Amtrak delays

[DCAKen]

I noticed that Tweets this weekend from CHI started used the wording "the late release of equipment from the train yard". Are they calling attention to something?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I noticed that Tweets this weekend from CHI started used the wording "the late release of equipment from the train yard". Are they calling attention to something?

If 29 was late arriving it could cause a late departure of 30 (assuming it's a same day turnaround which I would think 29 to 30 would be).

 

[jis]

If 29 was late arriving it could cause a late departure of 30 (assuming it's a same day turnaround which I would think 29 to 30 would be).

Yes. It is a same day turn around in Chicago for both 29/30 and 49/48.

 

[DCAKen]

If 29 was late arriving it could cause a late departure of 30 (assuming it's a same day turnaround which I would think 29 to 30 would be).

29 didn't arrive particularly late (less than an hour).

Usually the tweets will say "delayed due to the late arrival of inbound equipment". There were several tweets with the "late release" wording this past weekend for several trains from CHI, but now they've all disappeared. I was wondering if this was a poke at the yard workers.

 

[Mike G]

SWC #4 at Ft. Madison 6 has 20 late

 

[Rover]

Snow in the Sierras today. CZ should be pulling into Truckee soon.

 

[5280 Guy]

I did the Denver-Glenwood Springs roomette ride the other day. In the morning I checked and the app said the 12:10 PM train was delayed by an hour and 45 minutes. (That's "on time" by Amtrak standards, right)? I could live with this, but I knew that the delay would only increase. As I checked throughout the morning - An hour and 50 minutes, 2 hours, 2 and a half, etc. Finally it rolled in at 3:11. So much for lunch. I never see this mentioned. I paid for that lunch but never received it. I am sending them a copy of a restaurant receipt and I will file a dispute with Visa if they don't pay it.

The crew was great, and conductor Brad always in entertaining. I don't mind spending $600 or so, but only the chilli baked potato works for me on the menu. And now there is only one complimentary drink at dinner - none at lunch. I pay a first class price but receive service that isn't close to that.

This is just my opinion, but the chronic delays (usually not Amtrak's fault, I hear) and the real lack of onboard value isn't worth it to me. I'll be driving to Glenwood from now on.

I do plan on taking the C.Z. to Chicago again this summer, though.

 

[trimetbusfan]

I did the Denver-Glenwood Springs roomette ride the other day. In the morning I checked and the app said the 12:10 PM train was delayed by an hour and 45 minutes. (That's "on time" by Amtrak standards, right)? I could live with this, but I knew that the delay would only increase. As I checked throughout the morning - An hour and 50 minutes, 2 hours, 2 and a half, etc. Finally it rolled in at 3:11. So much for lunch. I never see this mentioned. I paid for that lunch but never received it. I am sending them a copy of a restaurant receipt and I will file a dispute with Visa if they don't pay it.

The crew was great, and conductor Brad always in entertaining. I don't mind spending $600 or so, but only the chilli baked potato works for me on the menu. And now there is only one complimentary drink at dinner - none at lunch. I pay a first class price but receive service that isn't close to that.

This is just my opinion, but the chronic delays (usually not Amtrak's fault, I hear) and the real lack of onboard value isn't worth it to me. I'll be driving to Glenwood from now on.

I do plan on taking the C.Z. to Chicago again this summer, though.

Customer relations might be able to compensate you for that.

 

[BalmyZephyr]

Anyone else on the Vermonter NB right now or know what happened up ahead? We are on a hold just below Brattleboro. They announced a collision at a crossroads, two vehicles. Hope everyone is all right! Don’t know whether it was train, trains, automobile, automobiles.

We are on Vermonter NB, delay right now, 10 mi south of Brattleboro, collision at a crossroads. They are sending inspectors up ahead to make sure it is safe to go. No timeline yet.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Anyone else on the Vermonter NB right now or know what happened up ahead? We are on a hold just below Brattleboro. They announced a collision at a crossroads, two vehicles. Hope everyone is all right! Don’t know whether it was train, trains, automobile, automobiles.

We are on Vermonter NB, delay right now, 10 mi south of Brattleboro, collision at a crossroads. They are sending inspectors up ahead to make sure it is safe to go. No timeline yet.

How are you doing on there? Any updates?

 

[BalmyZephyr]

How are you doing on there? Any updates?

Still sitting, been an hour. Sounds like it may have been two cars that happened to meet at the crossing head on. Crew here does not have update on the time. Aah walkie talkie going off, OK, sounds like we can creep by the accident site now. Railrat shows we can make up half the delay by the time we get to SAB. Hope the car occupants are OK.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Still sitting, been an hour. Sounds like it may have been two cars that happened to meet at the crossing head on. Crew here does not have update on the time. Aah walkie talkie going off, OK, sounds like we can creep by the accident site now. Railrat shows we can make up half the delay by the time we get to SAB. Hope the car occupants are OK.

Yes, hope nobody was hurt.

Good that you’re moving soon.

 

[Ryan]

So much for lunch. I never see this mentioned. I paid for that lunch but never received it. I am sending them a copy of a restaurant receipt and I will file a dispute with Visa if they don't pay it.

You didn't pay for that lunch, you paid for being moved from Denver to Glenwood Springs, which you were.

If you were in a roomette for such a short trip that *wasn't* during a meal period, but were delayed such that you were on the train for dinner, you would expect to be fed "for free" and those expectations were met.

Sometimes delays provide more meals than "paid for", sometimes less. This is one of those cases.

 

[5280 Guy]

You didn't pay for that lunch, you paid for being moved from Denver to Glenwood Springs, which you were.

If you were in a roomette for such a short trip that *wasn't* during a meal period, but were delayed such that you were on the train for dinner, you would expect to be fed "for free" and those expectations were met.

Sometimes delays provide more meals than "paid for", sometimes less. This is one of those cases.

Incorrect. I paid for that lunch. Do you think Amtrak gives food away for free? A 12:10 PM boarding time means that the passenger is on time for lunch. An attendant told me on the way up that two meals were included on the return trip.

 

[zephyr17]

Incorrect. I paid for that lunch. Do you think Amtrak gives food away for free? A 12:10 PM boarding time means that the passenger is on time for lunch. An attendant told me on the way up that two meals were included on the return trip.

Amtrak really does not count it like that.

Sleeper passengers are entitled to the meals serves during normal meal periods during the time they're on the train. Meal periods go by time, not location, irrespective of whether the train is late.

You are entitled to meals while on board. End of story.

And they've never served a complimentary alcoholic beverage at any meal except dinner since they introduced it.

If they don't reimbursement you for your restaurant meal, you are going try to chargeback the Amtrak ticket? Amtrak will win that dispute. All that Amtrak has to do is prove your ticket was scanned by the conductor, which they can easily do.

 

[railiner]

Receiving a 'free' meal on a seriously delayed train, could be considered a "good will" spot compensation for being delayed. I believe Amtrak still does that, including for coach passenger's in many cases, at least if able to...the 'beef stew', or sometimes having fast food delivered for the entire train.

While they can't offer free food for all, airlines will sometimes offer free drinks when they suffer long delays...

 

[Ryan]

Incorrect. I paid for that lunch. Do you think Amtrak gives food away for free? A 12:10 PM boarding time means that the passenger is on time for lunch. An attendant told me on the way up that two meals were included on the return trip.

This is correct, because you're scheduled to be on the train for two meal periods. It's also a great illustration of how your "logic" is faulty.

Do you honestly think that the trip one way is more expensive than the trip the other way because you get two meals instead of one?

(spoiler alert: it's not, because that's not how it works)

 

[Rasputin]

When it comes to Amtrak, expect nothing and you will never be disappointed.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

It all works out anyway. If you ride often enough, you’ll miss some meals because the train is late. You’ll also be on board when the train is late and get some extra meals you weren’t expecting to get.

I know there’s a lot to complain about with Amtrak, but I think this one is worth letting go.

 

[Lonnie]

The Empire Builder East Bound - the EBEB - of course had mechanical problems all night in this sub-zero weather, and is nearly six hours late so I'll miss my LSL connection in Chicago tonight. I called, they don't yet know what they're going to do about all the missed connections. How do I ensure that I'll have a roomette tomorrow?

 

[Ryan]

If you're willing to pay $740 to guarantee it, it looks like there's a room available for purchase Right Now.

I would perhaps call and see if they can modify your reservation from today's train to tomorrow's ASAP. Depending on what you paid, there may be a fare difference. If having the room is important to you, you might just want to pay and then try to get a refund/voucher after the fact. I think that's what I would do given the scarcity of rooms and the likelihood that you're not the only one in this position. Better than the random lottery of "who gets booked into the room first" and losing.

 

[pennyk]

If you're willing to pay $740 to guarantee it, it looks like there's a room available for purchase Right Now.

I would perhaps call and see if they can modify your reservation from today's train to tomorrow's ASAP. Depending on what you paid, there may be a fare difference. If having the room is important to you, you might just want to pay and then try to get a refund/voucher after the fact. I think that's what I would do given the scarcity of rooms and the likelihood that you're not the only one in this position. Better than the random lottery of "who gets booked into the room first" and losing.

I was in a similar situation when the Capitol Limited on which I was traveling was running very late. I tried to switch from the Silver Star to the Silver Meteor since I knew I would not make the connection in WAS. The agent with whom I spoke (AGR) would not switch my reservation without my paying considerably extra, so I asked to be transferred to customer relations. After about an hour on the phone (while my train was just sitting outside PGH losing more time), I was able to switch trains without additional cost.

 

[zephyr17]

The Empire Builder East Bound - the EBEB - of course had mechanical problems all night in this sub-zero weather, and is nearly six hours late so I'll miss my LSL connection in Chicago tonight. I called, they don't yet know what they're going to do about all the missed connections. How do I ensure that I'll have a roomette tomorrow?

You pretty much don't. If there is sleeper space available on the next Lake Shore you'll get it, but they will not downgrade another passenger with reservations on that train to open up space for misconnects.

They don't yet know what they'll do because there is a LOT of pad in the schedule and the Builder could still conceivably get there at 8:30 pm (according to asm.transitdocs).

That is not to say you will make it. Any further delays at all will put your Chicago arrival after the Lake Shore, and you'll be out of slot so chances are there'll be more delays.

National operations will be tracking the situation, and will start work on protecting passengers during the day today. They'll likely have made arrangements by the time you get to MSP. They will change your reservation and arrange for hotel accommodations.

But a roomette cannot be had if no roomettes are open (they'll upgrade you to a bedroom of one of those is available, though). If you cannot be accommodayed in a sleeper, you unfortunately will be downgraded to coach and your accommodation charge refunded.

I do not know where you are headed, so do not know if re routing on the Capitol is an option. If it is, call back later today and see if they can do it. I think if it is possible, they'll try it, but it doesn't hurt to call and see what you can do and offer that as a alternative. You should not have to pay for it, as others have mentioned, get Customer Relations if you have to. Good thing today is a weekday, so they're there.

I've been 12-14 hours late into Chicago going east more times than I can count. Amtrak does very well at handling misconnecting passengers, but they can't conjure sleeper space out of thin air.

I do not want to hold out false hope, chances are you'll miss the Lake Shore and there will not be a roomette for you on tomorrow's.

The only way to guarantee a sleeper when connecting from long distance train to long distance is to build an overnight layover between into your travel plans at the connecting point. This applies especially to eastbound at Chicago from any western LDs.

 

[Lonnie]

So indeed the 8 is arriving too late. I was able to reach Customer Relations when I noticed a roomette on the LSL tomorrow had opened up. She reserved it for me and noted it in my dossier. I'm curious about what hotel they'll put us in. Best way to find out? Can I choose my own hotel even if I have to pay the difference between the voucher and the charge?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

So indeed the 8 is arriving too late. I was able to reach Customer Relations when I noticed a roomette on the LSL tomorrow had opened up. She reserved it for me and noted it in my dossier. I'm curious about what hotel they'll put us in. Best way to find out? Can I choose my own hotel even if I have to pay the difference between the voucher and the charge?

I've read reports that some have been put up in this hotel and that it's very nice. It will depend on what Amtrak can get considering it is a holiday week.

https://www.swissotel.com/hotels/chicago/?y_source=1_MTIzNjE0MzAtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU=