Auto Train (53) still in Lorton... ?

[BLNT]

I checked in to see where 53 was, as this is the train I'll be catching northbound (52) tomorrow.

Since they're already 3 hours late, it's not looking real good for tomorrow.

Anyone know what's going on? (oddly, 52 just left Sanford a short while ago... they're both behind)

 

[JoshP]

This is due to accident in Ashland that backed up everything. I watched it live.

At the moment: 66, 93, 85 and 53 is all backed up as well. Lucky 90 made it out after and 125 was there when it happened.

 

[JoshP]

Other news: Car is on between tracks 2 & 3 at Ashcake.

So other issue

 

[Scott Orlando]

53 on the way… 4hr 7min late. I have a friend going tomorrow. They can make it happen

 

[BLNT]

Bailed on the trip plans... 7+ hours late last time I checked, not even in Sanford yet... no thanks.

Frustrating as hell (sums up many of my Auto Train experiences)

 

[me_little_me]

Bailed on the trip plans... 7+ hours late last time I checked, not even in Sanford yet... no thanks.

Frustrating as hell (sums up many of my Auto Train experiences)

Chill, Blynt! It's only the first stop that will be late. It will be on time for all the remaining stops!

 

[BLNT]

Chill, Blynt! It's only the first stop that will be late. It will be on time for all the remaining stops!

That's funny, since it is nonstop !!

 

[Bob Dylan]

That's funny, since it is nonstop !!

It actually stops for a Crew change during the night!

 

[BLNT]

It actually stops for a Crew change during the night!

Technicality, LOL

 

[user 14106]

Tough time of year to get into this hell. Generally the only way they get out of it and back on schedule is to cancel both trains a day. Tough to do this busy time of year as you'll tick off all the people on the one you're canceling that don't want to drive or wait until the next day. The only thing that may help the next couple days is if the tracks are wide open due to minimal freight traffic for the holiday and they may make up a little time. What was the original cause of this some incidents on the RF&P?

 

[me_little_me]

That's funny, since it is nonstop !!

I'm probably in trouble again for not putting a smiley face on the post. Glad to see people got it anyway.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

Tough time of year to get into this hell. Generally the only way they get out of it and back on schedule is to cancel both trains a day. Tough to do this busy time of year as you'll tick off all the people on the one you're canceling that don't want to drive or wait until the next day. The only thing that may help the next couple days is if the tracks are wide open due to minimal freight traffic for the holiday and they may make up a little time. What was the original cause of this some incidents on the RF&P?

I'm curious as to why there isn't a 3rd and 4th trainset sitting at both stations (with stand-by) crews just in case something like this happens? Or maybe a secondary shorter Auto Train route Sanford/Lorton to Florence, SC. You would be within a few hours from Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, I see today's (yesterday's) 52 is over 12 hours late.

 

[joelkfla]

I'm curious as to why there isn't a 3rd and 4th trainset sitting at both stations (with stand-by) crews just in case something like this happens? Or maybe a secondary shorter Auto Train route Sanford/Lorton to Florence, SC. You would be within a few hours from Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, I see today's (yesterday's) 52 is over 12 hours late.

So you're saying Amtrak should purchase the number of auto racks and other cars equal to the 2 current consists and keep them lying around just in case? And double the track space at each terminal, or pay for storage space at some fairly close by yards? And hire and train the OBS and train crews just to keep them on standby?

Seems to me that's no way to run a railroad.

 

[JoshP]

Amtrak has cancelled 52/53 today and possible tomorrow. Poor thing for these passengers.

 

[Ziv]

There go a lot of Christmas plans. Sad.
Not Amtrak's fault, but it hurts them, too.
Spending Christmas away from home is often an oddly relaxing and festive occasion. I wonder what it would be like to have dinner with wine and conversation with strangers in the dining car and then wake up Christmas Day rocking along in your sleeper. I think it would have been kind of fun. My GF has serious misgivings about Christmas because of the expectations put upon her by her parents. I think she would love to be on the road and out of touch. LOL!

Amtrak has cancelled 52/53 today and possible tomorrow. Poor thing for these passengers.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

There go a lot of Christmas plans. Sad.

Same thing is happening with the airlines. United and Delta have cancelled flights today due to crew shortages (due to.... that's right, COVID).

 

[joelkfla]

Same thing is happening with the airlines. United and Delta have cancelled flights today due to crew shortages (due to.... that's right, COVID).

But at least in Amtrak's case, it was something else, totally unpredictable and beyond their control (though not uncommon).

 

[Dakota 400]

Spending Christmas away from home is often an oddly relaxing and festive occasion. I wonder what it would be like to have dinner with wine and conversation with strangers in the dining car and then wake up Christmas Day rocking along in your sleeper. I think it would have been kind of fun

Never have had that experience on a train, but have experienced Christmas Eve and Day several times on cruises as well as at a friend's home. The first time I did this, it was an "odd" feeling, but very enjoyable. Each time, since, it is part of the year that I look forward to. When one has no family close to where one lives, spending Christmas somewhere other than one's "cave" helps to make the season more like the holiday ought to be.

 

[BLNT]

I am SOOOOO glad we didn't hop onboard thinking they could make up for some of the 7 hours (ended up over 13 hours late).

Instead, we drove south 3 hours to Miami and boarded a cruise ship last minute. Popping the bottle of champagne in about 30 minutes for sail away. Nice to have options/plan B !!

 

[west point]

No Amtrak cannot afford to have an extra auto train set sitting around. However maybe Amtrak could use that set to run an extra section some days. Maybe 2 - 3 RTs a week starting in Sanford. If the second set was scheduled 3 - 4 hours later if the inbound was late the extra set could make a normal time departure and late inbound take extra set's that day' place?

This not possible until enough new equipment is operational to allow for some Superliners to be assigned to the extra train set.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

No Amtrak cannot afford to have an extra auto train set sitting around. However maybe Amtrak could use that set to run an extra section some days. Maybe 2 - 3 RTs a week starting in Sanford. If the second set was scheduled 3 - 4 hours later if the inbound was late the extra set could make a normal time departure and late inbound take extra set's that day' place?

This not possible until enough new equipment is operational to allow for some Superliners to be assigned to the extra train set.

This was pretty much what I was thinking. Maybe not an extra 2 train sets but maybe a third one just in case. Have it run from Thanksgiving to just after New Years. Monday, Wednesday, Friday there could be an extra train.

I had a feeling they couldn’t add another train now as they don’t have the extra equipment lying around.

 

[Qapla]

Of course, an extra train, AT or Silver, would have to fit into FEC and/or CSX scheduling - so, in other words, probably not feasible desired by the freight RR host(s).

 

[Heids]

On the vey delayed 53 we had an announcer telling us why we had every stop. It helped to know the actual reasons.
It would help to know some statistics about delays. I heard the extreme delays like yesterdays happen a very few times per year. Of course they can’t be predicted but knowing there is a chance helps decide if you need to add t to one to the vacation.