Very late CZ # 5 today at Denver

[DEN Trails & Rails]

Tuesday, 3:30 pm, MDT

Today's CZ # 5 as of now, is scheduled to arrive in Denver at 9:30 pm tonight, some 14 plus hours late.

It left Chicago on time yesterday, and was doing OK up to the Lincoln, Omaha area.

The website only says 'service disruption', call Amtrak for information.

It seems like at the drop of a hat, Amtrak calls these late trains a 'service disruption', with no further information on the website.

I have read over the years, on this board, the many problems of the way Amtrak uses the 'service disruption' category.

As I told the Amtrak agent on the phone, just put the arrival/departure information on the web site.

The CZ is having a terrible summer of being very late in both directions, here in Denver.

Average delay, at DEN, for # 6 for the past 4 weeks is 194 minutes, over three hours. Average delay, at DEN, for # 5 for the past 4 weeks is 317 minutes, over five hours. Source: http://www.amtrakdelays.onlineschedulingsoftware.com/

I know about the flooding to the east of here, but don't understand why # 6 can also get very late, more than 2 - 3 hours, going eastbound.

Peter

 

[nybatt]

I arrived in denver yesterday (7/18) on the CZ (#6) of the 17th... A FEW MINUTES EARLY.. (we actually arrived early/ on-time) at many of the stops between SAC and DEN)

it was funny to hear all the staff on the train talking about actually being on time!! they were as amazed as us passengers were..

as we were approaching denver i had my scanner and heard our crew mention the incredibly late #5..

i am scheduled to leave denver this thursday on the CZ and naturally I am very concerned about not only a late arrival into denver, but also my connection to the CAP limited, friday afternoon in chicago..

scanning the trip from SAC to DEN, it sounded like UP was making every effort to get us through without any delay.. track foremen were clearing crews and almost every siding was occupied with both EB and WB UP freights waiting on us..

to echo the previous post, I'm really not sure what the reason(s) could be for multiple-hour delays..

so, I will enjoy the rest of my time in Denver, but cautiously watch the progress of the CZ, in both directions!

 

[Michael061282]

just guessing, and I haven't done any research, but probably alot of #6's delays begin with the massively late arrivals of #5 the previous day. The #5 is due into EMY at 4:10 in the afernoon and #6 leaves at 9:10 the next morning. Isn't the crew required to have 12 hours of downtime (which is why the texas eagle's lose their cafe & dining service crews in Austin and not in San Antonio) If #5 is more then 5 or so hours late getting into EMY then the next days #6 will be late leaving, unless Amtrak can get a relief crew up from LA in time. It's just a knock on effect nightmare.

 

[NY Penn]

I don't know about the 12 hours thing

, because the rest of the crew continues to SAS.

It's probably that there is time needed to turn the train itself (eg clean all rooms, restock dining car,etc)...

 

[Train2104]

Service alert posted:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Alert_C&pagename=am/AM_Alert_C/Alerts_Popup&p=1237608345018&cid=1248544305307

Passengers traveling on Trains 5 and 6 may experience delays of three to five hours.

 

[AlanB]

just guessing, and I haven't done any research, but probably alot of #6's delays begin with the massively late arrivals of #5 the previous day. The #5 is due into EMY at 4:10 in the afernoon and #6 leaves at 9:10 the next morning. Isn't the crew required to have 12 hours of downtime (which is why the texas eagle's lose their cafe & dining service crews in Austin and not in San Antonio) If #5 is more then 5 or so hours late getting into EMY then the next days #6 will be late leaving, unless Amtrak can get a relief crew up from LA in time. It's just a knock on effect nightmare.

The dining car crews no longer get on/off in Austin. They once again go all the way to San Antonio.

As for the rest periods, only the conductors & engineers are required to have a minimum rest. On board service crews are provided with a hotel room in their away city for the layover, but they get what they get. For example the LSL is staffed out of NY, at least for the NY section. They are scheduled to arrive at 9:45 AM and they have to be back by either 7:30 or 8:00 PM to get the train ready for its 9:30 departure. So they are clearly not getting 12 hours rest, especially since they're probably still on the train for at least a half hour after arrival, have to allow time to transit to the hotel, time to transit back, eat, and shower.

 

[Bob Dylan]

With two #5s in Service Disruption and #6 running consistently Late looks like the CZ will become this months Empire Builder or the Train that Couldnt Get there! Bet it's not fun to be working in CHI or @ Amtrak and AGR phone Centers right now, imagine the Irate customers calling in with lots of unanswerable questions/complaints/concerns! Looks like its not just the Flooding in Nebraska, now Colorado seems to be having Real Problems also! :help: