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[KevinKorell]

 

 

Illini and Saluki Trains 391 and 392 Schedule Changes for Solar Eclipse

Effective April 8, 2024

 

Illini and Saluki trains will operate modified schedules on April 8 to help customers get to the Area of Totality in time to witness the eclipse. Schedule times listed on Amtrak.com have been updated to reflect these changes.

• Saluki Train 391 will depart Chicago earlier, at 6:35 am, and operate on an adjusted schedule through to Carbondale, arriving at 12:05 pm.


• Illini Train 392 will depart Carbondale later, at 6:40 pm, and operate on an adjusted schedule through to Chicago, arriving at 12:10 am.


• These schedule changes could affect passengers commuting on other services, please see Metra.com or use the Ventra app for current schedules.

 

[CNJRoss]

Trains News Wire

 

Amtrak modifies April 8 schedules for eclipse viewing in Carbondale, Ill.

 

By Trains Staff | March 22, 2024

 

Saluki, Illini will adjust times to allow passengers to reach Path of Totality

 

CHICAGO — Amtrak will operate modified schedules for two Illinois Service trains to allow passengers to better view the solar eclipse coming up on April 8, the passenger operator has announced.

 

On that day, Saluki train No. 391 will depart Chicago earlier, at 6:35 a.m., arriving at Carbondale, Ill., at 12:05 p.m. to reach the Area of Totality in time for the eclipse. A returning train, Illini No. 392, will depart Carbondale later, at 6:40 p.m., returning to Chicago at 12:10 a.m.

 

 

Continue here.  

[CNJRoss]

Trains News Wire

 

Superliner shortage limits Illinois eclipse viewing ridership potential

 

By Bob Johnston | April 5, 2024

 

Some seats became available Thursday; Amtrak continues to look for opportunites to add more

 

CARBONDALE, Ill. — For a few hours Thursday, travelers along Illinois’ Chicago-Carbondale Amtrak corridor could book a daytime round trip to next Monday’s solar eclipse “path of totality,” thereby avoiding monumental traffic jams along parallel highways that occurred during a similar event in August  2017. But that window of opportunity closed when seats that briefly became available were snapped up on one of the trains. The culprit: not enough road-ready Superliner coaches assigned to capture what seems to be insatiable travel demand for a truly unique event.

 

SNIP

 

Thursday’s brief travel opportunity occurred when the trains’ only axle-count coach was opened up for ticket sales. “If it is possible open up cars to add more capacity, we will do so in both directions,” Magliari says, adding, “Prospective customers should continue to check Amtrak.com for availability.”

 

 

More here. 

Related:  The quest to counteract ‘loss of shunt:’ Special Report

[KevinKorell]

Trains magazine,  4/10/24:

 

 

  Resourceful Amtrak crew opens lounge for sold-out train’s customers: Analysis      

 

 

More than 430 passengers rode at least a portion of Amtrak’s southbound Saluki and northbound Illini between the Chicago and Carbondale, Ill., on Monday. Many were taking advantage of a schedule change which made it possible for customers to witness a rare four minutes of totality in the southern Illinois city during the April 8 solar eclipse [see “Amtrak modifies April 8 schedules …,” Trains News Wire, March 22, 2024].

 

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