Passenger Trains > And It Begins Again

So i was scheduled to run up from Richmond, VA to Philadelphia tomorrow. Since everything was canceled Saturday (already covered ad nauseum) I re-booked via American Airlines for the morning, assuming at some point I could fly. But I did book the return trip Friday on Amtrak, mainly because it's cheaper than a last minute flight.

I just got an e-mail saying Amtrak is watching the weather. Sounds like I may be driving home.

And yes, I know the weather made DC a mess last night and this morning, and to Rev Randy's earlier post, yes, getting to Newport News or Norfolk during bad weather is a serious problem. But it sure looked like CSX was running at least some freight all day today, both directions on what was RF&P.

I don't want to say never again, as quite honestly for business travel several times a year the train is a great option. But if the e-mail warning note is any indication, it'll be a while for me to travel via Amtrak again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/25 15:40 by RichM.

It is rather stunning how quickly they cancel trains now.  Honestly, it does not make sense to me at all.  It is one thing to be cautious, but weather has always happened. It is our reaction to it that seems to have changed.  It is as if they are trying to move people to other modes!  Hmm....

Amtrak is made up of excuses and reasons things cannot be done.  The "can-do" attitude of days gone by does not seem to exist at Amtrak.  

RichM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So i was scheduled to run up from Richmond, VA to
> Philadelphia tomorrow. Since everything was
> canceled Saturday (already covered ad nauseum) I
> re-booked via American Airlines for the morning,
> assuming at some point I could fly. But I did book
> the return trip Friday on Amtrak, mainly because
> it's cheaper than a last minute flight.
>
> I just got an e-mail saying Amtrak is watching the
> weather. Sounds like I may be driving home.
>
> And yes, I know the weather made DC a mess last
> night and this morning, and to Rev Randy's earlier
> post, yes, getting to Newport News or Norfolk
> during bad weather is a serious problem. But it
> sure looked like CSX was running at least some
> freight all day today, both directions on what was
> RF&P.
>
> I don't want to say never again, as quite honestly
> for business travel several times a year the train
> is a great option. But if the e-mail warning note
> is any indication, it'll be a while for me to
> travel via Amtrak again.

It seems that the previously mentioned "can do" attitude has been replaced by Amtrak's very special "canned doo" attitude.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

Amtrak dispatched an Acela, that had been sitting in Sunnyside due to 16 NY-WAS trains having been canceled, to rescue Acela 2169 at Old Saybrook.
One of the original 2169's power cars had failed, so passengers transfered from the lame set to the good set.
Andy

IDK wTF is going on.   about 6" of snow on average in the DC area, and the media is screaming "storm of the century",   WHAT?

Ive never seen 6 " of snow shut down everything so much.     The wussing of america.   Lawyers running the country.

Ever since the buyouts hollowed out the institutional memory, the bonus killed any incentive to provide service, and COVID killed in-person oversight, this is what is left.

The sooner folks get used to this lackadaisical norm, the better.


Chessie1963 Wrote:
----------------------------------
> Amtrak is made up of excuses and reasons things
> cannot be done.  The "can-do" attitude of days
> gone by does not seem to exist at Amtrak.

Amanagement needs to get replaced with people who have  Can Do Attitude, this is so ridiculous it's not even funny, watching the weather, smart, canceling trains everytime it snows? STUPID!!!

PumpkinHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ever since the buyouts hollowed out the
> institutional memory, the bonus killed any
> incentive to provide service, and COVID killed
> in-person oversight, this is what is left.
>
> The sooner folks get used to this lackadaisical
> norm, the better.
>

I have told people many times there is only one takeaway from the pandemic--

"It's OK to suck."

Posted from Android

Weather looks to be clear, sunny, and cold in the NE US on Tuesday 1/7/25 but Amtrak fully or partially cancels 23 NE Corridor trains.

Trains Magazine on-line news article: Amtrak adds to Tuesday [1/7/25] storm cancellations

Excerpt:

Amtrak adds to Tuesday storm cancellations

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has expanded its list of train cancellations for Tuesday, Jan. 7, as a result of the winter storm currently moving across the nation’s midsection.
In a service advisory today (Jan. 6, 2025) at 5 p.m. ET, Amtrak announced these Tuesday schedule changes:

— Acela Nos. 2103, 2107, 2121 (Boston-Washington) and 2108, 2122, and 214 (Washington-Boston) are cancelled in their entirety.
— Acela Nos. 2150, 2154, 2168, 2170, and 2172 are cancelled between Washington and New York.
— Acela Nos. 2151, 20153, 2155, 2159, and 2173 are cancelled between New York and Washington.
— Northeast Regional trains cancelled in their entirety are No. 66 (Roanoke, Va.-Boston) 130, 112, (Washington-New York), 186 (Newport News, Va.-New York), 151 (New York-Roanoke), 119 and 131(New York-Washington).

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/25 04:50 by JPB.

---

In all due respect though - they have just "extended" cancellations for the NEC. Not seeing any Midwest or National Network trains being cancelled for Tuesday, Jan 7, 2024.....so far....For example, train #170 was cancelled yesterday, Monday, Jan 6, but it is running today, Tuesday, Jan 7. There is a Floridian that departed yesterday from Miami, Monday, Jan 6, and will be overnight from Washington DC to Chicago Jan 7/8. So I presume this is a new list of cancellations and it's just trains on the NEC...... 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/25 04:58 by jp1822.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> IDK wTF is going on.   about 6" of snow on
> average in the DC area, and the media is screaming
> "storm of the century",   WHAT?
>
> Ive never seen 6 " of snow shut down everything so
> much.     The wussing of america.   Lawyers
> running the country.

THIS!!!!!    It is not Amtrak caused - Amtrak is just easy for us train nerds to to see what is infected so many companies, governments, and general public.   I was looking at some stories about the snow in Cincinnati on one of the TV station websites and the number of "Karen's" up in arms that Hamilton County had not yet declared a level 3 emergency was unbelievable.  The hand wringing over the snow and cold is just rampant.  The entire attitude of those responding in social media was "Oh my God, it's snowmagadeon, we have to shut EVERYTHING down".  This attitude is prevalent is so much of society these days, yet we are flabbergasted that this attitude has crept into the transportation industry.  

For the NEC on Tuesday, the Regionals are likely cancelled due to equuipment and crews out of palce, and the Acelas are in poor shape and would face a barrage of complaints and refund requests for severly delayed ones. 

RichM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So i was scheduled to run up from Richmond, VA to
> Philadelphia tomorrow. Since everything was
> canceled Saturday (already covered ad nauseum) I
> re-booked via American Airlines for the morning,
> assuming at some point I could fly. But I did book
> the return trip Friday on Amtrak, mainly because
> it's cheaper than a last minute flight.

Richmond VA and Philadelphia PA are only 250 miles apart - an easy 4 hour drive. Wouldn't it be easier and quicker to just drive with an auto between these two cities?

DutchDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RichM Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So i was scheduled to run up from Richmond, VA
> to
> > Philadelphia tomorrow. Since everything was
> > canceled Saturday (already covered ad nauseum)
> I
> > re-booked via American Airlines for the
> morning,
> > assuming at some point I could fly. But I did
> book
> > the return trip Friday on Amtrak, mainly
> because
> > it's cheaper than a last minute flight.
>
> Richmond VA and Philadelphia PA are only 250 miles
> apart - an easy 4 hour drive. Wouldn't it be
> easier and quicker to just drive with an auto
> between these two cities?

The only practical way to drive between Richmond and Philadelphia is I-95.  The drive north on I-95 towards DC can be a crawl almost any time of day.  The choice to go through or around DC is a challenge.  Baltimore is always the "bet" on whether to take I-95 or I-895 and I have learned that the WAZE app often lags the real traffic situation enough to point you to the wrong choice.  Then you may have miles of backup leading up to the I-95/I-495/I-295 split near Wilmington.  Then I-95 in PA from the Delaware border up to Philly is an outdated road filled with road ragers.

I have done parts of this ride many times, but I have also used the train, especially since parking in Center City Philadelphia can be a challenge and expensive.  There are many parts of the corridor from Richmond all the way up to Boston where the challenges of horrible traffic/road conditions and where to park at the end point make using the train a much better choice.  But as mentioned throughout this thread, Amtrak in the last 5+ years has made the train option too much of a crapshoot to consider, especially in the winter.

DutchDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RichM Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So i was scheduled to run up from Richmond, VA
> to
> > Philadelphia tomorrow. Since everything was
> > canceled Saturday (already covered ad nauseum)
> I
> > re-booked via American Airlines for the
> morning,
> > assuming at some point I could fly. But I did
> book
> > the return trip Friday on Amtrak, mainly
> because
> > it's cheaper than a last minute flight.
>
> Richmond VA and Philadelphia PA are only 250 miles
> apart - an easy 4 hour drive. Wouldn't it be
> easier and quicker to just drive with an auto
> between these two cities?
>
>because its not. its 3 hours from richmond to baltimore md., 
>and its 2 1/2 hrs. to philly from baltimore...
> now add 20 minutes for congestion detour because of the key bridge collapse.