Hurricane Harvey Texas Impacts

[bmjhagen9426]

I just tracked Tropical Storm Harvey, and it is forcasted that it will slam into southeastern Texas, impacting coastal cities like Houston, and possibly inland cities like Austin and San Antonio, and even affecting Louisiana, pouring heavy rain and blowing high winds, complete with lightning strikes. Brace yourselves, Texas and Louisiana AU users. Any possibility that it will affect the Sunset Limited and/or the Texas Eagle, as a result of the downpour? Any insights will be welcomed.

 

[Lonestar648]

How Harvey will affect Amtrak operation is south Texas will depend on what happens in the next 24 - 36 hours I imagine. If the predicted stall point continues to be below I-10 closer to the coast between Houston and Corpus Christi, it appears that TE would be unaffected, but the SL has a higher probability of not running on Saturday DP NOL or Sunday.Leaving SAS for NOL. Too early to know at this point, everything points to a stalling which means tons of water in a short period of time.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I just tracked Tropical Storm Harvey, and it is forcasted that it will slam into southeastern Texas, impacting coastal cities like Houston, and possibly inland cities like Austin and San Antonio, and even affecting Louisiana, pouring heavy rain and blowing high winds, complete with lightning strikes. Brace yourselves, Texas and Louisiana AU users. Any possibility that it will affect the Sunset Limited and/or the Texas Eagle, as a result of the downpour? Any insights will be welcomed.

Trains are on the ground so it is entirely possible it can impact the Sunset or Eagle. It could impact the signals, cause high water conditions or cause trees to foul the tracks.

Of course, any of the above can happen during a normal rain.

 

[Lonestar648]

Also, Amtrak has to do what the host railroad says, so if they are not comfortable with passenger trains in the weather, like through Houston, then Amtrak will have to decide to either cancel or bus, but unlikely bus in a hurricane.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Harvey is expected to cause flooding devastation as far north as Dallas/Ft. Worth, so look for the Eagles to travel no further south and also look for the Sunset Limited to be suspended through Texas as well.

 

[jis]

It might now get itself wrapped up into a Cat 1 Hurricane by the time it hits Corpus Christie.

 

[CAMISSY55]

I just heard an updated report from the Hurricane Center. They are now talking CAT 3.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Harvey is expected to cause flooding devastation as far north as Dallas/Ft. Worth, so look for the Eagles to travel no further south and also look for the Sunset Limited to be suspended through Texas as well.

No further south...as in Chicago, I guess.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Update: it looks like the storm will be devastating, if not historic. Looks like days-long cancellation at best, a week or two at worst. At this time, forcasted, up to 30 inches (762 millimetres) of rain east of San Antonio, and up to 15 inches (381 millimetres) for a good parts of both San Antonio and Austin. Cancellations are very likely, and even possibly inevitable at this point, and cancellations of flights and buses cannot be ruled out. As for SL/TE, looks more like a straight partial cancellation instead of bus-stitution, as the highways are expected to be blocked. When it rains in Texas, it rains hard, it seems like, and Amtrak and other non-rail carriers take a hit. I'm going to bet that Amtrak has posted a service alert for Harvey by now.

Source for Harvey impacts: http://www.weather.gov/ewx/

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, San Antonio floods every time a cloud passes over the Sun! The tracks that the Eagle amd Sunset run on frequently flood when it rains heavily.

And since the Houston area and Louisiana are basically reclaimed Swampland, the chances of the Eagle amd Sunset running through Central Texas are Slim and None!.

Last time we had a flood in Central Texas the Eagle was rerouted on the of SP Main out of San Antonio thru Sequin,Luling,Flatonia, up thru Smithville on the old Katy Tracks and thru Eastexas on the old SP/MoPac tracks that the Eagle used during this year's Trackwork between Longview and Dallas.

 

[Lonestar648]

Flooding is an understatement, since they expect Harvey to stall for 2 - 3 days sucking heavy moisture from the Gulf in to rain feet, some places are expected to get 36-40 inches, based on the Weather Channel we have on right now. Tropical storm winds could reach Austin. The announcers keep using historical. Based on this I think it is just when will Amtrak make public the cancellations.For how long, just have to see how much damage once the storm clears.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Flooding is an understatement, since they expect Harvey to stall for 2 - 3 days sucking heavy moisture from the Gulf in to rain feet, some places are expected to get 36-40 inches, based on the Weather Channel we have on right now. Tropical storm winds could reach Austin. The announcers keep using historical. Based on this I think it is just when will Amtrak make public the cancellations.For how long, just have to see how much damage once the storm clears.

The next Katrina, or a repeat of the 1900 Galveston hurricane landfall, perhaps?

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

Yeah, I'm expecting flooding here in Louisiana, I can hope for the best though right?

I hope that anyone in the path of the storm stays safe.

 

[KnightRail]

SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS:

Subject to change without notice, this is a fluid situation.

Sunset Limited:

-2(23) Runs entire route to New Orleans

-2(25) Runs only to El Paso, where the train set will turn and become 1(25)

-1(25) [which is actually Saturday's scheduled origination] Runs only from El Paso to Los Angeles

-Trains beyond these dates, no new tickets are being sold for travel anywhere on the route East of San Antonio.

Texas Eagle:

-No thru cars (421/422) connecting to/from the Sunset Limited

-No further changes...yet

 

[bmjhagen9426]

SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS:

Subject to change without notice, this is a fluid situation.

Sunset Limited:

-2(23) Runs entire route to New Orleans

-2(25) Runs only to El Paso, where the train set will turn and become 1(25)

-1(25) [which is actually Saturday's scheduled origination] Runs only from El Paso to Los Angeles

-Trains beyond these dates, no new tickets are being sold for travel anywhere on the route East of San Antonio.

Texas Eagle:

-No thru cars (421/422) connecting to/from the Sunset Limited

-No further changes...yet

Source, or quoted info (how you got this conclusion)? And how would the TE get to San Antonio in the first place, with all the heavy rain, peaking as high as 40 inches (1016 mm) in some places in the trajectory? And I'm guessing that 2 (23) will be stranded in New Orleans. As for trains after 1 (25), did you mean to say:

-Trains beyond these dates, no new tickets are being sold for travel anywhere on the route East of El Paso.

?

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I just tracked Tropical Storm Harvey, and it is forcasted...

&

At this time, forcasted...

I believe the word you're looking for is forecast, and it doesn't change spelling to indicate tense.

Yep, San Antonio floods every time a cloud passes over the Sun!

In San Antonio many of our original roads were built on dry riverbeds. Most of the time that's fine because these river beds tend to stay dry, but on those rare occasions when it really pours it's not good. Still better than Houston though.

The next Katrina, or a repeat of the 1900 Galveston hurricane landfall, perhaps?

I sure hope not. We don't need another "Heck of a Job, Brownie!" disaster.

Source, or quoted info (how you got this conclusion)?

I believe he works for Amtrak. I would presume these are Amtrak's true intentions.

 

[Lonestar648]

The super heavy rainfall is forecast for southeast and south of San Antonio. Now, no one knows, even all the computer models are confused as to where the storm will go after stalling for a couple days. Some have it back out into the Gulf, others have it hugging the coast to New Orleans. What the forecasters seem to agree on is that the storm will not dissipate quickly like some do. The TE should be ok after the storm clears next week, also, the SL could turn in SAS after the storm.East of SAS towards Housyon is another story to played out next week.

 

[Lonestar648]

Here is the latest from the NHC: HURRICANE HARVEY WILL PRODUCE A LIFE-THREATENING HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY COULD BE IN THE 10 TO 20 INCH RANGE ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 WITH ISOLATED TOTALS IN EXCESS OF 35 INCHES POSSIBLE OVER AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10 AS HARVEY IS EXPECTED TO STALL OVER THE AREA. DEVASTATING MAINSTEAM RIVER FLOODING IS POSSIBLE EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10. ADDITIONALLY, HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 70 TO 80 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE COUNTIES WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING, WHILE 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WITH SOME GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR AREAS WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING. THE TIMING OF THESE WINDS LOOK TO ARRIVE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS:

Subject to change without notice, this is a fluid situation.

Sunset Limited:

-2(23) Runs entire route to New Orleans

-2(25) Runs only to El Paso, where the train set will turn and become 1(25)

-1(25) [which is actually Saturday's scheduled origination] Runs only from El Paso to Los Angeles

-Trains beyond these dates, no new tickets are being sold for travel anywhere on the route East of San Antonio.

Texas Eagle:

-No thru cars (421/422) connecting to/from the Sunset Limited

-No further changes...yet

Source, or quoted info (how you got this conclusion)?

S/he works for Amtrak.

 

[KnightRail]

When there is a fluid situation that may result in cancelations such as a hurricane, major snowstorm, mudslides, etc. at some point a plan is implemented and put into the computer system. Since conditions can change and the plan is preliminary often the first step is to suspend the sale of any new tickets for the affected train(s). This results in the "SOLD OUT" being showed when searching for tickets online. Point being, when cancelations are expected and you start seeing "SOLD OUT" that is a good indication that the train likely will be canceled over the segment you are searching. Try searching for tickets on 2(25) for anywhere East of El Paso, you should be seeing "SOLD OUT" for any city pair that includes a station East of El Paso.

 

[JoeBas]

It might now get itself wrapped up into a Cat 1 Hurricane by the time it hits Corpus Christie.

If only.

 

[JoeBas]

Still better than Houston though.

The next Katrina, or a repeat of the 1900 Galveston hurricane landfall, perhaps?

I sure hope not. We don't need another "Heck of a Job, Brownie!" disaster.

Yeah, I've already gone to Academy and bought their last inflatable boat. And living just a mile or so south of Ellington Field, I'm not sure which I'm dreading more - the storm, or the post-storm visit!

 

[jis]

So now it may wind itself up to a minimal Cat 4!

What is worse is it will become essentially stationary just on or off shore and remain a hurricane for an extended period of time.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Best of luck to all of you in the hurricane's path--we will be thinking of you here on AU and wishing you well in getting through it safely.

 

[Phil S]

Looks like I'll be on the TE going through San Anton late Thursday night, trying to connect to Cardinal in CHI. Any advice from those who live in the area or have traveled through it a lot would be appreciated. And my best wishes for all in Harvey's path.