CZ Service Disruption (6/25) and more delays

[chakk]

Unless Amtrak management decides to fly out to the SF Bay Area replacement crews for a #5 expected to arrive EMY more than 8 hrs late, it is virtually giaranteed that the mext day's #6 will depart EMY late, so that the OBS can receive the mandatory rest period between trips. Same goes for airline pilots at turnvack locations.

 

[craigandfaith]

6(28) got into CHI last night at 12:30 or so. We got to see the flooded section of track outside of Ottumwa. It looked pretty bad. Hard to believe 10 miles of track could create all this havoc for the CZ! I wonder if they will have a late turnaround today for the #5 out of CHI?

 

[kbmiflyer]

6 (28)'s arrival in Chicago at 12:30 was about 10 hours late. That train left EMY about seven hours late. So overall losing only 3 to 4 hours for an off schedule train is pretty good.

My family was on that train to Galesburg. They enjoyed the Utah Scenery usually missed at night but they missed out on the Moffat Tunnel and the descent down the front range. I think they could have done without all of the Nebraska and Iowa scenery, although my son did enjoy all of the passing trains.

 

[justinslot]

Oof...I looked up 6 into Chicago on that Amtrak delays site since I'm taking it in a few weeks and then the Capitol and the Acela back to Philly. It looks like I can kind of plan on an extra night in Chicago...average delay was 403 minutes, and the majority of arrivals were after the Capitol's departure.

 

[acelafan]

Justin, like you said the Zephyr has been really bad, here's a chart arriving into Chicago.

(link)

And it only made 7 out of 30 connections with the Capitol Limited for the past 30 days:

(link)

But Acela is pretty reliable, as to be expected!

(link)

 

[Triley]

Unless Amtrak management decides to fly out to the SF Bay Area replacement crews for a #5 expected to arrive EMY more than 8 hrs late, it is virtually giaranteed that the mext day's #6 will depart EMY late, so that the OBS can receive the mandatory rest period between trips. Same goes for airline pilots at turnvack locations.

Unless they've got a different union/contract, there is no mandatory rest periods between trips for OBS, unless you're arriving back at your home terminal. There are also no hours of service limits like pilots.

Point in case, a BOS LSA reports to WAS at 2:20pm to take Regional 125 from WAS to NFK, and should arrive in to NFK at 8:38pm. By the time the train gets sent through the wye and over to the maintenance yard, and we get to the hotel, it's around 9:30pm. The LSA is suppose to report back at 3:15am, and work back to BOS, and get back in 6:38pm, so we'll be out of there by say 7:15pm.

That is rough enough when you figure even just 45 minutes to fall asleep, and 45 minutes to get up, get ready, and get to the train. That would leave 4 hours of sleep, then a 16 hour work day. But if 125 is say... 3 hours late in to NFK (and one of the others on the extra board has had it up to four hours late, due to the the engine dieing north of PHL), then you usually don't even bother going to the hotel, and you attempt to nap on-board for a few hours. He requested to have an LSA replace him out of WAS so he could mark off, and no one showed up to replace him.

 

[chakk]

Well, mandatory rest period or not, I have never witnessed a #5 arrive EMY after 2 AM and the following morning's #6 depart EMY on time at 9:10 AM.

 

[OBS]

It is the T&E crews that need the rest, not OBS.

 

[ljohn2030]

Requesting advice: my wife, and 3 mo old daughter are traveling to PA via CZ, CL, Pennsylvanian in late July. My daughter isn't fully immunized (b/c of her age) and this is the safest way to get there without driving. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we won't experience the same massive delays on the CZ as in June. I am not hopeful that Amtrak will take care of us if we miss the connection to the CL, nor do I expect Amtrak to keep us on a sleeper for the next day on the CL. Is there a hotel near the train station in Chicago? If we are delayed, should I try to call and rebook ahead of time? I am just trying to keep my family safe, and off the bus. Any advice is welcomed. Thank you!

P.s. For those who may be traveling in late July - She is a great sleeper and we plan to have gifts (earplugs and candy) for the surrounding sleeper cabins for the trip - just in case!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you miss the connection, Amtrak will put you up in a hotel and give you meal $$.

I suppose there's a chance they'll bus you to catch up to the CL depending on timing. In that case they probably won't honor your CL or Pennsy tickets if you choose to go all the way to CHI and book your on hotel.

 

[eblkheart]

Not sure if I should put this here or make a new thread, but since it is a CZ delay, I'll put it here. I got an email from Amtrak notifying me that the my trip into the Chicago area (leaving from Denver July 19) will be late 1 hour. Anyone know of maintenance or detours planned?

 

[chakk]

Not sure if I should put this here or make a new thread, but since it is a CZ delay, I'll put it here. I got an email from Amtrak notifying me that the my trip into the Chicago area (leaving from Denver July 19) will be late 1 hour. Anyone know of maintenance or detours planned?

Union Pacific is doing trackwork west of Denver, so Amtrak is being asked to delay departure of eastbound CZ from Grand Junctuon on some days (unless it is already running one hour late that day) so that the work crews can have an extra daylight hour of work window.

 

[eblkheart]

Union Pacific is doing trackwork west of Denver, so Amtrak is being asked to delay departure of eastbound CZ from Grand Junctuon on some days (unless it is already running one hour late that day) so that the work crews can have an extra daylight hour of work window.

Ah, I thought that's what that was. Thank you!

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Looking at Amtrak Status report, it looks like the CZ is beginning to recover from the recent spout of lateness from washouts, track work, etc. All trains east and west today only 1-3 hours late. I'll take that.

 

[justinslot]

Looking at Amtrak Status report, it looks like the CZ is beginning to recover from the recent spout of lateness from washouts, track work, etc. All trains east and west today only 1-3 hours late. I'll take that.

I'll take anything that lets me make my connection in Chicago. Hopefully the train gods will continue to look favorably on the CZ...

 

[SurebetVA]

I just got an updated tickeet from Amtrak for my #6 tickets on July 21 out of Denver. Didn't say what had changed but when I looked it showed 1 hour later out of Denver as well. Hope this doesn't extend on to July 25 when I have to leave MCK for OMA.

 

[Cma]

I just received a similar revised ticket for #6 out of Omaha on July 22. Since the train is averaging almost 4 hours delay into Omaha I wonder why they only changed it 1 hour.

 

[justinslot]

The westbound CZ I am on right now is 4 hours behind aaaand we're stopped again, who knows for what. Sigh...at least we stopped in a place with a Verizon signal.

 

[Agent]

The westbound CZ I am on right now is 4 hours behind aaaand we're stopped again, who knows for what. Sigh...at least we stopped in a place with a Verizon signal.

It appears there is a sun kink in Glenwood Canyon. #6(12) is also waiting at the Glenwood Springs station.

 

[eblkheart]

I am really hoping for an uneventful trip next Sunday to Chicago, but... thankfully I have a roomette now in case of delays.

 

[justinslot]

The westbound CZ I am on right now is 4 hours behind aaaand we're stopped again, who knows for what. Sigh...at least we stopped in a place with a Verizon signal.

It appears there is a sun kink in Glenwood Canyon. #6(12) is also waiting at the Glenwood Springs station.

But it wasn't even hot out...not that I know anything about sun kinks.

The second, much longer delay was in a place with no cell service whatsoever. I believe I have found a route with worse internet access than the Capitol Limited.

 

[justinslot]

I envy the Train Orders poster who got to stop in Glenwood Springs for awhile...they could get a bite to eat there. And USE THE INTERNET.

 

[chakk]

Prubably the T.O. Posrer was not allowed off the train to walk into town fir food. But there is strong telephone signal near the station for internet access.

 

[afigg]

The CZ is pulling well ahead in the 2015 contest for the worse summer in delays for the LD trains. #6(7/12) is currently over 18 hours late. By Thursday morning, we will see how this status map report ends.

Train 6 of 07/12/2015.
* THIS TRAIN EXPERIENCED A SERVICE DISRUPTION.
* California Zephyr
* +---------------- Station Code
* | +----------- Schedule Arrival Day
* | | +-------- Schedule Arrival Time
* | | | +----- Schedule Departure Day
* | | | | +-- Schedule Departure Time
* | | | | | +------------- Actual Arrival Time
* | | | | | | +------- Actual Departure Time
* | | | | | | | +- Comments
* V V V V V V V V
* EMY * * 1 910A * 916A Departed: 6 minutes late.
* RIC * * 1 922A * 934A Departed: 12 minutes late.
* MTZ 1 954A 1 954A 1000A 1008A Arrived: 6 minutes late. | Departed: 14 minutes late.
* DAV * * 1 1036A * 1054A Departed: 18 minutes late.
* SAC 1 1058A 1 1109A 1108A 1130A Arrived: 10 minutes late. | Departed: 21 minutes late.
* RSV * * 1 1135A * 1155A Departed: 20 minutes late.
* COX * * 1 1221P * 1258P Departed: 37 minutes late.
* TRU * * 1 238P * 318P Departed: 40 minutes late.
* RNO 1 356P 1 406P 412P 422P Arrived: 16 minutes late. | Departed: 16 minutes late.
* WNN * * 1 708P * 736P Departed: 28 minutes late.
* ELK 1 931P 1 931P 954P 1001P Arrived: 23 minutes late. | Departed: 30 minutes late.
* SLC 2 305A 2 330A 353A 425A Arrived: 48 minutes late. | Departed: 55 minutes late.
* PRO * * 2 435A * 527A Departed: 52 minutes late.
* HER * * 2 637A * 736A Departed: 59 minutes late.
* GRI * * 2 759A * 855A Departed: 56 minutes late.
* GJT 2 1011A 2 1023A 1045A 1115A Arrived: 34 minutes late. | Departed: 52 minutes late.
* GSC * * 2 1210P * 1150P Departed: 11 hours, 40 minutes late.
* GRA * * 2 312P * 317A Departed: 12 hours, 5 minutes late.
* WIP * * 2 350P * 352A Departed: 12 hours, 2 minutes late.
* DEN 2 638P 2 710P 1011A 1049A Arrived: 15 hours, 33 minutes late | Departed: 15 hours, 39 minutes late.
* FMG * * 2 825P * 1239P Departed: 16 hours, 14 minutes late.
* MCK * * 2 1149P * 537P Departed: 17 hours, 48 minutes late.
* HLD * * 3 1254A * 743P Departed: 18 hours, 49 minutes late.
* HAS * * 3 142A * 834P Departed: 18 hours, 52 minutes late.
* LNK 3 320A 3 326A 1019P 1029P Arrived: 18 hours, 59 minutes late | Departed: 19 hours, 3 minutes late.
OMA 3 459A 3 514A CT
CRN * * 3 704A CT
OSC * * 3 740A CT
OTM 3 900A 3 909A CT
MTP * * 3 954A CT
BRL * * 3 1036A CT
GBB 3 1141A 3 1141A CT
PCT * * 3 1233P CT
NPV * * 3 153P CT
CHI 3 250P * * CT
At least the SWC, CONO, CL, LSL, Cardinal are doing ok with few extreme delays in getting to CHI this summer.

 

[Cma]

What does the abbreviation CT stand for?