Transfers and Late Trains question.

In all likelihood I will be traveling from Rochester NY to Elkhart Indiana November 28th and returning November 30th, this involves me changing trains in Toledo from the Lake Shore Limited to the Capital Limited.

My question is what does Amtrak do when the Lake Shore is late reaching Toledo, do they hold the Capital Ltd for a short time, put you up in a hotel, put you on Greyhound send you in a taxi, or expect you to find your own way to Elkhart? As many of us know the Lake Shore is notorious for running behind schedule and looking over the past few days I can see several arrival times in Toledo that are after the departure time of the Capital Ltd, so this has me worried.

Also, what is the neighborhood like around the Toledo station, is it safe enough to find a restarunt at five in the morning or should one stick to whatever is in the station's vending machines and have breakfest on the train?

For 125 miles, likely "arf arf" regardless of class of service.

While I guess it was "sport" to note on my recent Lake Shore ride we crossed Indiana and into Chi making fewer stops than did The Century, I still must wonder why the Lake Shore could not make conditional "drop' stops at both Elkhart and Hammond. If those are "open" stations, they are going to be open anyway. It really seems like an unnecessary inconvenience to ask WB passengers to change trains at Toledo.

Also, I was a bit "miffed" to chug through Elkhart as I had told a 14 year or so old GIRL (a railfanette?) to look out for the National NYC Museum "on the fireman;s side' (she kneweth of what I spake; her Mother didn't). Well, NS had some EB traffic a movin' and with no stop, no view of the NNYX equipment.

Embarassing, especially since this youngster was "looking up to' what knowledge I have of things railroad.

Interesting, I had assumed that they simply went on seperate routes between Toledo and South Bend for some unknown reason. The whole purpose of this trip is to visit a college near Elkhart, perhaps I could get them to pick me up in South Bend, a bit of a trip for them, but a lot less hassle for me.

Also who was the jerk that decided to give South Bend the 3 letter designation SOB?

I don't know what the rules would be against pulling the brake level at Elkhart. For Amtrak, it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than the alternatives.

As long as it is a guaranteed connection (and if it shows up in amtrak.com reservations or over the phone as an option, then it is one), it is Amtrak's responsibility to get you where you're going.

South Bend is only 18 miles past Elkhart. Why not stay on the Lake Shore and have someone pickup you up there, or worst case, take a taxi back to Elkhart? It will be a lot less aggravation.

I think it is shamefull that the LSL doesn't stop in EKH and HMI, just as it is shamefull that it does not stop in POU, RHI, and HUD.

joshuahouse wrote:
Also who was the jerk that decided to give South Bend the 3 letter designation SOB?

Well, have you ever visited the train station there? You might be inclined to give it that nickname after visiting, perhaps it was a form of revenge

But seriously, it's not a place you'd like to be hanging around for any period of time, particularly at night.

That would be Amtrak. The official airport code is SBN. Why didn't Amtrak simply use the established airport code? Good question.

Probably because the Airport is also the site of the South Shore Line station, and would create a source of potential confusion for patrons. Besides, the Amtrak station is not the airport and in most (all?) other cities the Train station does not share an airport code.

Probably also to do with travel agents computers, which will assume an airport code means the airport rather than the city for booking of hotels, cars etc.

Actually, the train station and airport share a code in quite a few cities. ATL, BHM, and JAN just to name three near me. I'm sure someone could come up with a long list if they spent a little time on it.

C&O 15 wrote:Actually, the train station and airport share a code in quite a few cities. ATL, BHM, and JAN just to name three near me. I'm sure someone could come up with a long list if they spent a little time on it.

OK, I stand corrected. However I would submit that given there is actually a train station at South Bend Airport (but not served by Amtrak), there is greater potential for confusion

LI Loco wrote:South Bend is only 13 miles past Elkhart. Why not stay on the Lake Shore and have someone pickup you up there, or worst case, take a taxi back to Elkhart? It will be a lot less aggravation.

That what I would do.

AmtrakFan

metrarider wrote:

C&O 15 wrote:Actually, the train station and airport share a code in quite a few cities. ATL, BHM, and JAN just to name three near me. I'm sure someone could come up with a long list if they spent a little time on it.

OK, I stand corrected. However I would submit that given there is actually a train station at South Bend Airport (but not served by Amtrak), there is greater potential for confusion

Well, Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee has the code MKE. Milwaukee's downtown Amtrak station has the code MKE. Milwaukee's Airport Rail Station will have the code MKA.

Miami Airport/Amtrak station both use MIA, and Amtrak has a Thruway bus to the airport that has the code (IIRC) MII (or I could be wrong on that, don't feel like looking it up).

There's also LAX, though I don't know if Amtrak has any Thruway connection to the airport.

Rhinecliff wrote:I think it is shamefull that the LSL doesn't stop in EKH and HMI, just as it is shamefull that it does not stop in POU, RHI, and HUD.

We are talking apples and oranges here, there is no alternative service to
the Capital Limited for Elkhart. In the event that the Lake Shore is too
late to make connection at Toledo or where ever, it should not be too big
a deal for the Lake Shore to make a special stop to discharge the people
who would otherwise be stuck.
In the case between New York and Albany, there is not much need for
the Lake Shore to make any of these stops, there is an Albany train that
makes the stops and one can connect at Albany. This train does not
handle local passengers between New York and Albany.
I would suggest you check the train status for both trains 29 and 49 in the
train status portion of the www.amtrak.com.
You can check the status of the two above trains at either Cleveland or
Toledo. You could do this on a daily basis and give yourself a good idea
of your chances of making this connection.
Noel Weaver

Gilbert B Norman wrote:
Also, I was a bit "miffed" to chug through Elkhart as I had told a 14 year or so old GIRL (a railfanette?) to look out for the National NYC Museum "on the fireman;s side' (she kneweth of what I spake; her Mother didn't). Well, NS had some EB traffic a movin' and with no stop, no view of the NNYX equipment.

Having been unaware of the NYC Museum in Elkhart, I was quite surprised to sit down for breakfast in the dining car of the Capitol Limited several years ago as we pulled into Elkhart and see a GG1 sitting next to the track!