The Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited continues to operate as a shuttle train between Boston and Albany-Rensselaer, New York, with Amtrak yet to say when Nos. 448 and 449 will resume running through to and from Chicago.
In a service advisory posted on its website, Amtrak had said that the shuttle train arrangement would last through June 13.
But now the advisory has been removed and online reports indicate that Amtrak has been calling passengers booked with Viewliner sleeper accommodations in July to inform them they were being rebooked.
In one instance, the passenger was rerouted via New York City and placed on an Acela Express train between Boston and New York.
In another, the passenger was rebooked in a coach seat between Albany and Boston.
A check of the Amtrak website found that Nov. 2 was the earliest date for which a Viewliner sleeper room can be booked from Cleveland to Boston.
The online reports indicated that track construction near the Albany-Rennselaer station is continuing and Amtrak is unable to separate or combine the New York and Boston sections of the Lake Shore Limited. Once the project is completed, the track capacity of the station will be increased.
In the meantime, online reports indicates that Nos. 48/49 (the New York section) are operating with 11 cars, including a baggage car, three Viewliner sleepers, dining car, café car and five Amfleet II coaches.
Nos. 48 and 49 are typically pulled by a pair of P42DC locomotives. In recent weeks, the motive power consist has featured No. 156, the Phase I livery heritage locomotive.
A check of Heritageunits.com found that No. 156 has been assigned to No. 48 or No. 49 since at least late May, often leading either westbound or eastbound.