Service Alerts for weekend storm (1/19-20)

[pennyk]

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/modified-service-in-advance-of-winter-storm.html

Amtrak Modifies Service in Advance of Winter Storm - Winter storm to impact Midwest and Northeast schedules


January 17, 2019 05:00 PM ET


Amtrak will operate a modified service on Saturday, Jan. 19, and Sunday, Jan. 20, due to forecasted severe winter weather. Full scheduled service will be restored pending improved conditions.

Canceled service for Saturday, Jan. 19, and Sunday, Jan. 20, includes:

Capitol Limited (Chicago – Washington, D.C.): Trains 29, 30

Lake Shore Limited (Chicago – New York/Boston): Trains 49, 449, 48, 448

Cardinal (Chicago – New York), Train 50 on Jan. 19 and Train 51 on Jan. 20 between New York and Indianapolis.

Modified service for Sunday, Jan. 20, includes:

Acela Express service (Boston – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 2250, 2254, 2249, 2251, 2253 will not operate only between New York and Boston. Train 2290 is canceled entirely.

Northeast Regional service (Boston – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 160,164, 88,161,135,167 will not operate only between New York and Boston.

Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg): Trains 662, 664, 672, 661, 667, 671 are canceled.

Pennsylvanian service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg – Pittsburgh): Trains 42 & 43 are canceled.

Vermonter (St. Albans, Vt. – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 54, 57 are not operating between St. Albans, Vt. and New Haven, Conn.

Northeast Corridor service between New York and Washington, D.C., and points south will continue to operate as scheduled.

Anyone planning to travel should check their train status on Amtrak.com or our smartphone apps prior to departing, allow extra time to get to the station and be extremely careful in stations and on platforms.

Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or another day. Amtrak will gladly waive additional charges for customers looking to change their reservation during the modified schedule by calling our reservation center at 800-USA-RAIL. 

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.

To be notified of service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor (including Acela Express, Northeast Regional and other corridor services), follow @AmtrakNECAlerts on Twitter. Customers with travel plans can review refund information on Amtrak.com. Service Alerts, Passenger Notices and other announcements are posted at Amtrak.com/Alerts.

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

As as result of the predicted upcoming storm, the OTOL fest planned for this weekend, on Tuesday, was rescheduled for March.  I believe all participants who chose to reschedule were able to "modify" their reservations with no penalty. 

 

[VTTrain]

No disruption to the Adirondack?

 

[Acela150]

What happened to the days of trains run 24/7 with no excuses??? 

 

[Thirdrail7]

50(19) is now canceled in its entirety.

What happened to the days of trains run 24/7 with no excuses??? 

That ship sailed when railroad employees were cut, people started complaining about the delays and states starting declaring states of emergencies, keeping people off the roads.

 

[Steve4031]

And liability and lawsuits.  

 

[west point]

In many locations you better be police, fireman, or local pol other wise forget being allow out onto road during road emergencies.  Of course it is different for various locations but ? ? ?

 

[mgl1978]

This looks like a reduction in scheduled service not a complete shutdown.  The commuter railroad VRE does a similar thing in DC when it snows.  This helps the railroad match the demand and not run half full trains.

 

[Acela150]

50(19) is now canceled in its entirety.

That ship sailed when railroad employees were cut, people started complaining about the delays and states starting declaring states of emergencies, keeping people off the roads.

Sadly you're right. 

And liability and lawsuits.  

That's a stretch... 

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That's a stretch... 

Really? In this litigation happy society?

 

[Triley]

This looks like a reduction in scheduled service not a complete shutdown.  The commuter railroad VRE does a similar thing in DC when it snows.  This helps the railroad match the demand and not run half full trains.

It's one thing for commuter rail to scale services back, but typically Amtrak ridership goes up true due to the airlines and bus services being shutdown, and people just wanting to get where they need to be.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Here comes the next round of cancellations. Empire Service has gotten into the act!

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/modified-service-in-advance-of-winter-storm.html

Amtrak Modifies Service in Advance of Winter Storm - Winter storm to impact Midwest and Northeast schedules


January 18, 2019 1:00 PM


Amtrak will operate a modified service on Saturday, January 19, and Sunday, January 20, due to forecasted severe winter weather. Full scheduled service will be restored pending improved conditions.

Canceled service for Saturday, January 19 includes:

Capitol Limited (Chicago – Washington, D.C.): Trains 29, 30

Lake Shore Limited (Chicago – New York/Boston): Trains 49, 449, 48, 448

Cardinal (Chicago – New York): Train 50

Canceled Service for Sunday, January 20, includes:

Acela Express service (Boston – New York – Washington, D.C.): Train 2290

Empire Service (New York – Buffalo/Niagara Falls): Trains 250, 260, 238, 284, 68, 63, 281, 283, 253, 259

Lake Shore Limited (Chicago – New York/Boston): Trains 49, 449, 48, 448

Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg): Trains 662, 664, 672, 661, 667, 671

Pennsylvanian service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg – Pittsburgh): Trains 42 & 43

Modified service for Sunday, January 20, includes:

Acela Express service (Boston – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 2250, 2254, 2249, 2251, 2253 will not operate between New York and Boston.

Northeast Regional service (Boston – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 160,164, 88,161,135,167 will not operate between New York and Boston.

Cardinal (Chicago – New York): Train 51 will not operate between Indianapolis and New York

Vermonter (St. Albans, Vt. – New York – Washington, D.C.): Trains 54, 57 will not operate between St. Albans, Vt. and New Haven, Conn.

Empire Service (New York – Buffalo/Niagara Falls): Trains 280, 292, 295, 64 and 69 will ONLY operate between Albany and New York

Northeast Corridor service between New York and Washington, D.C. and points south will continue to operate as scheduled.

 

[Acela150]

Really? In this litigation happy society?

You're not wrong. I'm thinking of it from a stand point of no one is making them go and catch the train.  

 

[VTTrain]

I’m shocked that the Adirondack is still going.  

 

[Thirdrail7]

I’m shocked that the Adirondack is still going.  

On Sunday, it is completely  canceled southbound and only the northbound train is only going to ALB.

 

[VTTrain]

On Sunday, it is completely  canceled southbound and only the northbound train is only going to ALB.

I wonder why it wasn’t on the list (above)?

 

[Thirdrail7]

I wonder why it wasn’t on the list (above)?

I guess someone in advisories thinks MTR is somewhere near Buffalo/Niagara Falls!

 

[cpotisch]

Empire Service (New York – Buffalo/Niagara Falls): Trains 250, 260, 238, 284, 68, 63, 281, 283, 253, 259

That is some pretty odd and confusing phrasing.

Empire Service is not just any train that at all follows the Empire Corridor (NYP-NFL); it refers to a specific set of trains that run from NYP to either ALB or NFL (none terminate in Buffalo). While the Maple Leaf (#63) does also follow the entire Empire Corridor before continuing on to Toronto as a VIA train, it still isn't Empire Service. And the Addie (#68) diverges from the Corridor right after Schenectady, so I really don't see why they would throw it in there as an Empire Service train.

I might be missing something, but I don't see why they couldn't just say something like:

Empire Service (New York – Albany/Niagara Falls): Trains 250, 260, 238, 284, 281, 283, 253, 259

Maple Leaf (New York – Toronto): Train 63

Adirondack (New York – Montreal): Train 68

 

[Thirdrail7]

That is some pretty odd and confusing phrasing.

Empire Service is not just any train that at all follows the Empire Corridor (NYP-NFL); it refers to a specific set of trains that run from NYP to either ALB or NFL (none terminate in Buffalo). While the Maple Leaf (#63) does also follow the entire Empire Corridor before continuing on to Toronto as a VIA train, it still isn't Empire Service. And the Addie (#68) diverges from the Corridor right after Schenectady, so I really don't see why they would throw it in there as an Empire Service train.

While the phrasing is a bit off(even though ticket passengers would see their train number and know their train is altered) , you are 100% incorrect about the definition of an Empire Train.

An Empire Train is a train that is part of the New York State supported service  line. The Adirondack and the Maple Leaf are state supported trains just as like trains that run exclusively between NYP and ALB.

As such, they DO fit into a blanket statement regarding Empire Service.

 

[cpotisch]

While the phrasing is a bit off(even though ticket passengers would see their train number and know their train is altered) , you are 100% incorrect about the definition of an Empire Train.

 An Empire Train is a train that is part of the New York State supported service  line. The Adirondack and the Maple Leaf are state supported trains just as like trains that run exclusively between NYP and ALB.

As such, they DO fit into a blanket statement regarding Empire Service.

I said "Empire Service", not "Empire Train". I know that the Ethan Allen, Adirondack, and Maple Leaf all also follow the Empire Corridor and get NYS funding, but they don't count as Empire Service.

The official page for the ES seems to say exactly what I'm saying.

https://www.amtrak.com/empire-service-train

And though I recognize it's not a particularly reliable source, the Wikipedia page also says what I'm saying:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Service

 

[Thirdrail7]

I thought you would understand that Empire trains are in the Empire Service. Here is the question: is the train financed by NYS and governed by an operating agreement with them?

Yes! 

The Adirondack and Maple Leaf are Empire Trains, in Empire Service, operating on the Empire Corridor, utilizing equipment from the Empire equipment pool as required by the Empire Service operating agreement...and that is the key.

Facebook and Wikipedia are not mentioned in the operating agreement.

Ps: your tickets still have a train number on it, right...or is it buried?

I said "Empire Service", not "Empire Train". I know that the Ethan Allen, Adirondack, and Maple Leaf all also follow the Empire Corridor and get NYS funding, but they don't count as Empire Service.

The official page for the ES seems to say exactly what I'm saying.

https://www.amtrak.com/empire-service-train

And though I recognize it's not a particularly reliable source, the Wikipedia page also says what I'm saying:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Service

 

[cpotisch]

Ps: your tickets still have a train number on it, right...or is it buried?

Huh?

 

[Thirdrail7]

Huh?

I haven’t seen an actual ticket in quite some time.  This thread is one of the reasons I hang here. You think Empire Service is something other than what “others” consider it (particularly from an operational point of view.) What seems cut and dry to “some” often isn’t. So, there is disconnect.

So, before I think something is obvious when it is not, I need to learn.. here!

Is the train number featured promeninently on the ticket? Is it easy to find? 

Think of a first time passenger. Assuming they weren’t notified, will they be able to look at the information above and cross reference it with an easy to find train number?

Thank you!

 

[keelhauled]

I haven’t seen an actual ticket in quite some time. 

The etickets look like this.



There's a lot of fine print below the train information.

 

[cpotisch]

I haven’t seen an actual ticket in quite some time.  This thread is one of the reasons I hang here. You think Empire Service is something other than what “others” consider it (particularly from an operational point of view.) What seems cut and dry to “some” often isn’t. So, there is disconnect.

So, before I think something is obvious when it is not, I need to learn.. here!

Is the train number featured promeninently on the ticket? Is it easy to find? 

Think of a first time passenger. Assuming they weren’t notified, will they be able to look at the information above and cross reference it with an easy to find train number?

Thank you!

Train numbers are pretty prominent on boarding passes and full e-tickets:



(these are both past tickets without the names so I didn't bother blocking the reservation numbers)

 

[fairviewroad]

I haven’t seen an actual ticket in quite some time.  This thread is one of the reasons I hang here. You think Empire Service is something other than what “others” consider it (particularly from an operational point of view.) What seems cut and dry to “some” often isn’t. So, there is disconnect.

So, before I think something is obvious when it is not, I need to learn.. here!

Is the train number featured promeninently on the ticket? Is it easy to find? 

Think of a first time passenger. Assuming they weren’t notified, will they be able to look at the information above and cross reference it with an easy to find train number?

Thank you!

Empire Service trains aren't given individual names. The Maple Leaf and Adirondack trains are. Therefore, if I was ticketed on the Maple Leaf or Adirondack, I would have scanned the Service Alert and looked for mentions of The Maple Leaf or Adirondack. After all, other named trains (Lake Shore Limited, Cardinal, Capitol Limited) are given standalone mentions in the Service Alert. I would have no reason to look at the specific train numbers mentioned in the line called "Empire Service" since my train is not referred to as an Empire Service train.

Thus, in my opinion, the Service Alert falls short of adequately informing passengers on The Maple Leaf or Adirondack that their train is affected. It would better if Amtrak had simply listed each affected train as its own bullet point, because then people would, as you say, cross reference the list against the train number on their own ticket.