FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 13, 2012
ATK-12-018 Contact: Marc Magliari 312 544.5390
NEW SCHEDULE FOR SUNSET LIMITED BENEFITS PASSENGERS AND IMPROVES FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Better connections, increased ridership and revenue, and reduced costs
NEW ORLEANS -- A new schedule for the Amtrak Sunset Limited is planned to take effect on May 7 for the New Orleans-Los Angeles route that will change the days of westbound operations and provide better connections for passengers travelling to and through California. These changes are expected to increase ridership and revenue, and reduce crew layover costs. The passenger benefits and financial improvement resulting from changing the Sunset Limited schedule are two-fold: Amtrak is providing better service and acting to improve our bottom line, said President and CEO Joe Boardman. These are improvements that can be implemented quickly, require no capital investment and will enhance connectivity across our national network. The westbound Sunset Limited (Train 1) will depart from New Orleans on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays almost three hours earlier each day than the current Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. While there is no change to the eastbound Sunset Limited (Train 2) days of operations from Los Angeles on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, it will depart seven hours later each day in order to restore connections between the Sunset Limited and the Amtrak Coast Starlight (Trains 11 & 14) and to make possible an attractive next morning arrival to Arizona destinations. In addition, the change will significantly reduce the layover for through passengers at San Antonio by more than seven hours for eastbound passengers and by more than three hours for westbound passengers when railcars are exchanged between the Sunset Limited and the Texas Eagle (Trains 21 & 22). Better connections between the Sunset Limited, Coast Starlight, Texas Eagle and Amtrak corridor services in California are predicted to increase the ridership and revenue of these trains. - more -
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ATK-12-018
Those passengers who have already purchased tickets for the period affected by the schedule change will be notified and offered rebooking at no charge. Inaugurated by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1894, the Sunset Limited has been operated by Amtrak since its inception in 1971. Nearly 100,000 passengers rode the Sunset Limited last year, an increase of almost nine percent over the previous fiscal year.
About Amtrak: Celebrating 40 years of dedicated service as Americas Railroad Amtrak is the nations intercity passenger rail provider and its only high-speed rail operator. A record 30.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2011 on more than 300 daily trains at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak operates trains in partnership with 15 states and four commuter rail agencies. Enjoy the journeySM at [Link] or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on [Link]/Amtrak and follow us at [Link]/Amtrak.
# (schedule attached) #
Amtrak Sunset Limited New Orleans-San Antonio-Los Angeles Effective May 7, 2012
Train 1, Westbound (read down)
Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar New Orleans, LA Schriever, LA New Iberia, LA Lafayette, LA Lake Charles, LA Beaumont, TX Houston, TX San Antonio, TX Del Rio, TX Sanderson, TX Alpine, TX El Paso, TX Deming, NM Lordsburg, NM Benson, AZ Tucson, AZ Maricopa, AZ Yuma, AZ Palm Springs, CA Ontario, CA Pomona, CA Los Angeles, CA MST PT D D PT F F 9:00 AMMoWeSa 10:30 AMMoWeSa 11:56 AMMoWeSa 12:24 PMMoWeSa 1:55 PMMoWeSa 3:48 PMMoWeSa 6:18 PMMoWeSa 6:55 PMMoWeSa 12:05 AM TuThSu 2:45 AM TuThSu 5:49 AM TuThSu 8:24 AM TuThSu 10:38 AM TuThSu 1:22 PM TuThSu 1:47 PM TuThSu 3:18 PM TuThSu 4:13 PM TuThSu 5:18 PM TuThSu 6:45 PM TuThSu 7:35 PM TuThSu 8:52 PM TuThSu 9:02 PM TuThSu 11:49 PM TuThSu 2:02 AM WeFrMo 3:54 AM WeFrMo 4:04 AM WeFrMo 5:35 AM WeFrMo
Train 2, Eastbound (read down)
Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Dp Ar Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Dp Ar Los Angeles, CA Pomona, CA Ontario, CA Palm Springs, CA Yuma, AZ Maricopa, AZ Tucson, AZ Benson, AZ Lordsburg, NM Deming, NM El Paso, TX Alpine, TX Sanderson, TX Del Rio, TX San Antonio, TX Houston, TX Beaumont, TX Lake Charles, LA Lafayette, LA New Iberia, LA Schriever, LA New Orleans, LA MST F MT F F MT CT F PT 10:00 PM 10:41 PM 10:54 PM 12:36 AM 2:47 AM 5:30 AM 5:40 AM 7:28 AM 8:15 AM 9:15 AM 12:15 PM 1:10 PM 3:10 PM 3:35 PM 8:45 PM 10:36 PM 1:02 AM 4:50 AM 6:25 AM 11:10 AM 12:10 PM 2:05 PM 3:29 PM 5:15 PM 5:41 PM 7:03 PM 9:40 PM SuWeFr SuWeFr SuWeFr MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa MoThSa TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu TuFrSu
PT MST
F CT MT F MT F MST F
F F
Note: Arriving Train 1 sleeping car passengers at Los Angeles will be invited to remain aboard the train until 6:30 a.m. Legend: (all times local) Dp: Depart Ar: Arrive F: Flag Stop, trains stop with advance reservation or if passengers are visible on platform D: Trains stop only to discharge passengers CT: Central Time MT: Mountain Time MST: Mountain Standard Time (Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time) PT: Pacific Time