CL 30 running late on a consistent basis

[Steve4031]

I would like to thank everybody for there input on this thread. Especially regarding the issues on Norfolk southern. I've changed my points reservation from the star to the meteor. Now I'll be more likely to make the connection.

 

[neroden]

Unless the Amtrak Tracker is screwed up tonight's 30 Cap has been sitting dead in the water near Gary IN for at least 2 hours. If this is ongoing Dispatching trouble someone at Amtrak needs to grow a set and get that resolved NOW!

This is the biggest chokepoint on the entire national network of Norfolk Southern, *and* they apparently are using a new dispatching computer program, *and* there's a lot of trackwork going on right there. I am usually the first to blame bad dispatching from the Class Is, but delays on the Chicago Line in Gary? That's just an over-capacity railroad. And they are trying to deal with the problem (Englewood Flyover, Indiana Gateway).

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Unless the Amtrak Tracker is screwed up tonight's 30 Cap has been sitting dead in the water near Gary IN for at least 2 hours. If this is ongoing Dispatching trouble someone at Amtrak needs to grow a set and get that resolved NOW!

This is the biggest chokepoint on the entire national network of Norfolk Southern, *and* they apparently are using a new dispatching computer program, *and* there's a lot of trackwork going on right there. I am usually the first to blame bad dispatching from the Class Is, but delays on the Chicago Line in Gary? That's just an over-capacity railroad. And they are trying to deal with the problem (Englewood Flyover, Indiana Gateway).

Thanks for the update. It sounds like a classic case of The Perfect Storm.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

With a Cap-Star connection on the books this weekend and no Roomettes showing on the Meteor, I just got off the phone with a most helpful AGR Agent (only 5 minute hold) who was familiar with what has been going on and "scared up" a nice Roomette for me on that evening's Meteor (either some just opened up or AGR keeps a couple ratholed for emergencies). It sounds like from what she said the connection to the Star may be put on hold for a while.

Since I would rather be on the Star, she said if it turns out our Cap is coming in under the wire to give AGR a call and if a Roomette is still available on the Star I could switch back. But at least I can rest easy with the insurance policy now in pocket

And she added be sure to visit the Club Acela at the Washington Union Station!

 

[KVG_DC]

I recall sitting forever and ever at the Ohio/Ind state line between Toledo and Waterloo on the Chicago bound train one time.

 

[afigg]

Unless the Amtrak Tracker is screwed up tonight's 30 Cap has been sitting dead in the water near Gary IN for at least 2 hours. If this is ongoing Dispatching trouble someone at Amtrak needs to grow a set and get that resolved NOW!

I was on CL #30 (7/22). The train stopped twice in IN, first for about 25 minutes with 2 freight trains passing in the opposite direction and then near Gary for around 90 minutes with little obvious activity. #30 was 3 hours late by South Bend and departed Cleveland 4:21 late. Whatever NS is doing with track maintenance projects and their dispatching software between CHI and CLE, the CL and LSL schedule keeping is getting clobbered all too often. The eastbound CL connection to the Pennsylvanian appears to be broken most days, so that is getting affected as well.

We got into WAS 5 and a half hours late. There was an LD train with Viewliners on the other side of the platform from the CL. At first I thought it was the Meteor, but realized it was the Crescent which was being held for transfers from the CL.