THANK YOU

[Judy]

I just wanted to thank everyone who answered any of my questions I had about Amtrak travel. My son and I recently returned from our trip and because of your info it was quite a lot of fun. I'm glad I knew about the delays and planned for them. Very glad someone told me to bring a blanket,and the most important piece of advice I received was to not sleep during the day. The first night was a little tough to sleep, as we didn't get on the train until 3:30 a.m. The next two nights weren't bad. We were able to each have two seat. My son slept until 1 the next afternoon, so I quess he was very comfortable. The attendant in the cafe was wonderful. I think his name was Al. Very funny, he let the teenagers (there were alot on this trip) play card and watch movies all day in the cafe. The attendant on the way back (Chi-Clev) wasn't so nice. He just about bit my and another ladies head off because we told him that someone had gotten ill in the back section of the cafe. We just wanted it cleaned up so it wouldn't get tracked all through the train. He even threatened to close the cafe. Other than that the trip was wonderful. My son said he would rather spend 3 days on the train than 5 hours in a plane. We are looking forward to our next trip. Not sure when that will be, but I hope it's soon. Thanks again for all the great info. It was nice to have a little idea of what to expect.

 

[AlanB]

Judy,

Glad you enjoyed your trip and that we were able to help make it more enjoyable for you and your family.

 

[jccollins]

Al is a great guy - I am glad he was the attendant on one of your trains! He used to regularly work on the California Zephyr (SF Bay Area - Chicago) trains and I have been wondering where he has been lately. I am glad to hear you had a great trip and will be planning more on Amtrak and hopefully spreading the word that Amtrak is a safe, convenient and relaxing way to travel. Thanks for returning to the forum to let us know how your trip went; feel free to ask us if you have questions about any other routes you might be considering travel on.

 

[Judy]

I do have one question. I may need to go to Mobile AL in June. I see they are still not running between Jacksonville and New Orleans. Any chance of that track being repaired by next June?

As far as me spreading the word about Amtrak, you bet I am. It is so funny when people ask me how the train ride was, there is always this hesitation in their voice, like it will be something I don't want to talk about. When I tell them it was great and I really enjoyed it they are very suprised. I even have one friend that is going to take a short trip first and then if he likes it he is going to go to L.A. this summer by train instead of plane. Maybe a new convert.

 

[jccollins]

The tracks to Mobile, Alabama should be repaired and trains should be rolling on them long before June. Keep an eye open around the discussion forum and over at the amtrak.com homepage for an announcement detailing exactly when the trains will start rolling again. We should hear something within the next couple months.

Timewise, certain Amtrak trains perform consistently better than others because of differing levels of treatment based on which host railroad's tracks they operate over; that might be why some of your friends brace to hear the worst but are relieved to hear about a positive trip on Amtrak. Regardless, the level of service provided is usually consistently good on the trains, but a train running several hours late can sometimes dampen the crew's mood since the crews have to hear all the passengers' complaints for things completely out of their control.

 

[trainboy325]

No one is really sure what, if any, type of Amtrak service will be available to MOE in June. As of now, the official timetable is to return rail service sometime in February or March, but that's totally up to CSX and their ability or choice not to allow Amtrak to return to the LN mainline along the Gulf Coast. I suspect that if Amtrak isn't allowed to return for whatever reason in the near future, the company may establish a "thruway motorcoach" Greyhound option along the entire Interstate 10 corridor (excluding Atmore, AL) that the Sunset currently is scheduled to serve.

Due to the fact that the State of Mississippi has done studies on the feasibility to relocate the LN mainline away from the beach and reduce the number of grade crossings along the congested US 90 Corridor with the growing casino business in the past years, Katrina's destruction of vital bridges along the route may be the catalyst that gets federal funding for the mainline reroute project. Although this will be a long time coming, it may give CSX a reason not to restore the route up to passenger train standards and operate the line with extensive slow orders and serviceable line breaks causing Amtrak to eliminate the Sunset east of NOL until a new mainline is in operation. Something like this though is too early to assume will happen, but definately is being discussed by CSX corporate in Jacksonville.

Using the S line of the former Palmetto between JAX and TPA as a example, Amtrak was able to avoid having to post 180 day service abolishments and the political fallout by those cities, especially OCA, by providing an Amtrak thruway motorcoach along US 301 thereby keeping the route available in the future for Amtrak to return a train if they ever choose to do so. The same will go with the Sunset cities between NOL and JAX, Amtrak will operate some sort of bus service using the Amtrak name to protect their political interest, especially along the Gulf Coast, the hometown of Senator Trent Lott, Amtrak's most ardent Republican supporter in the South. Amtrak can't afford at this time to cut service through the state and hometown of someone like Trent Lott. This is most likely the greatest advantage railfans have to save the Sunset Limited rail service east of NOL to Florida.

 

[AmtrakFan]

Randy,

I have heard that the earliest the line will reopen if at all is April of 06.

 

[trainboy325]

Thanks,

That's just more proof that the Sunset Limited east of NOL will be out of service for a very, very long time, if it comes back at all. At this point, I don't think there's a single person at Amtrak that has true knowledge when it will ever run again. Like I said before, it's totally up to CSX and their plans for the LN mainline that decides the Sunset's fate.

I've spoken with some friends who work in the JAX T&E crew base while I was back home in the WTH area for a family event and took a few rides on the trains to chat with my Florida coworkers. According to one conductor whom I know is very much involved with the railroad's inner workings in the East said that JAX crews won't be making any requalifications runs for the CSX mainline between JAX and PNS until October at the earliest. Most of the JAX crews are now dead on the road for the Sunset Route with only a couple of engineers and conductors left having active road qualifications. In addition to current crews, the new hire engineers coming to JAX will not be required to have qualifications for the run to PNS and won't be taught the rules of the road for the dark territories near TLH and points west. A very close friend will be taking the leap into T&E at Amtrak and may be more helpful in the future of the Sunset east of NOL when learning about what routes will be required for his new job. I haven't spoken with anyone who held a regular on the Sunset in NOL about their jobs or qualifications to PNS. All I know is that due to the Sunset not running to Florida, the crew base has about six fewer jobs than before Katrina. The Crescent is operated by MEI crews between NOL and ATL doesn't effect NOL. In addition to T&E, the entire OBS crew on the Crescent is now out of NYP than split like it was prior to Katrina (diner was NYP crew; coaches, sleepers, lounge was NOL crew).