Winter storm related delays and cancellations Winter 2022-2023
- Thread starter Rasputin
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And before anyone asks, #3 is most likely cancelled because #4 was cancelled the other day due to a freight derailment.
Thanks for posting. This was an incredible story that does not make SP look good. I think the History Channel did a feature on it a few years back.
Why does it "not make SP look any good?" Seems to me they did everything they could to rescue the train and were thwarted because of things out of their control. When they got the passengers off the train, they put them up at a hotel and got another train pretty quickly to shuttle them down to Oakland. According to the article, the passengers were satisfied enough that few claims were made against the railroad. Of course, in our day, there would be zillion dollar lawsuits and such, but really, what could they do with 200 inches of snow and 100 mph winds? What else could they do that would have made the situation come out any better. After all, no passengers died, and they were able to eventually retrieve the train.
Jeez, couldn't Amtrak have found a smaller type size?
Even after opening in Twitter it was barely readable.
I wouldn't be surprised to see issues tomorrow and Saturday here in Maine. A storm moving through is supposed to dump 1 to 2 inches of rain with winds gusting 60 to 70 mph. Possible flooding, downed power lines. Not looking good for holiday travel.
jis
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Same Advisory as it appears on amtrak.com, only slightly better I am afraid:
https://www.amtrak.com/alert/forecasted-severe-winter-weather-causes-service-changes.html
https://www.amtrak.com/alert/forecasted-severe-winter-weather-causes-service-changes.html
Contrast to airline cancellations...
7,000 +passengers flights cancelled by the airlines due to weather this week, so far...
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/friday-flight-cancellations/index.html
7,000 +
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/friday-flight-cancellations/index.html
west point
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This storm is proving it is a beast. If you check the Amtrak - VIA map at 2200 you will find almost every VIA train Detroit and east running late. As well tracks north of the StLawrence does not get all the lake effect snow south does.Cue the inevitable comments about weatherproof railroads of the past
Amtrak Downeaster disrupted by the weather. Yesterday 685 and 687 were delayed in Durham NH due to downed powerlines across the tracks. 688 was terminated in Wells.
Today 691, 696 and 697 cancelled due to "equipment issues". Perhaps equipment stranded due to last nights downed power lines?
692 appears to be running on schedule.
Today 691, 696 and 697 cancelled due to "equipment issues". Perhaps equipment stranded due to last nights downed power lines?
692 appears to be running on schedule.
jis
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Something happened near Baltimore last night that delayed many trains many hours and caused a few short terminations, including the northbound Carolinian. Consequently the southbound Carolinian appears to be cancelled this morning.
Maybe @AmtrakBlue has some more insights since it is almost in her neck of the woods.
Maybe @AmtrakBlue has some more insights since it is almost in her neck of the woods.
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jis
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I was talking about 79 today and it is indeed cancelled. There was a Tweet on AmtrakAlerts last night about 80 terminating at Baltimore with passengers transferred to 90, and consequently 79 getting cancelled. Also southbound Acela 2157 apparently terminated at Wilmington with passengers transferred to 2159, which itself was running hours late.
On the 22nd the Steel bridge in Portland OR failed causing the southbound Coast Starlight to be delayed many many hours. Apparently it arrived into EMY over 10 hours late, of which a bit more than 6 was lost at Portland, and then there was crew expiry etc. to contend with. It was already late into PDX to start with.
I just know what was posted on twitter. Downed wires between BWI and Baltimore. This morning I saw there were issues between WIL and PHL overnight (guessing downed wires or trees).
The tweet about 80 and the FB posted picture of 80 combined with 90 (and he later showed a screenshot of the tracker showing 80 was in NJ - and he said he saw pax get off both consists) is a bit confusing.
jis
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Looks like 80 and 90 were indeed combined and both arrived into NYP at 4:51am this morning.
I bet they turned yesterday's Pennsylvanian into today's Palmetto and that is how it departed on time. No such turn available for the Carolinian, so it was canceled.
Incidentally 92 also arrived after 3am into NYP. They might be turning 98 consist from yesterday into 92 today, 92 into 97, maybe involving a bit of Sleeper shuffle if 97/98 is running with 3 Sleepers.
Michigan services are a mess. (Yes, the weather situation in Chicago affected many services, but I was focusing my attention on the Wolverines and the Blue Water). I wonder how many passengers hung around for last night's 354. In the advisory for the selective cancellations ahead of time, the morning and evening departures in both directions were listed as operating Dec 22-25, with only 352/353 canceled. Seems like if the temperatures were the issue, the midday trains would have a better choice of operating than early morning or late night. Today it appears that all the Wolverines are cancelled but 364 is expected to depart (do they use that same delayed equipment?) Amtrak Alerts, cannot sugarcoat this, was doing a poor job of providing updates last night and into the wee hours. This morning the app shows 350 and 351 now cancelled, but the Alerts stated a few minutes ago that 350 was delayed and updates to come. I'm sure the delays also caused crew issues but holy cow this is bad. And across the border, VIA RAIL corridors Toronto/Windsor are operating, albeit some late.
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jis
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Regarding VIA's trains running smoothly, I would like to draw your attention to this post from our friend from the great White North:
VIA train stuck for 17 hours
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Thanks, I'm looking at VIA corridor routes 64, 70,71,72. This is more of a direct comparison since they are corridor routes, like the Michigan services operating in the same region with the same weather and temperatures. Some of them are in red but an hour late is actually impressive.
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More on the VIA Corridor meltdown
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/storm-causes-problems-for-via-in-southern-ontario.83959/
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/storm-causes-problems-for-via-in-southern-ontario.83959/
The replies to last night's Twitter updates (and early this morning) do not paint a good picture of the communications provided. Spending hours at the boarding gates in Chicago, which is of course right next to the tracks, is brutal in this weather. (Been there done that). Hopefully the in person updates to passengers was better than what the online comments indicate and better than the Alerts which provided often bad information or nothing at all. Yes, it's a nightmare for the employees as well, I get it. There is also no excuse for not providing basic updates at least hourly.
EDIT: Amtrak App shows 350 as cancelled (and has been for a while now). 14 minutes ago Twitter Alerts: "Train 350 continues to be delayed in Chicago (CHI). Updates to come."
EDIT: Amtrak App shows 350 as cancelled (and has been for a while now). 14 minutes ago Twitter Alerts: "Train 350 continues to be delayed in Chicago (CHI). Updates to come."
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I’m trying to check status for 11 departing Seattle on 12/24. Nothing is coming up. Is this train canceled? If so what happens to 14 on Monday? I’m on 14 on Monday.
Try typing in a city pair instead using the train number (which also comes up blank for me). It's estimated to leave at 11:30 am
west point
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Here is the tweet.
Acela Train 2167 is held in Wilmington (WIL) due to down power lines between Baltimore and Washington. We will be sure to provide updates as we get more information.
This sounds similar to the power lines that fell across the NEC in NJ previously. Caused by vehicle running into a non anchored pole. How the power lines were anchored in this case someone near there might find out for us later, Do know how the follow up in NJ has been done. Maybe Amtrak needs to pressure utilities to go under its tracks?
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