Flooding on route to New Orleans

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JHarb said:
It is extremely frustrating that Amtrak is completely ignoring the situation on their website, posting no information. Passengers should be alerted to the possibility/probability that their travel plans will have to change. When not told until the last minute, airfare is much higher.
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Still, not one word about the CONO service disruptions on the Amtrak website. How many weeks old is the CONO problem now?

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237608345018&cid=1237608335997

:angry2: :help:
 
I am booked to travel from New Orleans to Chicago on 20th May - have received no information from AMTRAK about cancellations. This is an appalling way to treat customers - as a tourist from Ireland, it is not leaving me with a positive image of the US.
 
Ewan Duffy said:
I am booked to travel from New Orleans to Chicago on 20th May - have received no information from AMTRAK about cancellations. This is an appalling way to treat customers - as a tourist from Ireland, it is not leaving me with a positive image of the US.
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Sorry you are having these problems. Right now Amtrak probably doesn't know when the train can resume. In a pinch, you could get as far as Memphis, (the train is still running New Orleans to Memphis), spend the night at a hotel, ride Greyhound to St Louis and then change to an Amtrak train (Amtrak and Greyhound share a station in St. Louis) to Chicago. However, I suggest you call Amtk's number, 1-800-USARAIL on Tuesday which is the estimate for the line to be repaired by the railroad. Ask for an agent, and maybe they will have new information by then. My personal prediction is the train will be running again all the way to Chicago by the time you travel. If not, it should be going very soon thereafter...Amtrak is currently taking reservations for the entire route beginning May 21. Good luck and have a safe and fun visit!
 
I just hung up with Amtrak. As of this morning, they have extended the CONO from Chicago to Memphis, but do not have the rails for the complete trip. CN must inspect the rails to give full clearance.

TacoMan-have you heard anything from Amtrak yet?

Is anybody else traveling this line within the next week or so? I am scheduled for the 25th of May but I am not confident about getting all the way to New Orleans. The earliest you can purchase tickets online is for the 21st of May, but those trains may be canceled.

I realize that CN owns the rails and has final say on travel, but Amtrak could have the courtesy to post more information on the website other that "SoldOut"
 
Next Stop? Hoboken! said:
I realize that CN owns the rails and has final say on travel, but Amtrak could have the courtesy to post more information on the website other that "SoldOut"
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I realize that the conditions such as the course and gravity of flooding and decisions made by the feright lines that own the tracks are out of Amtrak's control, but open communication with customers with paid tickets and prospective passengers on the CONO route is wholly within their control.

It is wholly unacceptable to me as a very frequent long distance customer of Amtrak's, that they have posted no service alert info about the CONO on their website, and they rely only on the close to departure robo calls about cancellation. That does not allow us to make viable, cost effective alternative travel plans. They are causing totally unecessary frustration and ill-will that is easily mitigated with some basic communication on their web site service alerts page.

Further, I called Amtrak to try to change my routing to the Crescent, and experienced confusion and push-back from the CSA on making a preemptive change.
 
JMB- I couldn't agree with you more, I do not like the way they are handling the situation regarding cancellation, however, I have been phoning everyday(im sure they are growing weary of me) and they have shown sympathy for my concern and have encouraged me to continue calling.

With the flood waters moving south, does anybody know how far north the trains are traveling out of NOL?
 
Next Stop? Hoboken! said:
I just hung up with Amtrak. As of this morning, they have extended the CONO from Chicago to Memphis, but do not have the rails for the complete trip. CN must inspect the rails to give full clearance.

TacoMan-have you heard anything from Amtrak yet?

Is anybody else traveling this line within the next week or so? I am scheduled for the 25th of May but I am not confident about getting all the way to New Orleans. The earliest you can purchase tickets online is for the 21st of May, but those trains may be canceled.

I realize that CN owns the rails and has final say on travel, but Amtrak could have the courtesy to post more information on the website other that "SoldOut"
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I have plans to travel the 25th from NOLA to Carbondale and am anxiously awaiting updates as well - still cannot believe Amtrak's lack of information on their website. A daily status update would be something.

This is the first I have heard that service between NOLA and Memphis is interrupted. I thought with the opening of the Morganza we might avoid that.
 
I heard nothing from them, so over a week ago I switched my trip out to take me through DC to CHI then to Cali. The guy at the Meridian ticket office said he wouldn't expect the CONO to run again till the last week of May at the earliest.
 
Thanks, Taco.

I phoned Amtrak(yes for the 2nd time today) and they just told me that they have moved the earliest purchase day to May 22nd, however it sounded like the train would be in service on the 20th if not earlier. The agent I spoke with stated that they would continue to keep the remaining days, today thru the 21st, blacked out to allow the people who have been already displaced have the first opportunity to be on those trains.

Either he was just trying to appease me or they are bumping the purchase dates back due to the flooding moving south.

Jerri-I also thought opening the spillways would alieviate this hassle.
 
Jerri Harbison said:
I have plans to travel the 25th from NOLA to Carbondale and am anxiously awaiting updates as well - still cannot believe Amtrak's lack of information on their website. A daily status update would be something.

This is the first I have heard that service between NOLA and Memphis is interrupted. I thought with the opening of the Morganza we might avoid that.
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Next Stop? Hoboken! said:
Jerri-I also thought opening the spillways would alieviate this hassle.
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The morganza spillway will have no affect on the CONO route as the spillway is in a different part of the state. It's the flooding North of Louisiana that is effecting the route.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=214628598371696890979.0004a3528c85512393eb3&ll=29.923994,-90.376282&spn=1.225891,2.705383&z=9
 
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Next Stop? Hoboken! said:
Thanks for the update NOLA.

But wont the flooding up north make its way down south?
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Yes, but it still won't affect the CONO route. The CONO route is on the East side of MS river already and mainly runs along Lake Pontchartrain as it heads north to Hammond and points beyond.

The Lake level will not be affected by the river flooding or by the Bonnet Carre spillway opening.

Once the train passes LaPlace, LA (about 20mins outside of New Orleans) the CONO heads due North with the river ~60 miles to the west of the route until they meet again in Memphis, TN where the flooding has been a problem.

The map gives a good visual to route locations and the river & spillways.
 
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Update on the City of New Orleans: I just talked to an Amtrak agent and here is the scoop: the train has NOT YET been reinstated Chicago to Memphis, the first trip on the entire line is still scheduled for this Saturday May 21.

Furthermore, it is NOT annulled on the south end but is still operating New Orleans to Memphis.

I have seen pictures of the washouts near Cairo, as well as track which was underwater at Fillmore, Kentucky, and understand more about the problem. Earth moving equipment has been brought in to aid with repairs.
 
Traveling Chicago May23 from Chicago to New Orleans. DO you think I should make other arraingments because it is so close.????thanks so much..
 
George- what do you mean by understanding the situation more?

Mama- please let me know what you decide
 
Amtrak George said:
Update on the City of New Orleans: I just talked to an Amtrak agent and here is the scoop: the train has NOT YET been reinstated Chicago to Memphis, the first trip on the entire line is still scheduled for this Saturday May 21.

Furthermore, it is NOT annulled on the south end but is still operating New Orleans to Memphis.

I have seen pictures of the washouts near Cairo, as well as track which was underwater at Fillmore, Kentucky, and understand more about the problem. Earth moving equipment has been brought in to aid with repairs.
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Thanks for the update about New Orleans to Memphis still running, it sounds encouraging. Since you've seen pictures of the washouts, can you tell us anything else?
 
re: CITY OF NEW ORLEANS LINE--There were places on the line between Fulton and Cairo, IL where the track was under water for quite some time. Also, there were major landslides just north of Cairo as well as at Illinois, KY (just south of the Ohio River bridge). These landslides could also be called 'major washouts' as a large portion of the fill and embankments are washed away where the track is on an elevated fill. Earthmoving equipment was brought in, lots of rip rap (big rock, larger than ballast) is being placed, and progress is being made. Against this background, we have to realize that the Bluford District (detour route, which crosses the river at Metropolis) has been kept in service through major amounts of rock being dumped in many locations to take care of landslides and washouts there, but the freight has been moving through there by the hardest. It isn't really safe or feasible to add the CONO into this mix on the detour route--they have had some minor derailments over there as all this was going on!

I would guess the estimate of this Saturday (May 21) for the first through trip is in the ballpark, but strongly suggest folks call Thursday or Friday to make sure---this is major enough that an exact date is hard to pin down. When repairs are complete, will they want to run a few freights through and make sure the track holds up properly before running a passenger train? You betcha.

:rolleyes:
 
TRAVELER'S ALERT: Amtrak has just removed the dates of Sat. May 21 and Sun. May 22 from availability for reservations for train 58 and 59. (Chicago to Memphis portion). The first day available for reservations is for departues on Monday May 23.

:unsure:

Memphis to New Orleans continues to be available :rolleyes:
 
Amtrak George said:
TRAVELER'S ALERT: Amtrak has just removed the dates of Sat. May 21 and Sun. May 22 from availability for reservations for train 58 and 59. (Chicago to Memphis portion). The first day available for reservations is for departues on Monday May 23.

:unsure:

Memphis to New Orleans continues to be available :rolleyes:
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Thanks for the update, but that is dangerously close to my departure date of May 25th. I WAS feeling optimistic, but not too much now. Still, knowing what's going on is much preferred to having no information.
 
Amtrak George said:
TRAVELER'S ALERT: Amtrak has just removed the dates of Sat. May 21 and Sun. May 22 from availability for reservations for train 58 and 59. (Chicago to Memphis portion). The first day available for reservations is for departues on Monday May 23.

:unsure:

Memphis to New Orleans continues to be available :rolleyes:
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You are correct.

I dont know what the guy was talking about the other day when he told me that it was open from CHI to MEM.

I just spoke with another agent and she said that the 23rd is now the earliest day that trains could be continued, but I could hear in her voice that she was not very confident about that.
 
I am going to bite the bullet and keep my reservation May 23..... Talk about cutting it short, since this is the first day it is scheduled to leave. I am traveling from Wisconsin so hope this works out. Good luck to all of us, but more importantly to the people who have lost their homes, when I stress over a trip. Kind of puts thing in perspective!
 
mama windwood said:
I am going to bite the bullet and keep my reservation May 23..... Talk about cutting it short, since this is the first day it is scheduled to leave. I am traveling from Wisconsin so hope this works out. Good luck to all of us, but more importantly to the people who have lost their homes, when I stress over a trip. Kind of puts thing in perspective!
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Please post when you find out either way; I hope your plans aren't interrupted. And, yes, we are all stressed about an inconvenience while so many have lost so much. Good reminder of perspective!
 
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