Hurricane Matthew Service Disruptions

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I recently received an email from Amtrak stating that 98 was canceled between ORL and NYP on Tuesday 10/11.
 
I was supposed to be on the Carolinian from Durham to Washington, D.C., on Monday. Glad I checked the website, because Amtrak didn't call to inform me of the cancelation (and in fact when I called them to arrange for a refund the agent was surprised to hear the trip had been canceled).

Lacking better options I bought a Greyhound ticket. I'm not looking forward to the trip, but what can you do?
 
We have used 3 LD Greyhounds in the last 3 weeks, no problems except for a bus breakdown that was put right in 30 minutes. All buses were full or nearly so.

Everyone we met were just people trying to get by one way or another and have to write we did meet some excellent travelling companions too. Just be open minded and accept the others for what they are, that approach worked well for us..
 
I have no objections to the people on Greyhound. It's just a much longer trip than the Amtrak trip would have been due to having to make multiple transfers.
 
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Like to pay Amtrak a compliment after quite exemplary service in difficult conditions.

After cancelling the Silvers for Tuesday 11 October due to hurricane Matthew problems, Amtrak advised us by email about 48 hours before our departure time, a good amount of notice. On contacting them re our not to be used tickets they made a full refund in under a couple of minutes of taking the call.

I know it was their call to cancel the trains, and it was our right to have the refund, but not all companies are this slick at returning money and with a smile. Well done Amtrak!
 
Monday, October 10, 2016.

Amtrak's service announcement is somewhat in error. Piedmont 73 did run this morning. I suspect so will 76. 74 and 75 were canceled anyway because of track work.

jb
 
On a very crowded Crescent heading back to NY. A number of folks who traveled from Florida inland to get back to NY or Washington. Met 3 couples returning home to the UK on the Queen Mary out of Brooklyn. Somehow, I suspect Cunard is a bit more luxurious than Amtrak.
 
Don't know what is happening with CSX and Amtrak, but FEC actually managed to run their first through train on its relatively heavily impacted ROW along the Florida east coast, last night. They should be back up to full service today.

Their big problem segment was New Smyrna Beach north to Jacksonville. Places like St. Augustine were substantially flooded due to storm surge at high tide. But apparently FEC, which is a little inland there, managed to come out OK. They had almost no issues south of New Smyrna Beach. AFAIK they had no damage in Central and South Brevard County. In the Northeast of the county they may have suffered some wind damage since they had a brief period of 90 and 100mph sustained winds by Titusville, which blew of roofs from a few buildings including a multi-story apartment building, causing the building to get condemned as unsafe.
 
Auto Train cancellation is extended through Tuesday 10-11 and probably beyond that date. OBS crew members (crew 5, I think) have been held in Sanford, in a hotel, from day to day, waiting for the chance to return home. Now the delay has become so extended that some or all A-T OBS crew members are expected to be flown home to await developments.

Tom
 
FormerOBS said:
Auto Train cancellation is extended through Tuesday 10-11 and probably beyond that date. OBS crew members (crew 5, I think) have been held in Sanford, in a hotel, from day to day, waiting for the chance to return home. Now the delay has become so extended that some or all A-T OBS crew members are expected to be flown home to await developments.

Tom
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Could AT end up be like the Sunset East? (i.e. "Temporarily suspended")
 
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neutralist said:
FormerOBS said:
Auto Train cancellation is extended through Tuesday 10-11 and probably beyond that date. OBS crew members (crew 5, I think) have been held in Sanford, in a hotel, from day to day, waiting for the chance to return home. Now the delay has become so extended that some or all A-T OBS crew members are expected to be flown home to await developments.

Tom
Click to expand...
Could AT end up be like the Sunset East? (i.e. "Temporarily suspended")
Click to expand...
Not likely, check the financial status of it...
 
neutralist said:
FormerOBS said:
Auto Train cancellation is extended through Tuesday 10-11 and probably beyond that date. OBS crew members (crew 5, I think) have been held in Sanford, in a hotel, from day to day, waiting for the chance to return home. Now the delay has become so extended that some or all A-T OBS crew members are expected to be flown home to await developments.

Tom
Click to expand...
Could AT end up be like the Sunset East? (i.e. "Temporarily suspended")
Click to expand...
No.
 
I don't think anything will become like the Sunset East. Such underhanded nonsense works only once before people get clever enough to roast the management with the whiff of a chance or even a non-chance.

Sunset East was a case of "what Amtrak giveth, Amtrak taketh away". Historically there occasionally were periods when there way through cars from the Sunset towards Florida. I cannot find any extended really through single train operation all the way to Florida from the west. Maybe there was and I missed it. Mostly there was a through train from NOL to Miami or Tampa, and that too not necessarily always via JAX, though the last incarnation was indeed a NOL - JAX train.
 
I'm booked on the North bound Auto Train 52 on Thursday, October 13. I see from AmSnag that they have now posted all trains through Saturday as sold out. What do you think my chances are? And how soon do they advise folks if they kill it? Thanks.
 
fixj said:
I'm booked on the North bound Auto Train 52 on Thursday, October 13. I see from AmSnag that they have now posted all trains through Saturday as sold out. What do you think my chances are? And how soon do they advise folks if they kill it? Thanks.
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I received notice late afternoon on 10/9 that my 10/11 Silver Meteor was canceled if that helps you at all.
 
Was in Jacksonville this morning, saw several local trains moving and one Intermodal going past. Also a few tree closed roads, and areas with out power.

So don't get why gas station are not required to have a standby power generator. The look of panic in people's eye when they can not buy a McDee cheeseburger is funny, darn scary when the same people are low on fuel, and the gas station is with out power.
 
Well, here's my story. I evacuated my wife and younger son to Charlotte on Wednesday with the intention of staying through the storm with my elder son. By Thursday, it was clear that there was going to be nothing open and that I should go ahead and leave. So we weathered the storm in North Carolina. Here's where it gets relevant to Amtrak.

We were told we could return at 7 AM on Sunday, so we left the Charlotte area at around 3:45 AM. We took the Interstate to Columbia, SC then followed US 321 which parallels the CSX Mainline for a majority of the way (Silver Star route). In Garnett, SC, we continued to follow the CSX main on SC/GA-119 through Clyo where we broke away from the track into Springfield, GA.

The conditions almost immediately South of Columbia were horrible. Crews had already removed debris from US 321, but not SC-119. Many of the rail crossings were either open, closed with no lights on, closed with lights blinking, or closed with one light stuck on. In other words, all the crossings were totally, chaotically, mucked up. When we crossed over the tracks near Garnett, we saw trees - not branches - almost every 100 yards or so fouling the tracks as far as our eyes could see.

So, at least for this minor mainline that is used by the Silver Star, restoration is going to take a while. My buddy who works for NS said he's been working 12 hours shifts since Friday resetting crossings, installing generators, fueling them, etc. I didn't see a single CSX employee working the S line. Not to say they weren't there, but I'm guessing the A-line is a bit more critical.

Yesterday, work was cancelled again. I turned on Uber and I got a request for a ride to Jacksonville after a mother and daughter were stuck in Savannah after her train was cancelled. Amtrak told them they wouldn't resume until Thursday (which I still see as ambitious). They were headed to Tampa, and couldn't get there. Greyhound suspended service (and I can't really imagine why - the ride to Jacksonville from Savannah was totally uneventful).

It was my little good deed for the day. Yes, good deed. I remembered how little Uber drivers are paid.

Anyway, it's gonna be a slow return to normal.
 
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