Lake Shore Limited

[Kramerica]

Anyone have any idea how long this bustitution will last? My family is scheduled on 448 on 8/19. This is our first family Amtrak trip. (MKE-BOS-NYC-MKE) Would be a huge letdown to be on a bus for half a day. We would have picked a different destination.

 

[Rasputin]

Anyone have any idea how long this bustitution will last? My family is scheduled on 448 on 8/19. This is our first family Amtrak trip. (MKE-BOS-NYC-MKE) Would be a huge letdown to be on a bus for half a day. We would have picked a different destination.

I do not see any information on the Amtrak website about how long the extension of the CSX track work (and its resultant 448/449 bustitutions) will last. The service alert for the initial track work has been taken down and a new service alert has not been posted. Posting timely and accurate notices of cancellations/bustitutions of 448 and 449 has not been one of Amtrak's strong points. Maybe someone in the group has more information but otherwise we are in the dark.

I hope that your trip goes well and you will not endure an Albany - Boston bustitution. However I see that your itinerary involves visiting Boston and New York. If you wanted to be extra cautious, I would suggest that you modify the first leg of your trip to travel MKE-NYC and then take a New York to Boston regional or Acela to reach Boston and avoid the Boston section of the Lake Shore.

 

[bratkinson]

Apparently, Amtraks' web site fails to show any alerts for 448/449 after the trackwork supposed to be completed this past Thursday. Aparently, the left hand doesn't know WHEN it will be completed as last Thursdays' end date was actually an extension from the previous week, if I recall correctly.

BUT...just for kicks, I went to Amtrak.com and found that 448 is bused Monday and Tuesday. I didn't look any further. So, if things go this week like the previous week, #449 from BOS runs today, but no #448 to BOS today through Thursday, inclusive. However, I'm guessing that it's one day at a time. Maybe they ran a day or two longer than expected and only need a couple more days. In my best 'Dirty Harry' imitation: "Do you feel lucky?" (at least for this week)

 

[haroldo]

As I believe another traveler found out, 448 is bused on Aug 2 (Aug 1 - Aug 4, it turns out). but according to the online booking software it's back up and running on Aug 9.

 

[B&Ofan]

I'm traveling on 449 pm Aug 16 I hope things are cleared up by then.

 

[lordsigma]

Anyone have any idea how long this bustitution will last? My family is scheduled on 448 on 8/19. This is our first family Amtrak trip. (MKE-BOS-NYC-MKE) Would be a huge letdown to be on a bus for half a day. We would have picked a different destination.

If you are leaving on Friday you should have no problem. CSX is not doing any weekend work.

 

[Kramerica]

If you are leaving on Friday you should have no problem. CSX is not doing any weekend work.

We leave Chicago on Thursday and arrive in Boston Friday night. Do they work on Friday evenings?

 

[fdaley]

The Boston Lake Shore has been running eastbound from Albany on Fridays and Saturdays (so Thursday & Friday departures from Chicago) throughout the work period. Westbound 449 has been running out of Boston on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

It's been pretty more or less the same pattern -- with bustitution on most days for much of June and July -- every summer for most of the past decade. Makes that train very hard to use at this time of year.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Don't have time for a detailed reply, but the LSL has been messed up by a near-collapsed building near Albany. You might want to look at other threads for more information. No idea at all how long it will take to resolve.

 

[n3rdg1rl]

I just hope this all gets cleared up by October. My husband is taking his first Amtrak trip with me (CLE - BOS) and all I need is there to be massive changes, so he'll never ride with me again.