Amtrak long term service cancellations and restorations (2022-2023H1)

[jruff001]

How often did these kinds of cancellations happen back in the Pennsylvania and New Haven Railroad days?

I remember one really bad snowstorm when I was a kid in the early '60s. All planes were grounded and nothing in the way of ground transportation moved between Washington and New York. Nothing, that is EXCEPT the Pennsy. They kept their trains running and somehow those powerful GG1s got their passengers through.

It seems to me like we've lost something here.

Every time there are weather-related cancellations it seems like people claim that never happened in the "good old days" and that somehow the trains kept running and the crews made it to work no matter what.

I think people have selective memories.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It's Winter Storm Landon's turn to cancel trains preemptively.

 

[pennyk]

MODERATOR NOTE: posts related to Amtrak job openings were moved from this thread to the existing Careers on the Rails thread in the AU Lounge. Thank you keeping your posts in this thread on the topic of Cancellations.

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/careers-on-the-rails.72257/page-12#post-941697

 

[John Bredin]

It's Winter Storm Landon's turn to cancel trains preemptively.

View attachment 26965

1) What path is this storm taking that the CONO, Cardinal, and Capitol Limited are affected but the Lake Shore Limited isn't? Or are Wed/Thu the days the LSL doesn't run?
2) Lincoln 305 and 307 (cancelled on the 2nd) overlap significantly with 304 and 306 going the other way, which aren't cancelled. Ditto Lincoln 300 and 302 (cancelled on the 3rd) overlapping not-cancelled 301 and 303.

 

[Qapla]

Winter storm Landon is supposed to stretch from Texas all the way to NY with heavy snow in various areas including the routes areas the trains need to pass through to head out of Chicago and WDC - last time I saw the forecast on TWC

Here is a page with a good video showing the track
https://weather.com/storms/winter/n...day-snow-ice-winter-storm-landon-central-east

 

[west point]

From trains news wire
There was good news in the infection and quarantine figures for Amtrak: The number of employees out sick or quarantined due to COVID-19 has declined 85% from a peak of 722 the week ending Jan. 1.

So 15% out does that equate 109? Certainly enough to operate more trains daily? Is the 722 all T&E?

 

[Maverickstation]

The next weather event in New England is due on Friday when freezing rain and sleet are forecast, after rain from Thursday afternoon into early Friday, before the temperature drops. Stay tuned on this one........

 

[Exvalley]

From trains news wire
There was good news in the infection and quarantine figures for Amtrak: The number of employees out sick or quarantined due to COVID-19 has declined 85% from a peak of 722 the week ending Jan. 1.

So 15% out does that equate 109? Certainly enough to operate more trains daily? Is the 722 all T&E?

The way the numbers are trending bodes well for the resumption of full service in March.

 

[Rover]

The next weather event in New England is due on Friday when freezing rain and sleet are forecast, after rain from Thursday afternoon into early Friday, before the temperature drops. Stay tuned on this one........

https://www.accuweather.com/en/wint...-threaten-snow-ice-flooding-northeast/1134891
Snow coming across the US with some freezing Rain. I wonder if some runs will be cancelled preemptively...???

 

[AmtrakBlue]

https://www.accuweather.com/en/wint...-threaten-snow-ice-flooding-northeast/1134891
Snow coming across the US with some freezing Rain. I wonder if some runs will be cancelled preemptively...???

View attachment 26971

See post #252

 

[fredmcain]

One thing I'm wondering about here: With these bad winter storm forecasts, are CSX and Norfolk Southern pre-emptively grinding to a halt as well? Or are they making efforts to keep running?

Regards,
Fred M. Cain

 

[fredmcain]

The way the numbers are trending bodes well for the resumption of full service in March.

Well, that all depends upon whether Amtrak management was really short that much help due to sickness, or, were they using the pandemic as an excuse to cut service? I guess we'll just have to wait and find out.

 

[joelkfla]

One thing I'm wondering about here: With these bad winter storm forecasts, are CSX and Norfolk Southern pre-emptively grinding to a halt as well? Or are they making efforts to keep running?

Regards,
Fred M. Cain

I dunno, but they wouldn't have to deal with the headache of feeding and caring for hundreds of passengers being stuck on a train for hours, and the concomitant bad press.

Do freight locomotives carry stores of emergency food and water for the crew in case they're stuck and unreachable?

 

[jis]

Do freight locomotives carry stores of emergency food and water for the crew in case they're stuck and unreachable?

I suspect whatever happens to fit in the Engineer's cooler is what they have. I somehow doubt that the freight railroads maintain a catering department to make food arrangements for their staff. But of course, wonders never cease and I could be totally wrong too.

 

[fredmcain]

I dunno, but they wouldn't have to deal with the headache of feeding and caring for hundreds of passengers being stuck on a train for hours, and the concomitant bad press.

<SNIP>

True. But, has the "err on the side of caution" mentality been taken too far? If Amtrak could get people home safely, albeit late, in a blizzard where planes and automobiles can't, that would surely be a feather in Amtrak's cap.

This would also help strengthen public support for passenger trains. "They're there when we really need them the most".

Regards,

 

[jis]

True. But, has the "err on the side of caution" mentality been taken too far? If Amtrak could get people home safely, albeit late, in a blizzard where planes and automobiles can't, that would surely be a feather in Amtrak's cap.

This would also help strengthen public support for passenger trains. "They're there when we really need them the most".

Regards,

Unfortunately, what happened in Virginia a few weeks back is very fresh in the minds of everyone, and it is unlikely that Amtrak will risk another one of those so soon after that. I don't think Virignia incidents strengthened public support at all. Basically trains, planes and automobiles all couldn't with the same level of chaos in each mode. Planes cancelled in a timely manner. Amtrak didn't.

It really is a myth in the minds of ardent railfans that in today's penny pinching business environment trains do any better than any other mode.

 

[joelkfla]

I suspect whatever happens to fit in the Engineer's cooler is what they have. I somehow doubt that the freight railroads maintain a catering department to make food arrangements for their staff. But of course, wonders never cease and I could be totally wrong too.

No, I was thinking more along the lines of a "To be opened only in case of emergency" locker filled with Armageddon-safe food and water that could be replaced every 5 years.

WDW even has an emergency kit in every Skyliner gondola reportedly stocked with packets of drinking water, some sort of carb snack, and a bag to receive bodily waste, in case of another multi-hour emergency stop 30 feet up in the air.

 

[jis]

No, I was thinking more along the lines of a "To be opened only in case of emergency" locker filled with Armageddon-safe food and water that could be replaced every 5 years.

WDW even has an emergency kit in every Skyliner gondola reportedly stocked with packets of drinking water, some sort of carb snack, and a bag to receive bodily waste, in case of another multi-hour emergency stop 30 feet up in the air.

I don't know. Only one of our resident Engineers can say definitively I suppose.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

WDW even has an emergency kit in every Skyliner gondola reportedly stocked with packets of drinking water, some sort of carb snack, and a bag to receive bodily waste, in case of another multi-hour emergency stop 30 feet up in the air.

Dang, if I knew that last week I would have snooped for that “locker”.

 

[neroden]

I don't have a problem with some preemptive cancellations due to weather, but the current Amtrak process seems... totally half-assed. The LSL was cancelled when the storm wasn't going to touch anything from Albany to Chicago, and while other trains continued to run from Albany to NY. Now, with a storm which is actually supposed to cross the LSL's path, the LSL isn't cancelled.

I prefer competence.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I don't have a problem with some preemptive cancellations due to weather, but the current Amtrak process seems... totally half-assed. The LSL was cancelled when the storm wasn't going to touch anything from Albany to Chicago, and while other trains continued to run from Albany to NY. Now, with a storm which is actually supposed to cross the LSL's path, the LSL isn't cancelled.

I prefer competence.

Well the LSL is not operating on Tuesday's & Wednesday's. I don't know the timing of the storm, but that may be why, for at least one of the days.

 

[Maverickstation]

Here the latest weather updates for Southern New England on Friday, the day will be a mess.

https://www.boston.com/weather/loca...orecast-friday-feb-4-2022/?p1=hp_featurestack

 

[oregon pioneer]

Here the latest weather updates for Southern New England on Friday, the day will be a mess.

Well, hopefully a couple inches “north of the Mass Pike” won’t cause a cancellation or big delay. I’ve been worried about my trip west, because if my Friday LSL doesn’t get to CHI in time for my Saturday CZ, there won’t be another CZ till Tuesday, and that would be a BIG headache for me.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Well, hopefully a couple inches “north of the Mass Pike” won’t cause a cancellation or big delay. I’ve been worried about my trip west, because if my Friday LSL doesn’t get to CHI in time for my Saturday CZ, there won’t be another CZ till Tuesday, and that would be a BIG headache for me.

You might consider changing your future trips east to the summer. Hope your LSL is running and arrives in CHI in time to catch the CZ.

 

[user 14106]

Well, hopefully a couple inches “north of the Mass Pike” won’t cause a cancellation or big delay. I’ve been worried about my trip west, because if my Friday LSL doesn’t get to CHI in time for my Saturday CZ, there won’t be another CZ till Tuesday, and that would be a BIG headache for me.

May consider changing to the Thursday lake shore and overnighting in Chicago if that’s an option affordability wise for you to avoid any headaches.