Whats up with EB #7 & #8

[lionelhoguy]

We are leaving next week (Dec 27 CBS to SAV) and we plan to take EB #8 from CBS to CHI and I just checked to see service disruptions on the EB. Is this the Mayan thing or are there other problems? Should we plan to drive to Chicago.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

It's just track work between CHI and MSP. The train is being detoured on an alternative route and will not pass through CBS. All this is irrelevent to you because it ends on the 20 December.

 

[lionelhoguy]

Is it a bustitution or another rail line?

Thanks for the information.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Is it a bustitution or another rail line?

Thanks for the information.

Both. Train on another line, pax for missed stops take a bus. But as I said, this is irrelevent because you are going on the 27th which is after the track work.

 

[anir dendroica]

Two things:

1. Detour on BNSF from MSP to CHI due to scheduled track work. Today should be the last day of that detour, after which the train will return to the regular route through CBS.

2. Mudslide madness just east of Seattle, resulting in bus-substitution for the last 40 miles or so from Everett to Seattle. This causes trains to display as a service disruption despite running normally for 95% of the route. Typically these slides cause minimal delays to #8, but yesterday's #8 (19) is running 7 hours late due to being caught on the wrong side of a mudslide.

Mark

 

[EB_OBS]

CP track work is cancelled for today.

 

[Henry Kisor]

There will be no delays after Dec. 21. The world ends that day. :giggle:

 

[AmtrakBlue]

There will be no delays after Dec. 21. The world ends that day. :giggle:

h34r: I'm waiting till Saturday to wrap my presents - why go through the trouble now if I won't be giving them to people next week. h34r:

 

[CHamilton]

 

[montana mike]

The EBs are certainly a mess today for sure--both 8's are 4 and 7 hours late respectively and both 7's are just showing a service disruption with no other status-goodness knows where they are and what is happening to them. I imagine the snowstorm is playing some role, but it looks like the decent run of close to on time performance is on the back burner for a while. I still shake my head at the mud slide situation in Washington State--and watching that video yesterday drives home how ludicrous it is that both the rail road and the state have not taken any viable action for years, but rather to just let things "slide' every winter, watch the trains derail and clean up the mess and do it all over again a number of times each winter. Seeing the amount of mud and debris that came roaring down the slopes one has to wonder how much more is left, since this happens quite often every year!

 

[jis]

 

[EB_OBS]

The #7s are showing a "service disruption" due to the termination in Everett, WA, but they are otherwise running on-time. Running quite well actually. They've been into Spokane around 1am all week.

 

[Phil S]

2. Mudslide madness just east of Seattle, resulting in bus-substitution for the last 40 miles or so from Everett to Seattle. This causes trains to display as a service disruption despite running normally for 95% of the route. Typically these slides cause minimal delays to #8, but yesterday's #8 (19) is running 7 hours late due to being caught on the wrong side of a mudslide.

Mark

Should say just north of Seattle. Doesn't matter to a passenger but it helps when we talk about fixes if everyone understands the geography and geology, which is the real problem. The geology has accumulated over at least a million years and the resulting problems aren't going to be resolved overnight.

 

[anir dendroica]

Thought about saying north but figured that might confuse the original poster who, after all, is traveling from Wisconsin to Chicago and presumably considers the EB to be an east-west train.

Hey, another AU member in Corvallis...

2. Mudslide madness just east of Seattle, resulting in bus-substitution for the last 40 miles or so from Everett to Seattle. This causes trains to display as a service disruption despite running normally for 95% of the route. Typically these slides cause minimal delays to #8, but yesterday's #8 (19) is running 7 hours late due to being caught on the wrong side of a mudslide.

Mark

Should say just north of Seattle. Doesn't matter to a passenger but it helps when we talk about fixes if everyone understands the geography and geology, which is the real problem. The geology has accumulated over at least a million years and the resulting problems aren't going to be resolved overnight.

 

[lionelhoguy]

Thanks for all of the great info. anir dendroica, don't worry about confusing me, I am plenty old and confused already . We have taken the EB CBS to SEA many times and I understand the track north of Seattle through Everett. I really enjoy that part of the trip along Puget Sound.

 

[Trogdor]

The Builder ran its normal route yesterday, but was delayed west of St. Paul, lost a bit more time to MKE, then lost several hours waiting for open track after a grade crossing accident involving train 341.

 

[lionelhoguy]

We only have about a three hour window to work with, If it looks tight we will just drive to Chicago.

 

[Trogdor]

A couple of things to note before you decide to drive:

1) Check to see if an on-time bus is being offered. Frequently, if the train is going to miss connections, they will offer an alternate.

2) If you choose to drive, you must contact Amtrak and have your reservation modified. Otherwise, your reservation could cancel if you are determined to be a "no-show" on your Builder segment. That's just the way eticketing works.

 

[George Harris]

I loveit, I love it, I love it.

 

[lionelhoguy]

I just checked the Status maps and I see the #8 has a service disruption out of Seattle, so I guess I will be finding another way to Chicago. I called Amtrak and they said that if I miss a connection they offer hotels and food vouchers. I think I will just find a way to Chicago and Call Amtrak tomorrow and let them know.

Does anyone think that the storm running through the south will cause any problems along the WAS to Savannah leg on Saturday?

 

[anir dendroica]

Don't worry yet. #8 is running despite bus bridge near Seattle due to mudslides. Your train could well be on time.

 

[Trogdor]

Use 28 for train status updates if #8 shows "service disruption." At least until they clear the disruption message from 8.

 

[lionelhoguy]

I called Amtrak this morning and they said that it was about 2 hours late out of Libby Mt. I am currently waiting to talk to a service rep to see where they are now. I think I may be finding another way to Chicago.

 

[lionelhoguy]

The service rep just said that they are still about 2 hours late, and the Amtrak train Status page shows it on time, I wonder who to believe?

 

[Trogdor]

The service rep just said that they are still about 2 hours late, and the Amtrak train Status page shows it on time, I wonder who to believe?

Where are you getting the "on time" message?

The train may currently be two hours late, but based on built in recovery time (and assuming a good run, which may or may not happen; requires predicting the future which humans are decidedly bad at doing), could conceivably arrive on time at its destination.

You can't really believe any future predictions until they happen.