Passenger Trains > Amtrak 21 and 22 aborted due to “inclement weather”

Apparently Amtrak 22 never departed San Antonio and 21 terminated at St Louis on Wednesday 2/1/23. Amtrak alerts blamed "inclement weather" for 22's annulment but was silent as to 21's early termination.

Amtrak's new slogan: "when the sky is blue, we'll run through!"

ICE!!

JPB Wrote:
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> Apparently Amtrak 22 never departed San Antonio
> and 21 terminated at St Louis on Wednesday 2/1/23.
> Amtrak alerts blamed "inclement weather" for 22's
> annulment but was silent as to 21's early
> termination.
>
> Amtrak's new slogan: "when the sky is blue, we'll
> run through!"

There was a massive ice storm and unable to get the crew to the yard office safely. 

Macster Wrote:
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>
> There was a massive ice storm and unable to get
> the crew to the yard office safely. 

Were any freight trains running in Texas during the storm?

Yes, I heard them on the Austin Sub.  It always amazes me at how the big freights go down and up Austin hill, even in icy conditions.  The problems may have been worse north of Austin or on the BNSF.  I suspect Amtrak figured there were so few passengers that they could get away with it without severe cost to Amtrak. BTW, here is a swag bag Amtrak passed out to attendees of SXSW in Austin last year.  Isn't it inspiring!

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Power outages and loss of signals could also be an issue.

JPB Wrote:
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> Macster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> ----
> >
> > There was a massive ice storm and unable to get
> > the crew to the yard office safely. 
>
> Were any freight trains running in Texas during
> the storm?

Yes excellant question, because worrying about a hundred lives or more is the same as worring about 2 lives.

BNSF suffered a major public relations black eye when an Amtrak train was stuck in the snows last year. Along with several BNSF freights.  I'm absolutely sure that nobody wants to be responsible for saying "OK you can go" if there's even the slightest chance that a Donner Party adventure may happen on their railroad.

An hour before departure, Amtrak announced that 21/421 would terminate at St. Louis due to the weather.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/23 18:23 by TomPittsfieldMA.

Or UP could have told them you ain't running down here tonight. 

UP wanted to directionally route the Eagles through Arkansas as they would not run either train against the flow of traffic to reduce the effects of frozen switches. So essentially that hoses the route from Little Rock to Dallas. Also affected would be Taylor to San Antonio and given the widespread power outages and limbs across the right of way probably a smart move. Most of the stations were inaccessible due to ice anyway (least on the Dallas to SA southern leg).

What did amtrak do with 21's passengers that were already
on the train for points south of St. Louis ?

Nah just taking a page from Greyhound

Posted from Android

Englewood Wrote:
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> What did amtrak do with 21's passengers that were
> already
> on the train for points south of St. Louis ?

IDK. Go back on the "L" to your apartment or hotel.