Why is the Blue Water so late tonight? (snow? cold? equipment?)

[reppin_the_847]

Hello folks. I've been a member on here for a while, but I don't really post much. I'm from the Chicago area, but I've been situated in Michigan for the past year or so. I'm supposed to take the Blue Water tonight from Kalamazoo to East Lansing. The train was originally scheduled to depart Kalamazoo at 7:12 PM Eastern (supposed to originate out of Chicago at 4:00 PM Central Time). A few hours ago, it appeared that the train had left Chicago around 5:30 PM (about an hour and a half late). Then the status froze for a while, and the train was "re-scheduled" to depart Chicago at 8:00 PM Central. Needless to say, the site says that the train left Chicago at 8:28 PM (4 hours & 28 minutes late). The train is estimated to arrive at Kalamazoo by 11:58 PM Eastern & then East Lansing at 1:27 AM Eastern. Anyone have any insider information here or clue as to what is going on? Could it be the 16 inches of snow that dumped into NW Indiana along with the subzero temperatures throughout the region? Perhaps they had to substitute in a Superliner at the last minute?

 

[SarahZ]

I'm not sure. Is there anyone who can pick you up in Kalamazoo, or someone here who can drive you to Lansing?

 

[SarahZ]

Also, are you stuck at the station? Are they keeping KAL open later for you guys?

 

[reppin_the_847]

Hello SarahZ, thanks for the response. Luckily, I am safe and warm at a relative's apartment in Portage just a few miles south of the station. I have been monitoring the status updates on the Amtrak website. I don't feel like we should venture up to the station until the train is a bit closer (after it clears New Buffalo at least). I'm not really sure what's going on up at the station to tell you the truth. I will be dropped off at the Kalamazoo station when we get closer to the actual departure time. I do have a vehicle sitting parked at the East Lansing station.

 

[SarahZ]

Generally, they leave it open if the train is delayed. It doesn't make sense to let everyone stand out there and freeze.

If it is closed, that McDonald's across the street is open 24 hours. They only ask that you purchase something if you want to sit there, even if it's just coffee.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

One would think it all the above.

Snow, cold, equipment issues.

Hope everthing work out.

 

[Old MM]

Hi Reppin, sorry for the late reply, but the normal equipment on the Michigan services does run into problems when it gets cold enough, so in the dead of winter you will see the occaisonal Superliner, and other trains might be late or cancelling. And, that was good intelligence Sarah provided on the KAL station - I never noticed the 24 hr McD's.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, it turned out that they were running standard Horizon equipment even for the substitution. The conductor told me that their initial equipment out of Chicago had engine trouble. Therefore, they had to wait for a substitute which ended up leaving Chicago 4 hours & 28 minutes late ! I finally arrived into East Lansing at 2:10 AM. The train was originally scheduled to be in East Lansing by 8:54 PM.

Thankfully, I called Amtrak's Customer Relations department as I routinely due for delayed trips (1 hour or greater delays), and they cut me an electronic transportation credit good for a year. I'd advise all of you to do the same thing when you experience 1 hour or greater delays on Amtrak.

Hi Reppin, sorry for the late reply, but the normal equipment on the Michigan services does run into problems when it gets cold enough, so in the dead of winter you will see the occaisonal Superliner, and other trains might be late or cancelling. And, that was good intelligence Sarah provided on the KAL station - I never noticed the 24 hr McD's.

 

[reppin_the_847]

I forgot to sign in when making my most recent response. The "Guest" response is actually from me as you might've guessed.

 

[SarahZ]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad you got home (eventually).