Passenger Trains > Amtrak Preparing for Pending Winter Storm

Amtrak Preparing for Pending Winter Storm
Preparations underway throughout Northeast Corridor

January 25, 2015 5:45 p.m. ET

Amtrak forces are preparing for the potential of a highly disruptive
winter storm to impact the Northeast Corridor during the early part
of the coming week. With extreme conditions expected in some areas
over the next 24 to 36 hours, crews are actively monitoring the
latest forecasts and planning for the possibility that service
adjustments may be necessary.

Amtrak is planning to operate a normal Monday schedule, but may
re-evaluate as conditions warrant. Announcements about service
changes will be made as far in advance as possible, but passengers
holding reservations for travel late Monday and early Tuesday are
strongly encouraged to keep a close eye on conditions and make any
necessary changes in advance of their scheduled departure.

Following is a summary of major preparation activities already
underway:

Equipment Positioning – To more quickly respond to potential
problems, diesel locomotives and on-track maintenance equipment are
strategically positioned in designated locations along the Northeast
Corridor. Should downed trees or limbs disable the overhead
electrical system, diesel power can help move trains when it is safe
to do so, and on-track equipment can be dispatched to make any
necessary infrastructure repairs.

Tree Trimming Crews – To supplement standard coverage, independent
contractors are on standby to quickly respond to reports of trees or
limbs down along the right-of-way, which could damage the overhead
electrical system or prevent safe passage of trains. Amtrak engages
in a regular year-round tree trimming program to proactively minimize
such impacts.

Additional Staffing – Mechanical, engineering and operations forces
are mobilizing additional crews to ensure safe and efficient
operation of the railroad. Additional on-board staff are also on
standby and ready to respond should a re-crewing need arise.

Amtrak’s top priority is the safety of our passengers, employees and
the traveling public. Anyone planning to travel during the storm is
urged to allow extra time and be extremely careful in and around
stations, on platforms and on-board trains.

-Amtrak

Should we send this announcement to Chicago?

You mean there is Amtrak west of Harrisburg?

Nomad Wrote:
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> Should we send this announcement to Chicago?

Posted from Android

Not just Amtrak; airlines too.

http://wtop.com/business/2015/01/airlines-prepare-to-shut-down-in-northeast-for-snowstorm/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/15 01:02 by hazegray.

Amtrak has invested considerable effort over the past few years in tree trimming along the NEC. It provoked considerable push back in the Princeton area with its efforts. People like having a dense hundred foot forest behind their homes. Asplundh crews have also worked in the North Brunswick area as work began on the flyover and development of the new transit center.

I'll give them a lot of credit for learning from the 2013 etc storms and being proactive.

And teh cancellations and curtailments start rolling in:

And the NEC cancellations start rolling in.....

2168, 2170, 2172 terminating in NYP.
2124, 2126, 2128 CANCELED
179, 196, 198 CANCELED
94, 178, 66 terminating in NYP.
67 originate in NYP
654 terminating in phl
80, 90 terminating in WAS

No NJT service after 10pm today and all of Tuesday

Gov Cuomo says no MNRR or LIRR service after 11pm, and out all Tuesday.

No T service in Boston after midnight and shut down for all day Tuesday

The "winter plan" is now in effect on the New York Division, according to one dispatcher.

That minimizes the number of open switches / switching moves, and sends switch tenders to especially critical locations. In the past, it has reduced the points where a failure could affect the overall railroad. Certain crossovers are straight lined, for example.

LINCOLN crossover at Metuchen, and MIDWAY in South Brunswick will be kept open, for example. COUNTY crossover at New Brunswick, will be straight lined. So there's about 30 miles of straight line. That also means the outbound trains from Jersey Avenue will be annulled.

Although it causes some difficulty, the plan is designed to improve system reliability.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/15 13:11 by Lackawanna484.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> LINCOLN crossover at Metuchen, and MIDWAY in South
> Brunswick will be kept open, for example. COUNTY
> crossover at New Brunswick, will be straight
> lined. So there's about 30 miles of straight line.
> That also means the outbound trains from Jersey
> Avenue will be annulled.

Not to worry. NJT is shutting down till at least Wednesday morning effective 8pm today apaprently.

There are reports now that all service east of New York will shut down effective 11pm tonight. This includes both MNRR and Amtrak.

2166 will be the last train to Boston. 177 will be the last train to New York. 479 and 494 will operate with no connections.

Governor of NY just ordered shutdown of all transit service at 11pm this evening, and also ordered a driving ban and shut down all bridges and tunnels operated by MTA and PANYNJ. I wonder how passengers for 66/67 will make it to/from New York Penn Station. Walk perhaps?

Amtrak has cancelled everything out of New York Penn to
Boston until 620am on Wednesday.

They have issued the following advisory which contains
no specifics:

Amtrak Modifies NEC Schedule for Remainder of Monday, Jan.26

Jan. 26, 2015
1:25 p.m. ET

> Due to the winter storm forecast to impact the Northeast Corridor,
> Amtrak will operate a modified schedule for the remainder of Monday,
> Jan. 26.
>
> Acela Express and Northeast Regional service will operate between
> Boston and Washington; however, passengers should expect reduced
> frequencies, mainly north of New York.
>
> Corridor services, including Keystone Service (New York – Harrisburg,
> Pa.), Empire Service (New York – Albany, N.Y.), Amtrak Downeaster
> (Brunswick, Maine – Boston) and the Springfield Shuttle (New Haven,
> Conn. – Springfield, Mass.), will operate as scheduled.
>
> Passengers holding reservations that require modification are being
> accommodated on other trains and proactively notified by Amtrak
> Customer Service. A range of tools, including Amtrak.com, smartphone
> apps and 1-800-USA-RAIL, are available to assist in travel planning.
>
> Amtrak is actively monitoring this severe winter storm and will
> provide an update on Tuesday’s service later today.

No thanks to the govonner's announcement, that really sucks, especially with people trying to get somewhere!

Jishnu Wrote:
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> Governor of NY just ordered shutdown of all
> transit service at 11pm this evening, and also
> ordered a driving ban and shut down all bridges
> and tunnels operated by MTA and PANYNJ. I wonder
> how passengers for 66/67 will make it to/from New
> York Penn Station. Walk perhaps?

Keeping the system running makes it easier to dig out later. Letting the tracks and especially third rail be snowed in is a terrible mistake. This used to be built into railroad DNA.

Typical govt (and humanity for that matter) react to whatever happened last time. Sandy was a mess, so
we will over react to this storm. The WX types just LOVE big storms, so they go crazy. NYC, this will be a nothing that big.
RI and boston area cud get hammered. But last I checked NJT didn;t go to boston.

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jishnu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Governor of NY just ordered shutdown of all
> > transit service at 11pm this evening, and also
> > ordered a driving ban and shut down all bridges
> > and tunnels operated by MTA and PANYNJ. I
> wonder
> > how passengers for 66/67 will make it to/from
> New
> > York Penn Station. Walk perhaps?
>
> Keeping the system running makes it easier to dig
> out later. Letting the tracks and especially
> third rail be snowed in is a terrible mistake.
> This used to be built into railroad DNA.

I believe they did say that trains will continue to run to the extent possible, to keep tracks and catenary clear. At least NJT said so. I don't know about MNRR and LIRR. This NJT does even under more normal circumstances during a snow or ice storm during overnight hours. I am sure others do so too, and this has little to do with whether commercial service is provided on them.

One ABC-7 reporter in NY mentioned early this morning he heard trains underground on a regular basis "keeping the rust off the tracks, and clearing the third rail".

There seems to be general agreement that the ban on unnecessary driving enabled much better cleaning of main and side streets over night.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typical govt

Typical government??? For your information, Greyhound, Megabus and the airlines (all private sector entities) ALSO cancelled services to and within the Northeast.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typical govt (and humanity for that matter) react
> to whatever happened last time. Sandy was a mess,
> so
> we will over react to this storm. The WX types
> just LOVE big storms, so they go crazy. NYC, this
> will be a nothing that big.
> RI and boston area cud get hammered. But last I
> checked NJT didn't go to boston.

Typical bit of armchair Wednesday morning quarterbacking perhaps? LOL!