Passenger Trains > Sellout Conditions Appear on Amtrak California Routes

On the busiest travel day of the year for Amtrak, a few Amtrak California trains are beginning to show sold-out conditions, after showing sufficient availability earlier this week, unlike the Cascades, which have been sold out in many cases for more than a week with their low-capacity Talgos.

As of 10am, Train 784, the 203pm from SBA-LAX, was sold out, as were the 777 and 785, 12 Noon and 4pm departures SAN-LAX. On the San Joaquin line, southbound Trains 714 and 716 are sold out, and 718, the evening departure from OKJ, is close to being sold out. Some seats remain available for sale, of course, on the lighter-used segments of these trains. Coast Route bus 4796, the 1135am departure SJC-SBA, is also sold out; it may be operating in multiple sections. With cancelations, actual results are subject to change at a moments notice.

There are no sell-outs on the Capitol Corridor, as it remains unreserved, taking all comers. A Caltrain equipment set will be in service on one roundtrip (542/551), and Train 551, the final SAC departure at 910pm, will operate through to SJC today rather than terminating in OKJ.

Many folks will be standing on the Capitol Corridor trains.

chakk Wrote:
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> Many folks will be standing on the Capitol
> Corridor trains.


That was not, apparently, the case last year, although it remains a possibility.

> Train 551, the final SAC
> departure at 910pm, will operate through to SJC
> today rather than terminating in OKJ.


Wish it were this way daily...

Folks, there are sellout conditions on a number of corridors across the Amtrak system, and on the long distance trains as well. Surprisingly, many of the Keystones from NYP to Philly were sold out yesterday. So even getting from NYP to Philly has become a challenge on Amtrak. I would imagine the rest of the NEC and Empire Corridor is the same way.

reindeerflame Wrote:
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> A
> Caltrain equipment set will be in service on one
> roundtrip (542/551), and Train 551, the final SAC
> departure at 910pm, will operate through to SJC
> today rather than terminating in OKJ.


Be sure to BYOB/BYOF!

Train 528 arrived more than 10 minutes early from San Jose, disgorging about 350 passengers. The new pedestrian tunnel at SAC resembled LAUPT after the arrival of the Starlight.

Train 701 arrived 8 minutes down at 1238pm from Bakersfield, with about 210 passengers disembarking. A number of passengers were surprised by the new track configuration and longer walk. Fortunately, the last segment of the direct covered walkway was completed yesterday.

Earlier, this afternoon's 704 (455pm SAC departure to BFD) showed all of one seat available for sale!

chakk Wrote:
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> Many folks will be standing on the Capitol
> Corridor trains.

They'll be standing, sitting on the staircases, sitting on the floors, jamming the cafe cars, and if there's any room, trying to grab a seat in some of the luggage racks.
And I'm speaking from personal experience here as a regular Capitol Corridor commuter.
There would be six-car, and even seven-car trains on Thanksgiving eve. Even when Amtrak would add a third conductor, it was a real challenge to sweep the cars between station stops to pull all of the tickets.

MarinCommuter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> chakk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Many folks will be standing on the Capitol
> > Corridor trains.
>
> They'll be standing, sitting on the staircases,
> sitting on the floors, jamming the cafe cars, and
> if there's any room, trying to grab a seat in some
> of the luggage racks.
> And I'm speaking from personal experience here as
> a regular Capitol Corridor commuter.
> There would be six-car, and even seven-car trains
> on Thanksgiving eve. Even when Amtrak would add a
> third conductor, it was a real challenge to sweep
> the cars between station stops to pull all of the
> tickets.

Sounds nearly like a typical NJT day on the NEC and NJCL during peak period!

On one good note, those CALTRAIN cars have more luggage racks than AMTRAK cars, unless they've changed them!

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MarinCommuter Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > chakk Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Many folks will be standing on the Capitol
> > > Corridor trains.
> >
> > They'll be standing, sitting on the staircases,
> > sitting on the floors, jamming the cafe cars,
> and
> > if there's any room, trying to grab a seat in
> some
> > of the luggage racks.
> > And I'm speaking from personal experience here
> as
> > a regular Capitol Corridor commuter.
> > There would be six-car, and even seven-car
> trains
> > on Thanksgiving eve. Even when Amtrak would add
> a
> > third conductor, it was a real challenge to
> sweep
> > the cars between station stops to pull all of
> the
> > tickets.
>
> Sounds nearly like a typical NJT day on the NEC
> and NJCL during peak period!


Yes it does ... and I experienced those Northeast Corridor trains first-hand. But remember, we're talking California, where EVERYBODY drives and nobody rides trains, right?

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Train 528 arrived more than 10 minutes early from
> San Jose, disgorging about 350 passengers. The
> new pedestrian tunnel at SAC resembled LAUPT after
> the arrival of the Starlight.
>
> Train 701 arrived 8 minutes down at 1238pm from
> Bakersfield, with about 210 passengers
> disembarking. A number of passengers were
> surprised by the new track configuration and
> longer walk. Fortunately, the last segment of the
> direct covered walkway was completed yesterday.
>
> Earlier, this afternoon's 704 (455pm SAC departure
> to BFD) showed all of one seat available for sale!


The folks back in Washington Dee Cee need to hear these ridership stats so they know that railservice IS being used...