Amtrak Service Resumes Wednesday

HUNTINGTON -- Lingering problems from the massive snowstorm that paralyzed parts of the Northeast over the weekend of Dec. 19-20 have caused problems for Amtrak's Cardinal for more than a week, but full service is expected to resume through Huntington and Ashland on Wednesday.

The storm buried CSX Transportation tracks through West Virginia's New River Gorge and knocked out electrical power to signals, preventing any train movements, including the thrice-weekly Chicago-Washington, D.C.-New York passenger train.

Beginning Dec. 20, eastbound No. 50 operated only from Chicago to Huntington, turned around at Barboursville, and returned to Chicago as No. 51. That same procedure was followed on the train's runs this past Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Passengers arriving in Huntington on the morning of Dec. 23 who were bound for points east were bused to Charleston; Charlottesville, Va.; and Washington. No alternate transportation was provided to Montgomery, Thurmond, Prince, Hinton, Alderson or White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia or Clifton Forge and Stanton in Virginia. And as the Christmas holiday approached, even the limited bus service was canceled.

"The decision not to provide alternate bus transportation to the smaller cities and towns on the route during that first cancellation was based on the fact that roads in the region were impassable and Interstate 64 was really the only open road -- and even it was having problems," Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black said. "Also, during the holiday period, it was difficult to obtain buses on short notice due to bus drivers taking scheduled vacations."

Other weather-related problems in the Northeast Corridor forced the cancellations of the Cardinal on the eastern end of its route, too, Black said. But passengers were able to reach several points between New York, Washington and Northeastern Virginia by using other Amtrak trains.

"Callbacks were made to passengers to inform them of these cancellations, permitting them to make alternate plans," Black said. "Passengers who had Chicago, Washington and New York as their destinations were rerouted on the Capitol Limited or Lake Shore Limited but, of course, some passengers in the intermediate markets had to seek alternative transportation."

Freight service through the Gorge was disrupted, too, for a while, according to Gary Sease, a CSXT spokesman, who added that the line was reopened for normal service earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Amtrak plans to resume through operation of the Cardinal effective with the arrival of the eastbound train from Chicago in Ashland at 6:29 a.m. and Huntington at 7:09 a.m., and arrival of the westbound train from New York in Huntington at 9:35 p.m. and Ashland at 9:58 p.m.

"Technically, it may have been possible to restore service on Saturday and Sunday," Black noted. "But passengers had largely made alternative travel plans by then for that holiday weekend, and, rather than trying to reverse our plan and get the word out, we made the decision to have an orderly resumption of service this Tuesday and Wednesday."

For more information, call the local Amtrak agent in Huntington at 304-523-7721 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, or 800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) 24 hours a day.


Source: herald-dispatch.com