What warrants a "Service Disruption" or "Service Alert&#34

[Trains4me]

I ask because the CONO has had a tough couple of weeks. Initially due to the flooding north of Memphis into Missouri and Illinois and lately south of Memphis in the NOLA area resulting in bustitutions that appear to be working out pretty well with respect to staying on schedule end point arrival times according to some posts I have read.

However, the arrival and departure status boards on the website just direct you to call Amtak because of a service disruption and track a train

is of no help.

Understand the spillway outside of NOLA was opened and has caused bustitution to Hammond at least, some have said Jackson, also thought I saw one post mentioning all the way to Memphis because of limited opportunities to turn the train(s) south of Memphis.

Why no official "Disruption" or "Service" alert. Is is just a day to day scenario and no one knows how long to plan or advise for?

Did I just answer my own question??

 

[fillyjonk]

I admit it seems strange for me that Amtrak has a WEBPAGE that, you know, can be UPDATED, and yet, the only "service alerts" they ever post are things that are known months in advance. Yes, there are Twitter feeds, but (IIRC) only for the NE corridor and California.

I was in the Bustitution in early January on the TE (is that still going on?). I found out by an e-mail a couple days in advance but they just said "there's a change in your itinerary" and a new ticket. And later, an e-mail informing me my CC was refunded (for the time I lost the use of the roomette while on the bus).

I dunno; I get that that takes people to update a webpage, but, for example, my university posts immediately on the webpage if they are closing for winter weather or something. And I'm pretty sure we have fewer "PR" or "Information Officer" type people than Amtrak does.

 

[Eric S]

In my opinion, Amtrak does a poor job at communicating travel and service disruptions through both its website and its general Twitter account. Perhaps others can point to a transportation company (airline, bus company, railroad) that could be used as a model - I unfortunately am unfamiliar with others to offer a suggestion. But I do think the opportunity exists for significant improvements in this regard.

 

[fairviewroad]

In my opinion, Amtrak does a poor job at communicating travel and service disruptions through both its website and its general Twitter account. Perhaps others can point to a transportation company (airline, bus company, railroad) that could be used as a model - I unfortunately am unfamiliar with others to offer a suggestion. But I do think the opportunity exists for significant improvements in this regard.

I agree.

Not sure what I'd point to in terms of other national travel providers that could serve as a model. When airlines experience a service disruption, the number of canceled flights would typically exceed what could be effectively communicated via Twitter. You'd just have a firehose of information coming, which would not be terribly useful.

In a way, the best model might be regional rail transit agencies, many of which Tweet out very specific delay information. That's not the same as updating the main Amtrak website, but it would be something. And really, Amtrak could just include a Twitter widget on its homepage so that people who aren't "on Twitter" could still scroll through and

see the latest updates.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Amtrak is very inconsistent with its use of the dreaded "Service Disruption". Case in point. Train 30(1/22/2016) is canceled east of Pittsburgh. It's in the reservations system that way. In other words, the schedule has been modified. So when it comes time to run the train, what do they do? They slap it with a "Service Disruption". Why? That makes it almost impossible to find the train in an already difficult situation, in this case a snowstorm. I bet the call center is hopping.

jb

 

[Thirdrail7]

I ask because the CONO has had a tough couple of weeks. Initially due to the flooding north of Memphis into Missouri and Illinois and lately south of Memphis in the NOLA area resulting in bustitutions that appear to be working out pretty well with respect to staying on schedule end point arrival times according to some posts I have read.

However, the arrival and departure status boards on the website just direct you to call Amtak because of a service disruption and track a train

is of no help.

Understand the spillway outside of NOLA was opened and has caused bustitution to Hammond at least, some have said Jackson, also thought I saw one post mentioning all the way to Memphis because of limited opportunities to turn the train(s) south of Memphis.

Why no official "Disruption" or "Service" alert. Is is just a day to day scenario and no one knows how long to plan or advise for?

Did I just answer my own question??

You indeed answered your on questions. One is planned and arranged in advance while the other is hastily arranged based upon prevailing conditions, which may change at a moments notice.