WASHINGTON — Beginning Friday, Amtrak will suspend service in Florida in anticipation of severe weather expected to hit the Southeastern U.S., the passenger railroad announced Thursday evening.
According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Dorian is on a track that could result in life-threatening storm surges in the southeastern U.S. on Sunday or Monday.
The first cancellations take effect Friday, Aug. 30, and cover the southbound Silver Star and Silver Meteor between Jacksonville, Fla., and Miami.
More widespread cancellations begin on Saturday, Aug. 31, covering the northbound Silver Meteor and Silver Star between Miami and Jacksonville; the southbound Silver Meteor and Silver Star, originating in New York; and both directions of Auto Train service between Sanford, Fla., and Lorton, Va. The cancellations for the southbound Silver Meteor and Silver Star, and both Auto Trains, are effective through Monday, Sept. 2.
The northbound Silver Star and Silver Meteor are cancelled from Miami to New York beginning Sunday, Sept. 1. Those cancellations are effective through Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Dates for restoration of service will depend on conditions.
For more information or to check train status, check Amtrak’s website or smartphone apps. To change reservations affected by the cancellations, call Amtrak’s reservation center at 800-USA-RAIL.
Amtrak actually jumped the gun. The NB Auto Train on Sat should still have run. SB Trains should have been run all the way on Friday with the departures today of the NB Star and Meteor. As it is, the area most likely to be affected is the Carolinas as with Hurricane Matthew. Restoring SB trains on the 3rd is also a wrong call as that would send them into where the NHC predicts it will be on Thursday, the 5th.
First test of Brightline/Virgin Trains is next.
This will be their first major hurricane in their service area since they started up. Let’s see how they do.
Hopefully better than the Labor Day event that took out the FEC KW Extension in 1936.