In fact, the big story that most outlets missed is that many Amtrak trains were sold out in advance on the busy travel days and generally survived otherwise paralyzing storms with modest delays but no cancellations.
A Trains News Wire review reveals that near total sell-outs occurred between New York and Boston in both directions on Sunday, when additional trains had been placed on the Thanksgiving weekend schedule as early as mid-October. As of midday Wednesday, Nov. 27, the only seats available Sunday into New York on the 22 Boston departures were on two trains that departed after 7:30 p.m. Eastbound, only the 2:40 a.m. Sunday morning New York departure showed any available space; the other 20 trains were sold out.
Before the weekend from New York to Washington, 17 trains were sold out Wednesday and 18 on Sunday, with the most remaining availability each day priced at $321 for an Acela business class seat and $196 for Northeast Regionals.
Upstate New York and Massachusetts were hard hit by snow on Sunday, but the only train significantly impacted was the Maple Leaf from Toronto, which arrived into New York’s Penn Station four hours late at 2 a.m., after its locomotives encountered unspecified mechanical problems. Delays to most trains on the Empire and Northeast Corridors averaged 30 minutes, but they all managed to navigate the harsh weather.
In the Midwest, all Chicago-St. Louis and Chicago-Michigan trains were sold out both Wednesday and Sunday, with only spotty availability on other regional routes even though most trains operated with an additional coach. All long-distance trains leaving Chicago on Sunday had no coach seats except the California Zephyr and Lake Shore Limited.
Despite harsh conditions — especially west of Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul, most trains arrived into Chicago with delays averaging about three hours if they passed through heavy snowfall areas. The exceptions: Sunday evening’s inbound Zephyr arrived 7 hours late and Friday’s Empire Builder got in eight and a half hours late at 12:25 a.m.
But those were the exceptions, and Amtrak was able to get travelers to their destinations in spite of weather that disrupted many other travel plans.
I drove the 500 miles round trip to my sister’s house and in Connecticut and the only real delay we encountered was due to construction in Hartford. And, I didn’t have to travel with a bunch of strangers.
Amtrak typically borrows commuter equipment for the additional NEC trains they run over Thanksgiving.
I see that the Crescent arrived in Atlanta Monday (Sunday out of NYP) with 5 coaches – usually has 3. So, it appears Amtrak did what they could to add capacity.
Good to see AMTK functioning. Amtrak has a ways to go to match the airlines
Today, Monday after Thanksgiving, Southwest Airlines has cancelled some New England flights. There were some relatively trivial events at the DCA Ronald Reagan hub delaying my evening return home by about an hour, not too shabby in the big scheme of things considering the date and the weather in parts of the Northeast. Proof of the adage if you’re in a hurry and/or want a guaranteed arrival, book an early flight, as flight delays accumulate as the day goes on. (Which is why four days ago, Thanksgiving morning, I booked a flight at 5:45 AM.)
Today’s hour-long delay comes after dozens of my flights with no delays at all. Can’t say that AMTK has an equal record.
I would say Amtrak did better in foul weather then other modes.
Three years ago, one of my brothers was booked on a return flight home to celebrate his 80th birthday. But all flights were grounded due to a blizzard that cancelled flights for four consecutive days. He got the last seat on the Chief and made it home the following day. In time for his birthday celebration. Sometimes, Amtrak is the best way to go.
Anna, the only place I see Amtrak advertising is on social media, primarily Facebook and Instagram.
Does Amtrak advertise? If so, where? I am far to busy to watch television (I get my news from other sources) so I wouldn’t know.
And Mister Sucich: That was the bad old days. Then, they would run extra cars, or even extra sections if necessary to satisfy the demand. But they had the equipment to do so. Sadly, Amtrak does not.
The above comments are genetic in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. The problem with infernal compulsion is that the generator won’t gen, the carburettor won’t carb, and the pistons won’t … well, never mind …
In the old days, there were no “sold out” trains. The railroads pulled cars out of storage. Remember riding the Rock Island Rocky Mountain Rocket parlor car which was a second section in September when college kids were going back to school. New York Central brought out heavyweight cars for the Chicagoan.