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[Cal]

Was gonna post this as a status, but no images can be put there.


Trains 5, 5, 5, 6, 4, 4, 19, and 30 are all severely delayed (train 3 was also severely delayed coming in LA today).

Trains 3, 2, 59, 97, 91, 20, 42 (pennsylvanian), 686, 685 (downeaster), 503, 504 (cascades), and 532 (cc) are all pretty late too.

Colors code:

• Green < grace ≤ Yellow < 2x grace ≤ Red < 6x grace ≤ Black

Not great.

 

[joelkfla]

I had a day trip scheduled yesterday from ORL to TPA on 91, returning on 92 five hours later, but 91 was running 9 (yes, nine) hours late after a Trespasser Incident in NC.

Right now, Track Your Train on the Amtrak site shows 91 as expected to arrive on time at 1:33 pm at Winter Haven, even though it arrived 2 1/2 hours late at 3:40 pm at Lakeland for points south, and is currently moving at 0mph halfway between the two. Something doesn't quite add up.

I hope I'll have better luck on my next attempt next Thursday.

ETA: Alerts shows another Trespasser Incident. What's going on here?

 

[Asher]

I had a day trip scheduled yesterday from ORL to TPA on 91, returning on 92 five hours later, but 91 was running 9 (yes, nine) hours late after a Trespasser Incident in NC.

Right now, Track Your Train on the Amtrak site shows 91 as expected to arrive on time at 1:33 pm at Winter Haven, even though it arrived 2 1/2 hours late at 3:40 pm at Lakeland for points south, and is currently moving at 0mph halfway between the two. Something doesn't quite add up.

I hope I'll have better luck on my next attempt next Thursday.

Never know, hope so.

 

[Carolina2001]

What exactly is a trespasser incident? Someone getting on board without a ticket?

My first Amtrak trip is in July on silver star 91. I was concerned the other night when I saw the 9 hour delay due to trespasser and the train sat so long in NC. Now another trespasser issue on same train. Is this a safety issue that should cause me concern?

 

[chrsjrcj]

What exactly is a trespasser incident? Someone getting on board without a ticket?

My first Amtrak trip is in July on silver star 91. I was concerned the other night when I saw the 9 hour delay due to trespasser and the train sat so long in NC. Now another trespasser issue on same train. Is this a safety issue that should cause me concern?

It means the train hit someone that was on the railroad tracks. Since the tracks are privately owned, anyone who is on them (other than legally at railroad crossing) is trespassing.

It’s just a nicer way of saying the train hit someone.

Nothing to be concerned with, but unfortunately it’s a reality with traveling by train.

 

[Carolina2001]

I would have never have gotten that out of Trespasser incident . I need me a train travel for dummies handbook to learn the lingo. Thanks for the info.

 

[zephyr17]

What exactly is a trespasser incident? Someone getting on board without a ticket?

A trespasser incident is usually hitting a trespasser on the tracks where they don't belong. They take a long time because the train usually has to wait for the police to take a report and the coroner to come and pick up what's left of the trespasser. Also, the operating crew can ask to be relieved after having killed someone, and it can take some time for a relief crew to get there.

The only danger it poses to a passenger is delay.

Someone without a ticket is handled much more quickly. Either the individual buys a ticket by phone or by app, or the individual is detained at the next stop.

 

[Barb Stout]

Trains 3, 2, 59, 97, 91, 20, 42 (pennsylvanian), 686, 685 (downeaster), 503, 504 (cascades), and 532 (cc) are all pretty late too.

Colors code:

• Green < grace ≤ Yellow < 2x grace ≤ Red < 6x grace ≤ Black

Not great.

What does "grace" mean here? I think I know, but thought I would double-check.

 

[Cal]

What does "grace" mean here? I think I know, but thought I would double-check.

In all honesty, I'm not 100% sure myself.

Heres my usual method:
Green: On time or close to on time, this train is doing good.
Yellow: It's behind, nothing extreme, should be able to make it up. Not bad
Red: It's late, might be able to make it up, probably won't. Not good
Black: It's severely late, not making up any time.

 

[Barb Stout]

It’s just a nicer way of saying the train hit someone.

Nothing to be concerned with, but unfortunately it’s a reality with traveling by train.

I think it's something to be concerned about all right, if someone died after getting hit by a train. I don't imagine the Amtrak staff would feel very happy after an incident like that. I got on a train that had been delayed for 5 hours post-hit and the staff were pretty shaken up.

 

[Cal]

I think it's something to be concerned about all right, if someone died after getting hit by a train. I don't imagine the Amtrak staff would feel very happy after an incident like that. I got on a train that had been delayed for 5 hours post-hit and the staff were pretty shaken up.

I was on a Starlight that was delayed 4 hours (and eventually became 9 hours) late because of a trespasser incident. I don't recall a significant change of attitude from the staff. Now it was a few years ago so I don't remember everything.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

What does "grace" mean here? I think I know, but thought I would double-check.

I think each train has a set amount of acceptable delay within which it is still considered on time. That length of time depends on the route, with the amount of time being set equal to "grace" in this case. Since "grace" is a number, the other expressions are also numbers. For example, on the LDs the "grace"=30 minutes, so a train less than 30 minutes late is shown as green, a train more than 30 minutes but less than 2*30=60 minutes late is yellow, a train more than 60 minutes but less than 6*30=180 minutes is red, and anything more than 180 minutes late is black.

 

[JontyMort]

I was on a Starlight that was delayed 4 hours (and eventually became 9 hours) late because of a trespasser incident. I don't recall a significant change of attitude from the staff. Now it was a few years ago so I don't remember everything.

In the UK, “incident”, usually - sadly - means suicide**. It has happened to me once - on that occasion it turned out they were trying to take a short cut across the tracks. The delay was kept to 90 minutes, which isn’t bad. The driver has to be relieved. I remember asking the guard when we arrived if he was OK. He thanked me and said yes. Very sad.

** “one under” in industry-speak.

 

[MARC Rider]

I think each train has a set amount of acceptable delay within which it is still considered on time. That length of time depends on the route, with the amount of time being set equal to "grace" in this case. Since "grace" is a number, the other expressions are also numbers. For example, on the LDs the "grace"=30 minutes, so a train less than 30 minutes late is shown as green, a train more than 30 minutes but less than 2*30=60 minutes late is yellow, a train more than 60 minutes but less than 6*30=180 minutes is red, and anything more than 180 minutes late is black.

Ah, that explains why some trains show green and are 20-30 minutes late, whereas others show yellow or red, and are 20-30 minutes behind schedule. An Acela that's 20 minutes late is a big deal, if the Capitol Limited arrives 20 minutes late, that's no big deal.

 

[chrsjrcj]

I think it's something to be concerned about all right, if someone died after getting hit by a train. I don't imagine the Amtrak staff would feel very happy after an incident like that. I got on a train that had been delayed for 5 hours post-hit and the staff were pretty shaken up.

I'll be sympathetic for the victim and the Amtrak crew who have to witness/deal with the aftermath, but as a passenger I don't let myself get concerned over something I have no control over.

 

[me_little_me]

Right now, Track Your Train on the Amtrak site shows 91 as expected to arrive on time at 1:33 pm at Winter Haven, even though it arrived 2 1/2 hours late at 3:40 pm at Lakeland for points south, and is currently moving at 0mph halfway between the two. Something doesn't quite add up.

Amtrak is good at making up information. Even if mathematically impossible for a train to make it to their destination on time, they will make that claim. I've seen it before and I believe the person(s) that does it is on something or failed arithmetic.

I've asked conductors when we are really late what the expected arrival at my station really is and been told "...we can make up time". Yeah, right! If we run at TGV speeds, we might have a chance! Almost always, we lose even more time.

 

[joelkfla]

Amtrak is good at making up information. Even if mathematically impossible for a train to make it to their destination on time, they will make that claim. I've seen it before and I believe the person(s) that does it is on something or failed arithmetic.

I've asked conductors when we are really late what the expected arrival at my station really is and been told "...we can make up time". Yeah, right! If we run at TGV speeds, we might have a chance! Almost always, we lose even more time.

In this case, the expected on-time arrival was 3 hours in the past! Only a fast DeLorean could do that.