49's chronic lateness lately

[Ethan Klapper]

What's going on with 49 lately? While not EB levels of delays, the past couple of weeks, the westbound Lake Shore has been pulling into CHI regularly 2+ hours late, with 49 (16) pulling in a whopping 5:17 late. Just today, 49 (2) pulled in 4:01 late. Since the middle of December, I counted only one 49 that was on time, 49 (24), which likely encountered very little freight interference along the way. (Runner up was 49 (28), which was 17 minutes late, so 2 minutes off being on-time.) Looking at 29, which travels the same NS route with 49 west of Cleveland, OTP is nothing too out of the ordinary in this time period. It seems like 49 mostly keeps getting held up on CSX just west of Albany. Is the Mohawk Sub really that awful these days?

 

[the_traveler]

I'd say part of the problem has to do with the weather that NYS, PA, OH and IN has had over the past few weeks. And one of those examples that you listed was due to locomotive problems where it started out 4+ hours late.

 

[June the Coach Rider]

The weather in central and northwest NY has been brutal in December. As 29 does not travel the area around Buffalo, this could be one of the main reasons for the lateness.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Have also been a lot of track work in upstate NY over the past months. Our last trip CLE to Springfield, Ma involved many areas of slow orders for track maintenance west of Albany and east of Buffalo. If you look at the slowdowns they many times occurred in that area.

But yes, this time of year, the snow belt from Rochester to Cleveland is the cause of many delays.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Have also been a lot of track work in upstate NY over the past months. Our last trip CLE to Springfield, Ma involved many areas of slow orders for track maintenance west of Albany and east of Buffalo. If you look at the slowdowns they many times occurred in that area.

But yes, this time of year, the snow belt from Rochester to Cleveland is the cause of many delays.

A Good Reason to consider Moving to Florida when you're Retired! (like Shanghai did), But now Penny says its in the 30s in Orlando!!!!

 

[Ethan Klapper]

What do you guys think, I'm taking 49 from NYP to CHI in a few weeks and connecting to 5. I'm really not liking how tight it's been lately. Should I go down to DC on 195 and take 29 instead? Actually saves me a couple bucks, but I've taken 29 before and never 49.

(edit: took out the more specific date.)

 

[the_traveler]

It totally up to you.

Usually, if the train is near CHI they normally hold the other train. Either way, since the connection is guaranteed, if you must stay overnight in Chicago, Amtrak will provide a hotel (on their dime) and send you out the next day.

You asked if you should go via WAS and it would cost less. I don't know if the less is $20 or $200. Again, it's up to you what you want to do.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would gamble and stay with 49 especially if it is a "new" train for you. You have several hours of padding and like The Traveler explained if the connection is blown, you are protected. Since this is a slow time of the year for travel if that should happen and you are in Sleeper there is a betting man's chance you'll get Sleeper on the next day's Zephyr.

 

[Ethan Klapper]

Thanks, guys. I'll report back what ends up happening in a couple weeks!

 

[the_traveler]

Please do.

 

[afigg]

Today is another late day for LSL. The LSL left NYP 6 hours late on 1/03 because the Spuyten Duyvil bridge was stuck open (according to reports on trainorders). The Ethen Allen #293 left NYP 2:54 late at 8:41 PM. Obviously the Empire Service trains were affected as well.

The eastbound #48 (1/02) left CHI 4:24 late and is still enroute as I write this having left ROC 11:33 late. A very bad couple of days for the LSL. Wonder if Amtrak will be short of equipment to send out the LSLs in CHI or NYP tomorrow?

 

[AlanB]

The eastbound #48 (1/02) left CHI 4:24 late and is still enroute as I write this having left ROC 11:33 late. A very bad couple of days for the LSL. Wonder if Amtrak will be short of equipment to send out the LSLs in CHI or NYP tomorrow?

Unlikely that they'll come up short on equipment, since they won't need any equipment. They won't have operating crews that are properly rested, so the train will have to leave late from Chicago no matter what; meaning that they'll have time to turn & clean the train.

Same will happen at the other end too. They might have enough spare crews to get from NYP to ALB, but BOS to ALB and west of ALB will be a problem.

 

[FreeskierInVT]

Has 48(2)/448(2) even arrived at NYP or BOS yet? Status map shows 48 leaving ALB 14hr, 40min late at 6:25 this morning, and 448 leaving ALB 15hr, 7min late at 6:32 this morning.

 

[Ethan Klapper]

And FWIW, the good folks on TO say that 448 (4) and 449 (4) are being bustituted. So they must be keeping that equipment in ALB to cut their losses here?

 

[Ethan Klapper]

48 (4) is showing an estimated departure of 4 a.m. at the moment. Hopefully this mess will reset when that trainset (which hasn't even arrived in CHI as of 8:06 p.m. CST) lays over in Sunnyside tomorrow night.