Empire Builder stopped

[Amtrak George]

Am half -way through a trip from Seattle- New England-Seattle, and have sleeper reservations on the EB from Chicago on June 11 ( via connection from Ohio that) morning. So far we have not been able to reach Amtrak by phone to discuss situation nor any alternatives, endless waits on hold. Last week we did get a call that the leg from Boston to Toledo had a service change, that we will be bussed from Boston to Albany to catch train. Our question is about what kind of alternate plans we can make via Amtrak, as arranging last-minute flight would be very difficult not to mention very expensive. Since we booked a sleeper, any tips on how best to negotiate with Amtrak? Bus from CHI to SEA is not possible for us for health reasons.

Want to be prepared for worst case scenario.

Thanks.

From the most recent news articles I have seen, as well as playing with Amtrak reservations on the website, it looks like they plan to resume service June 8. Hopefully you will be okay. If they do cancel I would inform them of your physical issues and ask for an alternate route. They could send you by the Cal Zephyr to Sacramento (or even into Emeryville) and Coast Starlight to Seattle, or Southwest Chief to LA thence Coast Starlight. Ask them if they can do the change to the other route without extra charge since it is not direct and will take you longer.

If they won't do this (or space is unavailable) then you may have to get a full refund and then rent a car or fly.

 

[Kaki]

I just talked to Amtrak. June 8 is still the scheduled day to resume the EB. I am hoping the tracks will be good when they inspect......

 

[Kaki]

The latest news on the Empire Builder is: The tracks were open to freight at the end of last week and Amtrak is waiting for the back-log of freight to clear before they resume on June 8th.

 

[anir dendroica]

Thanks for the daily updates! Would it really be so hard for someone "in the know" at Amtrak to post this stuff on their website, or on Facebook, or Twitter, or somewhere? It's very strange in this digital age that we have to call an agent to find out what the problem is and when the trains will be running :angry2:

Mark

 

[Kaki]

Finally an update on Amtrak's website. It's really amazing that just this morning there was a news release quoting an Amtrak representative saying that the tracks were open at the end of last week to freight and would open to passenger traffic June 8th after the freight had a chance to clear.

Time for a road trip

 

[visitor_stateside]

Finally an update on Amtrak's website. It's really amazing that just this morning there was a news release quoting an Amtrak representative saying that the tracks were open at the end of last week to freight and would open to passenger traffic June 8th after the freight had a chance to clear.

Time for a road trip

The word is service resumes East tomorrow CHI bound. Freight traffic cleared?

 

[anir dendroica]

Article from Grand Forks: http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/205983/group/homepage/

High winds and flooding are threatening BNSF-owned tracks in the Churchs Ferry, N.D., area of the Devils Lake Basin.
“We’re taking it two days at a time,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. “There are very high winds across the lake again today.”

In recent weeks, Amtrak has shifted its train to its Surrey-cutoff route between Fargo and Minot — bypassing Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Rugby.
However, Amtrak is not using that detour route right now, because of traffic congestion and repairs that are being made, according to Magliari.

BNSF officials have been inspecting the bridges and the railbed, to make sure they are safe for travel.
Once it passes inspection, Amtrak will resume service to Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Rugby, according to Magliari.

“They have to get out there to inspect it,” Magliari said. “We’re carrying people across there.”

Mark

 

[Joaninha]

Talked to Amtrak last night, and got same news that others have reported: EB will resume today, June 8. Will advise ho it works out. Agree also that Amtrak did a very poor job of communicating, so dismissive of major and potential disruption of travel plans of customers. While I am not a believer in conspiracy theories, one has to wonder why such utter disregard for their "best customers." I too was told I'd be on my own to make any alternate travel plans.

In other news, we got a call yesterday advising that Train 449 would again run out of Boston > CHI today, instead of bus we'd been told to expect.

Good luck to everyone. I may not be able to post again until

back in Seattle next week.

 

[guest]

EB is not running today. Amtrak tells me it is scheduled to start again on Saturday. Has anyone heard anything else? I have a trip scheduled for Sunday and will have to drive instead, leaving on Saturday, if the EB isn't running by then.

 

[TraneMan]

EB is not running today. Amtrak tells me it is scheduled to start again on Saturday. Has anyone heard anything else? I have a trip scheduled for Sunday and will have to drive instead, leaving on Saturday, if the EB isn't running by then.

On Amtrak's Web page, they are starting up on Thursday the 9th.

 

[julie]

EB is not running today. Amtrak tells me it is scheduled to start again on Saturday. Has anyone heard anything else? I have a trip scheduled for Sunday and will have to drive instead, leaving on Saturday, if the EB isn't running by then.

On Amtrak's Web page, they are starting up on Thursday the 9th.

Their website is not correct. They cancelled all trips through Friday-at least west-bound. Saturday is the 1st day they will run.

 

[EB_OBS]

EB is not running today. Amtrak tells me it is scheduled to start again on Saturday. Has anyone heard anything else? I have a trip scheduled for Sunday and will have to drive instead, leaving on Saturday, if the EB isn't running by then.

On Amtrak's Web page, they are starting up on Thursday the 9th.

No, the website says that the trains are canceled through the 9th. This would mean that they might run on 10th, but I've heard Saturday the 11th is more likely.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Amtrak.Com shows all the Western trains as SOLD OUT until Monday, 6/13/11 with a few Exceptions in Coach, You are unable to Book the EB and CZ before this Saturday. 6/11.

Id think that it will be this way for a Long time as the New Flooding affecting the CZ will put Even More Pressure on the SWC/TE-SSL and the EB!!! Looks like a Hard/Pricey Summer on the Western Trains!! :help:

 

[TraneMan]

EB is not running today. Amtrak tells me it is scheduled to start again on Saturday. Has anyone heard anything else? I have a trip scheduled for Sunday and will have to drive instead, leaving on Saturday, if the EB isn't running by then.

On Amtrak's Web page, they are starting up on Thursday the 9th.

No, the website says that the trains are canceled through the 9th. This would mean that they might run on 10th, but I've heard Saturday the 11th is more likely.

Ok, my bad. Thanks for catching this.

 

[julie]

Amtrak.Com shows all the Western trains as SOLD OUT until Monday, 6/13/11 with a few Exceptions in Coach, You are unable to Book the EB and CZ before this Saturday. 6/11.

Id think that it will be this way for a Long time as the New Flooding affecting the CZ will put Even More Pressure on the SWC/TE-SSL and the EB!!! Looks like a Hard/Pricey Summer on the Western Trains!! :help:

Jim, What's your guess on if the EB will actually start running again on Saturday? My trip to glacier is planned to leave on Sunday. Wondering if I should make alternate plans. thanks

 

[Sue]

I'm scheduled to leave on the EB from Portland to Chicago on June 15. Think that will really happen? If so, what's the chances of getting to Chicago on time (if there's no more flooding)?

Thanks for any any advice from everyone's experience.

 

[EB_OBS]

Just FYI, I haven't heard anything to the contrary, yet. We all know BNSF and Amtrak are evaluating this on a daily basis. I can say that it's been raining here, in north central Montana, all day today and most of yesterday. I'm sure the additional rain isn't helping to get things moving again.

 

[Bridget]

I called Amtrak this morning and the agent said that late last night they decided to extend the current Empire Builder cancellation through the 13th. Our trip was on the 11th, so we're getting a refund and looking at plane tickets. I appreciate all the updates posted so far by everyone in this forum, so I figured I'd extend you all the same courtesy!

 

[dan72]

They need to update the web page. Right now, it is still saying the 9th.

My wife and I are (hopefully) heading to Seattle on the 20th. Keeping fingers and toes crossed.

Dan

 

[Rail Freak]

I called Amtrak this morning and the agent said that late last night they decided to extend the current Empire Builder cancellation through the 13th. Our trip was on the 11th, so we're getting a refund and looking at plane tickets. I appreciate all the updates posted so far by everyone in this forum, so I figured I'd extend you all the same courtesy!

Thanx, I guess instead of going from the CS to the EB, I'll be touring Portland rather than Glacier Park. I'll be catching the CZ to DEN to fly home, got lucky on that route, I Hope!!! (keeping fingers crossed). This has been one hell of a year. I wonder who pissed off Mother Nature?

Gonna Have Fun No Matter What!!!

 

[Jerott]

I was supposed to depart for Spokane from Wisconsin today, but my reservation was pushed back to tomorrow initially, and now until Tuesday of next week. I'm leaving to do a summer internship, but at this point it's way more money to take a plane out there due to me buying the tickets last minute. Thankfully the internship isn't a particularly strict one, and the guy I'm working with has been very laid back about it.

"Get here when you can get here." Pretty awesome.

Anyway, this has been very frustrating. I've taken this route before with no problems like this. I'm sure it's not common.

 

[anir dendroica]

Sooner or later Amtrak is going to have to accept that Devils Lake is a lost cause and schedule trains on the detour route. At the moment (given freight congestion, planned tie replacement, and soft track slow orders over saturated soil) that means accepting a few hours of delay between Fargo and Minot. I assume most passengers would find that preferable to no train at all.

From Mark M. on the EB Yahoo Group:

BNSF's KO subdivision has remained open, albeit with slow track conditions thatare being reduced daily, but are still in the vicity of a couple of hours.

Due to the volume of traffic, BNSF will not guarantee Amtrak any priority over

the line, so yet, their train will be delayed. Evidently, that's good enough

for Amtrak to throw in the towel and just take the easy way out, rather than

rescheduling the train to leave Chicago earlier or whatever.

 

[dan72]

While moving the schedule around isn't practical, I agree with the Yahoo poster's sentiment that Amtrak needs to accept the fact that trains will be running behind schedule for the time being. This is one of the busiest times on the Builder and the revenue loss has got to be significant already.

I hope they are not trying to pull some sort of stunt by resorting to holding 75% of the EB route hostage until funding comes through for Devil's Lake improvements. To me, that is playing with some dangerous political fire. I don't think that's the case, but it makes one wonder.

If anything, they need to right now be more diligent with their web page updates.

Dan

 

[Joaninha]

Very bad news made worse by Amtrak communication failure. We finally arrived in Toledo at 2 pm today 8 hrs late via train 449/49 coming from Boston 4 hrs spent at Albany station. So I called Amtrak just now to ask bat how to deal with Amy delays when we leave on 11 th to catch EB back to Seattle. Agent informed that EB is now canceled thru 13th and we are on our own to make other plans. Next sleeper seats are on 21 next coach on 14. Won't work for us. When I asked why no heads up from Amtrak agent said they were not planning to notify pages for Sat until tomorrow!!! Trying to figure out flight home. F for customer service

 

[Mackensen]

I don't see what Amtrak can do with the EB's schedule right now. Here's the issue (as I see it):

• EB leaves Chicago earlier: lose connections with East Coast trains
  
• EB arrives in Seattle/Portland later: can't turn train around in time
  
• EB arrives in Chicago later: no connections to East Coast trains
  

The only fix I see is adding another consist to mix (which Amtrak probably doesn't have) so that the eastbound sections don't have to wait for the eastbound trains to arrive. Moving to the KO sub isn't a panacea: you'll replace flood-induced slow orders with freight interference.