NEW YORK — Amtrak has cancelled one train today and several on Monday in anticipation of a winter storm striking Pennsylvania.
Cancelled today (Sunday, March 3) is the westbound Pennsylvanian, train No. 43, which was supposed to depart New York Penn Station at 10:51 a.m. and arrive in Pittsburgh at 7:59 p.m.
Cancelled for Monday, March 4, is the eastbound Pennsylvanian, which normally departs Pittsburgh at 7:30 a.m. and arrives in New York at 4:55 p.m., along with nine New York-Philadelphia-Harrisburg, Pa., Keystone Service trains between New York and Harrisburg, Pa. The cancelled departures are Harrisburg-bound trains Nos. 605, 609, 647, 651 and 639, and New York-bound trains Nos. 642, 646, 656, and 620.
Amtrak’s notice says “full scheduled service will be restored pending improved conditions.” The railroad also reports Northeast Corridor service between Boston and Washington will continue as scheduled.
Robert McGuire, There all always exceptions to every rule,such as an avalanche or a massive amount of snow,but in regular winter weather with cold and snow,trains make it through safer than any other mode of transport. Anderson’s mentality towards Amtrak is either terribly misguided and ignorant of how trains operate as opposed to planes,or as I suspect,he is a plant and a puppet of very powerful anti-Amtrak organizations.
Mister McGuire:
You still don’t know where I live, except that it is somewhere north, and somewhere east, of Eugene. How much in either direction is not your business.
And it’s pronounced Or-A-Gun, as in everyone having a rifle or a gun.
And Mister Warfel:
All I said what that the groundhog is a lying sack of (whatever). I did not specify WHICH groundhog. Do not put words in my mouth.
The above remarks are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Find your own damn lawyer.
“WHEN THE WEATHER SAYS NO,THE TRAINS STILL GO!” Ha! We saw how well that worked in Oregon last weekend. Although I feel that canceling trains fro a 5-7 inch snowfall in an area that is used to such amounts seems a little ridiculous. Anderson’s airline mentality has served the airlines well as they are not only profitable but also run the safest form of commercial travel in the world. They certainly are doing something right that Amtrak needs to copy. As far as Anna Harding goes, The great mystery of where she lives is now solved. I thought she lived in Canada.
Can’t speak for all stations west of Harrisburg but; I know the station in Lewistown is manned by a group of volunteers who would likely see to snow removal.
With so many stations west of Harrisburg without a staff now, who is going to shovel away the
snow for the passengers now??
Careful there Anna; mustn’t liable Punxsutawney Phil!
Now to the matter at hand; it does seem that Amtrak’s “leadership” suffers from the airline mentality when weather events loom. Anderson needs a veteran railroad person who can lend some perspective when decisions must be made whether to cancel trains on account of weather.
It could be they are gun shy because of what has been happening in the West. People in Eugene are telling me that they got about a foot of snow in the city proper and everything was paralyzed, but while snow is not unusual in the Willamette that much is. As for me, I live a little further north than Eugene (but not that much further north) and a bit east, and we have six feet of snow in the yard, and I just had to pay to get what I estimate as 30,000 pounds of snow shoveled off the roof of the house.
Then there was the the California Zephyr getting stuck in the snow near Donner Pass, and I believe there have been other incidents as well (Empire Builder, what else?) recently. Nobody wants a repeat of the Great Blizzard of 1952.
There is no doubt this has been a hard winter and it ain’t over yet. Maybe they are gun shy, maybe they know they don’t have the resources in place (for whatever reason) to handle the expected snowfall. If a train gets stuck, for example, out of whose operating budget does the cost of the rescue come? I don’t know, but I do know it isn’t free.
Oh – and that groundhog. Now THERE is a lying sack of **** …
The above remarks are general in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Find your own damn lawyer.
The snow is worst along the southern PA counties but it probably will only be 5-7 inches at the most on the grass. Winds aren’t that bad. That’s nothing for trains. Last I heard the buses were still running. Its ridiculous they cancel trains for that small amount.
Just as they are needed the most,the present Amtrak administration cancels trains,which make them look more like an irrelevant transportation option in the eyes of the general public. Where otherwise, Amtrak could prove itself as a necessary mode in this type of weather and introduce thousands to what is supposed to be an inclement weather choice. There used to be a mural on the side of the Katy building in downtown Dallas which pictured a steam locomotive commandeering a crack Katy passenger train in a blinding snowstorm with the slogan,”WHEN THE WEATHER SAYS NO,THE TRAINS STILL GO!”
And if it’s 4 to 8 inches predicted, you’re only guaranteed 2. I saw UP trains heading to and from Sherman Hill this morning in sub-zero temps. Come on, Amtrak.
No, it is not even 8″. The prediction is for 4-8″. However, there is a 46% chance that less than 4″ will fall. AMTRAK’s decision is totally ridiculous — and not conducive to retaining, let alone growing, passengers.
Eight inches? In Penna that’s snow flurries.
Here south central PA the most snow could be 8″. I guess the airplane mentality, of the Amtrak administration, can’t fathom that trains can run in only a few inches of snow and they don’t even have to de-ice trains. It’s time the Amtrak president is replaced and let real railroaders run the show.