Hurricane Matthew Service Disruptions

[Bob Dylan]

Thanks for the update VF! Glad y'all made it through the Storm OK!

 

[FormerOBS]

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.

Don't count on it.

Tom

 

[fixj]

I did not want to take the chance, so I canceled my thursday 52 North Auto Train and applied the fare to a return later this month. Only thing bad about the return is all they had left was Bedroom A.

Tom, from what I learned on the CXS site I think you are correct. They have over 1000 signals and or crossing gates without power.

 

[VentureForth]

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.

It would be comparable if they left the darn table cloths on the tables. And a flower.

Thanks for the update VF! Glad y'all made it through the Storm OK!

Thanks, Bob. Yes, we had but a scratch. Saw more than my fair share of trees becoming one with attics - not more than a few miles from my place.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Service plan for Oct 12 and 13:

52/53 - Cancelled

89/90 - Operates NYP-WAS only

91/92 - Operates MIA-JAX (91 will originate JAX on Thursday, Oct 13)

97/98 - Cancelled

 

[jis]

I suppose theoretically they could operate 91/92 to Savannah perhaps. But somehow that has never been done in the past. Not enough additional ridership to justify perhaps?

 

[VentureForth]

They only have one storage track for the Palmetto, though, theoretically, they could store the Meteor on Track 2 and have folks use the tunnel.

 

[jis]

There is no Palmetto running while the Star would presumably turn at Savannah. If the Palmetto and the Meteor are running there would be no reason to terminate the Star in Savannah.

 

[VentureForth]

Good points.

I hear a freight train on the CSX mainline. Tracks seem to be clear between SAV and JAX.

 

[PRR 60]

This is the October 10 update from CSX:

October 10, 2016

CSX has fully restored lines of service in Florida. By Monday evening October 10th, CSX operations expects to restore service to the following areas:

- Jacksonville to Savannah, GA

- Augusta, GA to Savannah, GA

- Rocky Mount, NC to Hamlet, NC

Commercial power for the main line from Savannah, GA to Pembroke, NC is not yet available. In response, engineering crews are deploying over 1,000 generators to power crossing gates, defect detectors and wayside signals. Additionally, crews are working through extensive washout conditions and flooded areas on our rail infrastructure across North and South Carolina while assessing the extent of damage on the following subdivisions:

Portsmouth – VA

Tarboro – NC

Parmele – NC

W&W – NC

Wilmington – NC

Andrews – SC

Georgetown – SC

Charleston – SC

Eastover – SC

Lane – SC

Orangeburg – SC

Creston – SC

Cross – SC

A timeline to resume full service to these subdivisions has not been determined at this time. CSX engineering will inspect these routes as soon as water levels recede to safe conditions and will provide an updated restoration schedule.

 

[KnightRail]

The latest CSX Advisory has been posted with reopening estimates for their various subdivisions.

 

[user 6862]

We had our Richmond (RVR) to NYP Silver Star train cancelled for this coming Friday 14 October. We were offered a similar time regional train so happy to take that, service was a slick as the previous cancellation.

Are there good baggage storage facilities on these regionals, we have 2 cases and two large bags to look after. Are the seats 'first come first served'?

Thanks

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

v v,

The regionals are basic, no-frills trains. There is a baggage area at the end of each car, plus overhead racks. I've never been assigned a seat on a regional, and they can get very, very crowded. However, if you are starting at Richmond, you may have a decent choice of seats--I don't think the crowds start getting on til Washington.

On the other hand, hopefully this will be the only low point in your trip (and the regionals aren't awful, just annoying), and it will make everything else look brighter by comparison!

 

[KnightRail]

Service is resuming though delays should be expected due to freight congestion and slow orders. Extra deadhead equipment may also be operating to meet temporarily minimum axle requirements.

Friday October 14, 2016 is looking like:

52(14) Canceled

53(14) Canceled

89(14) Canceled WAS-SAV. Operates NYP-WAS only.

90(14) Canceled SAV-WAS. Operates WAS-NYP only.

91(14) Canceled

92(14) Canceled

97(14) *Operates Normally*

98(14) *Operates Normally*

Saturday October 15, 2016 is looking like:

52(15) Canceled

53(15) Canceled

89(15) Canceled WAS-SAV. Operates NYP-WAS only.

90(15) Canceled SAV-WAS. Operates WAS-NYP only.

91(15) *Operates Normally*

92(15) *Operates Normally*

97(15) *Operates Normally*

98(15) *Operates Normally*

Sunday October 16, 2016 is looking like:

52(16) *Operates Normally*

53(16) *Operates Normally*

89(16) Canceled WAS-SAV. Operates NYP-WAS only.(Pending)

90(16) Canceled SAV-WAS. Operates WAS-NYP only.(Pending)

91(16) *Operates Normally*

92(16) *Operates Normally*

97(16) *Operates Normally*

98(16) *Operates Normally*

 

[Acela150]

Where was it mentioned about axel requirements?

 

[Thirdrail7]

Where was it mentioned about axel requirements?

CSX imposed it between certain points.

 

[Acela150]

As always. Thank you ThirdRail. Any ideas on the minimum?

 

[Triley]

We had our Richmond (RVR) to NYP Silver Star train cancelled for this coming Friday 14 October. We were offered a similar time regional train so happy to take that, service was a slick as the previous cancellation.

Are there good baggage storage facilities on these regionals, we have 2 cases and two large bags to look after. Are the seats 'first come first served'?

Thanks

If I had seen this earlier I would have mentioned you could have come to the station tonight and check your bags on my train, 66, to NY.

If you don't want to handle the bags, and you can deal without having them for a few hours, you can still check them on the train arriving in to NY 3 hours after your Regional (assuming it's train 94 you're riding).

 

[user 6862]

Thank you so much Triley, that's very kind of you but it won't work for us as friends are meeting us from our train and whisking us off to somewhere in New York. We'll manage on the train and are just adding it to the Matthew experience! Thank you again, this is such a wonderful forum.

 

[user 6862]

Well we made New York Penn with the regional train and completely unknown to us friends gave us a private 4 hour limo night tour of New York around Manhattan including views from Jersey across the river too that same evening, how nice was that!.

Have to say that for every change we had to make over the previous 7 days due to the hurricane there was a silver lining, including the regional. We found it quite comfortable although very packed as predicted, and the overhead luggage rack even took our large case as they are so tall and deep (getting it up there was a question of 'mind over matter' though). The train attendants were all efficient and most very agreeable too, so no complaints about the regional we rode and would take one again if needed.

NY Penn was another matter, in my opinion the least organised of the various Amtrak stations we have used. It's got a good feel to it being busy, but something like 12 screens with departures on and one with arrivals, the station felt out of balance somehow. To counter that we had to spend around 2 1/2 hours inside the station but without an onward ticket we were excluded from the seating area which we understood the reasons for, but did have to speak to a number of staff and all were on the ball and knew exactly what we needed to know. But sorry, the place is a mess in my view but someone said they are moving to the Post Office next door so it can only get better.

Thanks again for help here, just back in Europe and we miss the US already