Hurricane Florence 2018

[cpotisch]

I saw the southbound Palmetto at Princeton Junction this morning, so it was running, but I don't know how far south it will go.

Palmetto is running NYP<>WAS.

 

[VentureForth]

Meanwhile, I'm watching flight radar apps showing hundreds of aircraft aloft over the Outer Banks all across the SE US.

It all depends on the height of the storm. Been some we could fly over others no so. Although not always true the stronger the Category the higher ?

Not always, but per current observations,

AREA SEV EMBD TS MOV FROM 09015KT. TOPS ABV FL450. TORNADOES...WIND GUSTS TO 115KT POSS.

is enough for me to detour. Most flights don't go over 38,000 feet, so with tops at 45,000', I'd stay clear. But Gulfstreams can fly at 51K, so 5,000' to spare.

 

[chrsjrcj]

Hindsight is 20/20. Maybe if the storm keeps pushing southwest they can get Richmond north open, but I imagine it also depends on CSX?

 

[CCC1007]

A lot of these cancellations were WAY premature. First of all, it would behoove Amtrak to be available until the last moment to facilitate evacuees. With the storm not even expected to make landfall until Friday evening, Amtrak could have waited until the outer bands actually started scraping land before any cancellations, based on the projected path and strength. Now, Amtrak has been down for nearly two perfectly normal days while Florence just lingers out there.

Even with trajectory and strength changes, Amtrak in NC and SC are far enough inland that a 12 hour cancellation notice would have been plenty to get the trains out of the way.

Meanwhile, I'm watching flight radar apps showing hundreds of aircraft aloft over the Outer Banks all across the SE US.

Let’s remember that it may not have been Amtrak’s call. If CSX was preparing for the storm by removing crossing arms and other potential projectiles from their tracks in the days leading up to the storm, they may have asked Amtrak to curtail operations early.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Even though modern jet aircraft can technically fly over hurricanes it's still a foolish proposition to do so just for expediency. Anything goes wrong and you risk falling into an abyss far beyond you and your aircraft's ability to navigate safety.

 

[MARC Rider]

I think Palmetto is supposed to run as normal between WAS and NYP.

Well, it was cancelled last night, according to the departure board at BAL at about 745 pm.

 

[chakk]

Outside the NEC, Amtrak runs trains only if the host railroad allows its own trains to run. So before dissing Amtrak, it’d be smart to check with the host railroad to see if they are running their own trains.

 

[City of Miami]

Plenty of NS freights going by within earshot of where I lie - but no 176 or 171 or 19 or 20. Sad.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Plenty of NS freights going by within earshot of where I lie - but no 176 or 171 or 19 or 20. Sad.

If something happens to a freight train, you've got a lot of claims from shippers, something happens to a passenger train, you've got human lives at stake. Big difference.

 

[Rover]

400 AM POSITION UPDATE... ...EYEWALL OF FLORENCE BEGINNING TO REACH THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST...

4:00 AM EDT Fri Sep 14
Location: 34.2°N 77.3°W
Moving: WNW at 6 mph
Min pressure: 955 mb
Max sustained: 90 mph

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Photo from earlier

 

[TylerP42]

Looks like the eye will hit Wilmington soon.

Florence is crawling along.

 

[MARC Rider]

I think Palmetto is supposed to run as normal between WAS and NYP.

Well, it was cancelled last night, according to the departure board at BAL at about 745 pm.

When I passed through BAL last night (Thursday), the Palmetto was showm as running up to New York.

 

[Rover]

Florence on track to visit herself in SC.

 

[cpotisch]

Florence on track to visit herself in SC.

It's Florence-ception!

 

[chrsjrcj]

Some updates in a new Service Advisory

Service South of Washington, D.C., Impacted

Due to severe weather impacts in the Southeast due to Hurricane Florence, Amtrak is modifying service through Tuesday, September 18. For the safety of our customers and employees, the schedules for several trains will be adjusted.

Trains cancelled through Monday, Sept. 17:

• Carolinian (New York City -- Charlotte, N.C.) Trains 79 & 80 are cancelled Thursday, Sept. 13 – Monday, Sept. 17
• Piedmont (Raleigh, N.C. – Charlotte, N.C.) Trains 73 & 78 are cancelled Thursday, Sept. 13 – Monday, Sept. 17

Trains cancelled through Tuesday, Sept. 18:

• Auto Train (Lorton, Va. – Sanford, Fla.) Trains 52 & 53
• Silver Meteor (New York City – Miami) Trains 97 & 98
• Crescent (New York City – New Orleans) Trains 19 & 20

The following trains will operate on a modified schedule:

• Northeast Regional service will not operate south of Washington D.C. through Saturday, Sept. 15 including trains 164, 147, 71, 82, 88, 194, 156, 65, 66,195, & 99
• Northeast Regional service will not operate south of Washington D.C. through Sunday, Sept. 16 including trains 88, 164, 96, 156, 65, 66,195,157,145 & 99 | Train 96 will originate in Richmond, Va.
• Northeast Regional service will not operate south of Washington, D.C. through Monday, Sept. 17 including trains 66 & 67 | Train 176 will originate in Lynchburg, Va.
• Cardinal (Chicago – New York City) Trains 50 & 51 will operate between Indianapolis and Chicago through Sunday, Sept. 16
• Silver Star (New York City – Miami) Trains 91 & 92 will operate between Jacksonville, Fla., and Miami only through Tuesday, Sept. 18
• Palmetto (New York City – Savannah, Ga.) Trains 89 & 90 will operate between New York City and Washington, D.C., only through Tuesday, Sept. 18

My mom is scheduled to ride 98 to North Florida later this week. While the suspension hasn't been extended that long yet, we are hoping she doesn't get bumped to the Star, since it has too late of an arrival time for her.

 

[Rover]

Some Music to listen to:





WPDE ABC 15 Myrtle Beach/Florence is streaming live:

https://wpde.com/watch

 

[Woodcut60]

I really feel sorry for you guys living in the Carolinas. Sweden almost never gets hit by severe storms so I guess we are lucky. I visited North Carolina in May this year on the Carolinian and the Piedmont. I enjoyed it very much, especially Raleigh and Charlotte and the Carolinian BBQ.

 

[neroden]

It's a pity Amtrak can't maintain New Orleans-Atlanta or Cincinatti-Chicago service, but such is the state of the rail network.

 

[dgvrengineer]

I don't understand why they are not running NE Regionals to Richmond. Virginia, except for the SW part of the state, is basically unaffected by Florence.

 

[pennyk]

I don't understand why they are not running NE Regionals to Richmond. Virginia, except for the SW part of the state, is basically unaffected by Florence.

It may not be up to Amtrak. I believe that CSX owns the tracks.

 

[the_traveler]

If CSX or NS removed the crossing guard arms, Amtrak has no choice not to operate a train on those tracks. Without a crossing being protected, a train either has to stop at EVERY crossing and have a crew member protect the crossing or not operate at all.

 

[cpotisch]

If CSX or NS removed the crossing guard arms, Amtrak has no choice not to operate a train on those tracks. Without a crossing being protected, a train either has to stop at EVERY crossing and have a crew member protect the crossing or not operate at all.

Why do they need to stop AND have a crew member out there protecting it? If the train is going through at 1 mph, what difference does it make to have a person out there?

 

[CCC1007]

If CSX or NS removed the crossing guard arms, Amtrak has no choice not to operate a train on those tracks. Without a crossing being protected, a train either has to stop at EVERY crossing and have a crew member protect the crossing or not operate at all.

Why do they need to stop AND have a crew member out there protecting it? If the train is going through at 1 mph, what difference does it make to have a person out there?

Legal protections

 

[Dakota 400]

If CSX or NS removed the crossing guard arms, Amtrak has no choice not to operate a train on those tracks. Without a crossing being protected, a train either has to stop at EVERY crossing and have a crew member protect the crossing or not operate at all.

Why do they need to stop AND have a crew member out there protecting it? If the train is going through at 1 mph, what difference does it make to have a person out there?

During a Winter trip on the Cardinal to Chicago during an ice storm, our arrival into Union Station at Chicago was much delayed due to frozen switches and inoperable signals due to the weather. The train had to continually stop while the Conductor went forward and insure that the path was clear for our train to proceed. Then, of course, we had to stop again to re-board the Conductor.

The delay was compounded when some idiot driver managed to block our track into the Station by attempting to cross our track at an area where there was no proper road crossing.

An example while I always build an overnight in Chicago when I need to make a connection to another train.

 

[MikefromCrete]

If CSX or NS removed the crossing guard arms, Amtrak has no choice not to operate a train on those tracks. Without a crossing being protected, a train either has to stop at EVERY crossing and have a crew member protect the crossing or not operate at all.

Why do they need to stop AND have a crew member out there protecting it? If the train is going through at 1 mph, what difference does it make to have a person out there?

To ensure the train doesn't hit anybody.