Anyone know why the many snow cancellations and delays on the Florida trains and Carolinian this weekend? Know Raleigh had a lot of snow but nothing like the midwest has.
Snow being a frequent occurrence in the Midwest they have such things as switch heaters on most if not all power operated switches.
Raleigh being considered Southern and with snow being a very infrequent visitor has no such installations.
Railroads of the 21st Century have no more M of W employees on the payroll than are absolutely required to maintain the property under normal circumstances. Snow and it’s removal in the South is as far from a normal circumstance as one can get and the carriers do not have sufficient manpower to keep the necessary switches operating under severe weather incidents.
Actually from south Jersey through Delaware, Maryland, Virginia into N. Carolina there was quite a bit of snow.
Had someone call me and said that it was locomotive failure that caused the cancellations. Am wondering if the DC locos got ground faults same as the CAL Z week before last . Anyone know? Was also told that AutoTrain had 4 + locos and that is why they made it through. Don’t know if they used some CSX ACs. Of course AutoTrain is AMTRAK’s premier train and they try to keep it running. Just one more reason to buy ACs for the next order of locos.
The “Am-Wimps” strike again! At the meerest prediction of a snow, or a blow, they shut down! I remember traveling on the old CNR, and NYC, and even on Amtrak, in BNSF territory, where nothing stopped the train. A New York Central “Beeliner”, bucking snow drifts on the St. Lawrence Division, was an experience, especially when they had to back up and try again! What has gotten into their psyche? Too much time in the “District”? Too many lawyers on board? “Wimps”, I say!!!
Funny, or, maybe pathetic. The “Silver Star” and “Silver Meteor” are still scheduled, but everything else is annulled or cancelled. Very strange, methinks.
Hays
The Northeast Regionals are having cancellations too!
I don’t understand, don’t these trains plow through the snow easily?
“The Pennsylvanian” from Pittsburgh to New York is running on it’s schedule (currently) and the “Keystone Service” remains undisturbed (@ the moment).These areas are supposed to get hammered.
The ability to operate in weather conditions that planes can’t is the advantage rails have.
The ‘HAMMERED’ area is expected to be from Philadelphia South with the worst being in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan areas. Additionally the type of snow…Heavy/Wet is the type that had caused severe catenary damage in the past. Current forecast is for 2 feet.
Southwest Airlines has cancelled ALL flights out of their Baltimore-Washington International airport hub effective 2 PM today. Baltimore is one of the major hubs on the Southwest network.
There seems to be some kind of paranoia instilled in school systems, transit and transportation systems, and othe public like things, some say by lawyers, others say by neophytes. There is a pevailing fear in transportation circles that force cancellation of services before hand so as not to have to deal with the problem in progress. They fear trying and failing so they don’t try at all. Or trying, failing, and being sued if they don’t deliver the ride to destiniation or someone gets injured. Not just Amtrak. commuter agencies do the same. Is it smart to not operate and avoid stalled trains and upset passengers? Or is it smarter to attempt to provide the service you claim to be in? Yeah, this is an attitude statement. The truth is that so much has changed since Amtrak started that it is hard to say just why they’d rather not run. It is easier, and warmer, than facing a zillion minus zero temperature and a milllion mile an hour wind whipping three feet of snow a minute at you… And since roads are closed and airplanes are grounded, who’s going anywhere anyway?
20 - 30 " sounds like pretty tough sledding for a train even in the Sierras, Buffalo or Montana back in the 60’s. But this is on the line from Washington to Charlottesville, VA.
Actually Cresent is on time into Lynchburg. But wonder how many passengers?
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Grab a shovel and broom, you can always help keep the switch points clear so the trains can get through.
When the snow gets bad enough, Amtrak “straight rails” their RR and won’t even attempt to throw switches (except at the terminals, I suppose.) Hence, there have to be some cancellations.
Amtrak ?? amTRACK ???
The MBTA owns the track from Boston to the Rhode Island state line. From New Haven to New York it’s Metro North Railroad (Connecticut & New York states). South of Washington it’s the Freight railroads that must clear there tracks. If it’s too deep for the locomotive plow to clear, well, no service or wait. If crews can’t get to work do to the storm and road closure ? If food service and support is shut down ?
In the Northeast 6" to 12" of snow is usual and offen, that we can deal with.
I heard on last night’s tv news that Delaware had declared no driving for normal people at 10pm, with exceptions for certain unspecified, I assume hospital, utility, etc…, people.
So if the state itself says nobody can drive, or closes important roads, doesn’t that mean nobody can get to or from the train station even if trains are running?
In my neighborhood, Philadelphia, SEPTA put out a notice
http://www.septa.org/media/releases/2010/02-05.html
that they were going to give an hour’s notice of suspending service BEFORE they expected vehicles to get stuck
activated
Just one more reason to have 4 tracks from NYP all the way to WASH. This also is the reason that CSX’s RIC south track being single track with sidings cannot handle a lot of train meets when ther is snow! That causes the AMTRAK cancellations.
The New York Times
A Wicked Storm, and a Train Trip Interrupted by Liz Robbins
When the powerful Mid-Atlantic winter storm grounded all flights and shut down highways in the Mid-Atlantic region, Amtrak’s Capitol Limited, bound for Chicago from Washington, seemed to offer 115 passengers the perfect cozy alternative as it sped through the snow-swept countryside on Friday night.
But around 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, the train made an unscheduled stop just outside the former coal-mining town of Connellsville, Pa., 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. There, downed trees and power lines blocked the Capitol Limited, stranding and infuriating passengers who said they were not updated about the situation.
“This is outrageous,” Sheribel Rothenberg, 65, from Chicago, said on a fellow passenger’s cell phone from the stranded train Saturday afternoon. “Nobody can do anything about the weather, but be truthful, keep us informed. Here we are on a train full of people, trying to get to funerals, weddings, or whatever, and they can’t get there. It’s very sad.”
The downed power lines and other debris were on tracks owned by the freight company CSX, according to Clifford Cole, an Amtrak spokesman.
Removing the fallen trees posed challenges for workers. “As they clear them, more trees come down,” said Robert Sullivan, a spokesman for CSX. “So it’s a constant project.”
Complicating matters, a freight train had derailed on the tracks behind the train in Cumberland, Pa.
And there was one more problem: Amtrak’s train and engine crews had worked their maximum allowable hours, but could not be relieved because whiteout conditions in Western Pennsylvania highways prevented replacements from getting there.
The cars had heat, electricity, and meals to last through Saturday lunch. But by the 15th hour outside Connellsville, passengers were getting restless, the bathrooms were getting dirty and the view — murals paying homage t
Is that why the Aclea trains between NYC and D.C. were canceled but the Northeast Regionals were not.
On a side note, I am curious to know why “The Pennsylvanian” was delayed 5 hours today? “The Capitol Limited” was canceled so it did not have to wait for the layover. I guess NS must of had delays.
That my homebase trains Amtrak 29&30 and 42&43. That was last night Amtrak 29 got stuck. People are going to Stuck 3 or more days at the Airport getting the backlog of airplanes out at D.C. BWI, Philly and other airports. people complain all the time on Amtrak when stuff gos bad. This is Biggest Snow we had in a long time.