Passenger Trains > 97 has a hangover

Train 97 was delayed last evening at DC due to equipment adjustments, blah, blah.  The train departed DC at 4:47 am and is running more than 9.5 hours late.  So let me get this right...there is not a single Charger or P42 available at DC for situations like this?  Evidently not.

I wonder if passengers were allowed to board at the normal boarding time and I also wonder about those who boarded on the NEC before DC.  Were they allowed to stay on board?  Did the train have power?

Funny thing, the tracker projects that the train will be over 9.5 hours late at Petersburg, but on time at Rocky Mount, where it will arrive at 11:55 pm last night, according to Amtrak.  Needless to say, that is incorrect.

The company is in a meltdown of sorts, it seems to me.  I have never seen so many hours late trains as this summer.

If I were on this train on my normal trip to GA, and IF Amtrak let pax stay on board, I would have done so in this case.  I think.  Not only would I have been able to have breakfast before Savannah, I would also get lunch and afternoon tea before detraining!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/26 03:35 by Chessie1963.

The Crescent arrived on time into DC #19 (5), but was also five hours late for the same reason leaving Washington DC. 

DC had serious issues over the weekend, to be sure.

I just caught 97 at Ashland, VA.  It had two P42s on the point, normal consist, very clean it seems.

Chessie1963 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Train 97 was delayed last evening at DC due to
> equipment adjustments, blah, blah.  The train
> departed DC at 4:47 am and is running more than
> 9.5 hours late.  So let me get this right...there
> is not a single Charger or P42 available at DC for
> situations like this?  Evidently not.
>
> I wonder if passengers were allowed to board at
> the normal boarding time and I also wonder about
> those who boarded on the NEC before DC.  Were
> they allowed to stay on board?  Did the train
> have power?
>
I cannot imagine a scenario where a train, assumedly without power and therefore no AC, would be allowed to sit for 9 hours on one of the valuable "thru" tracks at WUS. But that having been said, it is apparent that Amtrak LD in the eastis really struggling. They really need to end the Floridian disaster and go back to a seperate Cap/Star ASAP.  

could the westher have been a factor? Sunday had some pretty bad storms in the area. Power outages, signal issues , fuel pumping etc . Speculating without facts yet thats the SOP on here lol.

It may have had some impact, I suppose.  But the alerts for 97 did not mention weather.

It could be that 97 retained power from an electric loco until the diesel was ready, but who knows?

dtom348 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> could the westher have been a factor? Sunday had
> some pretty bad storms in the area. Power
> outages, signal issues , fuel pumping etc .
> Speculating without facts yet thats the SOP on
> here lol.

I ahould add that 97 had two P42s up front at Ashland this morning.  At Glendale this morning, the Cardinal had one P42.  

UPDATE - 97 just arrived and departed Jesup GA
at 7:38 PMEDT (19:38) 12 hours late! 6 people boarded
after having waited all day.
Now, here is your Big Bonus Bet - Will Amtrak turn 97
at JAX so that 98 can depart JAX tomorrow (07-07) on time?

98 departed Miami on time 7/7. Prob used a Floridian set.