Amtrak cancellations due to Idelia

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pennyk

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Auto Train 53, 8/29 canceled
Auto Train 52, 8/29 canceled
Silver Meteor 98, 8/29 canceled
Silver Meteor 97, 8/29 canceled
Silver Star 91, 8/29 canceled
Silver Star 92, 8/29 canceled
 
For those who like to whine about preemptive cancellations on the rails, the airport in Tampa expects to close tom'w through Thursday.

Add: honestly pleasantly surprised that so far none of the usual "but Flagler would have run the train"
Hopefully everyone will be safe, and all modes of transit recover well as quickly as possible and folks will get where they are trying to be....
 
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Auto Train 53, 8/29 canceled
Auto Train 52, 8/29 canceled
Silver Meteor 98, 8/29 canceled
Silver Meteor 97, 8/29 canceled
Silver Star 91, 8/29 canceled
Silver Star 92, 8/29 canceled

Thanks for that info - I don't visit here too often, but (after a year and a half - or so - with no train trips) we have the Auto Train booked out of Sanford on THURSDAY 8/31. I'm figuring there will be A LOT of trees down on the tracks on Wednesday (and overnight into Thursday morning). FINGERS CROSSED !!!
 
Thanks for that info - I don't visit here too often, but (after a year and a half - or so - with no train trips) we have the Auto Train booked out of Sanford on THURSDAY 8/31. I'm figuring there will be A LOT of trees down on the tracks on Wednesday (and overnight into Thursday morning). FINGERS CROSSED !!!
Doesn't look promising for your trip, you might want to rebook for later!
 
Hopefully, all will work out, but some of the predicted paths take the storm over the roads you traverse heading North, so that may be a problem as well. Is there a chance to get out a day early? That may be the best (and safest) if possible.

I'd imagine they'll have 95 clear before the train tracks. My first Auto Train experience included a 12-hr (weather) delay, where they ran out of food - at least we learned to pack our own on subsequent trips !

I'm already leaving work 1/2 early Thursday to get up there to make the most of our time. Wednesday would probably be an even worse travel experience than Thursday (when hopefully they'll have things cleaned up a bit). At least this is not coming into Jax from the Atlantic or such --- that would be the nail in the coffin for our plans !

THANKS
 
I'd imagine they'll have 95 clear before the train tracks. My first Auto Train experience included a 12-hr (weather) delay, where they ran out of food - at least we learned to pack our own on subsequent trips !
It's pretty bad if they ran out of Dinty Moore.
Maybe 95 will be cleared before the train tracks but the train has an excellent saftey record. The Thursdays before big weekends are often pretty bad on the highways.
 
Our flight from Denver to Orlando is due to leave in an hour. Still showing an OT departure and plane is at the gate. Should be interesting flight path and landing.
Why would there be any delay today when nothing gets here before late evening today? Orlando is in the Tropical Storm area, so unlikely that it will close at all. There will be local ground stops when Thunderstorms come by. Tampa and St. Pete OTOH are planning to close late this afternoon or evening.

We will get the worst of it in the backwash later tomorrow (Wednesday), and of course we are not expecting even 50kt+ winds in the East Central Florida.
 
Why would there be any delay today when nothing gets here before late evening today?
I guess our concern was prompted by the closing of Tampa last night at midnight and the United agent yesterday who suggested we fly at a later date. It was unknown how the storm would strengthen or move. Today we were all told to stay in our seats for the last hour and the Pilot did a good job of evading storms by not taking the usual direct route across the northern tip of the Gulf.
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I was traveling from CHI to KIS via the Cardinal & SM, with an overnight in WAS. I got to WAS Sunday evening and got a good night's sleep at the Phoenix Park, but Monday afternoon I got a text that my train to FL was cancelled (actually terminating in JAX, but that was unclear in the texts.) I had to fly to MCO, and then Lyft to KIS to get my car.

I had checked a bag in CHI thru to KIS. Amtrak chose to send it ahead early on the Cap Ltd & Sunday's Meteor. Of course, when I got to KIS at 2am Tuesday morning, the station was closed. Now it's apparently closed until service resumes, with my bag locked tight inside. :(

Oh, well. Just another Amtrak adventure. At least I made it home, which is infinitely better than spending a night stranded in an airport.

ETA: The Samsung tracking device that I slipped into the bag is paying off in peace of mind.
 
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I was traveling from CHI to KIS via the Cardinal & SM, with an overnight in WAS. I got to WAS Sunday evening and got a good night's sleep at the Phoenix Park, but Monday afternoon I got a text that my train to FL was cancelled (actually terminating in JAX, but that was unclear in the texts.) I had to fly to MCO, and then Lyft to KIS to get my car.

I had checked a bag in CHI thru to KIS. Amtrak chose to send it ahead early on the Cap Ltd & Sunday's Meteor. Of course, when I got to KIS at 2am Tuesday morning, the station was closed. Now it's apparently closed until service resumes, with my bag locked tight inside. :(

Oh, well. Just another Amtrak adventure. At least I made it home, which is infinitely better than spending a night stranded in an airport.
Monday morning,looking at storm radar, I realized storm path and 97 would meet in Jacksonville Wed AM; telephoned GR and got trip modified from Tues to Monday, but because Amtrak had not yet changed 98/97 for Tues/Wed, I had to pay $245 for the modification.As we were pulling out of NYP on Mon in 97, the post came that 98/98 were cancelled. When I got home I called customer relations and they will issue a refund for $245 w/o any questioning. 97 on Monday that terminated in JAX was very empty. There was only one supper because chef had to be "borrowed" from another train and he was getting off is DC. The 5 PM meal of 16 covered both sleeper customers plus the few who elected to eat in room. Great trip though and lemon cake with drizzle was group choice!
 
When a potential cancellation/truncation event is looming, maybe Amtrak could follow the example of most airlines and release the restrictions on making changes without charge. That would help them in reducing the inconvenience to their customer.
 
I guess our concern was prompted by the closing of Tampa last night at midnight and the United agent yesterday who suggested we fly at a later date. It was unknown how the storm would strengthen or move. Today we were all told to stay in our seats for the last hour and the Pilot did a good job of evading storms by not taking the usual direct route across the northern tip of the Gulf.
View attachment 33692
My stepdaughter, returning from LHR to TPA, had a similar experience yesterday...since TPA was closed, they instead headed from Charlotte to Orlando. Their flight also did quite a bit of turbulence avoidance moves, but got them safely into Orlando. They then had to rent a car to get home to Weeki Wachee.


https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL1682/history/20230829/2040Z/KCLT/KMCO
 
This is the latest Service Alert that I found:
August 29, 2023 05:30 PM


As Hurricane Idalia moves toward the Gulf Coast of Florida, Amtrak is temporarily adjusting service on select routes as a safety precaution for customers and employees.

Tuesday, Aug. 29

• Auto Train 52 (Sanford, Fla., to Lorton, Va.) is canceled.
• Auto Train 53 (Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla.) is canceled.
• Silver Star 91 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 97 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Palmetto 89 (New York to Savannah) will operate from New York to Washington, D.C.
• Palmetto 90 (Savannah to New York) will operate from Washington, D.C., to New York.

Wednesday, Aug. 30
• Auto Train 52 (Sanford, Fla., to Lorton, Va.) is canceled.
• Auto Train 53 (Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla.) is canceled.
• Silver Star 91 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 97 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Palmetto 89 (New York to Savannah) will operate from New York to Washington, D.C.
• Palmetto 90 (Savannah to New York) will operate from Washington, D.C., to New York.

Thursday, Aug. 31
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) will operate from Jacksonville, Fla., to New York.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) will operate from Jacksonville, Fla., to New York.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.
 
This is the latest Service Alert that I found:
August 29, 2023 05:30 PM


As Hurricane Idalia moves toward the Gulf Coast of Florida, Amtrak is temporarily adjusting service on select routes as a safety precaution for customers and employees.

Tuesday, Aug. 29

• Auto Train 52 (Sanford, Fla., to Lorton, Va.) is canceled.
• Auto Train 53 (Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla.) is canceled.
• Silver Star 91 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 97 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Palmetto 89 (New York to Savannah) will operate from New York to Washington, D.C.
• Palmetto 90 (Savannah to New York) will operate from Washington, D.C., to New York.

Wednesday, Aug. 30
• Auto Train 52 (Sanford, Fla., to Lorton, Va.) is canceled.
• Auto Train 53 (Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla.) is canceled.
• Silver Star 91 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 97 (New York to Miami) is canceled.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) is canceled.
• Palmetto 89 (New York to Savannah) will operate from New York to Washington, D.C.
• Palmetto 90 (Savannah to New York) will operate from Washington, D.C., to New York.

Thursday, Aug. 31
• Silver Star 92 (Miami to New York) will operate from Jacksonville, Fla., to New York.
• Silver Meteor 98 (Miami to New York) will operate from Jacksonville, Fla., to New York.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.
Website train status shows 91 & 97 scheduled to depart "On Time" today (8/31). but the booking engine shoes 91 "Canceled", and 97 "SOLD OUT".

From ORL to NYP, train status shows both 92 & 98 Canceled. From JAX to NYP, it shows 98 departing "On Time", but still shows 92 "Canceled".

The booking engine shows 92 & 98 "Canceled" from ORL From JAX, 92 is still "Canceled"; 98 is sold out in coach, but has both Roomettes & bedrooms available.

So 91 & 92 are a mystery: running according to the Alert (which was posted 2 days ago), but canceled according to Train Status and the booking engine.
 
I believe Palmetto and Star cancellation got extended through today. Auto Train and Meteor will resume today (northbound Meteor out of Jacksonville.) Star and Palmetto south of Washington will resume tomorrow - and Meteor will resume south of Jacksonville. Part of me wonders if today’s Meteor will be a “Super Meteor” taking the equipment from both trains. Might be worth a watch.
 
I believe Palmetto and Star cancellation got extended through today. Auto Train and Meteor will resume today (northbound Meteor out of Jacksonville.) Star and Palmetto south of Washington will resume tomorrow - and Meteor will resume south of Jacksonville. Part of me wonders if today’s Meteor will be a “Super Meteor” taking the equipment from both trains. Might be worth a watch.
On Tues AM #97 which terminated in JAX was to go back empty to New York that same day, probably not to be stranded below JAX. Crew had a bus waiting to take them home to Miami Tues AM.
 
One of my clients flew in to Miami today (or yesterday, but assume today) and said that the flight was 'interesting' with a lot of unusual movement on landing.
 
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