Amtrak delays

[Bonser]

What's going on with the Zephyr this past week? It's been coming into Chicago in the wee am hours and yesterday's westbound #5 is arriving Emeryville today at 10:46. That's the ETA. Today's WB is already over 6 hours late and counting.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Broken down freights in Nevada

 

[Shanson]

17 hours late into Emeryville, same broken coupler freight impacted both east- and westbound CZs. Today's EMY departure moved from 9:10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. So far.

 

[Bonser]

17 hours late into Emeryville, same broken coupler freight impacted both east- and westbound CZs. Today's EMY departure moved from 9:10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. So far.

Thank you. At least there's a non Amtrak reason

 

[zephyr17]

Thank you. At least there's a non Amtrak reason

With that kind of delay, it is seldom Amtrak.

 

[Rasputin]

I believe there have been significant delays to various editions of the Southwest Chief as well. I understand that 4(11) had a mechanical problem with a locomotive and had to do a lengthy backup move and put the trailing loco in the lead. There was no electrical power for some time and the dining car could only serve cold cereal for breakfast and the cafe car was cash only. Five hours late the last time that I checked.

3(12) was about 5 hours late departing Chicago due to a late-arriving inbound edition.

 

[OBS]

I believe there have been significant delays to various editions of the Southwest Chief as well. I understand that 4(11) had a mechanical problem with a locomotive and had to do a lengthy backup move and put the trailing loco in the lead. There was no electrical power for some time and the dining car could only serve cold cereal for breakfast and the cafe car was cash only. Five hours late the last time that I checked.

3(12) was about 5 hours late departing Chicago due to a late-arriving inbound edition.

And 6 was at least 6 hours late departing EMY today due to same reason......

 

[Shanson]

And 6 was at least 6 hours late departing EMY today due to same reason......

Reason for late arriving equipment: east of Elko NV in single-track territory, a UP freight broke down with coupler failure. Crewman sprained ankle durin repair attempt, and assistance had to come from SLC. Neither 5 or 6 could pass. 5 arrived NINETEEN hours late, and the crew got #6 ready and at the platform only 5 hours after they got in. I think that's pretty good, considering.

 

[frequentflyer]

Seeing lots of black across the country of lengthy delays.

https://asm.transitdocs.com/
What is up with the Eagle being 7 hours late into FTW? Amtrak as usual regarding the Eagles does not give a reason for the delay. Not a good day for Amtrak across the country.

 

[Amtrak709]

Take a look at 91-13. Looks like it has not yet made it to Miami. Also 53-13. I don't think the Auto Train departed at all yesterday due to some service disruption. Probably many "unhappy" passengers.

 

[pennyk]

Take a look at 91-13. Looks like it has not yet made it to Miami. Also 53-13. I don't think the Auto Train departed at all yesterday due to some service disruption. Probably many "unhappy" passengers.

There was a disabled freight

 

[CHImdw1522]

I believe there have been significant delays to various editions of the Southwest Chief as well. I understand that 4(11) had a mechanical problem with a locomotive and had to do a lengthy backup move and put the trailing loco in the lead. There was no electrical power for some time and the dining car could only serve cold cereal for breakfast and the cafe car was cash only. Five hours late the last time that I checked.

3(12) was about 5 hours late departing Chicago due to a late-arriving inbound edition.

I was on that train. Your report is correct - Plus an additional i hour stop between stations to repower the engines. And, a two hour delay 12 miles from Chicago due to trees on the track - which also delayed BNSF freight and Metra as well as Amtrak. All told, we were 8:30 late. Every connecting passenger missed their connecting train.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Take a look at 91-13. Looks like it has not yet made it to Miami. Also 53-13. I don't think the Auto Train departed at all yesterday due to some service disruption. Probably many "unhappy" passengers.

53(13) hit one or two shopping carts filled with mannequins and ketchup jugs. The shopping cart(s) damaged several cars (air hoses I think).

 

[Barb Stout]

An acquaintance of mine was on the SWC from Chi to ABQ on Tuesday (yesterday) and that train was 4 hours late into ABQ. My acquaintance said most of the delay was freight interference (in Kansas, I think she said), but also it was also delayed by the Rail Runner as they approached ABQ. She said it was because the Rail Runner owns the rails that they were both on during the interference. I haven't really paid attention to commuter train interference. May I assume it happens in other places also? Is there one side that usually "wins"?

 

[jis]

An acquaintance of mine was on the SWC from Chi to ABQ on Tuesday (yesterday) and that train was 4 hours late into ABQ. My acquaintance said most of the delay was freight interference (in Kansas, I think she said), but also it was also delayed by the Rail Runner as they approached ABQ. She said it was because the Rail Runner owns the rails that they were both on during the interference. I haven't really paid attention to commuter train interference. May I assume it happens in other places also? Is there one side that usually "wins"?

Around Orlando if Amtrak arrives out of slot behind a Sunrail regular schedule in slot, then more often than not, it has the pleasure of tagging along behind the Sunrail as it makes its stops everywhere until it gets to Orlando. There really is very little opportunity to arrange an overtake in Sunrail territory, except at Orlando Health Sunrail/Orlando Amtrak stop.

 

[frequentflyer]

Where in Kansas is the delays happening? Amtrak is the only train usually on the old Chief line through Dodge and the rest is double track main.

 

[greatwestern]

Arrived in Chicago on 6 (12th June from EMY) just under 16 hours late. The reasons for the delay as described earlier in this theme.

I have to give unlimited praise to the dining room staff who excelled themselves in not only providing extra meals for sleeper passengers but also provided at least a couple of breakfasts and lunches for all coach passengers.

A special personal mention for my sleeper attendant Rita who was absolutely excellent, an observation I had already made even prior to the start of our troubles. As a Brit, I get very confused, and in certain situations do not agree with the tipping culture, but I was very happy to pass what I consider a large tip to Rita. Every sleeper attendant should be like her.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

An acquaintance of mine was on the SWC from Chi to ABQ on Tuesday (yesterday) and that train was 4 hours late into ABQ. My acquaintance said most of the delay was freight interference (in Kansas, I think she said), but also it was also delayed by the Rail Runner as they approached ABQ. She said it was because the Rail Runner owns the rails that they were both on during the interference. I haven't really paid attention to commuter train interference. May I assume it happens in other places also? Is there one side that usually "wins"?

Last week I took this picture at a small station I visit often (as part of my walk).
In the background on the left is a SEPTA train that had dropped off pax and then moved up to get out of the way for a late Amtrak train (one of the few that stop here). The Amtrak train normally uses the next track over - closer to me -and the pax cross two tracks to board. However, another Amtrak train, running on time, needed that track to pass the other one.
This station is the last station so the SEPTA train backed up to the platform once Amtrak was on its way.

 

[fdaley]

The eastbound Lake Shore left Chicago last night about 2:20 a.m. after what Amtrak said were mechanical problems. It finally cleared Cleveland at 11:39 this morning. The previous night's train arrived in Boston about 12:30 a.m. last night, but this one is setting up to be even later. The eastbound Capitol has been hours late the past few days too.

 

[Barb Stout]

Where in Kansas is the delays happening? Amtrak is the only train usually on the old Chief line through Dodge and the rest is double track main.

I wasn’t totally sure if she said where the freight interference was, so I could be incorrect in my Kansas claim.

 

[Rasputin]

The eastbound Lake Shore left Chicago last night about 2:20 a.m. after what Amtrak said were mechanical problems. It finally cleared Cleveland at 11:39 this morning. The previous night's train arrived in Boston about 12:30 a.m. last night, but this one is setting up to be even later. The eastbound Capitol has been hours late the past few days too.

For those hoping to make connections and not wanting or able to spring for those Boston hotel prices, it must have been a night on a wooden bench in South Station.

 

[rs9]

The eastbound Lake Shore left Chicago last night about 2:20 a.m. after what Amtrak said were mechanical problems. It finally cleared Cleveland at 11:39 this morning. The previous night's train arrived in Boston about 12:30 a.m. last night, but this one is setting up to be even later. The eastbound Capitol has been hours late the past few days too.

This might not be the right part of the forum, but as an Amtrak newbie, how does Amtrak's cancellation policy work for very late departing trains? Would a passenger need to cancel their ticket by the listed 9:30 p.m. departure time to receive a voucher/refund (with whatever limitation/fees), or is the actual departure time of the train the cut-off point?

 

[frequentflyer]

The Eagles are experiencing service disruptions. Another bad day in Texas.

 

[jebr]

This might not be the right part of the forum, but as an Amtrak newbie, how does Amtrak's cancellation policy work for very late departing trains? Would a passenger need to cancel their ticket by the listed 9:30 p.m. departure time to receive a voucher/refund (with whatever limitation/fees), or is the actual departure time of the train the cut-off point?

I'm not sure how the standard refund policies get applied. Unfortunately I can't find this policy "written down" on the website anymore, but historically if a short-distance train is more than an hour late, or a long distance train is more than two hours late, any passenger can cancel for a full refund. I was able to get a full refund on a value ticket a couple weeks ago when the train entered service disruption status, but I'm not sure how it would've went otherwise.

 

[joelkfla]

Around Orlando if Amtrak arrives out of slot behind a Sunrail regular schedule in slot, then more often than not, it has the pleasure of tagging along behind the Sunrail as it makes its stops everywhere until it gets to Orlando. There really is very little opportunity to arrange an overtake in Sunrail territory, except at Orlando Health Sunrail/Orlando Amtrak stop.

I was on 91 last week when it missed its slot. I checked the Sunrail schedule, and IIRC we were about 10 minutes behind a train. Seemed like they tried to get around it by switching tracks but were unsuccessful; the train moved faster for a bit but then stopped for several minutes before pulling into Winter Park. I heard the engineer on the scanner telling the dispatcher not to bother trying.