amtrak horror story in the making?

[yarrow]

we are scheduled on the eb spk-pdx 5/31 connecting with the cs. got a robocall around 7am saying a service disruption existed. didn't show up on the website and i called amtrak and was told we were on time. noticed a couple hours late the eb was scheduled into spokane 16 hours late. called amtrak and was told we would be bussed spk-pdx. called an hour or so later, just to check, and was told "no bus, no alternate transportation". asked to speak to a supervisor and was told supervisors don't discuss travel issues with customers (i am not making this up). called again in an hour or so and was told we would be on the eb out of spokane tonight but it was running about 4 hours late. kind of made sense, like maybe they turned 8 at havre. did some chores and called again. was now told, again, "no train, no alternate transportation spk-pdx". knowing that i couldn't talk to a supervisor (transportation issue, you know) i asked if the agent could talk to a super. she did. am now being told there will be a bus for us spk-pdx. i still have a few good calling hours left and am kind of having fun. i expect the next agent to tell us we are taking a flying saucer by way of mars. i love trains but not amtrak. my support for amtrak and its ld trains is not what it once was.

 

[transit54]

Any idea what the cause of the disruption is?

 

[eagle628]

My guess is it's related to new flooding (#$%&!@) in North Dakota, which is described in this thread, and supported by the fact that all EB's on the status maps have gone into service disruption mode.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Customer service or lack there off is not amtraks strong point.

 

[Rail Freak]

If something like this happens to me in a couple of weeks (WGL-PDX) for my connection (to the CS-CZ-Fly home from DEN), it could get expensive to get my Buttox back to Florida!!!

 

[yarrow]

If something like this happens to me in a couple of weeks (WGL-PDX) for my connection (to the CS-CZ-Fly home from DEN), it could get expensive to get my Buttox back to Florida!!!

exactly my worry for our return trip. a few years ago amtrak left us high and dry in emeryville with no alternate transportation in the middle of a trip.

 

[the_traveler]

i expect the next agent to tell us we are taking a flying saucer by way of mars.

If so, let me know and I'll be on it!

Mars is one place I haven't been to yet.

(But I have been to Jupiter {FL})

 

[me_little_me]

i expect the next agent to tell us we are taking a flying saucer by way of mars.

If so, let me know and I'll be on it!

Mars is one place I haven't been to yet.

(But I have been to Jupiter {FL})

Discussions of other planets' transportation belongs in a different forum.

Use Miscellaneous Rail Transportation if they have rail on those planets or Non-Rail Transportation if they don't.

 

[EB_OBS]

Here's what I know so far. The KO sub, the route BNSF uses between Minot, ND and Fargo, is already closed. As of yesterday the Church's Ferry bridge on the Devils Lake sub is now under water. With no main or alternate route open, the EB is pretty much shut down. I've been off today so I'm a little behind on what's going on. As soon as I know more I'll post.

I am aware of alternate transportation being provided between Spokane and Seattle and Portland. There may not be an on-time bus but only connections when the late #7/27 arrives. If I hear differently I'll post.

 

[mwmnp]

The train the OP was supposed to board just departed Minot at 3:16 AM (Central), 18 hours and 10 minutes late. The detour back to Fargo and through New Rockford took more than 16 hours. If the KO Sub is really closed, it must have happened after #8 of the 29th departed Minot at 11:43 PM headed down the line. That said, the whole subdivision is an operational nightmare right now, and I don't doubt the best thing Amtrak could do would be a bus bridge between Minot and Fargo.

 

[Rafi]

Here's the last I heard....

For 7/27(31-01) and 8/28(31-01):

-Will have busstitutions between SPK, SEA, and PDX.

-A stub train will run CHI-MSP-CHI

-No connections will be made from 29(30-31) and 49(30-31) for points west of MSP.

For 7(29) & 7(30), 8(29) & 8(30):

-Operated via detour between FAR and MOT

Rafi

 

[amamba]

What a nightmare. Sorry yarrow, I hope you make it to the CS somehow.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I've completely given up on riding the EB for the foreseeable future. The current route is too prone to trouble and Amtrak has shown themselves completely incapable of dealing with any of these sorts of complications in a quick and timely fashion. I especially loved the part about how it was just a late train on one phone call but a replacement bus on the next followed by a "sucks to be you" offer of no transportation at all. Sorry Amtrak, but outside of the NEC you still remain the weakest link in America's transportation infrastructure. I'm not sure how exactly you get away with telling folks to find their own way after selling them a ticket, but I guess letting yourselves off the hook is the one thing you're actually good at.

 

[dan72]

Sorry to hear about this, Yarrow. If anything, hopefully the flying saucer will have good legroom. :blink:

My wife and I are taking the Builder on 6/20 from Red Wing to SEA. I really hope these flooding issues abate by that time. However, I'm not going to hold my breath either....

Best of luck on this trip. Hopefully, they'll get their stories straight.

Dan

 

[Ispolkom]

Mrs. Ispolkom and I were on yesterday's #7, ticketed to go from Chicago to Minot. Our sleeping car attendant told us about the cancellations of today's and tomorrow's Empire Builders. I got worried that my return trip (Minot-St. Paul on 6/3) would also be canceled, stranding me in Minot, so we bailed out in St. Paul, where Mrs. Ispolkom had planned to debark anyway. I can't believe that there are flooding issues in North Dakota at the end of May.

The Amtrak agent I talked to last night was pretty starchy. She insisted that #8(2) would be running, and that since it was less than 7 days before departure, if I canceled my Minot-St. Paul ticket I would forfeit the sleeper charge. This, even though the train is marked "Sold Out" like the previous, canceled trains. Oh well, I'll just wait until Friday, and cancel my sleeper reservation then. You can get a full refund if your train is more than 2 hours late, and what are the chances of #8(2) being on time, even if it's running?

EDIT: Talked to a different agent this morning, got my ticket canceled without any penalty. She was reading (on arrow, I imagine) something about transferring to buses in Fargo at 6 a.m. this morning.

 

[The Crazy Vacationer]

I'm watching this very closely; I leave MSP for GPK on the 18th. (Still three weeks out, so I should be good.)

I'm not sure what I'll do as I have deposits on hotels in Glacier Park. Cancel the Trip? Drive? Time will tell.

Though - like I said - I still have three weeks to go, so I'm thinking the issues might be over.

 

[TraneMan]

My wife and I are taking the Builder on 6/20 from Red Wing to SEA. I really hope these flooding issues abate by that time. However, I'm not going to hold my breath either....

Dan

I am kinda freeking out for July already... This is my dream trip, and I'd hate to have it back fire on me. :-(

 

[TraneMan]

I'm watching this very closely; I leave MSP for GPK on the 18th. (Still three weeks out, so I should be good.)

I'm not sure what I'll do as I have deposits on hotels in Glacier Park. Cancel the Trip? Drive? Time will tell.

Though - like I said - I still have three weeks to go, so I'm thinking the issues might be over.

I am doing the same thing too... everyday I am watching the status.. It has been running (late at times) and I can live with that.. But if the plug is pulled.. Yikes! Worst comes the worst, is drive for us.

 

[Nicole]

How long before hand does Amtrak usually cancel a train? We are suppose to take the EB on Sat 6/3 from Chicago to Minot. I am getting worried.

 

[henryj]

This has been going on for months now. The EB has become dysfunctional at best. Here is my question for the experts. Why can't or doesn't Amtrak just start rerouting the EB via alternate routes perhaps the old NP route through Bismark? Why do they stubborningly stick to the same route when they know it's flooded?

Here is the BNSF weather info:

May 27, 2011 - BNSF's Command Center is managing our responses to flood impacts.

The Hettinger subdivision is out of service between Mildred, Montana and Bowman, North Dakota.

The Lewistown subdivision is out of service east of Sipple, Montana due to a washout.

The Colstrip subdivision is out of service south of Nichols, Montana due to mud slides.

The Grenora subdivision is out of service north of Stanley, North Dakota.

The Crosby subdivision is back in service north of Berthold, North Dakota and the Niobe subdivision is back in service to milepost 10 but the rest of the line is still out of service.

The Westhope subdivision is out of service north of Rugby, North Dakota.

The Zap subdivision is out of service north of Bismarck due to a mud slide.

 

[manderson]

I'm scheduled for SPK to CHI on Sat June 4th. Anybody in-the-know have an opinion as to whether that trip will actually happen?

 

[Mackensen]

This has been going on for months now. The EB has become dysfunctional at best. Here is my question for the experts. Why can't or doesn't Amtrak just start rerouting the EB via alternate routes perhaps the old NP route through Bismark? Why do they stubborningly stick to the same route when they know it's flooded?

Here is the BNSF weather info:

May 27, 2011 - BNSF's Command Center is managing our responses to flood impacts.

The Hettinger subdivision is out of service between Mildred, Montana and Bowman, North Dakota.

The Lewistown subdivision is out of service east of Sipple, Montana due to a washout.

The Colstrip subdivision is out of service south of Nichols, Montana due to mud slides.

The Grenora subdivision is out of service north of Stanley, North Dakota.

The Crosby subdivision is back in service north of Berthold, North Dakota and the Niobe subdivision is back in service to milepost 10 but the rest of the line is still out of service.

The Westhope subdivision is out of service north of Rugby, North Dakota.

The Zap subdivision is out of service north of Bismarck due to a mud slide.

In other words, cancel the Empire Builder and bring back the North Coast Hiawatha? That's not something done at the drop of a hat. What's your plan for when the EB crosses into Montana at Wibaux? I suppose you could get back to the Northern Transcon via the YSVR, assuming it's in good condition.

 

[Ispolkom]

This has been going on for months now. The EB has become dysfunctional at best. Here is my question for the experts. Why can't or doesn't Amtrak just start rerouting the EB via alternate routes perhaps the old NP route through Bismark? Why do they stubborningly stick to the same route when they know it's flooded?

Here is the BNSF weather info:

May 27, 2011 - BNSF's Command Center is managing our responses to flood impacts.

The Hettinger subdivision is out of service between Mildred, Montana and Bowman, North Dakota.

The Lewistown subdivision is out of service east of Sipple, Montana due to a washout.

The Colstrip subdivision is out of service south of Nichols, Montana due to mud slides.

The Grenora subdivision is out of service north of Stanley, North Dakota.

The Crosby subdivision is back in service north of Berthold, North Dakota and the Niobe subdivision is back in service to milepost 10 but the rest of the line is still out of service.

The Westhope subdivision is out of service north of Rugby, North Dakota.

The Zap subdivision is out of service north of Bismarck due to a mud slide.

The Empire Builder doesn't run on any of those subdivisions. The North Dakota subdivisions listed are all low-speed, low-priority branch lines that are only used for hauling grain -- I wouldn't be surprised if they are all class one track. Why is there any reason to think that other lines through North Dakota (the old Northern Pacific line, for instance) are any drier than BNSF's northern transcon?

 

[dan72]

My wife and I are taking the Builder on 6/20 from Red Wing to SEA. I really hope these flooding issues abate by that time. However, I'm not going to hold my breath either....

Dan

I am kinda freeking out for July already... This is my dream trip, and I'd hate to have it back fire on me. :-(

I hear you. We've been planning this one for several months and have been waiting a long time to do it. Just need to keep fingers crossed...

Dan

 

[Guest]

I'm scheduled for SPK to CHI on Sat June 4th. Anybody in-the-know have an opinion as to whether that trip will actually happen?

Your chances are not good considering the recent weather and melting snowpack. As I posted in another topic, BNSF and Amtrak are doing the best they can, but the situation is dynamic, and service could be stopped at any moment.