EB Mess - 2

[SarahZ]

Gotcha also. And I hope you mean "answering Chicago and Michigan questions" which we all know you do so well, and for which I have thanks to give.

As for asking questions -- keep on asking, seldom can I help, often you have helped - thanks

Nobody asks Michigan questions.

Well, maybe once in a great while, but certainly not as often as Chicago.

Anyway, we're off-topic. :hi:

 

[NW cannonball]

There are some restaurants along University Ave. McDonald's probably isn't optimal, but they have coffee, and most locations are open 24 hours now.

Also, there is a Jimmy John's nearby. They deliver quickly. You could get an awesome sandwich, chips, a pickle, and caffeinated soda.

Here's their number: (651) 646-4777

Thanks Sarah! I have a friend picking up coffee at McD's on University right now!!!

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Looks like one of the worst westbound delays ever. Looks like the train is past Winona and 4+ hours late

Walk up to 7th and Saint Peter. get a Sputnik burger at Mickey's, wander late night Saint Paul -- no fear. Walk and look at the river. Just be back at SPUD when the train finally arrives.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Lounge car down, did they take over a table in the dinner and sell (dry) snacks? Something like the Denver to Seattle Pioneer use to do.

Also I get very nervous about the temp control of KFC products, when getting placed on the train. Has anyone been lucky enought to get this service. Was the food still hot or a bit cool.

I just got off 27 (14) in PDX tonight, around 8:00 pm - about 9 hours late. We left Chicago 4 hours late due to delays in getting the previous day's train turned in time, then lost several hours near Wiliston, then several more hours near Pasco.

When we left Spokane at 10:30 am, we were told we'd get KFC for lunch at Pasco, which was then estimated to be around 1:00 pm. However, due to the delays we didn't get to Pasco until about 3:30 pm.

I assume that the local KFC must have delivered the food roughly on time, because by the time we got to Pasco everything (coleslaw, mashed potatoes, & chicken) was all room temperature.

 

[NW cannonball]

Lounge car down, did they take over a table in the dinner and sell (dry) snacks? Something like the Denver to Seattle Pioneer use to do.

Also I get very nervous about the temp control of KFC products, when getting placed on the train. Has anyone been lucky enought to get this service. Was the food still hot or a bit cool.

I just got off 27 (14) in PDX tonight, around 8:00 pm - about 9 hours late. We left Chicago 4 hours late due to delays in getting the previous day's train turned in time, then lost several hours near Wiliston, then several more hours near Pasco.

When we left Spokane at 10:30 am, we were told we'd get KFC for lunch at Pasco, which was then estimated to be around 1:00 pm. However, due to the delays we didn't gtheet to Pasco until about 3:30 pm.

I assume that the local KFC must have delivered the food roughly on time, because by the time we got to Pasco everything (coleslaw, mashed potatoes, & chicken) w. as all room temperature.

Veh, and sheeesh.

Those of who rely on the EB to get to-from our dear relatives - well - we no longer figure getting there on schedule - but we do get where we want to be.Sooner or later. Mostly later.

 

[Romany16]

The counter holds cream and sugar, but NO coffee... Currently 1:58, amtrak guesses arrival to be around 4 am.

If it were just me I could handle it, I have my kids (4&8) as well as my 70+ YO in-laws with me...

At least the kids are sleeping horizontally...



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[Romany16]

3:38... Train sitting still just outside of redwing.

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[Romany16]

4:31, crew dead on time...

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[amtrakp42]

Folks, check out the on time performance of The City of New Orleans. Many times is early due to schedule padding. Wonder why that is? Call Senator Durbin's office. Now you would not find out what his office did to fix it, but bottom line it is fixed. A conductor almost got fired for telling a passenger to call his senator to complain of late train all the time. Well enough people did call and you can see the results for yourself on the amtrak status website. This train was running 2-4 hours late into Chicago because the freight railroad didn't care. It appears they had an attitude adjustment of some kind. This same adjustment can be applied to BNSF I am sure. BNSF probably has some on demand trains themselves, such as part trains to car factories. If they don't get there on time, they get another railroad to haul it. N&W lost business through midwest as they could not get the on demand freight thru. So Amtrak will always be on the siding waiting till this attitude adjustment is applied. So call your senator especially if you live in those states the Empire Builder serves including Senator Durbin. Wonder how this can happen, well the rumor is that a threat of federal railroad safety enforcers can end up stopping a bunch of freights for inspection! Now they would be happy to run Amtrak on time to prevent that.

 

[Romany16]

On board and underway 5:45 our Sleeping Car Attendant is Dee.

Diner opens in 45 mins.

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[Romany16]

private varnish on our tail.

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[neroden]

This sequence of delays reported by Romany16 is due to CP (it was delayed east of St. Paul), so that's who you need to tell your Senator to lean on.

BNSF has somewhat of an excuse and is deploying huge track crews. CP is just breaking the law wilfully.

 

[TraneMan]

3:38... Train sitting still just outside of redwing.

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Did they say why they are held back?? Didn't think there's any flooding in the area?

 

[Romany16]

From what I understand the crew went dead on time.

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[NW cannonball]

7(16) left CHI 2:15 late(according to Amtrak Track-a-train) and lost almost 4 hours between LaCrosse and Saint Paul. No wonder the crew ran out of hours.. 4 PV on the back end.

 

[montana mike]

Really, really bad day for the Empire Builders: #8 in ND now 11 hours late, #7 in ND now 7 1/2 hours behind, and #7 in MT now over 12 hours behind!!!

Good grief.

 

[Romany16]

North Dakota? We haven't even hit Fargo yet.

I just heard slow orders on the scanner and did we ever slow down. I smell hot brakes..,

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[montana mike]

Yup, you are correct!!! I see you are still perhaps 20-30 miles east of Fargo in MN--holy cow!!!

 

[Romany16]

We are west of Fargo on slow orders. According to the OBS we are taking a route other than the surrey cutoff.

Our next stop is Minot four hours from now.

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[Ispolkom]

I just got an e-mail from Amtrak:

Our records indicate that you are scheduled to depart on Amtrak train number 7, The Empire Builder, at 10:10PM on ....

We are contacting you today to inform you that passengers traveling aboard Empire Builder trains can encounter significant delays due to very high volumes of freight train traffic along the route. During the previous weeks in May and June, delays averaged between three and five hours. While delays to the Empire Builder have primarily been occurring west of St. Paul, Minn., passengers should anticipate delays in both directions.

BNSF Railway Co. owns and maintains the tracks and dispatches the trains west of St. Paul. BNSF is making capacity improvements, which are expected to reduce delays to Amtrak trains and to freight trains. However, many of these projects will not be complete until late 2014.

Two things occured to me:

1) a 3-5 hour delay is pretty good in the present situation, and

2) many of these projects won't actually be finished until late 2016.

I suppose, though, that it's bad marketing to tell passengers, "Abandon all hope! You are doooomed!"

Romany16, if you're west of Fargo and on BNSF tracks, I'm pretty sure that you're taking the Surrey Cutoff. BNSF calls it the KO subdivision.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

At least someone is advising the customers now, before the start of trip. However, how much notice did you get?

 

[Ispolkom]

At least someone is advising the customers now, before the start of trip. However, how much notice did you get?

About two weeks.

 

[montana mike]

I just got an e-mail from Amtrak:

Our records indicate that you are scheduled to depart on Amtrak train number 7, The Empire Builder, at 10:10PM on ....

We are contacting you today to inform you that passengers traveling aboard Empire Builder trains can encounter significant delays due to very high volumes of freight train traffic along the route. During the previous weeks in May and June, delays averaged between three and five hours. While delays to the Empire Builder have primarily been occurring west of St. Paul, Minn., passengers should anticipate delays in both directions.

BNSF Railway Co. owns and maintains the tracks and dispatches the trains west of St. Paul. BNSF is making capacity improvements, which are expected to reduce delays to Amtrak trains and to freight trains. However, many of these projects will not be complete until late 2014.

Two things occured to me:

1) a 3-5 hour delay is pretty good in the present situation, and

2) many of these projects won't actually be finished until late 2016.

I suppose, though, that it's bad marketing to tell passengers, "Abandon all hope! You are doooomed!"

Romany16, if you're west of Fargo and on BNSF tracks, I'm pretty sure that you're taking the Surrey Cutoff. BNSF calls it the KO subdivision.

Interesting, the past 4 weeks have averaged 341 minute delays into CHI, unless my math is wrong that averages out to just under 6 hour average delays. And remember, these delays are on top of the new 3 hours of additional time being built into the trip from SEA to CHI, so that averages out to actual delays of well over 9 hours from what the schedule was just last year!!! Oh, well, close enough I guess. And yes, only the first 25% of the BNSF track work will be completed by the end of the 2014 construction season. Again, "minor" detail. I agree, if you told potential pax that this mess was going to continue for another 18-24 months it would not be good for bookings.

 

[Joe F]

EB #8 is just out of Detroit Lakes, 14-1/2 hours late. No wonder I didn't see it in Red Wing today!

What are the chances that 8(15) and 7(17) will be at SPUD at the same time this evening?

 

[yarrow]

isn't amtrak supposed to release another eb schedule modification soon? what could they do that would make any difference?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Black Box Warning: "Abandon all hope! You are doooomed!"