Hurricane Matthew Service Disruptions

[AmtrakLKL]

Nothing has been officially published yet, but Amtrak.com is showing the follow trains sold out which typically indicates pending decisions on cancellation:

These are origination dates:

Wed, Oct 5 - 91 south of Tampa & 97 south of Orlando (Originates Oct 5, meaning sold out on Oct 6)

Thu, Oct 6 - 52, 53, 91, 92, 97, 98

Fri, Oct 7 - 52, 53, 91, 92, 97, 98

Sat, Oct 8 - 52, 53, 91, 92, 97, 98

 

[jis]

Surprising that 89, 90 are still open.

 

[Seaboard92]

I would assume 89/90 as well

 

[FormerOBS]

Auto Train crews have been informed that 52 and 53 will operate October 5. Upon arrival at destination October 6, the equipment will be secured. The trains are not expected to operate October 6 and 7. The crew departing Lorton October 5 on 53 is expecting to stay in a hotel in the Sanford area for a couple days until they can return on the first day that 52 operates northbound. As always, it's possible that there could be some changes to this plan.

I'm assuming the other trains will be following a somewhat similar pattern.

Tom

 

[Grandpa D]

While I didn't go through all the possible city pairs, it looks like the Palmetto, the Silvers and the Auto Train have been cancelled through Saturday 10/08. Matthew has been a little shifty in the last couple of NHC reports so this may change.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

91(05) and 97(05) will now terminate in JAX with no alternate transportation south. I believe they will turn there for 92(06) and 98(06).

 

[SanDiegan]

TWC reporting that Amtrak Florida service is being suspended until after the storm.

 

[Caesar La Rock]

I was told by the station agent at the Winter Park station yesterday that no trains will be running today, but we already know that.

 

[John Bobinyec]

A few years back CSX decentralized their dispatcher's offices away from Jacksonville, Fla., presumably because it makes good sense not to have all of your eggs in a single hurricane basket.

Are there any dispatcher's left in Jacksonville? Is their office being run temporarily from another location?

jb

 

[Seaboard92]

JAX still has some dispatchers but that would be the Jacksonville division only. So mostly Florida.

 

[MARC Rider]

Am sitting in Club Acela in WAS.

Silver Meteor (97) is listed as "Cancelled."

The Crescent went out on schedule.

 

[MARC Rider]

I recall one year, they used trains for evacuation. I think it was a Strom treating Houston. Any thought of using trains to move people from Miami, etc. to, say, Orlando? (Which I think is out of the path of the storm.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I recall one year, they used trains for evacuation. I think it was a Strom treating Houston. Any thought of using trains to move people from Miami, etc. to, say, Orlando? (Which I think is out of the path of the storm.

Orlando is in the warning area.

 

[MARC Rider]

I recall one year, they used trains for evacuation. I think it was a Strom treating Houston. Any thought of using trains to move people from Miami, etc. to, say, Orlando? (Which I think is out of the path of the storm.

Orlando is in the warning area.

So I noticed after I posted. Is Tampa in better shape? Where is everybody from Southeast Florida evacuating to?

I hope the AU'ers down there are safe and ride out the storm.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would imagine a big concern is how seriously the tracks get damaged, especially by the strom surge.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

Perhaps service south of Savannah will get "suspended"?

 

[jis]

I recall one year, they used trains for evacuation. I think it was a Strom treating Houston. Any thought of using trains to move people from Miami, etc. to, say, Orlando? (Which I think is out of the path of the storm.

Why would you move people from Miami which is only under Tropical Storm Warning to Orlando which is under Hurricane Warning?
In general when a storm approaches crossing gate arms are removed and stored away since in hurricane force winds they can detach and become dangerous missiles. Once crossing arms are removed you cannot operate trains at any reasonable speed unless of course there are no grade crossings. Needless to say I am not aware of such a route in the Southeast. Consequently trains are pretty useless in an active storm area unless you manage to use them well ahead of the storm.

As it stands, for this storm about 1.5 million people are under mandatory evacuation order, and a vast majority of them are evacuating ten to twenty miles inland to evacuation centers. The next major group is sixty to eighty miles to western Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. And an even smaller group to the west coast of Florida.

The reason they don't want to go too far is that they want to get back home as soon as possible.

 

[Seaboard92]

Honestly I think the evacuation by train would be a good thing for several reasons.

1. It's great public service to get people out of harms way.

2. It allows people who have never experienced the train a chance to experience rail. Which could potentially turn into future riders in the future.

3. Political goodwill from the people the lifesaving service benefits. People can influence their elected officials especially in an election era. And you know politicians would probably come out for a photo op.

4. It gets crew and equipment out of a disaster zone which is an operational benefit.

5. Free advertising as the media would cover it as they did for the storm in New Orleans years ago. And no press is bad press and it would raise awareness for the usefulness of Amtrak. Again making a political statement.

So I see nothing but pros in this situation.

 

[pennyk]

I recall one year, they used trains for evacuation. I think it was a Strom treating Houston. Any thought of using trains to move people from Miami, etc. to, say, Orlando? (Which I think is out of the path of the storm.

Why would you move people from Miami which is only under Tropical Storm Warning to Orlando which is under Hurricane Warning?
In general when a storm approaches crossing gate arms are removed and stored away since in hurricane force winds they can detach and become dangerous missiles. Once crossing arms are removed you cannot operate trains at any reasonable speed unless of course there are no grade crossings. Needless to say I am not aware of such a route in the Southeast. Consequently trains are pretty useless in an active storm area unless you manage to use them well ahead of the storm.

As it stands, for this storm about 1.5 million people are under mandatory evacuation order, and a vast majority of them are evacuating ten to twenty miles inland to evacuation centers. The next major group is sixty to eighty miles to western Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. And an even smaller group to the west coast of Florida.

The reason they don't want to go too far is that they want to get back home as soon as possible.

I agree with everything that Jis said. In the current situation, evacuation by train would have helped. In Central Florida, many coastal residents from Brevard and Volusia Counties evacuated inland to Orlando and surrounding areas. Trains would not have helped the evacuation.

 

[west point]

Further info Tampa has Gale warnings and tropical storm warnings.

 

[Acela150]

A few years back CSX decentralized their dispatcher's offices away from Jacksonville, Fla., presumably because it makes good sense not to have all of your eggs in a single hurricane basket.

Are there any dispatcher's left in Jacksonville? Is their office being run temporarily from another location?

jb

CSX dispatchers are now in division offices. Have been for some time. The dispatchers I would deal with at CSX were BE who controls the Philly Sub in the Philly area from Baltimore. NI who handles the Trenton Sub from I believe although it's the Albany Division, the office is in Selkirk.

 

[NW cannonball]

Further north, Charleston "mayor urges evacuation"

as 3-5 foot storm surge could do major damage on the Peninsula (central Charleston)

I've heard rumors (probably true) that the Navy has secured all operations at Goose Creek and ordered all non-essential personnel to evacuate.

Doesn't look good for coastal communities farther up the coast, either.

About Amtrak service after the storm passes -- we'll have to wait and see. Downed power lines, trees, washouts all blocking tracks. Who knows?

 

[Acela150]

I should add that Silver Service consists are currently tied down in Philly in Penn Coach yard.

 

[user 6862]

We are due out of Winter Park, FL next Tuesday evening on the Silver Star, any suggestions on where to get accurate in advance information as to if there will be a service and if it would be as scheduled? Or do Amtrak text or email all ticket holders if there has been an alteration or cancellation?

We are not near Winter park at the moment, tomorrow will be in Starke, FL if all goes well with Matthew but then popping up to Macon, GA for a couple of days.

Arrived in Panama City for an overnight hotel this evening, all hotels here are fully booked without exception apparently. Major reason is Disney has closed for a couple of days and holiday makers want make up for it and visit a vacation town in place of their Disney experience.

Thanks for any help

 

[pennyk]

We are due out of Winter Park, FL next Tuesday evening on the Silver Star, any suggestions on where to get accurate in advance information as to if there will be a service and if it would be as scheduled? Or do Amtrak text or email all ticket holders if there has been an alteration or cancellation?

I am in Orlando and have a reservation on the Silver Meteor on Tuesday afternoon. I am concerned as well. It is too soon to know if the trains will be canceled. It may depend on CSX, whether any track damage in FL, GA, SC, or flooding around Charleston. Generally, Amtrak will phone and/or email when there are cancellations. They post service alerts on their website also. AU members are generally on top of things and may know something the minute that Amtrak makes a decision. Watch this space!!! Good luck and I hope your train is running.