Amtrak #2 falling behind due to locomotive issues

[OlympianHiawatha]

You have the Biodiesel Test Loco on Point now; I'm curious if it still runs on Bio Diesel or has been back converted.

 

[johnm]

From the rear....relief crew is still an hour out.

 

[keelhauled]

Have people started running for the hills yet?

 

[johnm]

Maybe! some of the passengers are taking their frustrations out on the onboard staff though.

How will Amtrak compensate a trainload of passengers?

 

[offroad437]

Do you have power? Looks like the Reds are on.

 

[johnm]

Yep, got power. that issued was fixed when they swapped the locos around.

Relief crew has arrived, and the #2 is on the move.

 

[offroad437]

Good luck. I was on 20 last month when hep went out at 1 am. It got very cold very fast. But cold is better than hot.... You can only remove so much before there is a problem.

 

[offroad437]

It now shows 1 in service disruption since it is scheduled to leave at .9am. However it appears 2 won't get in till after 12 noon.

Someone close to Amtrak said they are looking at turning the train in Houston or SAS and bussing the pax to/from Nola. This is just talk at this time. Please note nothing for sure. If I hear anything I will let yall know.

 

[johnm]

gotta chuckle, rolled out of the siding onto the main and stopped at a red over red in east Sanderson..... Probably the biggest news in this town in a while.

 

[johnm]

there has been the bus discussion on the train. fortunately we detrain in san anton.

 

[offroad437]

gotta chuckle, rolled out of the siding onto the main and stopped at red/red in Sanderson..... Probably the biggest news in this town in a while.

Yall can't get a break. The next time slot for Amtrak is not till Sunday, the dispatchers are pulling their hair out now.

It will be a lot of pull into siding after siding as yall snake your way east.

 

[Bjartmarr]

We are now stopped in Sanderson, TX waiting for a fresh crew, (hours of service) It appears the information provided by the conductor to us passengers was slightly incorrect. The train started as #11,#2,#500 and outside of Alpine, TX the configuration changed to #11, #2, with #11 dead in the consist.

We did get breakfast served, but they ran out of a few things, since breakfast was planned for a much smaller passenger load.

The onboard crew is holding up pretty well under the circumstances, even with some rather testy passengers.

Confused again.

Did you mean that the configuration changed to #500, #11, #2 with #11 dead? (The picture shows #500 in the lead...)

Usually when I hear "replacement locomotive" I think of a new one joining the train, but maybe the conductor meant that #500 was deadheading before, but they brought it online after the 2 P42's died. That makes the first four breakdowns more understandable: it's far more likely that two engines break down (and one is offline) than to have 3 break down all at once.

 

[offroad437]

If they turn it it will be SAS. Still not definite.

 

[offroad437]

We are now stopped in Sanderson, TX waiting for a fresh crew, (hours of service) It appears the information provided by the conductor to us passengers was slightly incorrect. The train started as #11,#2,#500 and outside of Alpine, TX the configuration changed to #11, #2, with #11 dead in the consist.

We did get breakfast served, but they ran out of a few things, since breakfast was planned for a much smaller passenger load.

The onboard crew is holding up pretty well under the circumstances, even with some rather testy passengers.

Confused again.

Did you mean that the configuration changed to #500, #11, #2 with #11 dead? (The picture shows #500 in the lead...)

Usually when I hear "replacement locomotive" I think of a new one joining the train, but maybe the conductor meant that #500 was deadheading before, but they brought it online after the 2 P42's died. That makes the first four breakdowns more understandable: it's far more likely that two engines break down (and one is offline) than to have 3 break down all at once.

Per a Maint guy I know. 11 had an failure. It was providing hep and 2 was traction. 500 was along for the ride (replacing the one in Nola so it could get rebuilt). They tried to get 2 to provide both but it over heated. They were lucky 500 was there. Now 500 is providing traction and they got 2 hep back. 11 is dead in the water.

 

[johnm]

didnt catch it before i posted...yep #500 on the point. just left del rio, no delays, no issues since sanderson. so far no announcement to the passengers continuing beyond san antonio as to train or bus....just rumors.

thanks for the update from maint guy.

 

[johnm]

Hats off to UP dispatchers, highball all the way from Sanderson into San Antonio. The train is terminating at SAS with the bus option for Eagle and Sunset continuing passengers.

The onboard staff did an outstanding job holding things together.

However, this was not an act of god or weather related....tired equipment, poor maintenance, poor decision making in Tucson? you decide.

later, hopefully you all liked the photos.

John

 

[DryCreek]

You have the Biodiesel Test Loco on Point now; I'm curious if it still runs on Bio Diesel or has been back converted.

I am not aware of any type of conversion that is required. Is there something that is needed for biodiesel usage? I know that I can run as much as 50% WVO (properly filtered, pH tested) in any of our engines with no problems. In fact, it has a higher lubricity rating than the LSD that was available until ULSD was introduced. You can tell when peanut oil is being used. I can't seem to lose the hankerin' for a PB&J.

 

[DryCreek]

Maybe! some of the passengers are taking their frustrations out on the onboard staff though.

How will Amtrak compensate a trainload of passengers?

I had this same question running through my mind all day today. I know that there are federal regulations that stipulate how an airline has to compensate you - based on the time you reach your destination and the cost of the segment. Do any of those same types of rules apply to passenger train service?

 

[neroden]

You have the Biodiesel Test Loco on Point now; I'm curious if it still runs on Bio Diesel or has been back converted.

I am not aware of any type of conversion that is required. Is there something that is needed for biodiesel usage? I know that I can run as much as 50% WVO (properly filtered, pH tested) in any of our engines with no problems. In fact, it has a higher lubricity rating than the LSD that was available until ULSD was introduced. You can tell when peanut oil is being used. I can't seem to lose the hankerin' for a PB&J.

You can run 100% biodiesel in nearly all diesel engines in warm weather. The only problems come if the temperature drops below the gel point. A mix with a small percentage of petroleum diesel (say, 90% biodiesel, 10% petroleum diesel) is necessary *only* if you need to prevent gelling in cold temperatures. You never need more petroleum diesel than that.

In fact, you can run 100% straight vegetable oil in most diesel engines, but there are some subtle corrosion issues, which is why biodiesel (which has been processed from the vegetable oil) is preferred.

Diesel engines were designed by Rudolf Diesel to run peanut oil originally. Petroleum diesel is used only because it's cheap.

 

[Chas]

I was supposed to catch this train tonight as #1 westbound at Yuma, Arizona. I just spoke to an Amtrak rep who said that it stayed in San Antonio — getting new locomotives, I hope — while passengers are being bussed to it from New Orleans, Houston, and points in between. She anticipated that it would be running five to eight hours late.

Train Tracker only works when a train originates at the designated station, she said, explaining why that web page shows Train 1 sitting in NOL.

 

[offroad437]

It looks like they sent a Maint crew to SAS to make the repairs to #11. The guy I know claims it was just a simple fix but shut down the onboard computer systems. If I can get more info I will post. Looks like they sent 500 back as a protect just incase so it still has 3 engines. Can someone confirm?

 

[user 1215]

Interestingly, Train 2(22) is also falling behind - already over an hour late before even reaching Maricopa.

Train 2/22(20?) is 10 hours behind at this moment.

 

[Motorcar]

The guy I know claims it was just a simple fix but shut down the onboard computer systems.

After all the people we bussed, the consist 500/11/2 and six cars ran to Houston, turned, picked up two private cars and ran back to San Antonio. The 11 DIT the entire time. 500/11 were switched out and placed on Sunday's train 2 east as trailing units behind two good ones. Four locos, 6 cars to NOL. 11 will be going north on the City, it is routed to Beech Grove for electrical repairs. Train 1 was held in SAS waiting on train 21 that had to reroute due to BNSF derailment at Valley Mills. Snowball effect.

 

[offroad437]

11 is sitting with a few panels removed at the yard in Nola. Will try to get a pic or two tomorrow.