No Dallas- LAX Connect?

[DesertRat]

I was pondering the not too likely scenario as follows: On my way back West, my connection is in Dallas. My connections have been late in the past, so, would Amtrak would be a good backup? The Texas Eagle is daily through goes to LAX only on WedFriMon. My connection is on Thursday.

No matter how I try it in the Amtrak Trip Planner thing, proposed route is from Dallas to Missouri and then to LAX. Is that accurate or am I missing something?

 

[the_traveler]

If you are trying a specific day (Thursday), you are only offered the MO connections, since that is the only possibility that day. However, if you try a day that 421 runs, you will also be offered the TE, unless it is sold out that day. (But you should still see 21->1 offered.)

 

[VentureForth]

Oooh - and now with the DART Orange line connected to Dallas, you can get to the Amtrak Dallas station by train (with a transfer to the Red or Blue line at West End)!

Lessee here. First of all, 421 runs (from Dallas) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, not Fridays. That's why you're getting 22 to St. Louis, etc on Thursdays and Fridays.

But even if your connection in Dallas were on a Wednesday, you'd have to get on the Orange line in DFW no later than 10:15. If you miss that, you're hosed (not really - so long as you can get a cab by 10:45, you should be fine).

I might would actually prefer (and it would be safer, time wise) to take the free shuttle to CenterPort and ride the TRE to Ft. Worth and pick up the Eagle there. Latest TRE that leaves CentrePort is 12:46 PM and gets to Ft Worth Intermodal at 1:22 with 50 minutes to spare, but no telling how long it takes to get from the terminals to the train station - only that they have departures every 15 minutes.

The biggest issue is your Thursday connection. You'll have to wait 'til Saturday until you can take the train. The next issue is whether your arrival time is early enough and can be assured to catch a train from the DFW area. Hate to be a downer on Amtrak, but you'll be better off going out the next day if you miss your connection. If you do miss your connection, and you have to lay over, take the Orange line to the West End and have a fun evening!

 

[DesertRat]

....I guess I'm not reading the Jun 2014 timetable correctly. But it does seem the Eagle wouldn't be a good alternative anyway. Save it for another trip.

 

[DesertRat]

Where are you getting the Saturday?

 

[saxman]

Where are you getting the Saturday?

It leaves SAS on Tus, Thurs, Sun, so it leaves DAL the day before.

 

[VentureForth]

http://www.amtrak.com

If you have a paper copy of the timetable, on the Texas Eagle page is shows TuThSu from San Antonio to Los Angeles. That interprets to 421 leaving Chicago on SuTuFr, thus hitting Dallas on MoWeSa.

Day 1 is departure day in Chicago (Friday).

Day 2 begins somewhere between Poplar Bluff, MO and Little Rock, AR (Saturday).

Day 3 begins during the San Antonio Shuffle (Sunday).

Day 4 begins sometime after Yuma, AZ (Monday).

 

[DesertRat]

Aha...the light bulb just switched on. Thanks.

 

[VentureForth]

Of course, the best decision is to have an overnight (or two) in Dallas and ride DART and the TRE all over the place!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Of course, the best decision is to have an overnight (or two) in Dallas and ride DART and the TRE all over the place!

Not a bad idea and if you stay for two nights you could take the Heartland Flyer from FTW to OKC!Boomer Sooner!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Of course, the best decision is to have an overnight (or two) in Dallas and ride DART and the TRE all over the place!

Not a bad idea and if you stay for two nights you could take the Heartland Flyer from FTW to OKC!Boomer Sooner!

Though that would require an overnight in OKC as it is up (north) in the evening and down (south) in the morning. We need that second turn

 

[neroden]

Again the curse of less-than-daily service strikes!