Snow storms on Donner Pass

[Everydaymatters]

Does that happen a lot during "weather"?

Yes, when there is A heavy snow.

 

[Asher]

Weather in the Sierras

There have been some reports that power was out in Truckee, but I haven't seen that reported on in a meaningful way. KCRA had a reporter in Truckee before Christmas, but she was last reporting from Colfax. The News is good about reporting auto mishaps, but Amtrak delays just don't seem to be on their radar unfortunately.

One could get to Truckee before Christmas. Impossible Later. Pretty hard to report on things when you can’t get there. Colfax was possibly the end of the line.

 

[AndySF]

Update from train 5: onboard announcement says UP has closed the tracks ahead until at least 8pm. So, we are still in Reno.

Amstew is being served complementary for coach passengers. It's also the only option for sleeper passengers.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Going to be a heck of a winter.

No alternative available. So is Amtrak going to kick off the passenger and cancel the train? They will catch flak but have done it in the past.

 

[west point]

Hasn't there been a plan for using the rotaries? If UP (ex SP) has to use them they bring in front end loaders to move the snow around. That keeps from getting the wall effect.

 

[truncated]

Update from train 5: onboard announcement says UP has closed the tracks ahead until at least 8pm. So, we are still in Reno.

Amstew is being served complementary for coach passengers. It's also the only option for sleeper passengers.

Good luck - at least you’re still in Reno and have the option of bailing (or maybe Amtrak will put everyone in hotels and try again tomorrow morning)? Yesterday we only began moving past Truckee at 9.20pm so there is still hope though

Going to be a heck of a winter.

No alternative available. So is Amtrak going to kick off the passenger and cancel the train? They will catch flak but have done it in the past.

I think Amtrak will try to get everyone through — looks like I-80 is still closed as well and so rail (and flying) are the only options for now

 

[pennyk]

It appears that today's 6 may be heading back to EMY. I just heard from Steve, who is on the train. I assume he will be posting soon.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Apparently the snowfall has now eclipsed the previous December snowfall of 179" set in 1970 with 193.7" of snow and they (the Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab) predicts the potential of 200" for December! Stay inside if you're able and out that way!

 

[jis]

In Donner summit apparently they expecting upto 2 feet per day for the next few days!

 

[Willbridge]

In Donner summit apparently they expecting up to 2 feet per day for the next few days!

In the meantime, Denver set a record for the number of days without snow -- till a little dab fell -- and now our drought continues. From the 5th floor of the building where I live, I could watch the snowstorm on the mountains and see people on the street in light jackets and no hats walking dogs.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

So the CSSL was expecting 200" by tomorrow AM which might mean even more for the month if there is another round of snow.

Chicago, like Denver, flirting with record number of days between snowfall (measurable - we had spitting snow a while ago) - may end tomorrow late morning here.

Adding links: UC Berkeley CSSL

Their twitter: https://twitter.com/UCB_CSSL

 

[cheerose]

They cancelled the EB CZ between SAC & RNO.

What happens to the passengers at this point?

 

[jis]

They cancelled the EB CZ between SAC & RNO.

What happens to the passengers at this point?

I am sure we will hear from our @Steve4031 who is on it soon enough.

 

[howard-nysf]

WB is terminated at RNO.

 

[AndySF]

From 5: They offered us hotel rooms for this night and tomorrow we are supposedly all going to get on the next 5 coming into town! This train will turn around and become a 6 from what I heard from someone waiting in the lobby.

 

[jis]

From 5: They offered us hotel rooms for this night and tomorrow we are supposedly all going to get on the next 5 coming into town! This train will turn around and become a 6 from what I heard from someone waiting in the lobby.

Looks like your 5 is turning to 6 at RNO and the 6 that was holding in SAC will turn to 5 and head back to EMY. It is another matter whether Donner will actually open tomorrow or not.

 

[Steve4031]

The conductor announced that the pass was closed. Advised passengers to go into Sacramento station to get a hotel. Mike and I dashed into the station. The agent told us all he could do was send us back to emy. No hotel. I told him what the conductor said. He called the conductor.

I told him to tell the conductor to hold the train because we would ride back to emy.

I don’t know what emy station staff will do. They handled things professionally this morning. The agent in Sacramento probably didn’t have the authority to issue hotel vouchers.

I’m ok with the cancellation. Weather is weather. I’m not ok with the run into the station.

Mike’s employee rate is available at many hotels so we are covered anyway. Hopefully we can get accommodated on 4 departing lax Wednesday.


Mikes been on hold with Amtrak. I’ve sent a tweet and posted on Facebook about the conductor’s actions.

 

[cheerose]

Sorry that you have to deal with this...

 

[Steve4031]

Mike had no luck. The app showed 1 roomette left on 4 leaving Wednesday. The agent could not book it. She said it wasn’t available. So we are almost back to emy.

 

[Steve4031]

I think we should be rebooked on 6 going out tomorrow. Tomorrows passengers rebooked the following day.

 

[Steve4031]

Emeryville station staff not prepared. Won’t even process my refund

 

[neroden]

This is one of the problems with Amtrak. Service disruptions happen. They usually have a plan for the train, but often no plan for customer service (Chicago usually has a customer service plan but not other stations, not even NY Penn)

 

[Steve4031]

After some reflection I think Amtrak does not have enough staff to proactively deal with these issues. In the past I remembered getting proactively rebooked when I was missing a connection from 4 to 14 in LAX. I was expecting the same today.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

12/26/21

 

[Rover]

Most of the Truckee/Tahoe and I-80 cameras are back online. A few have ice/snow covering the image.