Claremont Thruway Bus Stop Temporarily Changing

A city festival will result in the temporary closing on April 22 of the street used in Claremont, California, for Amtrak Thruway Connecting Route 19 buses.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said that Thruway Buses 5465, 5417, 5419, 5403, 5402, 5410, 5412, and 5414 heading to Bakersfield, California, to connect with San Joaquin trains  will stop at an alternate location at the northeast corner of West Bonita Avenue and North Indian Hills Boulevard.

This stop is two blocks west and two blocks north of the regular Thruway stop, located at the Metrolink station at 200 West First Street.

After the street reopens, Thruway Buses 5465, 5417, 5402, 5403, 5410, 5412, 5414 and 5419 will make the normal stop at the Metrolink station.

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San Joaquin Expansion Being Eyed

A California city has taken a step toward expanding Amtrak’s San Joaquin service into new territory.

The Butte County Association of Governments board of directors approved a $495,000 option contract to acquire the former Western Pacific station in Oroville.

The option is good for 90 days and is contingent on the association receiving a grant to help pay for the building.

BCAG Executive Director Jon Clark said the station could also be used for a proposed commuter bus line to Sacramento.

The San Joaquin service current operates between Bakersfield and Sacramento with some trains operating as far west as Oakland.

Funding for San Joaquin service comes from the State of California.

Transportation officials have said that Oroville is probably as far north as San Joaquin service can go due to freight train service on the route to Redding via Chico.

No study has yet been done on ridership potential from Oroville, but officials believe that it would be considerable.

There is an Amtrak Thruway bus route connecting with San Joaquin service at Stockton from Marysville, Oroville, Chico, Red Bluff and Redding.

Renovation of the Oroville station might cost as much as $4 million.

A portion of the depot is used by an insurance agency while most of the structure used to be used by a restaurant and mico-brewery.

Amtrak Establishes Williams Shuttle

Amtrak has established a Thruway shuttle service between Flagstaff, Arizona, and Williams, Arizona, the gateway to the Grand Canyon.

The new service, which accommodates passengers using the Southwest Chief, replaced a now-discontinued station stop at Williams Junction, Arizona.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said the shuttle fare is $24 and has a guaranteed connection. The shuttle will stop at the Holiday Inn Express, 1150 W. Cataract Lake Road, in Williams.

Passengers traveling from Chicago and points west on Train 3 to Williams will detrain in Flagstaff and connect to Thruway bus 8953 departing at 10:10 p.m.

Passengers traveling from Williams westbound toward Los Angeles, will take Thruway bus 8853 departing at 8:30 p.m. to connect with Train 3 in Flagstaff.

Passengers on Train 4 traveling from Los Angeles and points east to Williams will detrain in Flagstaff and take Thruway bus 8954 departing at 6:00 a.m.

Passengers traveling from Williams heading eastbound toward Chicago on train 4, will take Thruway bus 8854 departing at 4:15 a.m. to connect with Train 4 in Flagstaff.

 

New Thruway Terminal in Rockford

The Amtrak Thruway buses serving Rockford, Illinois, have a new terminal.

The buses are now stopping at the Rockford Mass Transit District East Side Transfer Center at 725 N. Lyford Road. Passengers traveling from Rockford to Chicago Union Station will board at Location H.

Sunset Ltd. Still Suspended to Houston

In a service advisory issued on Thursday, Amtrak said that its Sunset Limited is still not operating between New Orleans and San Antonio.

Nos. 1 and 2 continue to operate between San Antonio and Los Angeles.

Amtrak did not give an estimate of when service through flood-ravaged Houston would be restored.

It said it continues to work with BNSF and Union Pacific to restore the service when it is possible to do so. An update will be posted on or before Sept. 12.

Amtrak Thruway Bus Service Routes 6021 & 6022 between Galveston and Longview, Texas, are available as alternate transportation to and from Houston, enabling connections with the rest of the Amtrak national network using the Texas Eagle at Longview.

Sunset Limited Still Suspended, Thruways Restored

Amtrak said on Friday that the Sunset Limited remains suspended between New Orleans and San Antonio, Texas.

However, Thruway Bus Service Routes 6021 & 6022 have resumed between Galveston and Longview, Texas, via Houston, enabling connections to and from the rest of the Amtrak National Network using the Texas Eagle.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said it is unable to offer alternate transportation between San Antonio and New Orleans, but is working with Union Pacific and BNSF to restore Nos. 1 and 2 when it is possible to do so.

 

New Thruway Links Cardinal with W.Va. Cities

Amtrak has launched a Thruway bus route to link its Chicago-New York Cardinal with cities in north central West Virginia.

The bus will connect the eastbound Cardinal with Morgantown, Fairmount, Clarksburg/Bridgeport, Weston, Sutton/Flatwoods, and Clendenin.

The bus route will serve the Amtrak station in Charleston, where No 50 stops on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

The bus will depart from Morgantown at 4:50 a.m. on the days that the Cardinal operates to Charleston.

Arriving in Charleston at 8 a.m., the bus is scheduled to return to Morgantown and all intermediate cities at 8:45 a.m. The Cardinal is scheduled to stop in Charleston at 8:21 a.m.

Baron’s Bus lines is operating the service and uses motor coaches equipped with Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.

Track Work to Affect Service in North Carolina on July 19

Track work in Raleigh, North Carolina, will affect the operation of Amtrak’s Piedmont, Carolinian and Silver Star trains on July 18 and 19.

On July 18, Train 1092 will depart Miami at 9:15 a.m., two hours and 35 minutes earlier than its current schedule, and operate on the earlier schedule through its arrival into Philadelphia at 2:20 p.m.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said Train 92 will wait in Philadelphia until it departs at 5:10 p.m, then operate according to its normal schedule at all remaining stations on the route.

Due to the earlier train departure, the train number for northbound Train 92 departing Miami on July 18 has been changed to Train 1092.

The earlier schedule for the Silver Star will also affect certain Thruway Bus routes.

Thruway Bus 6292 will depart earlier from Lakeland, Florida, while Thruway Bus 6092 will depart earlier from Fort Myers, Florida.

Passengers ticketed on those routes are urged to contact Amtrak for updated schedules by visiting Amtrak.com, using the Amtrak mobile apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245).

On July 19, the Carolinian and Piedmont service will be cancelled and no alternative transportation provided. This affects Trains 73, 74, 75, 76, 79 and 80.

Westbound Texas Eagle to Detour in Texas May 1-8

Amtrak’s westbound Texas Eagle is being detoured in Texas between May 1 and 8 due to track work being performed by Union Pacific.

The train will miss its scheduled stops at Marshall and Longview, Texas.

In a service advisory, Amtrak said passengers boarding at Shreveport, Louisiana; Marshall, Texas; and Longview, Texas, will board Thruway bus 6421 to Mineola, Texas, where they will board Train 21/421.

Passengers on Nos. 21/421 who are traveling to Shreveport, Marshall and Longview will detrain at Mineola and ride Thruway bus 6121 to their destination. Bus 6121 will originate at Mineola instead of Longview.

Those on Nos. 21/421 who are scheduled to make connections with Thruway bus 6021 at Longview will also detrain at Mineola and take Thruway Bus 6021 to their destination. Bus 6021 will originate in Mineola instead of Longview.

During this period, Amtrak personnel will be available at Mineola to assist customers.

Sunset Limited Phoenix Thruway Route Slated

Amtrak plans to launch a new Thruway bus service on May 1 that will link the Phoenix metropolitan area with the New Orleans-Los Angeles Sunset Limited.

The closest station to Phoenix served by Nos. 1 and 2 is Maricopa, Arizona.

The new Thruway service will be operated by Stagecoach Express and link Maricopa with Tempe, Phoenix Metro Transit Center and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

The Sunset Limited operates tri-weekly and also stops in Arizona at Tucson, Yuma and Benson.