Amtrak Shutdown in Boston

[OlympianHiawatha]

Hopefully this terrorist will be quickly found and executed on sight so he can join his brother in Hell!

 

[the_traveler]

And hopefully the poor folks in West, Texas are also Safe and Sound and we find out Soonest the Details of this Tragedy!! :help:

I also feel for the victims of West, Texas, but I find it ironic that a town by that name is in central Texas! :giggle: I know there's a long stop in SAS, but if you take Amtrak from near there to ELP (still in Texas) you will be in the same state the following afternoon!

 

[Ryan]

Hopefully this terrorist will be quickly found and executed on sight so he can join his brother in Hell!

Actually, it would be far better for him to be taken alive so that we can learn if there are others invloved.

 

[afigg]

Heard on MSNBC that a southbound Amtrak train has been stopped near Norwalk, CT and was being searched for a possible suspect. Of course, the news channels are reporting many items right now, some of which are going to turn out to be wrong or incorrectly interpreted.

Extraordinary to see a major US city under lockdown.

 

[alanh]

Yes, there have been a lot of rumors going around, so it's hard to tell what's true (or what's just a dead lead).

BTW, since I was curious myself, the Texas Eagle wasn't affected by the disaster in West, TX. The line running next to the plant is a UP line; Amtrak uses a BNSF line some miles to the west.

 

[rrdude]

CNN just reported that while everyone has been told to stay in their homes and not go anywhere, there are some people who are leaving their residences for two reasons:
To walk their dogs

And, most importantly, to make a run to Dunkin' Donuts!

This is not a laughing matter.

Jesus June, get real.

"No", it's not a 'laughing matter' if you live in, or are in, or near, Boston/Watertown today.

But a little levity goes a long way in diffusing tension. And, as much as you may (or may not) dislike it, a joke can be found in almost anything.

While that "joke" or "punchline", or reference may be offensive to some, others may not find it offensive........... Just saying.

 

[CHamilton]

Amtrak Service Suspended Indefinitely in Boston Area

by Amtrak on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 8:11am
Disruption Due to Ongoing Police Activity

At the request of local authorities, and due to ongoing police activity, Amtrak Acela Express andNortheast Regional service is suspended indefinitely between Providence, RI and Boston. Amtrak Downeaster is operating a modified schedule with no service to Boston.

Amtrak service is operating normally between Washington, DC, Philadelphia and New York. The Springfield Shuttle between New Haven, Conn. and Springfield, Mass. is also operating on a normal schedule.

A decision about restoration of service into the Boston area will be made when local authorities inform us operations can resume.

Amtrak Police continue to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies.

Additional updates will be provided throughout the day.


Passengers who have paid but choose not to travel due to this service disruption can receive a refund or a voucher for future travel. Some reservations booked online can be modified or canceled on Amtrak.com or by using the free Amtrak mobile app.

To be notified of major service disruptions resulting in delays of 60 minutes or more to multiple trains on the Northeast Corridor, follow @AmtrakNEC on Twitter.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com/alerts for Service Alerts and Passenger Notices. Schedule information and train status updates are available at the Amtrak.com home page.

 

[fairviewroad]

Actually, what's interesting about the Dunkin Donuts thing is that it's implied that the Dunkin Donuts are open for business

despite the lockdown. How did the employees get there? Why have the stores stayed open if there is a lockdown in place?

 

[Nathanael]

Extraordinary to see a major US city under lockdown.

It shouldn't be happening. This won't help catch the suspect, mark my words.

It appears that the suspects were intent on committing additional violonce, which is why the first one was tracked down so quickly: their second attack. If the other one is still intent on committing more crimes, he will be found during the next crime. If he isn't, it doesn't matter whether the city is on lockdown or not, he will go to ground successfully. It's not possible to lock down a city even *during an actual war with battle lines*, and this isn't one of those.

The only real utility of the "lockdown" is to give people a solid justification to not go to work. Which is a good thing to do, given that the second suspect may well be intent on blowing up more things. But it does raise the question of how any business is open.

 

[Ryan]

Wow, we have a real expert here among us!

Better call up the FBI and tell them to stop wasting everyone's time!

 

[SP&S]

It is hard to tell if a lockdown will hasten the end. I'm also an advocate on limits to police powers. However it it should accomplish two things: it will keep inocent bystanders out of the line of fire in the expected gunfight, and it will make it harder for the perp to fade into a crowd. As it appears that they have every reason to expect a battle, this sounds reasonable - in this unusual curcumstance - to me.

May they catch him alive so that we might learn something from this.

 

[Railroad Bill]

There have been no mentions on Amtrak of what is happening with the Lake Shore Ltd. We were scheduled to be riding 48 today until my unfortunate medical problems. Wonder what will happen to 448? Halted in Albany? In Springfield? Probably lots of passengers on 448 trying to get a ride to NYP on 48 and a transfer to a regional there? Just some questions about these unknown factors?

 

[SarahZ]

When I heard the "dogs and donuts" bit, it was in a tone of disbelief, not amusement. I don't think CNN meant it to be humorous, but instead, rather incredulous.
Regardless, I hope everyone is safe. June, how far are you from Boston? I'm not familiar with MA geography.

Spencer is farther from Boston than Providence is from Boston. It is in what I would consider "central mass". It is west of worcester.

Honestly, I think the joke about dunks is kind of funny. Everyone knows that there is a DD on every corner in Boston/New England. People mostly go there for coffee, not donuts, if you aren't familiar with Dunkin Donuts.

I'm quite familiar with them. I like their coffee.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

Extraordinary to see a major US city under lockdown.

It shouldn't be happening. This won't help catch the suspect, mark my words.

It appears that the suspects were intent on committing additional violonce, which is why the first one was tracked down so quickly: their second attack. If the other one is still intent on committing more crimes, he will be found during the next crime. If he isn't, it doesn't matter whether the city is on lockdown or not, he will go to ground successfully. It's not possible to lock down a city even *during an actual war with battle lines*, and this isn't one of those.

The only real utility of the "lockdown" is to give people a solid justification to not go to work. Which is a good thing to do, given that the second suspect may well be intent on blowing up more things. But it does raise the question of how any business is open.

WHAT? The lockdown is not for the benefit of the coward criminal it is for the safety of the public. Oh did you forget there are many people injured and killed by this man. "Solid justification to not go to work" Are you for real. I am so finished with AU. This is the last straw, you people have no touch to reality.

 

[SarahZ]

It is hard to tell if a lockdown will hasten the end. I'm also an advocate on limits to police powers. However it it should accomplish two things: it will keep inocent bystanders out of the line of fire in the expected gunfight, and it will make it harder for the perp to fade into a crowd. As it appears that they have every reason to expect a battle, this sounds reasonable - in this unusual curcumstance - to me.
May they catch him alive so that we might learn something from this.

Bingo. This isn't an excuse to get people out of work. It's to create as little traffic as possible and keep citizens out of the line of fire so the police can do their jobs effectively and prevent more crap like the moron who wandered up to them in the middle of the gunfight last night to ask, "Is this related to the terrorists?"

They played that audio clip on the radio this morning. I would have facepalmed if I hadn't been driving at the time. Who the freaking freak walks up to cops in the middle of gunfire to bug them with an inane question? He could have been shot, and/or his distraction could have caused that cop to get shot. :angry:

 

[SarahZ]

June, please settle down. I know you're upset, but don't let a couple of people speak for the entirety of AU. Sometimes, people need a laugh to deal with the stress. It's not a personal attack on you, Boston, or Massachusetts. I enjoy your posts, and I know how much you enjoy train travel and helping new travelers. Take a breath if you need to, but I honestly don't think this is worth leaving altogether.

 

[CHamilton]

June, please settle down. I know you're upset, but don't let a couple of people speak for the entirety of AU. Sometimes, people need a laugh to deal with the stress. It's not a personal attack on you, Boston, or Massachusetts. I enjoy your posts, and I know how much you enjoy train travel and helping new travelers. Take a breath if you need to, but I honestly don't think this is worth leaving altogether.

Agreed. June, please don't give up on us. If you attend the Gathering, you will find that the vast majority of AUers are caring and knowledgeable people.

 

[roadman3313]

Extraordinary to see a major US city under lockdown.

It shouldn't be happening. This won't help catch the suspect, mark my words.

It appears that the suspects were intent on committing additional violonce, which is why the first one was tracked down so quickly: their second attack. If the other one is still intent on committing more crimes, he will be found during the next crime. If he isn't, it doesn't matter whether the city is on lockdown or not, he will go to ground successfully. It's not possible to lock down a city even *during an actual war with battle lines*, and this isn't one of those.

The only real utility of the "lockdown" is to give people a solid justification to not go to work. Which is a good thing to do, given that the second suspect may well be intent on blowing up more things. But it does raise the question of how any business is open.

WHAT? The lockdown is not for the benefit of the coward criminal it is for the safety of the public. Oh did you forget there are many people injured and killed by this man. "Solid justification to not go to work" Are you for real. I am so finished with AU. This is the last straw, you people have no touch to reality.

"You People" is a bit of a jump here. Granted you sound upset, but saying "you people" is classifying everyone here into the same categorical group. If you said "you people" to a group of one ethinc or racial group, how would that reflect upon you? How would it make them feel? We are all individuals here with individual opinions and I would like to ask that people accept and respect that. Emotions run high, yes, but that is not an excuse for some of the behavior that has been exhibited here in the past. Events like this affect people in different ways. And each individual has different ways of dealing with it. Again, I ask that we try to respect that we are all individuals and that we may disagree with others but we are all speaking as ourselves, not as one "AU" being so to speak.

 

[George]

what happens if train is cancelled but I can't get in touch with Amtrak to cancel ticket? Can I get the refund after the planned travel date for a ticket on a cancelled train?

 

[fairviewroad]

Bingo. This isn't an excuse to get people out of work. It's to create as little traffic as possible and keep citizens out of the line of fire so the police can do their jobs effectively and prevent more crap like the moron who wandered up to them in the middle of the gunfight last night to ask, "Is this related to the terrorists?"
They played that audio clip on the radio this morning. I would have facepalmed if I hadn't been driving at the time. Who the freaking freak walks up to cops in the middle of gunfire to bug them with an inane question? He could have been shot, and/or his distraction could have caused that cop to get shot. :angry:

Actually, it doesn't seem to me that the comment was directed to police. It seems like the person filming the video was asking someone in the room next to them.

A female voice mumbles something in response. Meanwhile, the cops voices are all well off in the distance.

The comment comes around the 1:05 mark in this video:

http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/Uncut-Shootout-between-suspects-in-Watertown/-/11971628/19812452/-/cjrx2vz/-/index.html

 

[the Other Mike]

So, last night as I watched this unfold ( well to me i was last night ) it was only the campus and local police involved and it was stated many times that the FBI was not there and not involved ( at the time). As I wake up it seems it's now a big FBI wingdangdo.

I thought Homeland Security was created for this type of event. If not, just what are they for besides TSA ?

Am I missing something ?

Or, was the big exercise held in New Orleans this week Homland Security ? It was repeated on the news for several days to not be alarmed at all the low flying helocopters ( of more than one size) over the city. No one I know could see any markings on any of them so I assume it was HS.

I personally found it strange, the number of fighter type jets screaming over the city. But, that could have been jump flights for VIP's from the New Orleans airport to the Navel Air Station in Belle Chasse

As far as Dunken Donuts ? I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log.

 

[SP&S]

Extraordinary to see a major US city under lockdown.

It shouldn't be happening. This won't help catch the suspect, mark my words.

It appears that the suspects were intent on committing additional violonce, which is why the first one was tracked down so quickly: their second attack. If the other one is still intent on committing more crimes, he will be found during the next crime. If he isn't, it doesn't matter whether the city is on lockdown or not, he will go to ground successfully. It's not possible to lock down a city even *during an actual war with battle lines*, and this isn't one of those.

The only real utility of the "lockdown" is to give people a solid justification to not go to work. Which is a good thing to do, given that the second suspect may well be intent on blowing up more things. But it does raise the question of how any business is open.

WHAT? The lockdown is not for the benefit of the coward criminal it is for the safety of the public. Oh did you forget there are many people injured and killed by this man. "Solid justification to not go to work" Are you for real. I am so finished with AU. This is the last straw, you people have no touch to reality.

June, please take note that this tasteless post was made by an anonymous guest. I'd much rather have to put up with the occasional post like this instead of having a heavily moderated forum.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

I dunno about the city of Boston but areas around it businesses are open. But I am stuck regardless.

Is Greyhound still running?

 

[fairviewroad]

I dunno about the city of Boston but areas around it businesses are open. But I am stuck regardless.

Is Greyhound still running?

As of three hours ago, no:

https://twitter.com/GreyhoundBus/status/325287455051902979

 

[Shawn Ryu]

So i am really stuck.