FORCE MAJEURE ON THE NEC to 18 December

From the Trains Newswire: Amtrak cancelling, modifying Northeast service because of expected winter storm

Here is the Full Amtrak notice:

Amtrak Operating Modified Schedule in Parts of the Northeast

December 15, 2020 03:30PM

Due to winter weather expected in the Northeast, Amtrak is operating a modified schedule and cancelling select services on Wednesday, December 16 – Friday, December 18. For the safety of our customers and employees, the following trains will operate on a modified schedule:

Service cancelled on Wednesday, December 16 includes:
Keystone Service (operating between Harrisburg and New York) 605, 607, 609, 643, 645, 649, 651, 655, 600, 642, 646, 648, 650, 654, 656, & 620
Northeast Regional (operating between Newport News, Va. - Boston) 67
Empire Service (operating between New York and Albany) 244, 241

Modified service on Wednesday, December 16 includes:
Northeast Regional (operating between Newport News, Va. - Boston) 66 will operate between Newport News and Washington, D.C. only

Service cancelled on Thursday, December 17 includes:

All Acela service

Northeast Regional (operating between Newport News, Va. - Boston) 55, 141, 95, 137, 179,193, 56, 148, 94, 190, 172, 138, 198 & 66
Keystone Service (operating between Harrisburg and New York) 605, 607, 609, 643, 645, 649, 651, 655, 600, 642, 646, 648, 650, 654, 656, & 620
Empire Service (operating between New York and Albany) 234, 280, 238, 233, 291, & 239
Springfield Shuttle 494, 417

Modified service on Thursday, December 17 includes:
Keystone Service (operating between Harrisburg and New York) 640, 652, 641 & 653 will operate between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa. only

Service cancelled on Friday, December 18 includes:
Northeast Regional (operating between Washington, D.C. - Boston) 181

Modified service on Friday, December 18 includes:
Northeast Regional (operating between Newport News, Va. - Boston) 67 will operate from Newport News, Va. to Washington, D.C. only

Bus transportation will not be provided for cancelled trains unless otherwise indicated. Service will be restored pending improved conditions. Anyone planning to travel should check their train status on Amtrak.com or our smartphone apps prior to departing, allow extra time to get to the station and be extremely careful in stations and on platforms.

Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or another day. Amtrak will gladly waive additional charges for customers looking to change their reservation during the modified schedule by calling our reservation center at 800-USA-RAIL.

Anyone can subscribe to automated email or text message notifications if Amtrak trains are behind schedule at specific stations. Notifications can be given for up to six trains and stations by either text or email and delivered when you choose - on a single day, every day, or just certain days of the week. Create a subscription at Amtrak.com/DelayAlerts.

To be notified of service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor (including Acela, Northeast Regional and other corridor services), follow @AmtrakNECAlerts on Twitter. For service information outside the Northeast Corridor, please follow @AmtrakAlerts for updates.

Customers with travel plans can review refund information on Amtrak.com. Service Alerts, Passenger Notices and other announcements are posted at Amtrak.com/Alerts.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.

Going to be a lot of that today. NJ Transit already reduced service on their rail lines, and others are warning about services impacts.

can't say I understand this....isn't a high frequency of use the best way to keep the tracks clear? it used to be if I had to run from Portland to Boston in a storm, passenger rail was always the most dependable. not so much anymore.

festis wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 1:13 pm can't say I understand this....isn't a high frequency of use the best way to keep the tracks clear? it used to be if I had to run from Portland to Boston in a storm, passenger rail was always the most dependable. not so much anymore.

In any other year I think you’d be right. With traffic already at historic lows though, Amtrak et al appear to have decided not to bother running empty trains in the interest of clearing the tracks. Can’t say I blame them.

I can't say I've ever heard of Amtrak running trains/engines just to keep the tracks clear. Did I miss something?

I doubt it was just to keep the tracks clear but also to keep the caternary line from icing over... but you don't need much to do that. I know MTA Maryland would run empty Light Rail trains to do it even though the rest of the system was shut down.

I heard that some BOS-WAS (and possibly other ) trains are being pulled by an electric and diesel, with the diesel providing power. Why? Are the NJ Transit and SEPTA MUs and electric motors running?
Andy
Jacksonville, FL

Looks like the only safe way to travel up and down the coast during this blizzard of a storm would be by ship, if any were sailing. Wow, airports, railroads, and highways being closed is not great for commerce, or generating tax revenues.

In days of yore, during these events, the New Haven RR ran trains with standing room only, due to airline cancellations. I once lost a coach seat when I returned from the dining car. Had to stand until New Haven, where the railroad added two more coaches.
I know; the railroad used a lot more people power then than is now used. And the trains ran in heavy snow, even in Penn Central days.

You're certainly correct, Mr. Rockingham. The New Haven was really a more accommodating outfit. Having grown up in Riverside, I know so first hand.

But first, we must consider potential liability to any passenger carrier. Now if the train stops for an unexplained reason or if the temp gets colder than 60dg or hotter than 85dg, someone's whipping out their trusty Apple or Samsung, videoing the scene, and then sending it off to whatever lawyer they last saw a TV ad for. Airlines: too long a "hold" in what at ORD is called the "Penalty Box"; the vids are rolling and trusty lawyer is "drooling".

We further must address the NYNH&H came from a day when railroads employed some 1.5M heads. Now it's 175K. As anyone around here who "does this stuff for a living" knows, adding or cutting cars at an intermediate station is far more complicated today than it was back in NH's day. Allow me to defer to "the active hands" around here to describe procedures in place today.

How often as a kid attending a Country Day school in Darien and commuting between Stamford and Riverside (school bus to Stamford) did I observe #398 (dig out your Apr 27-52 PTT to read along) arrive 421P, cut two or three cars, have the #2XX EY-2b couple up and haul 'em to the yard - all in time for #176, Senator, to make the scene at 446P.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 7:42 am But first, we must consider potential liability to any passenger carrier. Now if the train stops for an unexplained reason or if the temp gets colder than 60dg or hotter than 85dg, someone's whipping out their trusty Apple or Samsung, videoing the scene, and then sending it off to whatever lawyer they last saw a TV ad for. Airlines: too long a "hold" in what at ORD is called the "Penalty Box"; the vids are rolling and trusty lawyer is "drooling".

Nay. The observed action upon a stopped train with zero communications to the customer in extreme weather is:

1. Wip out the smart phone.
2. Video the scene
3. Post it up on Twitter/Tictock/Facebook/Instagram with a mention to a local TV newsroom or two.
4. Wait until unsafe to do so.
5. Forcibly evacuate in a haphazard manner.
6. Tell first responders someone screwed up.
7. Get (or receive offers from) lawyer(s).

Just for reference, it has been a while that I recall hearing CSX or NS running light engines to keep lines open between Buffalo and Cleveland, though I am sure they do something. Most trouble a friend of mine had [retired NS track supervisor] was at grade crossings where plow trucks made berms across the tracks. I think they sometimes had troubles with the light engines hitting too fast and derailing and causing more of a problem.

Anyway, as Mr.Norman reminds us, there are a lot less emplyees to do those jobs needed to keep a line open during bad weather and there are not that many if any 'casual' employees [contractors?] to shovel. And in bad weather, you need extra people to do some of this work to spell off people in bad weather. For example, last Monday, I had to fix a diaphragm valve on a dust collector at work and the exposure and wind caused a 40 minute job stretch to 2 plus hours.

They do not do those consist changes like they used to, the engine changes I witnessed in Harrisburg in 1969 would not pass a safety audit today. Even the updated procedure I saw in New Haven in 1976 may not pass muster today.

The New Haven consistently lost money after what, 1935? I think I read that they declared bankruptcy twice and those cases dragged on for years, so the great winter service they were providing was unprofitable, unfortunately. But not to be allowed to hire part-time shovelers is unreasonable. Perhaps in the future robot-drones could be employed to quickly clear ROW safely & at low cost.

https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19 ... 19-vaccine

To the point, it appears Amtrak NEC is "down and out" today, but thinks they can resume "limited service" tomorrow - Ground Hog Day.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:03 pm https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19 ... 19-vaccine

To the point, it appears Amtrak NEC is "down and out" today, but thinks they can resume "limited service" tomorrow - Ground Hog Day.

Check that link.

Amtrak: https://www.amtrak.com/alert/amtrak-mod ... storm.html

In short: Metro-North closed, so no trains on the lines.

Tomorrow, limited service.