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I have been extremely lucky on recent Amtrak trips with all trains less than an hour late. Today my luck ran out. I'm catching the Palmetto from Florence, SC to Wilmington, DE. This morning I received the dreaded 'Service Disruption' email.
Apparently a CSX derailment delayed departure. No. 90 now reported to have left Savannah 2hr 30 min late.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
As reported earlier, my trip on the Palmetto from Florence to Wilmington, DE got off to a slow start, thanks to a disabled freight train near Charleston.
The 2hr 30min late departure never got too much later. We did lose another 30min in that place where trains go to die - the busy single track railroad between Rocky Mount and Richmond. But, the dispatchers did a good job. We went in the siding twice for southbound freights. In one instance two freights were running back to back separated by just a few minutes. We also passed the Silver Star and Auto Train, both sitting on the same siding as we sped past.
Even with those delays, Wilmington arrival was 2 hr. 20min late. Evidently because of the significant original delay, Amtrak brought out the 'emergency' snack packs and water. A nice touch, but seemed like something that would be appropriate all the time for those in BC.
The return trip was flawless, on time throughout. The headline story of the trip for me was the ridership in BC. While the northbound train had a light passenger load (the conductor said that was normal on a very late train - passengers give up), it was heavy southbound, but granted it was a Sunday. All 4 coaches were in use with three completely full.
I've taken quite a few trips on the Palmetto and BC used to have around 12-15 passengers. That number quickly declined south of Wilson, NC. But, with a full coach now operating as a BC that had increased somewhat recently, but still there were very few passengers towards the southern end of the trip.
That pattern is apparently shifting. On this trip I counted 31 BC passengers south of Fayetteville, NC with all continuing to Florence, Charleston or Savannah. Good to see. The crew was excellent too. They actually seemed to be hustling throughout and made speedy stops with a very short smoke break for passengers in Fayetteville. Overall a good trip on a nice fall day.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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I believe that's in the dictionary under the heading 'Black Hole'!
One note - Downtown Fayetteville, NC has really come a long way in the last 15-20 years. The Prince Charles Hotel was renovated and is a destination again. There is a new military museum across the tracks from the train station. The train station has had renovation work done and even features a Subway sandwich shop. There is also a new (within the last 15 years) police station which went up where a row of pawn shops and strip clubs once stood.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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