How Amtrak Reacts to Snow and Extreme Winter Weather
How Amtrak Reacts to Snow and Extreme Winter Weather
When snow makes other modes of travel tough, Amtrak works around-the-clock to monitor snowfall events and keep the trains running. However, in times of upcoming extreme winter weather events, Amtrak will proactively cancel trains for the safety and convenience of passengers to provide more time to find alternative travel arrangements. Read on to learn what to expect during snowy weather for your upcoming Amtrak trip and how to check your train status.
How Amtrak Handles Snowy Weather Conditions
Weather Monitoring
Amtrak’s National Operations Center and Emergency Management personnel monitor the latest weather conditions 24/7 and assess railroad and related infrastructure conditions in real-time. If they determine the need to operate on a modified schedule, passengers can get train status updates on Amtrak.com and on the Amtrak mobile app. Schedule and service change announcements are made as far in advance as possible and posted on our Service Alerts page. If necessary, you can modify your reservation to travel at a different time.
Tree-Trimming
Amtrak performs year-round tree-trimming to proactively minimize the impact of downed trees or branches that can damage the overhead electrical system or impede the safe passage of trains. When conditions dictate extra help is needed, Amtrak has independent contractors on standby to assist our crews in quickly responding to these issues so trains can roll again.
Additional Staffing
When storms hit, Amtrak’s mechanical, engineering and operations teams mobilize additional crews to ensure safe and efficient operations, while additional on-board staff are pre-positioned to fill in if scheduled crews are delayed due to weather conditions.
Equipment Positioning
When the forecast calls for high winds and/or heavy snow, diesel locomotives and on-track maintenance equipment are strategically positioned along high-traffic routes to address downed trees or branches that can both disable overhead electrical systems and make the tracks impassable. Diesel locomotives provide the power to move trains when conditions are deemed safe, while on-track equipment is dispatched to make any necessary infrastructure repairs.
Switch Inspections
Amtrak inspects the interlocking tracks that allow rail traffic controllers to route trains from one track to another, known as switches, to ensure they remain operational even in inclement weather. In cold weather, switch heaters are activated, and the switches are lubricated and treated with anti-freeze materials to keep them fully operational.
Jet-Powered Blowers
During heavy snow, Amtrak uses jet-powered blowers to clear snow, ice and other debris off tracks. The blowers are positioned in areas with typically heavy snowfall such as the Northeast Corridor (NEC), Albany, NY and Chicago.
When & Why Amtrak Cancels for Extreme Winter Conditions
Sometimes, factors like ice and dangerously cold temperatures outweigh all of our best efforts to keep the trains running. Extreme conditions can take a significant toll on our trains, displacing passengers and crews and interrupting service for multiple days. The safety of passengers and employees is Amtrak’s top priority.
- We want to give our employees time to plan and avoid travel on snow-covered roads when possible. This helps ensure equipment and crews are in the right place at the right time when demand returns.
- We want to help customers avoid the same risks, and prevent them from waiting long, uninformed hours in our stations. Rail operations are often severely impacted, highly variable and notoriously hard to estimate when storms are raging.
- Our teams consider the risks of stranded trains, or loss of power that puts the well-being of our employees, customers and first responders at risk, if our trains encounter downed trees or other hazards — especially in remote areas.
- Amtrak must respect decisions made by our host railroads and other partners. They evaluate their own risks, staffing availability and determine what they can support. We adjust.
How to Check for Cancellation Notifications of Your Train
If extreme winter weather conditions compel Amtrak to operate a modified schedule of service or outright cancel a trip, you are encouraged to explore the following train status information options:
- Self-modify reservations via Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245)
- Visit Amtrak.com and select the “Train Status” option in the menu or download the Amtrak app for the latest train status information
- Subscribe to delay alerts for any train via email or text message at Amtrak.com/DelayAlerts
- Follow @AmtrakNECAlerts and @AmtrakAlerts on X for real-time service information on Amtrak trains in the NEC and across the country
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