late california zephyr

[hawksley]

i'm supposed to catch the #6 out of lincoln heading toward chicago in about 6 hours.

i got a call and an email today that it would be delayed by 3 hours

i checked just now and we're up to 6.

i realize delays are a part of train travel, and i understand the flooding. i'm not complaining

i just want to know, will the train be cancelled? or will it just show up to LNK extremely late?

if the ticketing office is not normally open during the hour it's supposed to arrive, do i need to go early to pick up my tickets that are waiting?

my train also says it's six hours late but arriving four minutes early in chicago. lol. i'm assuming that's extremely unlikely.

just looking for some opinions... thanks!

 

[Acela150]

How many topics on the CZ will we get??? :lol:

 

[hawksley]

How many topics on the CZ will we get??? :lol:

i actually read the others but none of them addressed my worry of my train just somehow ceasing to exist... ._.

 

[the_traveler]

Trains can and do make up time, so I would just keep track of the status - and be there like an hour before then. And I wouldn't worry about the station being locked up and the staff going home. Especially if LNK has checked baggage service. Who will take off the bags and put the bags on the train if all the employees go home?

And a few years I was on a CZ that was over 2 hours late in IL - and we made it to CHI early, due to padding!

 

[hawksley]

Trains can and do make up time, so I would just keep track of the status - and be there like an hour before then. And I wouldn't worry about the station being locked up and the staff going home. Especially if LNK has checked baggage service. Who will take off the bags and put the bags on the train if all the employees go home?

And a few years I was on a CZ that was over 2 hours late in IL - and we made it to CHI early, due to padding!

thanks for your reply! it seems like it fluxes a little bit but it looks like i'm not going to get anything earlier than 5 hours late. i just wanted to make sure i'd be able to get my tickets... i'll just keep an eye on it

-s

 

[Phil S]

But 13 hours? Pretty soon we might see 2 #5 back to back. Is there nothing in the contract with Uncle Pete that gives Amtrak any leverage. 13 hours? And twice!

 

[hawksley]

update!

i was checking the status of my departure online and i got a red error. i naturally assumed this meant the train was cancelled.

called amtrak (they're at a 20 minute wait time on hold right now, for the curious), and a lady very hesitantly told me that the train is now 8 hours late in to lincoln, but it is still in operation, even though the web status thing isn't returning anything.

i'm supposed to continue to call back and check on times.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

But 13 hours? Pretty soon we might see 2 #5 back to back. Is there nothing in the contract with Uncle Pete that gives Amtrak any leverage. 13 hours? And twice!

From time to time you'll see someone on here claim that Union Pacific risks major fines and fees for making too many Amtrak trains too late. But I think that 2011's on-time performance has finally put that possibility to rest. Whatever fines might exist are either too small to matter or so unlikely to be levied that Union Pacific has nothing to fear.

 

[AlanB]

But 13 hours? Pretty soon we might see 2 #5 back to back. Is there nothing in the contract with Uncle Pete that gives Amtrak any leverage. 13 hours? And twice!

From time to time you'll see someone on here claim that Union Pacific risks major fines and fees for making too many Amtrak trains too late. But I think that 2011's on-time performance has finally put that possibility to rest. Whatever fines might exist are either too small to matter or so unlikely to be levied that Union Pacific has nothing to fear.

First, the fines thing is new. It was only signed into law at the end of 2008 and I don't think that the law even kicked in until 2009. Additionally I believe that the law required some baselines to be established.

Second, fines would only occur for continued systemic delays caused strickly by freight interference.

In this case most of the delays on UP aren't being caused by UP's failure to get freight trains out of the way of an ontime Zephyr. BNSF, thanks to the flooding of the Missouri, is frequently delivering the CZ late to UP at Denver. Since UP is now receiving the train late, the rules regarding the fines do not apply.

On the return, since most of the time the train is late leaving the yard thanks to arriving so late the day before, again UP is receiving the train late and the rules don't apply.

Third, had you done some research from time to time, you'd notice that the Sunset Limited's on time performance has been very good for the past year or so. There have been no weather problems along that route. So it would appear that the threat of those fines is having some impact on UP's performance.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

How late does a train have to be before it is no longer in compliance with the new regulations? It's true that the Sunset Limited has been doing better with their OTP and it's also true that UP has been setting aside their freights while that specific train is passing. Unfortunately the SL is only one route among many. Hopefully you're right though and the Sunset's improved performance is the beginning of a move toward much better timekeeping system-wide. Seeing as how on-time dependability was a big vote getter in the "Worst of Amtrak" thread it would seem that any improvement would be a big win for Amtrak in the minds of prospective riders.

 

[hawksley]

well, can't get much more late than *not actually physically on the tracks*, the train i was referencing in this thread is the one that derailed outside of mccook, nebraska.

i wonder whose fault it was. amtrak for rushing or something like that? or some stupid person with a vehicle on the tracks...

 

[The Chief]

hawksley is correct, Zephyr derails (No. 6, near Benkelman, Nebraska).

Amtrak train hits farm vehicle in Nebraska, several cars derail

OMAHA, Neb (Reuters) - An Amtrak train carrying an estimated 178 passengers struck a farm vehicle in southwest Nebraska on Friday, derailing two locomotives and three cars and sending a number of passengers to a local hospital, a rail spokesman said.

Starlight hits cows, Zephyr hits agricultural machinery.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

i wonder whose fault it was. amtrak for rushing or something like that? or some stupid person with a vehicle on the tracks...

The fault is not Amtrak's! Trains can't stop quickly and have nowhere to go when something is on the tracks in front of them. Yes, theoretically the train could have been 'speeding' - but the chances of this are slim to nill. Engineers, virtually to the person, (Ricky Gates being the rare exception) take their job responsibilities seriously and will not go over the legal speed limit for the section of track they are on. I know it must be frustrating for you, but don't blame Amtrak for this mess. Mother nature, freight congestion and something being on the tracks that should not have been there are to blame.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

So many disasters here in 2011. Maybe we should combine them into a "Year of the Endless Disaster" thread?

 

[hawksley]

i wonder whose fault it was. amtrak for rushing or something like that? or some stupid person with a vehicle on the tracks...

The fault is not Amtrak's! Trains can't stop quickly and have nowhere to go when something is on the tracks in front of them. Yes, theoretically the train could have been 'speeding' - but the chances of this are slim to nill. Engineers, virtually to the person, (Ricky Gates being the rare exception) take their job responsibilities seriously and will not go over the legal speed limit for the section of track they are on. I know it must be frustrating for you, but don't blame Amtrak for this mess. Mother nature, freight congestion and something being on the tracks that should not have been there are to blame.

oh i absolutely don't blame amtrak or their staff at all! i was just curious is all. i don't know much about train operation (though i know a lot more now from hanging around on this forum, i really like it here you guys are great) ...

it is incredibly frustrating but i'm also a rational human being. 10 hour wait times because of floods and track issues and derailments aren't amtrak's fault :/ it sucks to have to find something else but train travel is a luxury i can afford. it's not the end of the world if it doesn't work out. i do feel bad for amtrak's staff though because i'm sure not everyone sees it my way

thanks for the info about the engineers, it's nice knowing that

 

[Brian S]

I was going to be on tomorrow's Zephyr leaving EMY, but I finally managed to convince Amtrak to rebook me on the Starlight -> Empire Builder. The downside is I have to change Roomettes twice on the EB, both in Spokane and in Whitefish. Oh well, still better than a 18 hour day on the CZ, plus I actually might catch my connection to the CL!

 

[Brian S]

Amtrak just canceled the eastbound Zephyr for today, tomorrow, and Sunday! Good thing I'm not on the Zephyr anymore, although I am disappointed I'm not seeing the canyon.

 

[NY Penn]

Is this another one of those times when Amtrak just wants to hit reset? Or is it because the CZ will not be able to pass the wreckage site?

 

[Trogdor]

Is this another one of those times when Amtrak just wants to hit reset? Or is it because the CZ will not be able to pass the wreckage site?

A little of both.

 

[manderson]

I was going to be on tomorrow's Zephyr leaving EMY, but I finally managed to convince Amtrak to rebook me on the Starlight -> Empire Builder. The downside is I have to change Roomettes twice on the EB, both in Spokane and in Whitefish. Oh well, still better than a 18 hour day on the CZ, plus I actually might catch my connection to the CL!

Talk to the SCA of the car of the car into which you'll be moving, as soon as you can after you board. He/she may be able to juggle things around and keep you in the same roomette. Happened to me in June on the Southwest Chief, a last-minute booking due to the Empire Builder cancellation, and the SCA was able to get me down to just one roomette change.

 

[JayPea]

I was going to be on tomorrow's Zephyr leaving EMY, but I finally managed to convince Amtrak to rebook me on the Starlight -> Empire Builder. The downside is I have to change Roomettes twice on the EB, both in Spokane and in Whitefish. Oh well, still better than a 18 hour day on the CZ, plus I actually might catch my connection to the CL!

Talk to the SCA of the car of the car into which you'll be moving, as soon as you can after you board. He/she may be able to juggle things around and keep you in the same roomette. Happened to me in June on the Southwest Chief, a last-minute booking due to the Empire Builder cancellation, and the SCA was able to get me down to just one roomette change.

That happened to me, too, earlier this month. I was scheduled to be on the CZ from Chicago-Sacramento on the 2nd, and then up to Seattle on the CS, but that day's CZ was cancelled so was rebooked onto the SWC to Los Angeles on the CS and up to Seattle. I was with my uncle in one room and his granddaughter had a separate room. We were originally booked for two room changes between LA and Seattle but were able to change that to one change, and that room was right next door. My uncle's granddaughter was able to stay in her room the whole time. So it's possible the SCA will be able to work something out.

 

[tricia]

Looking for some advice about dealing with service disruptions while traveling with my elderly, rather frail father (walks with a cane, moves slowly) soon.

We're booked Sept. 2 to Sept. 13 on this itinerary:

EB Milwaukee to Seattle, with overnight stop at East Glacier, then several days in Seattle.

Coast Starlight Seattle to Emeryville, transfering (hypothetically) directly to CZ.

CZ Emeryville to Chicago, with overnight stop at Granby, CO.

Same-day transfer in Chicago to Capitol Ltd to Pittsburgh.

A while back I was worried about the EB segments--but now, obviously, I'm most concerned about the CZ.

I'm particularly concerned about what happens if train gets cancelled or misses connections in Emeryville or Chicago.

We're FINE with staying longer on trains--we've booked roomettes for the whole trip, I'll bring emergency food along, and we're not on a tight schedule. Also fine, perhaps, with taking alternative trains. (We could, for example, manage the Cardinal instead of the Capitol Ltd, with a little help from friends who'd pick us up in WV.)

We would NOT be OK with getting bumped from roomette to coach if Amtrak needs to change which trains we're on--my dad really needs to be able to sleep lying down. And I'm no spring chicken, either.

Does anyone have advice for us about contingency planning with an elderly passenger along who's not at all spry, and doesn't have a lot of stamina?

Thanks. We're looking forward to an excellent adventure.

 

[AlanB]

How late does a train have to be before it is no longer in compliance with the new regulations?

I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but I suspect that it's probably something like 15 minutes or 30 minutes.

Hopefully you're right though and the Sunset's improved performance is the beginning of a move toward much better timekeeping system-wide.

Frankly I suspect that there are three factors all playing a role in the "improved" Sunset. I've indicated with percentages, just how much I personally think each item is playing a role in the improvements.

1) Lower levels of freight due to the recession. 40%

2) Getting about half the route double tracked. 40%

3) The new rules. 20%

Seeing as how on-time dependability was a big vote getter in the "Worst of Amtrak" thread it would seem that any improvement would be a big win for Amtrak in the minds of prospective riders.

Even without our unofficial poll I've known for many years via personal observation and other studies done that OTP is one of the biggest problems Amtrak has in the minds of the riders. And it remain a huge obstacle for increasing ridership.

That's one reason that I'm glad to see that the FRA now has some teeth in the war against deliberate acts to delay Amtrak. I also think however that Amtrak should continue its program of rewarding hosts that get trains over the road without delaying them, baring disasters and mother nature.

 

[AlanB]

I'm particularly concerned about what happens if train gets cancelled or misses connections in Emeryville or Chicago.

We're FINE with staying longer on trains--we've booked roomettes for the whole trip, I'll bring emergency food along, and we're not on a tight schedule. Also fine, perhaps, with taking alternative trains. (We could, for example, manage the Cardinal instead of the Capitol Ltd, with a little help from friends who'd pick us up in WV.)

We would NOT be OK with getting bumped from roomette to coach if Amtrak needs to change which trains we're on--my dad really needs to be able to sleep lying down. And I'm no spring chicken, either.

Does anyone have advice for us about contingency planning with an elderly passenger along who's not at all spry, and doesn't have a lot of stamina?

Tricia,

While I certainly cannot guarantee anything, I would think that the odds are in your favor that if you did misconnect in Chicago, that assuming you could be flexible with which train that Amtrak might well be able to keep you in a sleeper. But again, I cannot guarantee that.

But in September the passenger loads do drop a bit from the summer months where they are typically always sold out in the sleepers.

However, if you absolutely cannot positively go coach, then it might be wise to see if you can't just book an overnight stay in Chicago and redo your reservation on the Capitol for one day later. Note, that stay will have to be on your own dime.