On the bus #22 SanAntonio to Fort Worth 5/15

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
When I talked to the Amtrak agent in Austin last night she said the termination in Ft. Worth was caused by water over the tracks but didn't say where.
 
Termination in FTW and bustitution because of flooding over tracks has happened to me too. I have never understood where it happens though. Flash flooding in TX is not that unusual. My very first bustitution was HOS to SAS on #1 because a trestle washed out in a flash flood.
 
Thanks for posting this - I was wondering what was happening to the 21 lately.
 
As far as I know not a regular thing. Just lots of rain yesterday between San Antonio and Ft. Worth.
 
I have looked all over the Amtrak site trying to find this information - not that I don't believe you. I would have expected to be able to find this kind of useful information on their site under the "Service Alerts and Notices" section. If you check their Track A Train application right now it shows both the 21 and 22 in grey - which I assume is Service Disruption. It would make sense to at least have a brief notice when something like that happens. I leave on the 25th, and we have rain chances forecast pretty much all next week, with heavy storms beginning tonight. I would sure like to know what to expect at CBR that day; a train or a bus?

If we do get "bustituted" CBR to SAS, would it be in bad form to request a refund voucher for the amount of upcharge for the roomettes for that segment?
 
No, it is not bad form to request a roomette-upcharge refund. I've done that twice, once when bustituted, once when the sleeper I was on was "bad ordered" on route (minor derailment due to ice).

And yeah. I'd hope they'd AT LEAST e-mail the people affected, but it would be helpful to have something on the website. (One thing I've found though; some businesses set up websites but don't seem to get the "immediate communication" part of them, and then after setting them up rarely update them).

I take 22 out of MIN on Monday, really hoping I am getting on a train and not a bus.
 
Well, another round of heavy rain last night. I broke the news to my wife about the 'bustitution" possibility from CBR to SAS. She says that is the part she was most looking forward to as we have always wondered what that stretch looks like from another perspective. Lord knows, we've driven the roads enough to know those sights, whether we take I35, US281, or a combination of FM and state highway roads.

At this point she is ready to cancel or maybe reschedule our trip.

Who can I call to find out the status of our CBR to SAS segment? I can re-bank my vacation and change the dates to mid-June if I need to, or my wife may just opt for us to drive out there. We would get there sooner, and it would give me a chance to see how her 300 likes sustained 85 m.p.h. stretches.
 
Why hasn't AMTRAK posted a Service Disruption Notice for the TE since it appears that the flood waters will not be receding for at least a few days. Also, any ideas of the flooding damage, other than minor roadbed issues, bussing could be an issue for the rest of May.
 
Does anyone know exactly where the flood water is the issue? I have never been able to figure that out.

Usually water recedes as quickly as it arrives in TX.

One time a rep told me the flooding was actually in San Antonio but that makes no sense to me now being familiar with the route.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
John: There has been flooding and track washouts all along the route between SAS and FTW this past week and today Central Texas (Austin has had 2-9 inches) as has most of Texas received more heavy Rain with Flash Flood warnings until 6pm.

As for San Antonio itself, track and bsllast washouts are common from Salado Creek and other steams. Austin also has this problem along the UP tracks South and North of downtown as well in the rural areas between Taylor and Temple and between Temple and Ft. Worth

The long range forecast calls for more rain during the next week here in Central Texas with 2-6 inches possible, which will cause more flooding because of the saturated ground and the swollen creeks and rivers.

In the past extensive flooding has also been a problem North of Little Rock in the " Black Hole" between Arkansas and Missouri!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah, the Arkansas flooding one March was what "won" me a bus trip from STL to MIN. (I don't recommend it)

Still have not heard anything from Amtrak and hoping that that means we're good for Monday out of Mineola. (Then again, I won't relax until I'm actually on the train)
 
Why hasn't AMTRAK posted a Service Disruption Notice for the TE since it appears that the flood waters will not be receding for at least a few days. Also, any ideas of the flooding damage, other than minor roadbed issues, bussing could be an issue for the rest of May.
My question exactly! And, I sent them an e-mail asking why they don't have at least a brief explanation as to what the situation is - and when they expect it could be remedied.

But, right now the sun is out and the mud is already starting to dry up around our place - thanks to the ever-present southerly wind that is now kicking up again. Maybe by the 25th things will have dried out, otherwise it looks like we may be driving.....
 
Looks like flooding around Dallas and San Marcos are the problem areas. San Marcos still reports about a dozen and half streets closed, one where the TE goes next to it. At least they are reporting water receding, just need the rain to hold off for a while so the high water has a chance to drain away.
 
I see that the TE is going beyond DAL this evening all the way to SAS, 4 1/2 hours late but going the whole way. Now, just keep those heavy Texas rains to a minimum so we can travel to Chicago later this month.
 
I'm on the TE now from FTW to Austin and we're running about an hour late. It's slowed down every now and then for speed restrictions due to the previous weather conditions but I guess an hour late for a long distance train like this isn't too terrible.

The heartland 'flyer' beforehand trundled along slowly the whole way quite slowly and was an hour late into FTW also. You can tell its been raining looking at some of the standing water and river levels!
 
With this heavy rain pretty well expected to continue all Summer, it looks like the Texas Eagle and Heartland Flyer will become this year's Empire Builder and Lake Shore Limited!
 
I'm on the TE now from FTW to Austin and we're running about an hour late. It's slowed down every now and then for speed restrictions due to the previous weather conditions but I guess an hour late for a long distance train like this isn't too terrible.

The heartland 'flyer' beforehand trundled along slowly the whole way quite slowly and was an hour late into FTW also. You can tell its been raining looking at some of the standing water and river levels!
Another service disruption for the 21 but at least it looks like you made it to Austin
 
One thing I have to commend is the on train staff handle it with great humour and professionalism and are great throughout. I'm not sure how their shifts work, but they must surely end up working much longer hours than scheduled thanks to the delays
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Texas is still receiving rain and there were tornadoes East of Austin yesterday! Rain forecast every for the next week in Central and East Texas which will cause flooding!

I have a turn in TPL on #22/#21 for next Tuesday to meet an AUer visiting Texas riding #21 from CHI, hopefully all of us will have good train karma on the Eagles!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well, I've been monitoring the progress of he TE's this week too. We are off on 421 CBR to TUS on Monday, and the wife isn't thrilled about maybe having to ride the bus over the route we usually drive to get there. We'd probably even drive right by our house if the bustitute takes the quickest route to Temple.
 
Well, I've been monitoring the progress of he TE's this week too. We are off on 421 CBR to TUS on Monday, and the wife isn't thrilled about maybe having to ride the bus over the route we usually drive to get there. We'd probably even drive right by our house if the bustitute takes the quickest route to Temple.
I can sympathize. Like your wife, the biggest draw for me in taking the train is seeing things I could not otherwise see. There are a lot of other things I love about trains but that's the main one.

I've got a big trip coming in August, which is supposed to be after the rainy season but sheesh, the way it's been this year, who knows...trying not to complain cause the reservoir here is almost full and it's been a long time since that happened.
 
Next month I am taking my youngest grand-daughter on her first train trip (SAS/CHI/SAS) which I don't want to be by bus. She is so looking forward to this trip since I have taken each of the four older grand-children, two who are begging me for a multiple night and multiple train trip.
 
Next month I am taking my youngest grand-daughter on her first train trip (SAS/CHI/SAS) which I don't want to be by bus. She is so looking forward to this trip since I have taken each of the four older grand-children, two who are begging me for a multiple night and multiple train trip.
Sounds like my grandaughter! We've done some tourist train rides, and a couple of day trips on Amtrak, she keeps asking when I'm gonna take her to Disneyland on a real train! ( ie Sleeper) Smiles
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top