Amtrak to Offer Limited Acela Express and Regional Service on the Northeast Corridor February 9
February 8, 2010 10:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Amtrak will operate limited Acela Express and Northeast Regional service between New York and Washington on Tuesday, February 9, as the Northeast continues to recover from the effects from this weekend’s severe winter weather conditions. The massive storm has resulted in downed trees and power lines on portions of CSX freight railroad tracks in Virginia, the Carolinas and across the Mid-Atlantic region, has caused the cancelation of several trains for February 9.
The following operating plan is in effect for Tuesday, February 9:
Acela Express: Trains 2103, 2109, 2153, 2117, 2165, 2119, 2173, 2104, 2160, 2110, 2166, 2170, 2122, 2126 are all canceled in their entirety between Boston and Washington. Train 2150 is canceled Washington to New York only. Northbound Northeast Regionals: •Train 66 is canceled Newport News to Washington •Train 84 is canceled Richmond to New York •Train 86 is canceled Richmond to Washington •Train 94 is canceled Newport News to Washington •Train 110 is canceled Washington to New York •Train 130 is canceled Washington to New York •Train 184 is canceled Washington to New York •Train 186 is canceled Washington to New York •Train 188 is canceled Washington to New York •Train 196 is canceled Washington to New York Southbound Northeast Regionals: •Train 67 is canceled Washington to Newport News •Trains 93 and 95 will terminate in Washington •Train 151 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 181 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 193 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 187 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 125 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 127 is canceled New York to Washington •Train 85 is canceled New York to Richmond Northeast Regional train 176 will operate Lynchburg to Washington and onto Boston and train 171 will operate through to Lynchburg. Capitol Limited: Trains 29 and 30 (Washington, D.C. – Chicago) are canceled with no alternate transportation. Auto Train: Trains 52 and 53 (Lorton, Va. – Sanford, Fla.) are canceled in their entirety. Silver Service: Trains 97 and 98 will operate between Miami and Savannah only. Trains 91 and 92 will operate between Miami and Raleigh only. Palmetto: Trains 89 and 90 (New York – Savannah) are canceled in their entirety. Carolinian: Trains 79 and 80 will operate between Raleigh and Charlotte only. Cardinal Service: (New York - Chicago) Train 50 is canceled between Huntington, WV, and New York. All other Amtrak services, including the Piedmont, trains 73 and 74 (Raleigh – Charlotte) and the Crescent, trains 19 and 20 (New York – Atlanta) are expected to operate normally. Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.
It looks pretty dismal. To be fair to them, most airlines have also pre-cancelled flights.
We are doing a cruise leaving San Diego on Friday afternoon (taking the Surfliner down, of course 6:46AM departure from SBA) and there are a lot of worried folks from the middle and eastern part of the country trying to get there by 5PM and sailaway.
Frank in cool and soon to be wet again SBA
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
If there is foundation to the reports appearing at other sites, it is going to take quite a while to sort out Auto Train.
It appears that both equipment sets are North at this time. One set is trapped at Lorton not only by snow but also by a stalled (possibly derailed) CSX freight. The other set is at Richmond where 52(5) was terminated. While the passengers have left the train, as distinct from evacuated, and were bussed to hotels near Lorton, their autos remain aboard the auto carriers with no means to readily unload them until CSX can reopen the RF&P and the set of equipment presently at LOR is removed (presumably to be deadheaded to SFA to handle #52(whenever that may be). At that time the equipment from terminated 52(5) can be moved to LOR, the autos unloaded, and be made ready to handle 53(whenever that may be).
But I doubt if there is any resident of the Mid-Atlantic region who is unaware that "there's more a comin'; but this time there will be a little sharing of the White stuff, as Chicago will get 6-10" today (I've already scrubbed out of a Luncheon I was to go to today).
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Hope that's 6" and not 6', Gil! It's just another gray, chilly, rainy day down here; didn't know you could get cabin fever in the Sunshine State, but this winter has been very atypical.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
As of a few moments ago, the first Auto Train scheduled to operate, both North and South, is Friday, February 12.
I think that one is a "stay tuned for further developments".
Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :
I am in the middle of a mid winter trip to Florida. I left from Elizabethville Pa last Wednesday and arrived in Fort Lauderdale Thursday night, a three hour delay. Full train..coach..couldn't justify the $400 plus sleeper for one night.
I was scheduled to return to Pa. this morning. That huge winter storm dumped two plus feet of snow over the weekend and more is expected tommorow. I check in at 8:30 this morning for a 9:20am departure on 98. Five minutes later my cell phone rings and Amtrak is telling me The Silver Meteor is only going as far as Savannah with no alternate service. I m visiting my folks down here and they already dropped me off. Next train I could get on was Fridays train. No service Wednesday, sold out on Thursday(98 and 92)and Amtrak wasn't even sure if they would be running by then.
So, a few extra days in Florida thanks to Mother Nature. Of course I had to call my wife and employer. Hey,when it's an act of God,there is nothing you can do. I was sitting out by the pool this afternoon. There are worse places to be stranded in February than Fort Lauderdale.
Next hurdle..hopefully Fridays trains will be running. I sure would like to see my lady on Sunday..Valentines Day!
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
So much for "all weather transportation", although to be fair, Philadelphia has had more snow this winter than any time in the last 112 years, and the same is true for Wilmington, Baltimore, and Washington. "Back in the day", they didn't have to deal with quite this amount of snow (we have three feet on the ground as I write this).
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Writing as I look at the cover of the book "New York Central's Stations and Terminals" by Geoff Doughty. Cover is a painting of a NYC moving out of Buffalo's Landmark Station in a cold snowy day in 1951 the Chicagoan is running "slightly" behind schedule and the Mohawk waiting to depart for Grand Central, picture states the airports are closed and the roadways are at a crawl. I note a cattle catcher, perhaps Amtrak can bring those back to clear tracks since crews are few and far between.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Tanner929, it was a different time; people actually worked "for the railroad", and lots of people. They had pride in getting the trains, both freight and passenger, through over "their road".
Now we have a situation where it's all about a handful of Class I roads worrying about how long and heavy they can make trains, how few people they need to run them, and whether they're gonna get sued or not in the process.