Urgent help needed

[darien-l]

Hi all, I just wanted to vent a bit about a potential disaster than might unfold this weekend. I'm traveling to EMY from DEN tomorrow, 12/12, and I managed to convince a bunch of friends and co-workers, most of who have never been on train before, to try it with me. We have 3 bedrooms and 1 roomette. Most of us are headed to a conference in San Francisco, although several people joined the trip for other reasons. I've been tracking the OTP of California Zephyr on amtrakdelays.com for a couple of months, and before this week, its performance has been pretty exemplary:

2009-12-05: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 3:06 pm Delay: -64 minutes

2009-12-04: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 2:57 pm Delay: -73 minutes

2009-12-03: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 3:48 pm Delay: -22 minutes

2009-12-02: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 3:34 pm Delay: -36 minutes

2009-12-01: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:01 pm Delay: -9 minutes

2009-11-30: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:10 pm Delay: 0 minutes

2009-11-29: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:03 pm Delay: -7 minutes

2009-11-28: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:03 pm Delay: -7 minutes

2009-11-27: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 3:09 pm Delay: -61 minutes

2009-11-26: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 3:30 pm Delay: -40 minutes

2009-11-25: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:20 pm Delay: 10 minutes

2009-11-24: Scheduled: 4:10 pm Actual: 4:15 pm Delay: 5 minutes

Based on this, I told the group that we will almost certainly be in San Francisco close to on time. Several of us are only going to be in San Francisco for one night, and everyone made plans for the evening. One of us was going to get together with her sister, whom she hasn't seen in a year, another needs to be in SF to upload her conference talk for Monday morning, another had a romantic date planned, etc.

Of course, this week, all hell broke loose. California Zephyrs have been consistently running 6-12 hours late. Our tomorrow's train is already 3 hours late, and a major snowstorm is being forecast for the Sierras this weekend. I just went out with some of the people who will be taking the train with me tomorrow, made them aware of these facts, and already there was a lot of grumbling along the lines of "Amtrak sucks," "we should have flown", and "whose stupid idea was it to take the train anyway?"

My question is, is there anything I can do to make the best of this situation? I envision a lot of pissed off people getting on the train tomorrow, getting more pissed off each time we get delayed. and, if we don't get to SF by Sunday evening, starting to "party" on the train. Given that we're a bunch of guys and gals in our 20s, and some of us are pretty boisterous, it can potentially turn ugly. What to do?

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

If today's 5 is on time, tomorrow's 6 will leave on time. The reason 6 left late today was because 5 was so late yesterday and they needed to turn down the train.

Things are clearing up, have faith.

 

[darien-l]

If today's 5 is on time, tomorrow's 6 will leave on time. The reason 6 left late today was because 5 was so late yesterday and they needed to turn down the train.
Things are clearing up, have faith.

We're taking #5 DEN-EMY, not #6. The train that we'll be taking tomorrow left Chicago 3 hours late today. It's now estimated to arrive in Denver 2.5 hours late.

 

[Bob Dylan]

To start with take a deep breath, blow it out and relax dude! With the blizzard having gone East, the snow will be spectactular on the Zephyr! Your infidel associates will enjoy the trip so much that by the time you wake up in Winnemuca they'll be asking you "When did this train thing start?" "This was a great idea, whose was it?" "Look @ that scenery!"Let's go have breakfast in the diner!"

Anxiety is part of most pre-trip agendas, and best of all, so what if the train is a little late, it's not the Donn er Party and you wont be stranded in the wilds of the 1800s West! Youll be on a marvelours rolling theatre with food and drink, a

warm place to sleep and on an adventure unlike any other means of travel! It's a win!win! scenerio so sit back and leave the driving to Amtrak! I'll venture to say you won't regret it and neither will your associates!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

2.5 hours on the CZ is nothing. There's about a half hour padding in DEN, another half hour in to SLC and probably 45 minutes in to EMY, as well as other smaller spots along the way.

A 2.5 hour delay isn't so bad at all-- imagine having your flights canceled due to bad weather.

You just have to have faith that its going to hold its current delay and not get any worse, and by the way things are shaping out-- it looks like they aren't getting bogged down too much in Iowa.

Either way, calm down. If you appear to enjoy and be at ease then this will spread to your coworkers. This is a law of nature.

 

[sunchaser]

If today's 5 is on time, tomorrow's 6 will leave on time. The reason 6 left late today was because 5 was so late yesterday and they needed to turn down the train.
Things are clearing up, have faith.

We're taking #5 DEN-EMY, not #6. The train that we'll be taking tomorrow left Chicago 3 hours late today. It's now estimated to arrive in Denver 2.5 hours late.

Many times the Zephyr will run 1-2 hours late during the run, only to arrive on time to EMY. Even though it is 2 1/2 hours behind right now, it can make the time up over the flat areas & the desert.

Try not to worry so much. It usually shows up in Salt Lake City at least 40 minutes early!

 

[stntylr]

As of right now the estimated arrival time in EMY is 1 hour and 42 minutes late.

 

[stntylr]

The new estimated arrival time for EMY is 1 hour 20 minutes late, so it's getting better.

 

[sunchaser]

The estimated arrival time in Denver is 10:29 am, 2 hours, 24 mins late (estimated).

Still showing estimated arrival time in Emeryville as 5:34 pm Sun, 1 hour 24 minutes late.

It could still make up time before Denver, & usually makes up time in the Nevada desert.

Have a fun trip! Let us know how it turns out!

 

[rrdude]

What to do?

Hide.

 

[acelafan]

Just try to relax and enjoy the trip - your friends might be upset that the train is not on time, but unfortunately that is part of the deal with Amtrak, very unfortunately. Look at this way - you guys have bedrooms and are all friends and I am sure you will have a good time. Too boisterous wouldn't be good, but look out the window and enjoy the spectacular scenery! Like other people said, if you had endured canceled flights and needed to deal with that mess at the airport instead, the train looks like paradise in comparison. After all is said and done I am sure there will be a lot of good memories from the train trip across the mountains to San Fran.

 

[PRR 60]

The moral to the story is never take Amtrak long distance if your arrival time is critical. I always leave a 24 hour buffer between the time the train is scheduled to arrive and when I have commitments at the destination, or I have a Plan B in my pocket to bail me out. Over a 2000 mile route in the winter, there are a whole host of things that can go wrong and kill the schedule. And, to be fair, I don't think that sitting at Denver Union Station for hours on end is any better than sitting at Denver International. Of course, you could head out of the station and take advantage of the various attractions in LoDo, but then you might not come back for the train.

Having said all that, a wintertime crossing of the Rockies and Sierras is a very special ride. If things work our reasonably well, there is nothing quite like it. Even the basins and ranges of northern Nevada look great in the winter. Planned properly, it's a nice ride.

So far, things are not too bad. Today's (12/12) westbound Zephyr arrived Denver two and a half hours late. Let's hope there are no serious problems heading west.

 

[Shanghai]

Remember the old saying, You can't fool Mother Nature!! If the snow is deep in the Rockies, the Zephyr will likely be late!!

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

At least its better than 6(12/10) now 15 hours late...

 

[Montanan]

Well, the train in question left Denver only 55 minutes late ... and with all the padding that's still in the western end of the CZ's schedule, they should be in pretty good shape.

Even if not, though, it'll be just plain sad if those folks let a couple hours of delay overshadow their memories of two days traveling through some of the finest scenery in the world. When will more people realize that life is all about the journey, rather than the destination?

 

[stntylr]

It's scheduled to arrive in EMY 56 minutes late.

 

[PRR 60]

Well, the train in question left Denver only 55 minutes late ... and with all the padding that's still in the western end of the CZ's schedule, they should be in pretty good shape.

Today's (12/12) #5 left Denver at 10:35am, two hours and 30 minutes late. Yesterday's left 55 minutes late.

Don't trust the web estimated arrival times. What happens all depends on how it makes out in the Rockies and Sierras.

 

[tp49]

According to the National Weather Service there is a winter storm warning as well as an avalanche warning for Truckee and throughout the Sierra at least until mid-morning tomorrow. It's pouring rain here in the valley and has been doing so all day. I'm thinking any train going through the Sierra at all today or tomorrow will definitely face delays.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm thinking any train going through the Sierra at all today or tomorrow will definitely face delays.

I'd rather be on the CZ in that weather than on I-80!

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

It's December.

You could be driving and the highway could be blocked by snow, and you'd wish you'd taken the plane.

You could be flying and the flight was cancelled, and you'd wish you'd taken the train.

You could be on the train and the train is delayed, and you'd wished you'd taken your car or a bus.

 

[Guest]

Given that we're a bunch of guys and gals in our 20s, and some of us are pretty boisterous, it can potentially turn ugly. What to do?

Bring bail money. Cash.

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

It's December.
You could be driving and the highway could be blocked by snow, and you'd wish you'd taken the plane.

You could be flying and the flight was cancelled, and you'd wish you'd taken the train.

You could be on the train and the train is delayed, and you'd wished you'd taken your car or a bus.

Spot on.

I would however emend it thusly:

You could be driving and the highway could be blocked by snow, and you'd wish you'd taken the train.

You could be flying and the flight was cancelled, and you'd wish you'd taken the train. [no change]

You could be on the train and the train is delayed, and you'd be like a pig in mud.

 

[Montanan]

Another railfan discussion group reports that on the morning of December 12th, both the eastbound and westbound editions of the CZ were at Denver Union Station at the same time! The eastbound train was the one that should have arrived there the evening before ... but it was running over 14 hours late.

That must not have been an encouraging sight for these folks ...

 

[acelafan]

Another railfan discussion group reports that on the morning of December 12th, both the eastbound and westbound editions of the CZ were at Denver Union Station at the same time! The eastbound train was the one that should have arrived there the evening before ... but it was running over 14 hours late.
That must not have been an encouraging sight for these folks ...

Ya, it looks like the westbound CZ departing Denver on Dec 12th really got into trouble somewhere in California. It went from 3 hours late leaving Reno, NV to over 7 hours late leaving Roseville, CA. And the eastbound CZ went from 45 minutes late leaving Colfax, CA to over 3 hours late leaving Reno, NV on Dec 13th.

Delays like that can be frustrating for those not used to long-distance train travel. I wonder if it was just the weather or some sort of track/signal problem on the route?

 

[sunchaser]

Another railfan discussion group reports that on the morning of December 12th, both the eastbound and westbound editions of the CZ were at Denver Union Station at the same time! The eastbound train was the one that should have arrived there the evening before ... but it was running over 14 hours late.
That must not have been an encouraging sight for these folks ...

Ya, it looks like the westbound CZ departing Denver on Dec 12th really got into trouble somewhere in California. It went from 3 hours late leaving Reno, NV to over 7 hours late leaving Roseville, CA. And the eastbound CZ went from 45 minutes late leaving Colfax, CA to over 3 hours late leaving Reno, NV on Dec 13th.

Delays like that can be frustrating for those not used to long-distance train travel. I wonder if it was just the weather or some sort of track/signal problem on the route?

I'm betting it's weather related. We have taken the California Zephyr 4 times this year, twice in summer, last two times were late October, the trains were very good about being on time or within 10-15 minutes late, at most.

I still would rather be 'stuck on a train' than stuck on the tarmac or at the airport!