# Amtrak to Diamondhead - You Don't Have to Forget It



## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Hamilton posted on here recently to just forget it if you plan to take Amtrak to Diamondhead. That is just not factual. Amtrak still runs to New Orleans. Amtrak does not own the tracks it runs on outside the Northeast Corridor and thus is subject to the whims of the railroads that own the tracks, in this case the Norfolk Southern. In this case the Crescent which runs from New York to New Orleans has had to be cancelled south of Atlanta due to some major track maintenance starting January 18-21st. The 18th is the Monday after Diamondhead which means it should not affect most of you. If you planned to take it on the 18th you should plan on getting to Atlanta by some other means where you can continue your rail journey as planned. Other options by rail to Diamondhead are the City of New Orleans from Chicago which runs everyday and connects there to many other routes, and the Sunset Limited which comes over from Los Angeles by the way of El Paso, San Antonio and Houston three times a week. These services are not affected. So if you are booked as this gentleman apparently was just ask Amtrak to reroute you or take a plane, bus, rent car or whatever to Atlanta and get on your train there. There is no need to trash our only passenger rail carrier for something that is not it's fault.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

You know, I actually looked into taking Amtrak to Diamondhead. I would have to drive 30 minutes to the station, then head northbound for a few hours to DC,transfer at Union Station (long layover), THEN start the trek south. Once I even considered taking the auto train from Lorton VA to Orlando. I both cases this is what I've found: It's more expensive than flying and it takes longer than driving my car. If they could eliminate either of those two obstacles I would much rather take the train and I believe many others would also. Now given the choice of flying or driving....Where's my keys?


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm reading THE MEN WHO LOVES TRAINS , "The story of Men Who Battled Greed to to Save an Ailing Industry". It's a real eye opener about railroads and their officials. 

.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By seadawg on 17 Dec 2009 11:07 AM 
You know, I actually looked into taking Amtrak to Diamondhead. I would have to drive 30 minutes to the station, then head northbound for a few hours to DC,transfer at Union Station (long layover), THEN start the trek south. Once I even considered taking the auto train from Lorton VA to Orlando. I both cases this is what I've found: It's more expensive than flying and it takes longer than driving my car. If they could eliminate either of those two obstacles I would much rather take the train and I believe many others would also. Now given the choice of flying or driving....Where's my keys?


The way Amtrak is currently structured and the affects of freight train congestion on the privately owned railroads nothing is likely to change. To take the train on a long distance trip now days you just have to want to do it regardless. Our government pumps hundreds of billions each year into highways and the airline industry and gives Amtrak next to nothing. It gives the freight railroads nothing, zero. Amtrak has been running on fumes for decades. You get what you pay for. We need a balanced transportation system in this country as they have in most other 'first' world countries like Europe and Japan. But those countries have $8 a gallon gasoline most of which is taxes to pay for everything else. So we have made our choices and have to live with them. Should oil again spike up to over $100 a barrel we may be wishing we had chosen a different path.


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## Dave -- Use Coal (Feb 19, 2008)

I already wish we had chosen a different path.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

it takes longer than driving my car. 
Dave, 

The Autotrain runs overnight (while you sleep.) Doesn't that help?


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave, 

Too bad. I have found that taking the overnight trains, specifically the Crescent from Philly to Atlanta and the Silver Meteor from Philly to Savannah has proved to be about the same as flying, if you get 'reasonable' flight times and layovers. Sure, you can fly for $200 round trip, but you might have long layovers in fun airports like Chicago, Dulles, or Charlotte. And for a last minute business traveler like myself, it is actually cheaper to take the train, including the sleeper. Plus, there is the people factor. At meal times, you tend to be seated with people who turn out to be interesting, rather than a nusiance (as they tend to be in an airplane or in their car behind you.). Not sure where you are in VA, but did you consider driving across the state to the route the Cresent travels? Agreed, VA is not the best place to catch that particular train, but I noticed they have added a day train to and from south western VA. Too bad they don't serve the bigger community of Roanoke.

From what the train crews told me, west of Atlanta is like riding a roller coaster.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 18 Dec 2009 08:16 AM 
it takes longer than driving my car.
Dave, 

The Autotrain runs overnight (while you sleep.) Doesn't that help? 

If you upgrade to a Roomette or Bedroom (for an additional fee, of course) there could be some shut-eye involved. Still,17.5 hrs via Amtrak (add two hours to get to Lorton) or 12.5 hrs via Chevy. 

I do prefer trains (as probably do most folks who visit this site). I used to commute to work on snowy/nasty days in Japan (drive my Harley most other days). They got it down to a science: Grab a bus (very clean) 100 yards from the house, drops you at the station, grab a ticket, walk up the stairs just in time to get on the arriving express. A couple of stops later, you're there. Local trains feed the express stations (if you're not lucky enough to live near one), it all fits well together. Want to go to Sendai or Kyoto? Head towards Tokyo then transfer to a Shinkansen







Schweeet!


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

I had a roomette booked from New York to Slidell and back. I was looking forward to it. But the train out of Slidel got cancelled. Amtrak was unwilling to supply any kind of alternative transport, or voucher for same. They take your money, cancel the train and expect to keep your money. maybe not this time - or next time either. As it turns out, I'm driving down with Carol Homuth.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By seadawg on 18 Dec 2009 12:22 PM 
Posted By Pete Thornton on 18 Dec 2009 08:16 AM 
it takes longer than driving my car.
Dave, 

The Autotrain runs overnight (while you sleep.) Doesn't that help? 

If you upgrade to a Roomette or Bedroom (for an additional fee, of course) there could be some shut-eye involved. Still,17.5 hrs via Amtrak (add two hours to get to Lorton) or 12.5 hrs via Chevy. 

I do prefer trains (as probably do most folks who visit this site). I used to commute to work on snowy/nasty days in Japan (drive my Harley most other days). They got it down to a science: Grab a bus (very clean) 100 yards from the house, drops you at the station, grab a ticket, walk up the stairs just in time to get on the arriving express. A couple of stops later, you're there. Local trains feed the express stations (if you're not lucky enough to live near one), it all fits well together. Want to go to Sendai or Kyoto? Head towards Tokyo then transfer to a Shinkansen







Schweeet!
I have one of those stories... For 3 of the 4.5 years I lived in SF I commuted via Cable Car. The Powell Street line from Russian Hill to the turn-around at Market St., nearly the full length of the line, and back in the evenings. This was in the days before they rebuilt/replaced the track with smooth welded rail. It was a real adventure, whether the car would jump the rail, jolt to a stop or just lurch with the occasional stretch of the cable. New track took all the adventure out of riding it. Those were the days

Just think, if you were to take the train, Amtrak, from SF to NO you would, for example, leave Oakland, CA, Jan 8th 7:00 am and arrive in NO Jan 11th 3:30pm, via Chicago. That's a pleasant, relaxing train ride of about two and one half days.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

They take your money, cancel the train and expect to keep your money. 
That's not my experience with Amtrak. If you call the reservation center they usually refund your money instantly - much more rapidly than an airline!


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By dhamilton on 18 Dec 2009 01:18 PM They take your money, cancel the train and expect to keep your money.







As they say...................Stuff Happens. And, I find it very hard to believe that there is no way to be reimbursed.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

I think his travel agent just didn't know what he was doing. I see where no. 19 is over an hour late leaving Washington, DC and the other no. 19 is some three hours late out of laurel MS. Both these are the New Orleans bound trains. The big snow back east is beginning to take it's toll. At least the trains are running. The airports have shut down.


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

Had they offered to refund that part of the trip that they were unable to provide service for, or alternate travel arrangements for same, they may have avoided refunding ALL of my money.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I plan taking Amtrak from Nebraska to Chicago after xmas.


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

Both Amtrak and via were very prompt in refunding al my money.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I Took the train from Oakland CA to Chicago and back one X mas. They had problems. But my love for trains and what was going on outside the widnows made up for the problems they had. This was back in 1984. There was a huge train wreck between Oakland and Sacramento. It happened at 3 am the morning I was to leave. They bussed us from Oakland to Sacramento.


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

Things have changed since 1984. They don't provide alternate buss service anymore. If your train can't run, for any reason, you're on your own.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By dhamilton on 20 Dec 2009 09:58 PM 
Things have changed since 1984. They don't provide alternate buss service anymore. If your train can't run, for any reason, you're on your own. This is of course not true. Amtrak frequently provides busses for passengers when trains experience a service disruption. They don't just leave you out there in the sticks. The Crescent is entirely a different circumstance as the train has been officially annulled on those certain days and sufficient notice posted for passengers to make other arrangements before ever boarding the train.


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

and sufficient notice posted for passengers to make other arrangements before ever boarding the train. 


However, I had paid for a ticket from Slidell. They could have at least refunded the portion from Slidel to Atlanta, to cover tohe cost of me having to make alternate arrangements between those points. I was quite left on my own in that way. However the refund from the whole trip, from Amtrak and Via, will cover my portion of gass and hotels to get there and back.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

I have had Amtrak bus me once when there was a service disruption between Lancaster and Philadelphia, PA. Not even a hint of a question about that service. Also, just two months ago, I was witness to Amtrak doing the same for passengers going from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. There was a derailment in LAncaster, just west of the station. The regular train 43 was held in Philadelphia. I had arrived on the Crescent from Atlanta and was waiting for the next train west to Lancaster. It so happened that I got on the emergency train they provided for the people on the regular all-reserved Pennsylvanian. 

There was a lot of grumbling on the train since it was the short haul equipment, not the nice long distance coaches on the regular Pennsylvanian. But, that equipment doesn't operate push pull whereas the short haul stuff does. To speed up the process (since those passengers were already delayed about an hour and a half out of Philly was to provide both local stop busses (between Lancaster and Harrisburg) and through busses that went directly to Harrisburg. The Eastbound Pennsylvanian was stuck in Harrisburg, so I imagine they bussed all those passengers to Lancaster to take our train East. That was an impressive handling of people, considering the circumstances.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Amtrak has yet to disappoint me, much less leave me stranded. A fe years ago, the Texas Eagle had a multitude of problems (and gave me a dozen great stories) that we got to San Antonio so late that they took our sleepers on to New Orleans and put us Chi-bound folks up at the Red Roof, with $25 cash for supper. I had a lovely evening at Riverwalk and surprised myself to find I was walking right by the Alamo on the way back to the Roof. Next time on the Eagle, a derailment ahead of us forced us to go back the 30 miles to San Antone and Amtrak put us on Greyhounds to Dallas while the westbound passengers were on Greyhounds to San Antonio. We simply swapped trains! The best part of that trip was the Greyhound driver being unable to find the Amtrak station, as we got to know downtown Dallas very well.

I'm visiting my bro in Phoenix again next month. Can't wait to see what adventure awaits. (Like I say, I've got tons of stories from little Amtrak surprises. O'Hare airport stories are never fun.)

jack


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## dhamilton (Jan 4, 2008)

The kind of very appropriate service, that was the experience in the previous two posts, was the exact opposite of my experience. Pity.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Sad that Amtrak has the less-than-sterling reputation that isn't exactly groundless. Passenger trains have been the ******* stepchild of American transportation policy for many decades but I'm hopeful things will change for the better. Amazing what a few months of $4/gal. gas can do. 

Sadder still that even Amtrak employees aren't aware that there is NARP (Nat'l. Assn. of Railroad Passengers), of which I am a member. It'll get you a 10% discount on coach fare, although being over 65 gets me 15%. But I figure it's worth the annual membership fee ($35, I think) just to show the world and, mostly importantly, Washington that passenger trains must be a part of the nation's transportation system. 

jack


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