ORLANDO, Fla. — Amtrak has cancelled or abbreviated routes for a number of trains in the Southeast as a result of Tropical Storm Idalia, now approaching Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Orlando-area commuter operator SunRail will also suspend operations as of Tuesday, Aug. 29, until further notice. Tri-Rail and Brightline operations in South Florida are not affected.
Amtrak operations changes begin today (Monday, Aug. 28, with southbound No. 91, the Silver Star and No. 97, the Silver Meteor, terminating in Jacksonville, Fla. No alternate transportation will be provided to Miami and other points south of Jacksonville.
On both Tuesday, Aug. 29, and Wednesday, Aug. 30, both directions of Auto Train, the Silver Star, and the Silver Meteor have been cancelled. The Palmetto, which normally operates between New York and Savannah, Ga., will only operate between New York and Washington, D.C. As of Tuesday evening, the northbound Silver Star and Silver Meteor of Thursday, Aug. 31, have been added to the list of trains affected, with both trains scheduled to originate in Jacksonville.
Amtrak’s service notification advises customers affected by the changes to call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
SunRail’s website reports it is suspending service to prepare its corridor for the impending storm. An advisory explains that suspensions may occur when sustained winds are expected to reach 39 mph at ground level or flooding is expected. Gates at 126 grade crossings must be removed or secured and trains must be secured; after the storm, those gates must be returned to operation, all track must be inspected, and any debris within four feet of the track must be removed.
Last year, SunRail was shut down from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2 because of Hurricane Ian, another storm from the Gulf Coast, and did not fully restore operations until Oct. 17 [see “Orlando’s SunRail to resume full-route service …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 16, 2022].
The current forecast predicts Idalia will become a hurricane this evening and a major hurricane by late Tuesday or Tuesday night, and could bring a significant coastal storm surge, along with 4 to 8 inches of rain in portions of Florida, Georgia and the eastern Carolinas.
— Updated Aug. 29 at 8:25 p.m. CDT with information on Aug. 31 Amtrak trains.
We all know the story of the rescue train dispatched from Homestead intothe keys on FEC in the great hurricane of 1935.
Train swept away, 100’s dead. And the demise of FEC service south of Florida City.
I’m sure that’s what Dr. Usten had in mind when he issued his warning.
Both Amtrak and SunRail administrations are wise enough to know that Tropical Storm Idalia is no joke!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
And why can’t the Palmetto operate over its entire route???
Savannah and the like is within the NWS “Cone of Probability” for a hit by the storm.