Winter Storm Riley 3/2/18

[Thirdrail7]

High velocity winds and driving rains are impacting operations in multiple states in the East. This includes the entire NEC, VA, The Carolinas, western MD, western NY and western PA.

Keep a sharp watch on the website for cancellations.

Severe Weather Conditions Affect Northeast Corridor Service

Severe Weather Conditions Affect Northeast Corridor Service

A powerful nor’easter is delivering a mix of high winds, heavy rains, snow and coastal flooding. This is resulting in power outages affecting Amtrak, causing service delays and cancellations.

Passengers with travel plans can confirm their train’s status, change their plans or review refund information through Amtrak.com, smartphone apps or by calling 800-USA-Rail.

 

[Ryan]

10,000 demerits for using fake stupid winter storm names.

 

[PRR 60]

Amtrak has suspended service on the NEC and Keystone Corridor due to the nor'easter. Trains en route will continue to WAS, NYP or BOS, whichever stop comes first, and hold there.

Service Notice - 3/2/18 12;45 PM

 

[Palmetto]

The advisory I just read doesn't say that. It says trains will continue to the nearest station. The Vermonter, for example, is in a service disruption at Holyoke, MA.

 

[Seaboard92]

Is the Capitol limited still going. I have a friend booked in it

 

[Bex]

I'm in Club Acela in NYP. It's madness, as you can imagine. They announced that it is a "wire issue outside Philly."

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Call 800 USA RAIL? Heard on FB that they have downed phonelines. How will they able to get assistance then?

 

[PRR 60]

The advisory I just read doesn't say that. It says trains will continue to the nearest station. The Vermonter, for example, is in a service disruption at Holyoke, MA.

This was in the Amtrak NE Twitter feed. The reality is that conditions are nasty and they are making decisions on the fly.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Call 800 USA RAIL? Heard on FB that they have downed phonelines. How will they able to get assistance then?

I was able to get thru the greeting and apparantly on hold. No tone, just blank static. Im guessing that thousands are trying to get answers. When should I try again? Have a reservation that I need to pay for by tonight.

 

[Thirdrail7]

10,000 demerits for using fake stupid winter storm names.

Without driving this off topic, I believe there may be some sort of significance to the storm being named. Doesn't that have some sort of impact on insurance?

 

[Ryan]

No, the fake names assigned by the weather channel don’t, much like me deciding to name the shower that rained on me yesterday “Annoying Storm Philly” isn’t meaningful. Hurricanes named by the National Weather Service do for some folks, which was an issue for people when Sandy was reclassified as post-tropical before getting to Jersey.

That’s part of the reason that they’re derided by many folks in the weather enterprise.

 

[StriderGDM]

What Ryan said. Winter storm names are purely a marketing thing. For tropical/hurricanes, the status does matter (as folks here in upstate NY found when Irene flooded them, but wasn't a hurricane in status. They were outside flood zones, so no flood insurance, and since it wasn't a hurricane, insurance wouldn't cover it either.)

So 10,000 point demerit stands.

And we were getting along so well today.

 

[Thirdrail7]

What Ryan said. Winter storm names are purely a marketing thing. For tropical/hurricanes, the status does matter (as folks here in upstate NY found when Irene flooded them, but wasn't a hurricane in status. They were outside flood zones, so no flood insurance, and since it wasn't a hurricane, insurance wouldn't cover it either.)

So 10,000 point demerit stands.

And we were getting along so well today.

Which is what I thinking about. Although it would take a monster wave of movie theater proportions to reach me, I live in a flood zone. A named storm impacts my insurance. This even applies to Nor'easters.

At any rate, the fight does not go well. Keep an eye on the website for updates. At this point, the list of what will run is a lot shorter than what isn't running. It is safe to say Saturday's trains will be impacted as well.

 

[Bex]

Everything on the NEC is cancelled for today. I booked myself on 79 tomorrow morning and will sort out the refund later when the phone lines clear up... the line to talk to an agent at CA was insane. I just hope it's running.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Everything on the NEC is cancelled for today. I booked myself on 79 tomorrow morning and will sort out the refund later when the phone lines clear up... the line to talk to an agent at CA was insane. I just hope it's running.

All I hear was static. Waited for 1.5 hours and still waiting. Generally what time does it start to clear up?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Everything on the NEC is cancelled for today. I booked myself on 79 tomorrow morning and will sort out the refund later when the phone lines clear up... the line to talk to an agent at CA was insane. I just hope it's running.

All I hear was static. Waited for 1.5 hours and still waiting. Generally what time does it start to clear up?

Hmm, I don't think anyone knows the answer to that considering the cancellation of all trains on the NEC.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

Everything on the NEC is cancelled for today. I booked myself on 79 tomorrow morning and will sort out the refund later when the phone lines clear up... the line to talk to an agent at CA was insane. I just hope it's running.

All I hear was static. Waited for 1.5 hours and still waiting. Generally what time does it start to clear up?

Hmm, I don't think anyone knows the answer to that considering the cancellation of all trains on the NEC.

I have a reservation that expires tonight. Might as well run to the bank, get some cash, and run to the station.

 

[Bex]

Everything on the NEC is cancelled for today. I booked myself on 79 tomorrow morning and will sort out the refund later when the phone lines clear up... the line to talk to an agent at CA was insane. I just hope it's running.

All I hear was static. Waited for 1.5 hours and still waiting. Generally what time does it start to clear up?

I was going to ask if you meant the phone line or the trains and then I realized the answer to both is the same: they have no idea. Amtrak's Twitter account says:

re: the trains - Despite our best effort to restore service between BOS and WAS today, we have determined at this time it is not safe to do so. Hazardous conditions for our customers & crews have led us to cancel all Amtrak service on the Northeast Corridor until tomorrow. We sincerely apologize.

re: the phones - Due to the severe weather in the Northeast leading to the cancellation of all Amtrak service in the Northeast Corridor today, phone lines are busy for many customers trying to reach our 800 number, however agents are working hard to take care of many inconvenienced customers.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Here is the official word:

Amtrak Cancels Service Remainder of the Day Along the Northeast Corridor and Keystone Service due to Severe Weather

All Amtrak service has been cancelled between Washington, D.C. and Boston due to severe weather, through this evening, Friday, March 2. Amtrak Keystone Service (New York– Philadelphia - Harrisburg) is also cancelled for the balance of the day.

Amtrak Northeast Regional service that would operate between Washington, D.C., to points in Virginia is also canceled through the balance of the day.

Continuing to operate north of New York City is Amtrak Empire Service via Albany-Rensselaer and Amtrak Shuttle Service between New Haven, Conn., and Springfield, Mass. Amtrak Downeaster Service north of Boston also continues to operate.Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.

 

[bmjhagen9426]

It is very apparant that call volumes spike during inclement weather.

 

[lo2e]

Is/was 52(1) also a victim of the storm? It was stopped south of FBG for quite a while, but just now getting back going again, down 10+ hours. Ouch.

 

[Thirdrail7]

The vast majority of 52(1)'s delay was not storm related.

 

[Ryan]

A named storm impacts my insurance. This even applies to Nor'easters.

I’ve been know to be wrong, but I would be shocked if this were the case, since the storm wasn’t named by the National Weather Service.

 

[Palmetto]

As of this moment, there are no Amtrak trains showing between Boston and New Haven, and only #143 [from Springfield] between New Haven and New York. The Downeasters are running, though.

 

[jis]

At 10:15am:

Looks like 143 NHV - WAS is about to arrive in New York.

99 is running BOS NPN around 10 mins late past New London

161 is running BOS WAS on time around Providence

I suspect it is yesterday's 20 sitting in Philly

131 is on the move from Trenton towards Philly

So things are slowly starting to move it seems.