Passenger Trains > LSL(19th) Very Late Departure from Chicago

Departed Union Station at 1:11 am instead of scheduled 9:30 pm,.  49 arrived CHI Friday in time for euipment to be ready for a normal departure.
Western connections arrived CHI in time for connection. Was heat the major reason for the delayed departure ?   TIA
(ETA Toledo 3 hrs. late, Cleveland 2 hrs. 23 mins., late, and Albany 1 hr., 45 mins. late.)

Sleeper 4811 was bad ordered-AC not working. Took 4 hours to fix.

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Gross incompetence!

Apparently you NEVER have any unforseen mechanical problems with any of your vehicles, house or moped.

MEKoch Wrote:
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> Gross incompetence!

With the Cardinal runnign just one sleeper, thought ought to be able to keep a ready-to-go spare in Chicago. 

Due Albany a "mere" 5 hrs. late tonight at 7:34 pm. I hope Boston passengers are bussed for faster service.

Yes the secret is to keep a extra sleeper in Chicago for the Cardinal and Lake Shore.

They have ample supply of them and soon all the 25  new one's will be allowed to roam the rials.

Train due SYR almost 8 hrs late around 7 pm tonight. Severe thunderstorm warning is posted.

I worked for the ATSF and we did NOT have late trains, which "suddenly" developed various failures.  I don't remember departing late in three years.  I don't remember other railroads departing late either.

Face it, Amtrak is poorly organized and incompetent.  If ATSF had a car failure, they cut out the bad car and inserted a new one.  That means that they had cars ready to go on the sideline; cars that had been thoroughly mechanically inspected.  

Amtrak "discovers" major failures about departure time on a daily basis.    Someone clearly did not carefully inspect, repair, and do their job.  And then it does not take FOUR hours to cut cars in and out.......

Recently my friend was on #7 - the Empire Builder.  The train departed CHI three hours late because of a faulty microwave oven.  One little microwave oven cause a three hour delay.  

It is gross incompetence.  I stand by my words.  

mundo Wrote:
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> Yes the secret is to keep a extra sleeper in
> Chicago for the Cardinal and Lake Shore.
>
> They have ample supply of them and soon all the
> 25  new one's will be allowed to roam the rials.

Amtrak did not add a second sleeper to the Cardinal's consist this summer, so that means 39 sleepers out of the 50 VIewliner I's are required for assignment. This leaves 11 as spares. Last check a few months ago, Amtrak had pulled one Viewliner into storage - I believe the one that was in teh CSX accident. But this should just be temporary. Regardless, even with 10 spare sleepers available, Chicago could be dealt a spare. Course they may use if for an axle count car......

Train is not expected into NYC till after 1:30 am on July 21st - nearly 8 hours late. How does that work with "contemporary" dining with box meals and just a cafe car offering food? Does Amtrak still load extra food when running this late? Dinner was obviously missed in NYC for those passengers travelling "all the way" so what happens? Boston passengers don't arrive till 3:30 am!

It will be interesting to see if the Boston-Chicago cars arrivng BOS about 8 hrs late will be properly serviced in time for the 12:50 pm return trip to Chicago

mp16 Wrote:
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> It will be interesting to see if the
> Boston-Chicago cars arrivng BOS about 8 hrs late
> will be properly serviced in time for the 12:50 pm
> return trip to Chicago

It shouldn't be too onerous to service in 7-8 hours the two coaches and one dinette comprising 448/449 until August 2 when the sleeper should return to the B&A consist.

449 departed on time Sunday 21st.

SP4360 Wrote:
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> Apparently you NEVER have any unforseen mechanical
> problems with any of your vehicles, house or
> moped.
>
> MEKoch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Gross incompetence!

Actually no I don’t. I maintain things and replace them when worn out. Last time i had to change a tire on the road was 1975. Last time I had my car towed was 1999. Do you think Japanese and European trains have all these gross delays? It’s poor maintenance practices and no planning that cause these messes. It’s utterly shameful. You don’t save money by pissing off your customers.

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