Montana to Tenn - any possibility to escape flooding on EB?

[scutterbear]

I'm still on my trip here in Kalispell, Montana. It's been wonderful by the way! )

I am thinking about extending my trip for another couple of weeks so I will have more time with mom. So that means I have to decide if I want to pay the $200 penalty fee that the airline is going to charge me OR just book a coach ticket on amtrak for the trip home.

I think I could probably deal with coach for two days if I had to. It would be an adventure anyway. )

However, I am looking at leaving Montana around May 11th or 12th.

Now I know that this is pretty much up to nature since we have no control over that, but do you all think that it would be wise to try and amtrak it or does it feel like the flooding may still be an issue around those date?

PS - I'm talking about the flooding around North Dakota, etc.

mark

 

[busboy]

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm scheduled on the Empire Builder leaving Chicago on May 14...

 

[Tumbleweed]

Devils Lake is not going to go down any time soon, so I would think AMTRAK has a "plan B' in mind, whether that be the Surrey cutoff or (cringe) bustitution......

 

[saxman]

The EB is already running again. Although a little late, but nothing out of the ordinary. Looks like 7 and 8 have made it through North Dakota.

 

[scutterbear]

I don't so much mind a little delay. A couple hours isn't gonna make or break the deal for me as I can work around that. I would be coming home from vacation and will still have about a 3 hours drive ahead of me coming home. The train gets in memphis in the morning time so a slight delay isn't an issue.

What I am more concerned about is that I don't want to get to ND and then something happen and they say "ooops, sorry, we can't take you any further". THAT is mainly what I am worried about.

I could probably even deal with a partial bus detour if need be through ND to get me back to a train to get the rest of the way home.

I just don't wanna get stuck in ND as that would definitely be a problem financially for me.

 

[busboy]

I don't so much mind a little delay. A couple hours isn't gonna make or break the deal for me as I can work around that. I would be coming home from vacation and will still have about a 3 hours drive ahead of me coming home. The train gets in memphis in the morning time so a slight delay isn't an issue.

What I am more concerned about is that I don't want to get to ND and then something happen and they say "ooops, sorry, we can't take you any further". THAT is mainly what I am worried about.

I could probably even deal with a partial bus detour if need be through ND to get me back to a train to get the rest of the way home.

I just don't wanna get stuck in ND as that would definitely be a problem financially for me.

I don't think you have to worry about that. Worst case, if they can't get thru, they will bus you around the problem area to another train.

 

[scutterbear]

I just wanted to say thank you to those who replied on this thread.

I guess Im going to bite the bullet and take a chance and see what happens.

Hopefully the flooding won't be an issue when I travel in a couple of weeks. If it is, well then I'll just deal with it as it comes. I lead a rather boring life, so a bit of adventure may be just the ticket.

but hopefully it will be non-eventuful

 

[Trogdor]

For what it's worth, for those suggesting that Amtrak would bus passengers around flooding in North Dakota, that generally has not been the case with recent weather-related disruptions.

There have been plenty of bustitutions between Minot and Havre, for any number of reasons (freight derailments, for example). However, the stuff in eastern North Dakota generally results in annulment with passengers reaccommodated the next time a train can run through. Now, granted, that doesn't mean it's impossible for there to be a bus substitution the next time around, but recent history does not favor that likelihood.

 

[anir dendroica]

I don't think there has been a case of Amtrak dropping passengers in, say, Minot with no way to go farther, which seems to be what scutterbear is worried about. If you get on an eastbound train, Amtrak will either

1) find a way to get you to your destination, or

2) turn the train around and drop you back at your station of origin (and give you a refund).

#1 happens 95% of the time when there is a blockage. #2 happens occasionally in the winter when a blizzard makes a whole region impassable for all modes of transportation.

If for some reason Amtrak cancels your train, they will re-book you on the next available train for no added cost. Granted there have been a few times this year when cancellations stretched on for 5-7 days, but that seems highly unlikely at this point with river levels dropping.

Mark