What is going on with the Lake Shore Limited (mainly Boston Section)

[railpost]

I have noticed that the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited 449 is currently running over 3 hours late. When I reviewed it's on time performance over the last month I have noticed that 3 hour delays and sometimes 2 hours delays were pretty common.

Even more shocking is that for several periods during the last month the train was cancelled for about 3 to 5 days in a row?

Are they still running through cars from Chicago to Boston/ I noticed on Amtraks Reservation page if you type in Chicago to Boston it will usually give you 2 options using the Lake Shore Limited. One option is a through coach or sleeper from Chicago to Boston and the second option is taking the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to Albany and then changing to 448 (the Boston section) in Albany. The second option implies that the Boston section has some separate coaches that only go from Albany to Boston without going through to Chicago.

Two years ago when I last rode the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to New York, on that day in June 2015 the Lake Shore Limited wasn't running with through Boston cars and the passengers going on the Boston branch had to get off the train and change to a separate Boston train with cars only going from Albany to Boston.

That was two years ago and I thought that was a temporary arrangement but as I look at the Amtrak Reservation page and I observe it very poor time keeping it does appear that on some days the Lake Shore Limited still may be running without through cars from Chicago to Boston.

I'm sure that there are some people on this site who know what and why it is going on and are much more familiar with the current operations of the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited on the old "Boston and Albany division.

 

[PVD]

I'm not sure of all of the problems, but the host railroads scheduled lots of work, and a bridge replacement by Mass was scheduled right after that. I think that was finished last weekend. Lots of bustitution.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Remember, it is summertime and that is production season. There is track work occurring all around the network. The B&A is hilly, twisting route with large swaths of single track territory between ALB-WOR. If something breaks down, the territory is blocked. If there is congestion, the territory is blocked. If the Amtrak misses its slot and there is freight traffic, the route is blocked. If there is track work, the territory is blocked. As PVD mentioned, as soon as CSX finished up its track work, the MBTA began a bridge project which is closing the territory for large periods of time. There isn't much you can do with single track territory.

 

[Acela150]

There isn't much you can do with single track territory.

I can think of one thing... Collect OT!!! :lol:

 

[willem]

One option is a through coach or sleeper from Chicago to Boston and the second option is taking the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to Albany and then changing to 448 (the Boston section) in Albany. The second option implies that the Boston section has some separate coaches that only go from Albany to Boston without going through to Chicago.

The second option does not imply that some coaches only go from Albany to Boston. There is at least one coach that goes from Chicago to Boston, and there is at least one sleeper that goes from Chicago to Boston. You could travel in either class from Chicago to Albany and then travel in either class from Albany to Chicago. If you travel in the same class all the way, then you don't need to change your seat in Albany.

 

[stappend]

I have noticed that the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited 449 is currently running over 3 hours late. When I reviewed it's on time performance over the last month I have noticed that 3 hour delays and sometimes 2 hours delays were pretty common.

Even more shocking is that for several periods during the last month the train was cancelled for about 3 to 5 days in a row?

Are they still running through cars from Chicago to Boston/ I noticed on Amtraks Reservation page if you type in Chicago to Boston it will usually give you 2 options using the Lake Shore Limited. One option is a through coach or sleeper from Chicago to Boston and the second option is taking the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to Albany and then changing to 448 (the Boston section) in Albany. The second option implies that the Boston section has some separate coaches that only go from Albany to Boston without going through to Chicago.

Two years ago when I last rode the Lake Shore Limited from Chicago to New York, on that day in June 2015 the Lake Shore Limited wasn't running with through Boston cars and the passengers going on the Boston branch had to get off the train and change to a separate Boston train with cars only going from Albany to Boston.

That was two years ago and I thought that was a temporary arrangement but as I look at the Amtrak Reservation page and I observe it very poor time keeping it does appear that on some days the Lake Shore Limited still may be running without through cars from Chicago to Boston.

I'm sure that there are some people on this site who know what and why it is going on and are much more familiar with the current operations of the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited on the old "Boston and Albany division.

This was due to the station work in Albany to add the 4th track, they couldn't split the train due to the construction.

 

[PVD]

Notwithstanding the construction cancellations and delays, LSL is back to its pre Albany 4th track construction process of joining and splitting (with power swap) at Albany. One item of note is that they are using a split B/C cafe from Boston now, and they sell B/C Boston through to Chicago.

 

[JayPea]

You mentioned that 449 was running 3 hours late and that 2 and 3 hour delays were common. I believe you meant 448; I am riding 449 next month and have been tracking it too. Only once in the last month has it been so much as an hour late. Average delay into Albany from Boston is 18 minutes; not bad by Amtrak's standards.448, however, is a different story, as it has had several 1-3 hour delays. A quick look at 48's performance into Albany from Chicago shows the same thing. So the short answer is the lengthy delays of 448 are due to the lengthy delays of 48 arriving into Albany.

 

[railpost]

You mentioned that 449 was running 3 hours late and that 2 and 3 hour delays were common. I believe you meant 448; I am riding 449 next month and have been tracking it too. Only once in the last month has it been so much as an hour late. Average delay into Albany from Boston is 18 minutes; not bad by Amtrak's standards.448, however, is a different story, as it has had several 1-3 hour delays. A quick look at 48's performance into Albany from Chicago shows the same thing. So the short answer is the lengthy delays of 448 are due to the lengthy delays of 48 arriving into Albany.

Yes you are correct I did mean the 448,thankyou.

 

[mulveyr]

FWIW, I took the LSL from ROC to NYP on 8/3; it was about 2.5 hours late arriving in Rochester.

Amtrak also managed to screw up a bike trip my son and I were taking; we decided to make use of the roll-up bike service that was instituted on the route last year. So we got the bikes on in ROC, no problem. Arrived in NYP 2 hours late, which was expected, walked to the baggage car... and the bikes were missing.

After discussions with the baggage foreman, all he could suggest is that when the train split in Albany, they didn't move the bikes ( which were clearly tagged to go to NYP ) along with the other checked baggage.

It ended up taking them two days to locate and get the bikes to us, which of course involved extra, expensive days in one of the most expensive cities in the world. To add insult to injury, the baggage guy at NYP told us, in all seriousness, that he should "really charge us for the storage" of the bikes. I don't think I've ever been so pissed off at someone after that.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Mulvyer: you need to call Amtrak Customer Relations ( not Service)@ 1-800-USA-RAIL/ when "Julie the Computer" answers, ask for "Agent!" till you get one, then when you're connected ask for Customer Relations!

You clearly are entitled to an Apology and Compensation for this Cluster Flub!

 

[Thirdrail7]

How would he charge you storage if the bikes weren't there?

 

[Dovecote]

FWIW, I took the LSL from ROC to NYP on 8/3; it was about 2.5 hours late arriving in Rochester.

Amtrak also managed to screw up a bike trip my son and I were taking; we decided to make use of the roll-up bike service that was instituted on the route last year. So we got the bikes on in ROC, no problem. Arrived in NYP 2 hours late, which was expected, walked to the baggage car... and the bikes were missing.

After discussions with the baggage foreman, all he could suggest is that when the train split in Albany, they didn't move the bikes ( which were clearly tagged to go to NYP ) along with the other checked baggage.

It ended up taking them two days to locate and get the bikes to us, which of course involved extra, expensive days in one of the most expensive cities in the world. To add insult to injury, the baggage guy at NYP told us, in all seriousness, that he should "really charge us for the storage" of the bikes. I don't think I've ever been so pissed off at someone after that.

Sorry to hear of the issues you experienced. The baggage guy comments were more than likely his way of trolling for a tip. Like he was doing you a favor not charging you!

Regarding your trip, was the consist still operating with a dinerlite? I have an upcoming round-trip NYP>ROC trip in mid-Sept and certainly hope the dining car has returned.

 

[PVD]

There are some pretty active threads on this board about the VL deliveries and the diner appearances. To the best of my knowledge, LSL still has the substitutes, and is likely to for the foreseeable future. I'm booked on it in early November, and I doubt I'll see a full diner then. Depends on how badly Amtrak wants the last of the Heritage Diners off the road and what CAF might deliver between now and the end of September that might be on the road by the time I travel.

 

[caravanman]

There can be a saving to be made if you are just in coach from Chicago to Boston. I saved some $ by booking the New York section as far as Albany, and the Boston section from Albany to Boston. This came up as an option, and I did not even have to change seats. 'Aint computerised booking great... (sometimes)...

Ed.

 

[StriderGDM]

Looks like CAF has hit their 2 diners a month delivery goal (well 2 months in a row now roughly). So, by say October, there should in there be 2-4 more diners available (depending when in the month).

HOWEVER, it seems like the ones delivered are still having teething problems so that doesn't necessarily mean full availability!

But, with 8 available for the Crescent and Silver Star, that means Amtrak can start to look at putting some back on the LSL. However, my guess is, once they replace the current Heritage diners, they'll be used in protect service until their 180(?) day inspection comes up and then simply be sidelined.

My guess, January or February next year we'll see full diner service reliably come back on the LSL.