NEC NYP-BOS, LSL BOS Section Cancelled Tue 3/13

[daybeers]

Amtrak posted this alert to its website today (3/12) at 12:35pm:

Service Adjustments due to Pending Winter Storm
Monday, March 12, 2018 12:35 PM ET

In anticipation of the approaching winter storm for March 13, 2018, all Northeast Corridor service between Boston - New York - Boston has been cancelled up until 11am tomorrow morning. Northeast corridor service includes the Regional and Acela service. Alternate transportation will not be provided. The weather forecast is being monitored and the operating plan will be reassessed in the morning on March 13, 2018.

Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will be contacted directly and rescheduled.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.

Anyone can subscribe to automated email or text message notifications if Amtrak trains are behind schedule at specific stations. Notifications can be given for up to six trains and stations by either text or email and delivered when you choose - on a single day, every day, or just certain days of the week. Create a subscription at Amtrak.com/delayalerts.

Passengers with travel plans also can confirm their train's status, change their plans or review refund information using a range of tools – including Amtrak.com, smartphone apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. Service Alerts, Passenger Notices and other announcements are posted at Amtrak.com/alerts.

To be notified of service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor (including Acela Express, Northeast Regional and other corridor services), follow @AmtrakNEC on Twitter.

I'm currently on 176 WAS–NHV and booked for Springfield Shuttle #476 NHV–HFD. I assume the Shuttle will still run, but will my train run beyond NYP? Scheduled to arrive there at 3:17pm. We're almost to Philly, on time. I haven't been contacted (yet).

 

[daybeers]

It looks like the alert wasn't worded very well. I just got off the phone with AGR, and the agent I talked to said all the trains that were cancelled are for tomorrow, with the first one being at 2:40am.

 

[sicariis]

Seems like this alert is a little premature and lacking specifics in timeframe. The 3rd Noreaster in 2 weeks isn't scheduled to impact the Boston area until midnight tonight. Seeing lots of on-time trains currently operating between NYP-BOS.

I would guess this alert is intended for the morning trains tomorrow?

 

[Ryan]

That is literally what the first sentence of the alert says “for March 13, 2018, all Northeast Corridor service between Boston - New York - Boston has been cancelled up until 11am tomorrow morning”.

Reading comprehension is fundamental.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

That is literally what the first sentence of the alert says for March 13, 2018, all Northeast Corridor service between Boston - New York - Boston has been cancelled up until 11am tomorrow morning.

Reading comprehension is fundamental.

While it seems that the trains are operating today, this announcement does not make that clear. The winter storm is referenced earlier in the quoted sentence, so one could easily interpret the date as referring to the storm rather than the Amtrak cancellations. However, it states that this will last "up until 11am tomorrow morning", which implies that it is immediately in effect as no start time is mentioned. While those of us on here can decipher what it means, others may be confused or mislead and it does not benefit Amtrak in any way to make such a confusing announcement.

 

[daybeers]

That is literally what the first sentence of the alert says for March 13, 2018, all Northeast Corridor service between Boston - New York - Boston has been cancelled up until 11am tomorrow morning.

Reading comprehension is fundamental.

While it seems that the trains are operating today, this announcement does not make that clear. The winter storm is referenced earlier in the quoted sentence, so one could easily interpret the date as referring to the storm rather than the Amtrak cancellations. However, it states that this will last "up until 11am tomorrow morning, which implies that it is immediately in effect as no start time is mentioned. While those of us on here can decipher what it means, others may be confused or mislead and it does not benefit Amtrak in any way to make such a confusing announcement.

Yup, that's what I thought. I suppose my reading comprehension could've been affected by the worry that the train I'm currently on would just terminate in NYP.

 

[Ryan]

“For March 13”.

Couldn’t be more clear.

Today is the 12th, right?

 

[PRR 60]

“For March 13”.

Couldn’t be more clear.

Today is the 12th, right?

To be fair, the "approaching winter storm for March 13, 2018" in total context could reasonably be assumed as the storm timing, not necessarily the service suspension timing. I modified the title to reflect what Amtrak actually should have more clearly stated.

If this NWS snow forecast comes true, I would not bet on an 11am resumption of service. First day of spring is next week.

 

[daybeers]

“For March 13”.

Couldn’t be more clear.

Today is the 12th, right?

To be fair, the "approaching winter storm for March 13, 2018" in total context could reasonably be assumed as the storm timing, not necessarily the service suspension timing. I modified the title to reflect what Amtrak actually should have more clearly stated.

If this NWS snow forecast comes true, I would not bet on an 11am resumption of service. First day of spring is next week.

Thanks!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

“For March 13”.

Couldn’t be more clear.

Today is the 12th, right?

To be fair, the "approaching winter storm for March 13, 2018" in total context could reasonably be assumed as the storm timing, not necessarily the service suspension timing. I modified the title to reflect what Amtrak actually should have more clearly stated.

If this NWS snow forecast comes true, I would not bet on an 11am resumption of service. First day of spring is next week.

BOS.png

That's how I read it too...March 13's storm.

 

[daybeers]

The alert was updated at 3:15pm with more information:

Third Northeast Winter Storm Impacts Train Schedules

Monday, March 12, 2018 3:15 p.m. ET

Amtrak service will be temporarily suspended between Boston, Mass. and New York City on Tuesday, March 13, until at least 11 a.m. due to inclement weather. Service will be restored pending improved conditions.

Modified service for Tuesday, March 13 not operating between New York City and Boston, Mass., includes:
Northeast Regional Service: 66, 67, 93, 95, 141,171, 190, 170, 172, 148
Acela Express Service: 2150, 2154, 2158, 2160, 2151, 2153, 2155, 2159, 2163

Modified service for Tuesday, March 13 not operating between Albany, N.Y. and Boston, Mass., includes:
Lake Shore Limited Service: 448 and 449

Canceled service for Tuesday, March 13, includes:
Acela Express Service: 2190
Northeast Regional Service: 111, 173
Amtrak Downeaster Service: 686, 687, 688, 689

Amtrak Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia - Harrisburg), Amtrak Empire Service (New York to Albany-Rensselaer – Niagara Falls) and Amtrak Shuttle Service (New Haven, Conn., and Springfield, Mass.,) will continue to operate as scheduled.

Customers will be re-accommodated on trains with similar departure times so please check on Amtrak.com or your smartphone app. Anyone planning to travel should check their train status prior to departing, allow extra time to get to the station and be extremely careful in stations and on platforms.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Update: Amtrak Temporarily Suspends Northeast Corridor Service between Boston and New York City on Tuesday

Update: Amtrak Temporarily Suspends Northeast Corridor Service between Boston and New York City on Tuesday
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 6:45 AM ET

Third Northeast Winter Storm Impacts Train Schedules

Amtrak service will be temporarily suspended between Boston, Mass. and New York City on Tuesday, March 13, for the remainder of the day, due to inclement weather. Service will be restored pending improved conditions.All Service, including Acela Express between New York City and Boston, Mass for Tuesday, March 13 are canceled.

Additionally, Trains 182(13) and 184(13) are canceled between Washington and New York.Modified service for Tuesday, March 13 not operating between Albany, N.Y. and Boston, Mass., includes:

Lake Shore Limited Service: 448 and 449Trains 55(13) and 56(13), the Vermonter is canceled between St. Albans, VT and New York, the train will run as scheduled between New York and Washington.

Canceled service for Tuesday, March 13, includes:
Acela Express Service: 2190
Northeast Regional Service: 111, 173
Amtrak Downeaster Service: 686, 687, 688, 689Amtrak Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia - Harrisburg), Amtrak Empire Service (New York to Albany-Rensselaer – Niagara Falls) and Amtrak Shuttle Service (New Haven, Conn., and Springfield, Mass.,) will continue to operate as scheduled.

Please check on Amtrak.com or your smartphone app for updated train availability. Anyone planning to travel should check their train status prior to departing, allow extra time to get to the station and be extremely careful in stations and on platforms.To our valued customers impacted by cancelled trains due to the Nor’easter, we sincerely apologize and please note, in most cases refunds will automatically be processed. Credit card issuers may vary on how quickly they post your credit.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.Anyone can subscribe to automated email or text message notifications if Amtrak trains are behind schedule at specific stations. Notifications can be given for up to six trains and stations by either text or email and delivered when you choose - on a single day, every day, or just certain days of the week. Create a subscription at Amtrak.com/delayalerts.

Customers with travel plans also can confirm their train's status, change their plans or review refund information using a range of tools – including Amtrak.com, smartphone apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. Service Alerts, Passenger Notices and other announcements are posted at Amtrak.com/alerts.To be notified of service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor (including Acela Express, Northeast Regional and other corridor services), follow @AmtrakNEC on Twitter.

 

[PRR 60]

Amtrak should follow airline practice of issuing "travel advisories" prior to expected severe weather allowing passengers booked on potentially affected trains to rebook within a given time frame with no penalty or change of fare. I've done this multiple times with air travel, and it works very nicely. It's a positive for both sides. It allows passengers to shift travel away from predicted bad weather and delays voluntarily, and it reduces the number of forced rebookings and notifications on the carrier's side once cancellations occur.

 

[bratkinson]

Being a former airline CEO, Mr. Andersons' modus operandi seems to be like the airlines...if the planes don't fly, neither will trains roll. And all this MANY HOURS ahead of the first snow flakes falling...just like schools and businesses these days! A clip of local Boston TV newsat Logan Airport about 7AM on weather.com showed the flights out of Boston airport mostly cancelled! Airlines these days seem to cancel at the slightest hint of more than a couple of inches of snow. Perhaps it's because the pilots are not as familiar as the former regional airline pilots were with snow covered runways. For those that remember North Central Airlines, they'd literally land in/on anything! I landed aboard their DC9s on everything from glare ice to two feet of snow at midnight at an airport without radar (back then) and a 1 mile runway! (TVC). For them, snow and ice was an everyday thing.

I clearly recall riding Amtrak 35-40 years ago through 3-4 FEET of snow on the Lakeshore Ltd while Indiana and Ohio were literally buried in snow due to blowing and drifting. We were 10-12 hours late getting to NYC that trip, but we got there!

Given the frequency of Amtrak and commuter trains in the NEC between New York and Boston, I find it hard to believe that anything less than 3 feet or so would cause any significant delays. Or, perhaps the lawyers don't want anyone to slip and fall on snowy platforms or walking to/from their car and sueing Amtrak! They're the ones that are effectively running the show these days, from local school districts to big businesses to passenger transportation companies!

 

[Ryan]

One merely needs to look at actual delays incurred by less than three feet of snow to invalidate your contention.

 

[keelhauled]

I suspect the worry is that wind/falling trees will take out the catenary. Note that the Shuttles and some Downeaster service is running. Perhaps if there was sufficient slack in the diesel fleet they could de-energize the catenary and run at least some trains behind diesels, but I doubt there are enough locomotives to do that.

 

[OBS]

I suspect the worry is that wind/falling trees will take out the catenary. Note that the Shuttles and some Downeaster service is running. Perhaps if there was sufficient slack in the diesel fleet they could de-energize the catenary and run at least some trains behind diesels, but I doubt there are enough locomotives to do that.

I suspect you are right...

 

[John Bobinyec]

Back in the day when the railroads actually ran the passenger trains themselves, I think there was more of a concerted effort to run the trains in bad weather. If the trains didn't run, it was the railroad itself who "failed". These days everyone is a tenant on someone else's railroad. Amtrak must run over MNRR to go from NYP to BOS. Many of NJ Transit trains have to run on Amtrak. Amtrak has to also run over freight railroads. They all have to rely on the "other guy" to run their trains. I think they're more reluctant to do so in bad weather.

Either that or we should blame it all on the Weather Channel for naming the storms.

jb

 

[Rover]

Back in the day when the railroads actually ran the passenger trains themselves, I think there was more of a concerted effort to run the trains in bad weather. If the trains didn't run, it was the railroad itself who "failed". These days everyone is a tenant on someone else's railroad. Amtrak must run over MNRR to go from NYP to BOS. Many of NJ Transit trains have to run on Amtrak. Amtrak has to also run over freight railroads. They all have to rely on the "other guy" to run their trains. I think they're more reluctant to do so in bad weather.

Either that or we should blame it all on the Weather Channel for naming the storms.

jb

Yes, such is the convoluted state of the American rails.

---------------------------------------------------------------

12:40pm

Official--- Blizzard in Boston

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/03/13/boston-weather-forecast-blizzard-noreaster-3-snow-storm-tuesday-massachusetts/

10:15 a.m.

Amtrak has suspended service between Boston and New York City as heavy snow pummels New England.

Amtrak says train service between the cities will be halted for the remainder of Tuesday. Amtrak initially said train service would be suspended until at least 11 a.m.

Amtrak says service will be restored “pending improved conditions.”

The weather service issued a blizzard warning for much of the coast of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

https://wtop.com/national/2018/03/the-latest-latest-noreaster-intensifies-in-new-england/

 

[fairviewroad]

Another difference from the "old days": Back then, if your train got stuck in a drift for 6 hours, you would complain about it to your friends and family once you got home. Now, you'd be breathlessly live-Tweeting/Facebooking/Instagramming it and within hours the whole world would know about your plight.

If you are a PR person, you'd rather have disgruntled people be disgruntled at home or in their hotel room, rather than stuck out on a train somewhere, or having to camp out at a station, etc. I'm not saying that's the only factor in whether to cancel service, but it's certainly a piece of the equation.

 

[Rover]

Another difference from the "old days": Back then, if your train got stuck in a drift for 6 hours, you would complain about it to your friends and family once you got home. Now, you'd be breathlessly live-Tweeting/Facebooking/Instagramming it and within hours the whole world would know about your plight.

If you are a PR person, you'd rather have disgruntled people be disgruntled at home or in their hotel room, rather than stuck out on a train somewhere, or having to camp out at a station, etc. I'm not saying that's the only factor in whether to cancel service, but it's certainly a piece of the equation.

Possibly, but there are plenty of people stuck in airports from time to time that can tweet up a storm.

 

[jis]

What happens at airports these days are in spite of a large number of pre-announced cancellations and opportunities to change ones flight. It used to be much worse before the 3 hour on tarmac rule came into force. But there was no Twitter back then I suppose.

 

[Thirdrail7]

This advisory address cancellations on 3/14.

Amtrak to Restore Service between Boston and New York on Wednesday
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 1:00 PM ET

Amtrak will restore most service between Boston, Mass., and New York City on Wednesday, March 14, after suspending all service on Tuesday following the winter storm.

All service is expected to operate as scheduled, with the exception of:

Acela Express trains 2150, 2151 and 2153 will not operate between New York City and Boston, Mass.Acela Express train 2190 is cancelled.

 

[west point]

Most posters here do not realize what is required to operate in snow . Snow falling on an aircraft's wing degrades lift. Glycol is used to remove the snow on wings but a snow fall rate of just 1/2 inch an hour is too much from de icing to take off. Hold over time may be less than 30 seconds. Not time to taxi for take off. Next aircraft braking distances are greatly increased on snow and ice just like your regular automobiles. Reverse engine operations is not allowed for calculations. Know of instances of landing on a 10000 foot runway all runway taken to stop on available distance. It ain't fun.

Then of course there is the problem of glycol recovery that is a poison. Special pads now required to recover the used glycol and water. Then has to be sent to refinery for separation.