Passenger Trains > "All-Weather Mode" redux

Yesterday in the Midwest:

> In the Midwest, Amtrak Plans for Normal Service during Winter Storm subject to weather-related delays...


How about weather-related annullments?

Today in the Midwest:

> In the Midwest, Amtrak Service Changes due to Winter Storm Passengers
> urged to check local road conditions and specific train status before
> venturing out today
>
> February 2, 2011 2:00 a.m. CST
>
> Amtrak passengers wishing to travel today in the Midwest should check
> street and highway conditions and specific train status before
> attempting to travel to stations on routes to and from Chicago,
> Carbondale, Detroit/Grand Rapids/Port Huron, Indianapolis, Kansas
> City, Milwaukee, Quincy, St. Louis, St. Paul and Toledo/Cleveland.
>
> Amtrak train status is available under the "Status" tab on Amtrak.com
> and by calling 800-USA-RAIL Weather-related issues, including
> infrastructure and equipment, availability of crews and local
> services, have led to the following service changes.
>
> For Chicago hub trains originating today, the following are canceled:
>
>
> * Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service: Trains 300 & 301 *
> Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service: Trains 329 & 332 * Port
> Huron-Chicago Blue Water:Train 365 * Chicago-Quincy Illinois Zephyr &
> Carl Sandburg: Trains 380 & 381 * Chicago-Carbondale Saluki: Trains
> 390 & 391
>
> Other Amtrak services:
>
> * New Orleans-Chicago City of New Orleans: Trains 58 & Train 59 that
> originated on Tuesday, February 1, will operate only between New
> Orleans and Carbondale, with no Amtrak Thruway Service service to and
> from St. Louis * Chicago-Denver-Reno-Emeryville California Zephyr,
> Train 5, that was to originate today, will not operate.
>
> Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of
> the above time and date. Information is subject to change as
> conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or
> visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.

================================================

Northeast Corridor:

> Extensive Delays Between New York and Philadelphia Due to Earlier
> Power and Signal Problems in New Jersey Passengers can expect 30 - 45
> minute delays
>
> February 2, 2011 9:15 a.m. EST
>
> Amtrak Northeast Corridor service between New York and Philadelphia
> is subject to residual congestion related delays of 30 - 45 minutes
> due to intermittent power and signal problems between Philadelphia
> and New York.
>
> Crews are working to resolve the problem and additional updates will
> be provided as necessary.
>
> Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of
> the above time and date. Information is subject to change as
> conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or
> visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.

I can't speak for anyplace except Bloomington, but there is no way to get to the train station. Why run a train that can't board any passengers? There is a picture in "Some Classic Trains" or "More Classic Trains" that shows the Ak-sar-ben in Lincoln, NE. It is being pulled by a GP9 (?) ahead of the E units. It is running seven hours late. It isn't just Amtrak that has problems with adverse winter weather.

Having made the above post, I drug out both books to seen the picture and couldn't find it in either. But, I remember it very clearly--a black and white shot of the snow-encrusted train. Still holds true, when Mother Nature unleashes her fury, no matter what form it takes, mankind's creation fall subject to her whims.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/11 09:54 by glcaddis.

The subject title is somewhat misleading. I remember the awful snow storm in the winter of 1946-47 in Madison, WI where I was a student. Neither freight nor passenger trains ran for two days on the Milwaukee Road, C & NW, or Illinois Central in or out of Madison.

26" of snow did them all in.

I was Student Manager of the UW-Madison Bus System and we had to haul our buses off the streets and back to the garage using an Oshkosh coal loader!!!!

Bob K.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Train 5, that was to originate today, will not
> operate.


What about yesterday's #5(1)? It is showing a service disruption. How far did it get?

IHC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > Train 5, that was to originate today, will
> not
> > operate.
>
>
> What about yesterday's #5(1)? It is showing a
> service disruption. How far did it get?
I beileve someone said Ottumwa,Iowa

5(1) got stuck at Ottumwa. The crew went dead on hours and there was no prospect of getting relief to them, so they were taken to a hotel for their mandatory rest period. Passengers remained on the train. The same crew is to return to the train and try again. They may have an easier time of it, as freight traffic got the line plowed. Eastbound, Amtrak 6(31), was only 17 minutes late into Osceola.

Where is the crew change point west of Ottumwa? In other words, how close did they make it to the next crew change point?

Engineer's change at Ottumwa and Lincoln. Conductors change at Omaha. 5 arrived at Ottumwa after 11pm. The conductor would have never made it to Omaha, so the train was held in and the conductor got rested at Ottumwa. It departed this morning with a freshly rested crew.

Erik

I thought HOS only applied to engine crews.

Applies to ANYONE - labor or mgmt - that performs "covered service" which is that dealing with the direct operation of a railroad, be it train crews, MOW, dispatchers, tower operators, anyone that touches track, operates trains, or directly controls train movements.

Management positions do not fall under HOS as they direct but do not perform any direct work function. (alot of them don't perform any recongnizable function, but that's a whole 'nother thread) But if an RFE or TM grabs a throttle or pulls a pin then they are required to file an HOS report documneting their covered time.

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought HOS only applied to engine crews.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/11 10:20 by PumpkinHogger.

PumpkinHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Management positions do not fall under HOS as they
> direct but do not perform any direct work
> function. (alot of them don't perform any
> recongnizable function, but that's a whole 'nother
> thread)

Perhaps MORE of these people should be given mandatory rest periods
away from their assigned place of employment!

chakk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PumpkinHogger Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > Management positions do not fall under HOS as
> they
> > direct but do not perform any direct work
> > function. (alot of them don't perform any
> > recongnizable function, but that's a whole
> 'nother
> > thread)
>
> Perhaps MORE of these people should be given
> mandatory rest periods
> away from their assigned place of employment!


Well perhaps Amtrak should go to a system that VIA Rail Canada has in place for its long distance overnight trains like the Canadian, Ocean, Chaleur (aka train to Gaspe), Hudson Bay (aka train to Churchill) where just the engineers swap out after a certainly many "hours of service" but the rest of the "long distance onboard crew" stays with the train from say Chicago to LA as "attendants." I think it is long overdue for Amtrak to restructure its onboard staffing for its long distance trains (i.e. going to a system of "attendants" and "chief of onboard services" etc.). VIA Rail, for example, has a "chief of onboard services" or "Service Manager" who stays with the train throughout the journey and thus abolished the position of "conductor" and "assistant conductor." Please don't throw flames at me due to this statement, just stating the facts. Many of the "Service Managers" were former conductors, so it would just be a matter of re-positioning some of the crew. Likewise, VIA Rail Canada has a second person up in the engine who helps take care of switches and baggage etc. So they too also do some work that the conductor may do.

Likewise, for the Canadian, a multi-night trip, there's a crew change at Winnipeg. But just one "onboard crew change." For the Ocean (a single night journey) or the Chaleur there is no "crew change" - and the Chaleur does a same day turn with its onboard staff and train set once out to Gaspe. But VIA's system seems to work and the onboard crew service often gets higher marks than Amtrak. The onboard crew also "covers" for one another for breaks and what not, as one sleeping car attendant can handle at least three sleeping cars if needed.