Wall of Shame

---

"Launch of service for Amtrak’s next-generation Acela trainsets has been pushed back into 2024, the Washington Post reports, as testing and computer simulations continue to find problems, most recently with the train’s wheelsets."

The Aurora Group asks, when are Amtrak and its vendors/contractors going to figure out how to build new and useable equipment?

"Alstom, which is building the 28 new high-speed trainsets, said in a statement to the Post that “modeling of the wheel-to-track interface is particularly complex due to age, condition, and specific characteristics of Amtrak infrastructure on the Northeast Corridor, and especially the existing tracks.” 

The Aurora Group message is Repair - Rebuild - Replace. Amtrak devalues its long-distance system as clearly described by Trains Magazine investigative reporter Bob Johnston in his April 7, 2023 story:

"The long-distance capacity issues have their roots in the reduction of service from daily to three or five times per week (along with the suspension of the Silver Meteor for eight months in 2022). This permitted Amtrak to store much of the equipment and decrease the workforce necessary to run daily schedules."

Lofty plans through the FRA Daily Long Distance Service Study and Amtrak Connects US depend on sufficient equipment to expand routes. However, Amtrak seems unable to operate the system it has today based upon staff and equipment shortages. The Aurora Group encourages Congressional investigation into equipment and staffing policies at Amtrak.

Amtrak acknowledged that it's experiencing nationwide server issues that are causing some train cancellations and delays in parts of their service area.

Due to a rail-industry control system that continues to experience intermittent communications issues, some Amtrak trains have been canceled, primarily in the Midwest. We’re working around-the-clock with our partners to continue troubleshooting and addressing these issues.

Reducing train usage is a curious way to help the planet.

Amtrak "met" its emissions/sustainability "goals" by RUNNING FEWER TRAINS and CUTTING SERVICE  Truly an embarrassment.

So, reducing trains to save the planet makes as much sense as increasing flights and car miles traveled to save the planet. To some extent, this is a weird COVID lockdown thing. But it’s also a perfect example of how government always measures the wrong thing in a way that gets in the way of actual progress.

“We made decisions during the pandemic about the amount of work we could accomplish and idled some equipment. A number of [those] pieces idled at that time are cued up for needing overhaul work to be done. Scheduling that…along with all of the baseline of overhaul work is something we haven’t been able to get fully into a calendar yet.”

Larry Chestler, Amtrak’s vice president of long-distance service, says the company has accepted 19 of the 125 Siemens long-distance locomotives ordered, but car issues mean capacity is down 11% from 2019 and will remain constricted throughout 2023.

Engine problems, long delays and unexpected stops turned a five-hour ride into a 19-hour ordeal.

“Amtrak apologies (sic) to those impacted by the delays of Train 351/353, and we are offering vouchers and or refunds to our customers,” spokesperson Jason Abrams said in a statement. But many passengers who are looking for answers from Amtrak say refunds aren’t enough.

An Amtrak train traveling from the D.C. area to Florida was stuck for hours in rural South Carolina with limited food supplies after its route was changed because of the derailment of a CSX freight train.

The 17-hour trip turned into a 37-hour nightmare for passengers on the Auto Train 53.

An Amtrak train headed to Charlotte on Friday night was delayed for hours on the tracks in the Triangle.  The Carolinian travels from New York City's Penn Station to Charlotte with stops including Selma-Smithfield, Raleigh, Durham and Greensboro. By 11 p.m., Amtrak reported that the train was running about five and a half hours behind schedule.

When both locomotives fail, Amtrak terminates the westbound Empire Builder in Devils Lake, North Dakota housing most passengers in local casino until the following day's train.

FRA statistics show Chicago-California train among worst performers for second consecutive quarter 

Cardinal misses a round trip; departing trains suffer terminal delays; NS heat restriction sees Crescent begin, end in Atlanta 

Kissimmee station condemned, downgraded to unstaffed station with no services/amenities until further notice.