (preferably inexpensive) lodging near the Chicago station?

I'm traveling from Los Angeles to New Orleans in June and plan to book a roomette. Since this is part of a bucket list trip I wouldn't want to take a chance on not getting one. I'm also trying to build up enough points on my Amtrak credit card to pay for it. (The Amtrak Guest Rewards people only...

I recently took the Sunset Ltd from LA to Houston and was disappointed to find that there was no View Liner car. In its place was a regular dining car with the table cloths removed and a snack bar in the middle. I haven't been riding the trains much recently. Are view liner cars on other trains?

My wife and I are going to ride the Sunset Ltd from LA to Houston next week. It's been five years since riding it last. Of all the spectacular cross country rides, I'm somehow drawn to this one across the desert. Has anyone else ridden it recently? Anything to add?