Modified Amtrak service due to Hurricane Helene

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pennyk

pennyk

Amtrak Rider
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For the safety of Amtrak customers and employees, due to impendening hurricane storm Helene, select trains will operate a modified schedule with no alternate transportation as follows:​

​

Wednesday, Sep. 25

Crescent Service

  • Train 19 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 91 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
Thursday, Sep. 26

Crescent Service

  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 92 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
 
pennyk said:

For the safety of Amtrak customers and employees, due to impendening hurricane storm Helene, select trains will operate a modified schedule with no alternate transportation as follows:​

​

Wednesday, Sep. 25

Crescent Service

  • Train 19 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 91 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
Thursday, Sep. 26

Crescent Service

  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 92 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
Click to expand...
They must expect the Tampa Area and Gulf Coast to get the worst of the Storm if it's going to follow the usual Meteor Route.

Hope yall stay Safe!
 
MARC Rider said:
The Weather service hurricane site is suggesting that the storm is going to hook west as it goes north, affecting Tennesee. Kentucky, downstate Illinois, and Missouri. Won't be a hurricane up there, but I would expect some nasty floods. To all in the path of this storm, take care.
Click to expand...
It will likely be a TS even by Atlanta. It is a very fast mover which will make landfall close to Cat 4, so won’t have time to wind down.
 
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MARC Rider said:
The Weather service hurricane site is suggesting that the storm is going to hook west as it goes north, affecting Tennesee. Kentucky, downstate Illinois, and Missouri. Won't be a hurricane up there, but I would expect some nasty floods. To all in the path of this storm, take care.
Click to expand...
Showers and thunderstorms in the Bootheel part of Missouri on Friday and Saturday.
 
Bob Dylan said:
They must expect the Tampa Area and Gulf Coast to get the worst of the Storm if it's going to follow the usual Meteor Route.
Click to expand...
Tampa will be on the "dirty side" of the storm and the eye should pass well west. However, the NHC is expecting at least higher-end tropical storm and possibly Cat 1-like winds to hit Tampa. I can't blame Amtrak for saying "nope" to that.

As of 11pm ET: High-end Cat 3 at landfall around the Big Bend is looking likely, and borderline Cat 4 isn't a complete stretch.
 
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From the Orlando Sentinel just now:

Brightline posted on its website Wednesday that it was “operating a normal schedule at this time.”

SunRail has suspended service on Thursday, and says it will resume service as early Friday as possible “once crews have checked the rail corridor” for damage and obstructions.
Click to expand...
 
From Amtrak 9/26/24:

Thursday, Sep. 26

Crescent Service

  • Train 19 is canceled in its entirety.
  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 92 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
  • Train 98 will originate in Jacksonville.
Auto Train

  • Train 52 is canceled in its entirety.
  • Train 53 is canceled in its entirety.
Friday, Sep. 27

  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
 
pennyk said:
From Amtrak 9/26/24:

Thursday, Sep. 26

Crescent Service

  • Train 19 is canceled in its entirety.
  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
Silver Service

  • Train 92 will bypass both Lakeland stops (LKL, LAK) and Tampa (TPA).
  • Train 98 will originate in Jacksonville.
Auto Train

  • Train 52 is canceled in its entirety.
  • Train 53 is canceled in its entirety.
Friday, Sep. 27

  • Train 20 is canceled in its entirety.
Click to expand...
Good Luck to Florida and the SE, stay Safe!
 
RebelRider said:
Latest Florida service update for trains originating 9/27:

52 and 53 canceled
91 canceled NYP-JAX
92 canceled MIA-NYP
97 canceled NYP-JAX
98 canceled JAX-NYP
Click to expand...
98(26) terminated south of YEM Yemassee where it’s been sitting for 10+ hours due to downed trees. Pax will be bussed to hotel(s).
97/91(26) combo terminated at FLO Florence with buses to JAX
 
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Frankly I was a bit surprised with the decision to try to run the Silvers through to Miami on the Hurricane day. As I expected, it did not work. A Cat 3-4 storm with Tropical Storm wind field stretching out to almost 400 mile diameter circle is a mean bugger.
 
AmtrakBlue said:
98(26) terminated south of YEM Yassemee where it’s been sitting for 10+ hours due to downed trees. Pax will be bussed to hotel(s).
97/91(26) combo terminated at FLO Florence with buses to JAX
Click to expand...
Not surprised. My son, who lives in nearby Blufton, said the storm was much worse than expected. He is without power (as is much of Beaufort County) with downed trees and road closures.
 
jis said:
Frankly I was a bit surprised with the decision to try to run the Silvers through to Miami on the Hurricane day. As I expected, it did not work. A Cat 3-4 storm with Tropical Storm wind field stretching out to almost 400 mile diameter circle is a mean bugger.
Click to expand...
Agree. Since Helene tracked farther east than originally predicted those trees are really making a mockery of any rail service. My CSX freight route has not had any trains since sometime yesterday afternoon. I can see a few trees across the tracks here with heavy pine tree locations elsewhere not being checked.
 
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I was scheduled to go from Birmingham to DC on Friday, September 27th. Of course that was canceled so I rebooked to leave on Saturday, September 28th. Received a call this morning that there is no guarantee about getting past Atlanta. I could chance it, but if the train could not make it past Atlanta I would be responsible for getting a hotel on my own and planning my future trip through the 800 number provided.
I didn’t want to risk it. So I canceled the trip. Hopefully I can try again in the future.
 
I have seen some pictures of the Salisbury-Asheville "AS" line. Some of the pictures are on the west side of Asheville heading to TN. But some of the pictures are on the part of the line that would be used for Amtrak service to Asheville. Washouts can be fixed. But the cost is a concern for a line that does not see that much traffic like it used to. Could this delay Amtrak service to Asheville? It would not surprise me.

I do think the flooding could change the calculus for train movements that could change how all this works out for good or bad.
 
McLeansvilleAppFan said:
I have seen some pictures of the Salisbury-Asheville "AS" line. Some of the pictures are on the west side of Asheville heading to TN. But some of the pictures are on the part of the line that would be used for Amtrak service to Asheville. Washouts can be fixed. But the cost is a concern for a line that does not see that much traffic like it used to. Could this delay Amtrak service to Asheville? It would not surprise me.

I do think the flooding could change the calculus for train movements that could change how all this works out for good or bad.
Click to expand...

An opportunity for NC to buy lines in question or negotiate future preferential treatment in the future.

I was in FLO all last week on business. My hotel was close to the station. At one point I heard chatter on my scanner about buses being sourced to take passengers as far south as JAX.
 
TheVig said:
An opportunity for NC to buy lines in question or negotiate future preferential treatment in the future.

I was in FLO all last week on business. My hotel was close to the station. At one point I heard chatter on my scanner about buses being sourced to take passengers as far south as JAX.
Click to expand...
My thought is that the state my get to come in to help rebuild the line and use that as leverage and get Amtrak to Asheville quicker as a way to pump money into the mountains. That will be needed.

Of course, the flip side of this is that if the state helps with rebuilding the line that money will not be used for other parts of upgrades needed and the Amtrak trains are pushed back a few years.

From what I have seen in pictures and read (which is a few things that have filtered out of areas without electricity and internet most likely) the line west of Asheville is in worse shape. Could that lead to permanent changes in traffic flow that puts more freight on the AS line heading east out of Asheville? A bit more freight might mean less cost from NC to help with MOW, but more freight might make passenger trains harder to schedule.

It does sound like the BRS was hit really hard and with the loss of freight on that line with Evergreen closing what does that mean for BRS and how the GSMR is served with the occasional train from outside..

Lots of what-ifs and it will be months or a year before we learn all these answers possibly.
 

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