Yikes! Last Minute Trip-Leaving in 3 Hours

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Everydaymatters

Everydaymatters

Engineer
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
3,406
Location
Just North of Normal, Illinois
To make a long story quick and short, was going to drive tomorrow, Christmas Eve Day, down to Bloomington, Illinois. About a 2-1/2 to 3 hours trip each way. We've had back-to-back snowstorms, having another one right now and same expected for tomorrow morning.

So - I just ain't gonna do it. Drive that is. So I just booked Lincoln Service leaving tonight and the TE to come back tomorrow. Doing all this rush stuff so I can see my grandson for the first time since he came back from Iraq and Afghanistan with a Purple Heart, and also so I can spend time with DH and his family on Christmas Day.

Whew. Got all my ducks in a row, packed, then remembered - Texas Eagle!! Oh No. They're never on time.

So I'm asking you folks to tell me it ain't so. Tell me the TE has changed its ways and it will be on time getting me back to Chicago tomorrow.

But please hurry. I'm leaving in 3 hours!
 
I don't have the answer to your question at my fingertips, but I hope your trip goes well and that you have a great holiday with your grandson.
 
Betty - a quick look at the delay program shows it running about 3 hours late everyday into CHI all this last week.

Tom
 
Betty;

Have a good trip but remember you're on UP tracks on the TE !!! They do run less trains on the holidays but watch out when they start up again~ they have no problem playing grinch :huh:
 
Your best bet is Amtrakdelays.com. Here's the data for inbound arrivals into CHI for the last four weeks:

2008-12-22: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 5:46 pm Delay: 212 minutes

2008-12-21: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 5:20 pm Delay: 186 minutes

2008-12-20: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 5:13 pm Delay: 179 minutes

2008-12-19: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 4:23 pm Delay: 129 minutes

2008-12-18: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:30 pm Delay: 16 minutes

2008-12-17: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 3:25 pm Delay: 71 minutes

2008-12-16: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 5:54 pm Delay: 220 minutes

2008-12-15: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:15 pm Delay: 1 minutes

2008-12-14: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:36 pm Delay: 22 minutes

2008-12-13: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:35 pm Delay: 21 minutes

2008-12-12: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:41 pm Delay: 27 minutes

2008-12-11: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:13 pm Delay: -1 minutes

2008-12-10: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:37 pm Delay: 23 minutes

2008-12-09: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:20 pm Delay: 6 minutes

2008-12-08: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:00 pm Delay: -14 minutes

2008-12-07: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:59 pm Delay: 45 minutes

2008-12-06: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:17 pm Delay: 3 minutes

2008-12-05: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 3:24 pm Delay: 70 minutes

2008-12-04: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:18 pm Delay: 4 minutes

2008-12-03: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:15 pm Delay: 1 minutes

2008-12-02: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 6:30 pm Delay: 256 minutes

2008-12-01: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:52 pm Delay: 38 minutes

2008-11-30: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:25 pm Delay: 11 minutes

2008-11-29: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 3:01 pm Delay: 47 minutes

2008-11-28: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:52 pm Delay: 38 minutes

2008-11-27: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:14 pm Delay: 0 minutes

2008-11-26: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 3:32 pm Delay: 78 minutes
 
Everydaymatters said:
Thanks for the info. Two hours before I leave home. Wow am I stressed! We need to reschedule Christmas to July when the weather is more reliable.
Click to expand...
Unless, of course, you have to fly for Christmas (which, thankfully, I don't). Because summer is much worth with Thunderstorms and such, at least in the areas where our flights flew. When I worked for an airline, winter was nothing compared to summer. In winter, at least you could see the storms coming. In summer, they mostly hit you blind. I say we reschedule it in the Fall! :)
 
If the TE does get hung up, I wonder if they would endorse your return tickets over to Lincoln Service if that train should arrive in the meantime and space is available.
 
Betty,

Please express our appreciation to your Grandson for his sacrifice and service to our country.

Unfortunately, the TE runs late - but you will be on a TRAIN :p
 
rnizlek said:
Your best bet is Amtrakdelays.com. Here's the data for inbound arrivals into CHI for the last four weeks:
...

2008-12-11: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:13 pm Delay: -1 minutes

...

2008-12-08: Scheduled: 2:14 pm Actual: 2:00 pm Delay: -14 minutes

...
Click to expand...
Ah, so the best days to travel on the TE are 12/08/08 and 12/11/08. I need to remember that. :p
 
Looks like I'm not going anywhere. Ten minutes before I was to leave to catch the commuter train to CUS, Amtrak called and said the train had been "delayed" and please stay on the line to talk to an agent to see if there's another route to your destination.

So I'm pretty well bummed. The weather here is horrendous and DH just told me that he didn't know if we would have been able to make it to the commuter station.

Well, Merry Christmas, everyone. Hope all your plans work out better than mine did.
 
Everydaymatters:

I have nothing to add, except to echo everyone else in calling amtrakdelays.com an excellent resource, and now, unfortunately, to say sorry that you cannot make it.

But I do also want to ask you to thank your son for his service.

Chris
 
Betty-

I'm sorry your trip didn't work out. I hope you can see your family sometime soon! Tell your grandson that I appreciate what he has done for us. He is a true hero.

Merry Christmas!

Kim <><
 
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