It is not pretty.
Amtrak Advisory | Amtrak operating on a modified schedule due to winter storm Gerri impacting the Central and Northwest Regions
Many of these cancellations are due to freight or commuter agencies problems with their operations. Example UP problems around Portland OR.
Since bulletins get cancelled will show entire bulletin for Jan 14 at 0140.
Empire Builder:
Zephyr 5 / 6:
Coast Starlight:
City of New Orleans:
Lake Shore Limited:
Maple Leaf
Empire Service
Michigan Service:
Hiawatha Service:
River Runner Service:
Lincoln Service:
Quincy Service:
Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or another day. Amtrak will waive additional charges for customers looking to change their reservation during the modified schedule by calling our reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.
The most up-to-date train status is available on Amtrak.com and in the free mobile app.
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This information is correct as of the time and date above. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.
Reading stuff like the above post just makes me admire that much more the old time railroaders who, despite the weather, kept the trains running in similar conditions.
Balt has explained well over the years why 't'aint so any more, but in my mind's eye I see half-frozen track men keeping the switches clear, engine crews roasting their faces while freezing their behinds, and if I think back to about 1890 when my town was an Erie Railroad town, I see recent immigrants bundled up as best they could, riding the tops of freight cars in this same weather, walking back and forth between the swaying, turning cars and twisting a near-frozen brake wheel with an ax handle.
Railroaders of any year have my respect, and especially in this weather.
It is disappointing that Amtrak has to cancel so many trains. However, Amtrak is probably smart with these cancellations. Jeff's problems with his freight shows just what one line's problems were among others. IMO the freight RR problems are caused by their cost cutting and PSR. Too long trains have only made problems worse. A CP train sliding backwards down a hill with insufficient power. What has happened to all the snow fighting equipment that the freights had? Did accountants push to remove the equipment from rosters as the equipment was not needed for several years? UP thankfully did not for Donner.
Now we have a not too heavy snowfall but very strong winds. So, the snow drifts into cuts and against stopped rail cars. Super long trains have problems pumping up the brake lines.
Where are all the wedge plows needed to clear drifts? Non operative some in museums?
Yeah, all this constant full court press for the last ounce of efficiency and saving the future. Saw a report about the cold wave in Chicago turning Tesla charging stations into "graveyards" of Teslas that won't charge. A guy in Barrington said he spent 3 hours yesterday and 3 hours today trying to get his Tesla to charge without success.
blue streak 1It is disappointing that Amtrak has to cancel so many trains. However, Amtrak is probably smart with these cancellations. Jeff's problems with his freight shows just what one line's problems were among others. IMO the freight RR problems are caused by their cost cutting and PSR. Too long trains have only made problems worse. A CP train sliding backwards down a hill with insufficient power. What has happened to all the snow fighting equipment that the freights had? Did accountants push to remove the equipment from rosters as the equipment was not needed for several years? UP thankfully did not for Donner. Now we have a not too heavy snowfall but very strong winds. So, the snow drifts into cuts and against stopped rail cars. Super long trains have problems pumping up the brake lines. Where are all the wedge plows needed to clear drifts? Non operative some in museums?
Railroads response to severe Winter weather has always consisted of one element that no longer exists on 21st Century railroads - MANPOWER in mass quantities.
MofW personnel with all the tools of the trade - Jet engine and men with brooms and everything in between. Manpower that 21st Century railroads no longer possess. Carriers don't want year round employees that the 'bean counters' feature will only be 'needed' for a short period of time during the entirety of the year.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
[quote user="BaltACD"]
Carriers don't want year round employees that the 'bean counters' feature will only be 'needed' for a short period of time during the entirety of the year.
blue streak 1 BaltACD Carriers don't want year round employees that the 'bean counters' feature will only be 'needed' for a short period of time during the entirety of the year. So how can UP justify the furlough of all the M of W personnel? Comes to bite them in the behind.
BaltACD Carriers don't want year round employees that the 'bean counters' feature will only be 'needed' for a short period of time during the entirety of the year.
Bean counters can 'prove' anything they want out of any set of numbers.
Remember - to climb in management, all you have to do is get promoted to a new position BEFORE your bad decisions collapse on the head of your replacement.
Harris claiming thast Acela-1s cannot handle cold weather their reason for the mass cancellations Friday 19th. Have to wonder if lack of parts contributes to not operating in cold weather. Time for Congress to make Amtrak transparent on all items it presently hides. T
IMO there is no reason for most of Amtrak's secerecy except to hide its mis steps. Of course Congress being disfunctual does not help.
Amtrak Cancels Acela Trains Because They’re Too Old to Handle the Cold (msn.com)
Does anyone have an update on the current state of the Avelia Liberty debacle? Did they at least get the design certified?
So much for the excuse that the Builder is a severe-weather lifeline for all those little communities along its route. Acela service suspension is just foregone revenue for not that much actual time saving, and the capacity reduction is probably accommodated with regional and local (unless those too start seeing weather-excused cancellations). But suspending Builder service is something more...
This might be recorded in history as a tough winter all around. I know being originally born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. I am naturally curious and always look at media photos and news items to see how our neighbors just South of the Wisconsin border are faring in the heavy snow.
CMStPnPThis might be recorded in history as a tough winter all around. I know being originally born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. I am naturally curious and always look at media photos and news items to see how our neighbors just South of the Wisconsin border are faring in the heavy snow.
Holy Photoshop Mr. Peabody!
CMStPnP I am naturally curious and always look at media photos and news items to see how our neighbors just South of the Wisconsin border are faring in the heavy snow.
There's no substitute for style!
[quote user="blue streak 1"]
BaltACD Carriers don't want year round employees that the 'bean counters' feature will only be 'needed' for a short period of time during the entirety of the year. /quote] So how can UP justify the furlough of all the M of W personnel? Comes to bite them in the behind.
Granted it is expensive to maintain a large staff for relatively brief periods of inclement weather. Especially when that staff is not adequate for clement weather.
All of these immigrants flooding the border should be offered a shovel and sent to areas where maintenance is required. Welcome to North America.
The Amtrak dilemma is indicative of the cancel culture pervading the country - that of canceling anything inconvenient. Cancelled mail delivery, extended school vacations and other services just seem to stop. What would happen if something really profound and protracted occurred?
PennsyBoomer What would happen if something really profound and protracted occurred?
On top of snow a landslide closes the PDX <> SEA for 48 hours. Starlight O & D at PDX. No Cascades trains either. Now, it is not indicated if rain or snow / ice build up caused landslide?
Seattle to Portland Amtrak train service suspended due to landslide | The Seattle Times
Backshop You mean something frivolous and politically self-inflicted? PennsyBoomer What would happen if something really profound and protracted occurred? You mean something like Covid? How soon we forget...
You mean something frivolous and politically self-inflicted?
You mean something like Covid? How soon we forget...
PennsyBoomer You mean something frivolous and politically self-inflicted? You mean something like Covid? How soon we forget...
You mean something frivolous and politically self-inflicted? You mean something like Covid? How soon we forget...
Are you saying that a pandemic that caused over a million deaths in the US is frivolous?
MidlandMikeAre you saying that a pandemic that caused over a million deaths in the US is frivolous?
Nobody in this thread made that point. Your arguing with a badly edited cut and paste of a point nobody made.
CMStPnP This might be recorded in history as a tough winter all around. I know being originally born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. I am naturally curious and always look at media photos and news items to see how our neighbors just South of the Wisconsin border are faring in the heavy snow.
"Keeping Up Appearances", lol. With all the Amtrak cancellations of the Hiawatha and Lincoln service trains, it makes one wonder what business Amtrak is in?
CMStPnP MidlandMike Are you saying that a pandemic that caused over a million deaths in the US is frivolous? Nobody in this thread made that point. Your arguing with a badly edited cut and paste of a point nobody made.
MidlandMike Are you saying that a pandemic that caused over a million deaths in the US is frivolous?
BackshopActually, he did. In his haste to make his "political" point, he did a bad quote so that it looks like I'm the one that wrote it. I'm deeply offended. Like MidlandMike said, a million plus deaths is not frivolous.
Thats really a stretch with a cut and paste mishap on a social media forum in my view and I don't even know the guy that well. I think the benefit of a doubt is in order here or at least a thicker skin.
I have an eye issue which sometimes cause a typo or spelling mishap and I used to have a guy on here trolling me around making public corrections. He gave up in frustration because I ignored it. Really did not bother me because it is social media.
Everyone is different though. Nothing wrong with asking him publicly and politely to fix it or informing a Moderator you would like it removed.
GrampWith all the Amtrak cancellations of the Hiawatha and Lincoln service trains, it makes one wonder what business Amtrak is in?
You have to remember as well, this is extreme weather. Granted in the past it might not have been an issue but employer to employee attitudes have changed since the private railroads ran passenger trains in addition to staffing levels as mentioned in other threads.
I remember when I was younger some employers would never close their office regardless of the weather in the Midwest. Some managers used to make a note of who came in during periods of dangerous driving conditions and would put them into the "dedicated employee" mental category if they still arrived on time to work if the public schools were closed. When I was younger and more willing to impress, I really put my life at risk sometimes driving into work during inclement weather. Always wanted to be in the "dedicated employee" mental category back then for promotion or pay. I am a remote worker and work at home now. So have no clue if there are still managers like that.
I think those days are in the past......I hope.
CMStPnP Backshop Actually, he did. In his haste to make his "political" point, he did a bad quote so that it looks like I'm the one that wrote it. I'm deeply offended. Like MidlandMike said, a million plus deaths is not frivolous. Thats really a stretch with a cut and paste mishap on a social media forum in my view and I don't even know the guy that well. I think the benefit of a doubt is in order here or at least a thicker skin. I have an eye issue which sometimes cause a typo or spelling mishap and I used to have a guy on here trolling me around making public corrections. He gave up in frustration because I ignored it. Really did not bother me because it is social media. Everyone is different though. Nothing wrong with asking him publicly and politely to fix it or informing a Moderator you would like it removed.
Backshop Actually, he did. In his haste to make his "political" point, he did a bad quote so that it looks like I'm the one that wrote it. I'm deeply offended. Like MidlandMike said, a million plus deaths is not frivolous.
CMStPnPThats really a stretch with a cut and paste mishap on a social media forum in my view and I don't even know the guy that well. I think the benefit of a doubt is in order here or at least a thicker skin. ...
...
You have some doubt that he referenced covid as frivolous? How thick does somebody's skin have to be to shrug-off a million deaths?
Another landslide closes SEA <> PDX for another 48 hours. That is no passengers traveling in the trains if they can get to SEA for maintenance. It appears that the slide mitigation north of SEA is working as no problems there but now there may be more work needed between SEA <> PDX? Especially Kelso <> Vancouver
Amtrak Advisory | Service Temporarily Disrupted Between Kelso and Vancouver
Well Amtrak got about 5 hours of PDX <> SEA operation. Then another slide closing it for another 48 hours. Guess state of Washington will have to pony up more money for slide mitigation as the state did for north of SEA. Do not remember when last slide happened north of SEA.
https://www.amtrak.com/alert/service-temporarily-disrupted-between-portland-and-seattle-.htm
Will BNSF be prepared to clear the snow on the RR around Flagstaff? This is not an area that usually gets an inch of snow an hour. Snow quantities now expected to exceed predictions. Will be interesting to see if 3 and 4 takes any delays. DOT talking about closing I-40. Lake Mead watchers will be happy.
Heavy snow closed Arizona Interstates | Watch (msn.com)
I happen to be on a ski trip to Flagstaff, and staying at a hotel with a view of the tracks. Noticed the EB Chief was 6 hours late today. Haven't noticed a reduction in freights, but hard to tell with so many. There are closures on parallel I-40. We had 16" snow yesterday, and about 10" today.
Train #4 / 07 Feb. Southwest chief is struggling to get out of the weather. Running in range of 9 hours late. Took a 50 minute stop in Albuqurque probably to allow maintenance to remove piled up snow around passenger cars. That would protect HEP cables from ice buildup.
WB Chief in Flagstaff at 10:30 tonight, about an hour behind schedule. Storm ended yesterday.
Edit: EB Chief at about 7:30 this AM (Saturday) about 3 (?) hours late. Looks like all AZ major highways operating normalally .
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