Passenger Trains > Dorian effects upon Bright Line and Amtrak in FL

Amtrak has not run a train south of Jacksonville since Aug. 30.
Between Aug 31 and today, Sept. 5, have Bright Line, Tri Rail or Sun Rail run any trains?
Thanks!
Andy

I guess FL is in the clear now, but not the case further north...

Tri-Rail and BrightLine said they were beginning service yesterday.

Posted from Android

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess FL is in the clear now, but not the case
> further north...

Getting hammered in SC at the present time. Saturday service might be optimistic if there's heavy flooding and/or bridge damage.

How is the situation in Jacksonville? It looks like they are still getting rain, wind, and water.

Could impact operations.

Posted from Android

Jacksonville was not hit hard.  Everything is up and running, except for Amtrak.  Charleston reported some flooding, which is probably the reason for continuee service disruptrions along the A-Line.  Theoretically, one would think the SILVER STAR could operate but this is not happening.  In the past Amtrak has operated JAX-MIA in the aftermath of hurricances, but not this year.  Glad to hear that the other roads have restored their passenger services in Fl.
Andy
Jacksonville, FL

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How is the situation in Jacksonville? It looks
> like they are still getting rain, wind, and
> water.
>
> Could impact operations.
>
> Posted from Android

What about Port Everglades for Cruise Ships?? The Port is fine for are Cruise in Nov, 20,2019.
Thank You.

Port Everglades / Fort Lauderdale, and Miami were spared the storm.  Had some significant street flooding due to sea level rise + high tides + king tides + Dorian's outer bands.

OK now.  November 20 is at the official end of Hurricane season, but recent years have had named storms before and after the official range.

twropr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jacksonville was not hit hard.  Everything is up

Of course it wasn't, the hurricane was well off shore and Jacksonville was in its northwest quadrant at worst.

> and running, except for Amtrak.  Charleston

Kind of says it all.

> reported some flooding, which is probably the

But did Columbia or Raleigh?  if not, why aren't trains running the S-Line?

> reason for continuee service disruptrions along
> the A-Line.  Theoretically, one would think the
> SILVER STAR could operate but this is not
> happening.  In the past Amtrak has operated

Out of an abundance of precaution, it would be really prematue to operate a train 200 miles inland when there is a storm 100 miles out in the ocean.  Right?

> JAX-MIA in the aftermath of hurricances, but not
> this year.  Glad to hear that the other roads

Saving money every day the trains don't operate.  Likely the intra-Florida revenue doesn't come close to covering direct operating expenses.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Port Everglades / Fort Lauderdale, and Miami were
> spared the storm.  Had some significant street
> flooding due to sea level rise + high tides + king
> tides + Dorian's outer bands.

Sea Level rise causing flooding.  That's a funny one.  How can you even tell?

I don’t believe SunRail in central Florida has restored service yet, so unless Amtrak routes the Silver Star down the S-Line (skipping Orlando), then a baby Star can’t even run.

Posted from iPhone

chrsjrcj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don’t believe SunRail in central Florida has
> restored service yet, so unless Amtrak routes the
> Silver Star down the S-Line (skipping Orlando),
> then a baby Star can’t even run.

Why did they even stop service?  Are they not able to operate if there is a thunderstorm with some wind? How do they manage to run trains in Florida where there are thunderstorms and wind every single day of the week, usually in the afternoon?

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why did they even stop service?  Are they not
> able to operate if there is a thunderstorm with
> some wind? How do they manage to run trains in
> Florida where there are thunderstorms and wind
> every single day of the week, usually in the
> afternoon?

Equating a hurricane with a run-of-the-mill thunderstorm is misleading. The biggest thread from hurricanes is flooding, which can occur with thunderstorms, obviously, but not on the same potential scale. But the main reason for shutting down these days is liability. If there's a hurricane threat, the service runs anyway, and then passengers become stranded somewhere -- or, even worse, injured or killed in a storm-related accident -- the litigation vultures will be out before the clouds clear.
 

As of now, the eye of the hurricane is collapsing and reforming, which means hurricane force winds can extend out 60 miles. Crossing gates can be ripped down like toothpicks. Inland waterway, lakes, and low-lying RR bridges are a big risk. 

I noticed how FEC secured some of its crossing gates. There is a fork like device about 20 feet up on a pole. Adjacent to the gate. The gate uprights into the fork holder.

Easy enough to secure the gate without removing it. Just bungee etc it into place

Posted from Android

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> abyler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why did they even stop service?  Are they not
> > able to operate if there is a thunderstorm with
> > some wind? How do they manage to run trains in
> > Florida where there are thunderstorms and wind
> > every single day of the week, usually in the
> > afternoon?
>
> Equating a hurricane with a run-of-the-mill
> thunderstorm is misleading. The biggest thread

The outer bands of a hurricane are literally a front of thunderstorms.

> from hurricanes is flooding, which can occur with
> thunderstorms, obviously, but not on the same
> potential scale. But the main reason for shutting
> down these days is liability. If there's a
> hurricane threat, the service runs anyway, and
> then passengers become stranded somewhere -- or,
> even worse, injured or killed in a storm-related
> accident -- the litigation vultures will be out
> before the clouds clear.

There was and is no hurricane anywhere near Orlando.  There's no flooding there either.  Flooding from hurricanes is primarily from storm surge off the ocean, but Orlando is deep inland.
 

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>The same thing over and over and over and over again...

I love that you're fighting the good fight, but it's time to let this one go . . .

portlander Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> abyler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >The same thing over and over and over and over
> again...
>
> I love that you're fighting the good fight, but
> it's time to let this one go . . .

Never.  I refuse to give up on what society was just 20 short years ago, even as US society swirls around the toilet bowl and heads down the drain for lack of an ability of anyone having a can-do spirit and a free mind and an ability to operate under adversity.

They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the [Trains].

Railroads will always be the all-weather mode, even while they aren't run that way.  Maybe some day in the future we will recover our operating tempo as railroaders and stop being afriad of our own shadow.

I would agree that railroads COULD be an all weather reliable service.

But there's no demand or even interest in making that happen. Amtrak does what CSX says.

Posted from Android

abyler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> portlander Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > abyler Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > >The same thing over and over and over and over
> > again...
> >
> > I love that you're fighting the good fight, but
> > it's time to let this one go . . .
>
> Never.  I refuse to give up on what society was
> just 20 short years ago, even as US society swirls
> around the toilet bowl and heads down the drain
> for lack of an ability of anyone having a can-do
> spirit and a free mind and an ability to operate
> under adversity.
>
> They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that
> we may give an answer to them that sent us? What
> sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice
> of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight
> the way of the .
>
> Railroads will always be the all-weather mode,
> even while they aren't run that way.  Maybe some
> day in the future we will recover our operating
> tempo as railroaders and stop being afriad of our
> own shadow.

The risk isn't worth the reward. Take a deep breath and move on. . .