henryj
Conductor
According to the latest forecasts, Irene will skirt the eastern coast of Florida and make landfall somewhere around Charleston about Friday. When will Amtrak start making announcements about service suspensions?
As soon as CSX tells them so I presume. It is not Amtrak's call to make.According to the latest forecasts, Irene will skirt the eastern coast of Florida and make landfall somewhere around Charleston about Friday. When will Amtrak start making announcements about service suspensions?
When there is less uncertianty about the path Irene takes.According to the latest forecasts, Irene will skirt the eastern coast of Florida and make landfall somewhere around Charleston about Friday. When will Amtrak start making announcements about service suspensions?
So that means it is likely at least a couple of days before anything is decided.DO NOT TO FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK...ESPECIALLY AT DAYS 4TO 5...SINCE THE MOST RECENT 5-YEAR AVERAGE ERRORS AT THOSE
FORECAST TIMES ARE 200 AND 250 MILES...RESPECTIVELY.
Likely when and if there are any suspensions. How many times have you seen hurricane reports that changed by the minute? As a Red Cross volunteer, I was to be sent on one hurricane to Houston, then Florida west coast, then Florida east cost and ended up in Charleston. We were sent home after a day because the hurricane was a bust. Others actually went out to Houston and were moved over and over.According to the latest forecasts, Irene will skirt the eastern coast of Florida and make landfall somewhere around Charleston about Friday. When will Amtrak start making announcements about service suspensions?
Last time I had a run in with a hurricane on a planned Amtrak trip, it turned into a plane trip one way. And the darned plane ticket was cheaper than the Amtrak sleeper ticket, so you win some and you lose some. I would have preferred it to remain a train trip, but such was not to be, courtesy CSX. Of course the storm did not quite materialize as CSX had feared. But prudence is probably a good thing under such circumstances.Don't sweat it. Think "I might not only have a train trip but a free ocean cruise thrown in!"
Yeah, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane comes to mind: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Labor_Day_hurricaneBut prudence is probably a good thing under such circumstances.
Both trains that day appear as sold out(Same for Friday and Saturday).Problem with Availability: At least one portion of your trip is unavailable. Revise your travel dates and times so we may search for other available options. [Error ID: 578S]
This.or has Amtrak stopped taking reservations for those specific trips out of caution due to the weather?
This is what I'm afraid of. The last two evenings I have called Amtrak, only getting an automated customer service system instead of a live agent, and there was no indication of the trip being cancelled. It's quite frustrating. I'll call again in the morning to possibly reschedule for Monday, but that really cuts into my vacation time.You should call Amtrak. Odds are that the train will be canceled. Even if CSX tracks are open south of DC, nothing may be heading out of NYC and from Sunnyside Yard in Queens on Sunday. There is stong possibility that a category 2-3 hurricane will sweep up the coast and slam into Long Island on Sunday. A hurricane can cause wind damage with trees down over a huge area which means tracks will be fouled and power out. Possibly for days in some area. Sorry, your timing is not good.
I suspect that many other people are also doing the same, that is to say picking up the phone to call Amtrak and find out what's going to happen with trains up & down the east coast this weekend. No doubt that is adding to the call volume.This is what I'm afraid of. The last two evenings I have called Amtrak, only getting an automated customer service system instead of a live agent, and there was no indication of the trip being cancelled. It's quite frustrating. I'll call again in the morning to possibly reschedule for Monday, but that really cuts into my vacation time.You should call Amtrak. Odds are that the train will be canceled. Even if CSX tracks are open south of DC, nothing may be heading out of NYC and from Sunnyside Yard in Queens on Sunday. There is stong possibility that a category 2-3 hurricane will sweep up the coast and slam into Long Island on Sunday. A hurricane can cause wind damage with trees down over a huge area which means tracks will be fouled and power out. Possibly for days in some area. Sorry, your timing is not good.
Thanks for the info. Will be doing that early in the morning.When you do get Julie to answer, just say "agent" to speak with a live person and to see what if any info they have. But be prepared to hold for a while as again I'm sure call volumes will be high tomorrow. If at all possible, call very early in the morning or late in the evening (east coast times that is) to try and avoid some of the volume.
At present predictions are that Jersey Shore and parts of Long Island might see wind speeds upto 85mph. Where I live predictions are 50 to 70mph. NEC in NJ falls mostly in that range. The bigger worry is Storm Surge up through the Varrazano Narrows into New York Harbor. There is some serious prep going on to evacuate ares that would get inundated should a 10+' surge materialize. You can bet that Hoboken station will look like a lake with even much less.This storm is really ramping up now. 120mph winds. It has shifted a little east then back west to where it looks like it will make land fall in New York, possibly over Long Island. It could scrape along the NEC all the way from DC to New York and even New England. Unless it starts to shift out to sea you guys are in for a big hit.
CSX may be shutting down operations on their tracks in North Carolina and eastern Virginia over the weekend. As posted above, call Amtrak.Leaving from Lorto, Va to Sanford, FL on the Autotrain on Sunday -- I'm wondering about the status of my trip too...any input appreciated.
Most likely it will be cancelled or seriously delayed. I've noticed now on Amtrak's site that reservations are listed as "sold out" from Friday all the way to Wednesday next week. I've canceled my reservation for Sunday, because it's become quite clear that it's going to get too dangerous on the tracks this weekend to risk going anywhere. I'm quite peeved about it, though. I won't be able to go on vacation again until next year, and I was really looking forward to Miami next week.Leaving from Lorto, Va to Sanford, FL on the Autotrain on Sunday -- I'm wondering about the status of my trip too...any input appreciated.
Smoked some strong stuff last night eh? :giggle:If service is suspended on the NEC does this mean Amtrak will take six years to restore service as in the Sunset east? If Sunyside is affected doesn't this also suspend all trains to Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Atlanta as well as the Florida trains? If all those trains are suspended, Amtrak could even turn a profit this year.
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