Auto Train 3 hours late leaving Sanford yesterday?

[Railroad Bill]

Looking at the Amtrak Train Status page and noted that #52 left Sanford over 3 hours late yesterday.

Anyone here know what the problem was? Track work, mechanical problems, etc seem to be the most obvious. I guess they would have served dinner while sitting in the station last evening.

 

[OBS]

The SB train did not arrive until 2PM for reasons unknown.

 

[dlagrua]

Bridge work on the line may have caused this delay. The Autotrain typically has a very good ontime record as it has a 2 hour buffer already built in.

 

[chrsjrcj]

SunRail construction. Another weekend of no Silvers in Florida.

 

[vacationer1954]

Another weekend of no Silvers in Florida.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means... could you please let me know? Thanks!

 

[pennyk]

Another weekend of no Silvers in Florida.

I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means... could you please let me know? Thanks!

The Silver Star and Silver Meteor (Silvers) are trains that travel between NYP and Florida. Because of construction in Central Florida of commuter rail (SunRail), the Silvers will not travel south of JAX for various weekend days during January, February and March 2013.

 

[vacationer1954]

Okay but this won't affect the Auto Train, except for the last weekend in February - right?

 

[pennyk]

Okay but this won't affect the Auto Train, except for the last weekend in February - right?

According to Amtrak.com:

Auto Train Weekend Service Cancellations
Effective February 21 - 24, 2013 Train 52 – February 22, 23 and 24Train 53 – February 21, 22 and 23

Due to weekend bridge replacement project being performed north of Sanford by Central Florida Rail Corridor, Trains 52 and 53 will be canceled on the dates shown below, and alternate transportation will not be provided.

Northbound Train 52

• Train 52 will be canceled on Friday through Sunday, February 22, 23 and 24, 2013.

Southbound Train 53

• Train 53 will be canceled on Thursday through Saturday, February 21, 22 and 23, 2013.

 

[vacationer1954]

Yup, last weekend in February.

 

[ScottRu]

Whew, my wife and son-in-law are on the March 1 Southbound!

 

[Scott Orlando]

I wonder why they elected to stop 91/92/97/98 at JAX and cancel 52/53 rather than running the Silvers and AT down the S Line through Ocala.

 

[Ocala Mike]

I can't imagine an emergency serious enough to require/allow any Amtrak moves over the S Line these days. Besides, how would you route the AT over to Sanford, not to mention the bypassing of Mouse City. S Line is freight only now, and that's pretty much carved in stone post-Sunrail.

 

[Scott Orlando]

I agree Mike that it would be unusual. I seem to remember many years ago there was a bad A Line derailment and everything went down the S Line including AT. (It was before digital cameras and I missed the AT through downtown Orlando. :angry: ) But I guess that was more of an emergency on-the-fly kind of thing. The Sunrail weekend work is planned well in advance. Nevertheless, I am enjoying seeing all the miles of new double track going in both the A and S Lines.

 

[Ocala Mike]

Yes, we're double-tracked through Ocala now; the freight moves have picked up some, but nothing like what was predicted. Guess more is coming. I'm curious about the move of the AT through Orlando as you mentioned above. What was its routing, i.e., did it turn N/B at Auburndale to reach Sanford?

 

[Scott Orlando]

Yes, we're double-tracked through Ocala now; the freight moves have picked up some, but nothing like what was predicted. Guess more is coming. I'm curious about the move of the AT through Orlando as you mentioned above. What was its routing, i.e., did it turn N/B at Auburndale to reach Sanford?

Yes NB at Plant City to Auburndale and on to Sanford. You will get much more freight when we eliminate daytime freight for Sunrail.