Amtrak Guest Rewards - BOS-NHV Outage 12/12

The NEC from New Haven to Boston was closed for about five hours today due to a fallen tree and downed wires.

I was on Amtrak 2190, the 6:20am Acela Express NYP-BOS. Fare = $101, with free upgrade to First Class. The train is pretty full. We depart NYP on-time. Early at New Haven; stand-by 10 minutes and depart on-time. Passing Branford, I notice we have slowed to about 30mph. Then at Guilford, we STOP. And I mean STOP. The conductor runs at key-jangling speed up to the engine, and a passenger on the other side of the coach (we're the head end coach) points out the window at dangling wires. The conductor comes out a few minutes later and explains a 60' tree has toppled across the tracks, and brought down the wires. We're going to reverse to New Haven, and then be on our own. The NEC is officially closed.

I dial Avis as fast as I can - I know there's a small outlet at the New Haven train station. I score a reservation. Arriving at New Haven, I position myself at the door I think will open to the staircase (closer to the rear of the train). I run downstairs, and manage to be second on line at the Avis counter. I get my car, and find all 300+ people on line for either the Avis counter or the Peter Pan Bus at the next counter.

I understand that at about 1pm, one track was opened and service (with delays) restored. Given the remoteness of the area and the damage I saw, I'm surprised they got things going that fast.

How many others did you take to Boston with you in the car?

Can you clarify - they emptied the train at New Haven and said "sorry, you guys are on your own?" No alternate transportation provided? Folks stranded in NHV with no way to get home or continue onto their destination?

That is par for the course. Amtrak rarely or never provides any alternative transportation. You are welcome to wait for service to be restored...

Can you clarify - they emptied the train at New Haven and said "sorry, you guys are on your own?" No alternate transportation provided? Folks stranded in NHV with no way to get home or continue onto their destination?

That's exactly what happened. They said that the trainset we were on would eventually go back to NYP, and those who were interested could wait and return without additional fare. But there was no timeframe given.

Thanks for clarifying. So folks were in fact allowed to wait on the train if they didn't have anything time sensitive to do and amtrak would in fact get them to their destination (eventually). I was just disturbed at the thought that people were just left to fend for themselves completely - that seems like it would be a violation of the contract of carriage.

At least they backed you up to NHV and unloaded. I suppose it could have been worse - they could have left you sitting on the tracks for 6 hours in the coaches while they fixed the problem and then left you with a timed out crew, stranding you for even longer.

I sort of understand the original poster's angst. I do believe that it would have taken awhile to lay some sort of alternate transportation on. Could the people got to their destination any earlier? By the time the buses were ordered and arrived and everyone sorted out what would it have saved the passengers 1/2 hour maybe.

Amtrak has offered everyone on the train a full refund.

But I still want to know if the OP took anyone of the other distressed passengers with him in the car he rented or was he also in the everyone is on their own mode?