Amtrak 5 CZ May 2 - 4 2012

[PeeweeTM]

Hi there!

Here's a short trip report from our trip last week.

After booking our trip in December 2011, a few weeks before departure, I found on this forum some information about delays for the CZ train caused by trackwork. This would give us a few hours in Denver, to do a short city trip! As often happens, it didn't go as planned.

Departure from Chicago was more or less on time and the first day went rather uneventfull.

During the night we collected some delay, perhaps caused by some heavy thunderstorms. Lightning continued for a few hours non-stop!

Shortly before Fort Morgan at about 6 of 7 AM we were however detoured at Brush onto the tracks towards North Platte, stopped right after the switched and moved in reverse onto the main track towards Denver and stopped before the branch to the power plant. It turned out, a freight train derailled on the eastern switches of Brush.

After an hour sitting there, BNSF crew arrives with ES44AC No6041, which was standing at the Brush coal plant. Being in the last sleeper, we had now a nice noice for our trip to Denver (luckely at day-time, the horn was kind of loud...)

Well, we arrived in Denver a bit after our rescheduled departing time, so our city trip to Denver was messed-up, but it gave a nice extra!

Leaving Denver was too late to make our slot. Shortly after passing road 93 we had to stop at a siding, because a downhill coal train had caused a hot box detector to awake. That crew found nothing worth to worry.

Smoke stops to Emeryville were all reduced in time or skipped. I'm not a smoker, but our kids could have done with some walking outside.

A bit of delay was reduced, mostly I guess because of padding in the schedule.

We arrived by bus from Emeryville to San Francisco after sun set, which gave a nice sky line few from the Bay Bridge.

All in all we got a nice trip and nothing to blame on Amtrak (or BNSF of UP for that mather). faces happens!

Greetings from Rotterdam, Holland

Peter

PS: I have some pictures to prove the BNSF locomotive, but no webspace...

 

[Shortline]

So what did they do, turn the train around and pull it with the freight engine? I guess the AMTK locks were on the rear then? Did they turn it back around in Denver? I guess I'm having trouble envisioning the purpose o this.

 

[MiRider]

So what did they do, turn the train around and pull it with the freight engine? I guess the AMTK locks were on the rear then? Did they turn it back around in Denver? I guess I'm having trouble envisioning the purpose o this.

I was on that same train.

The Conductor gave us a lot of information and we went right by the derailed coal cars and, as he said, no one was injured so it wasn't a tragedy.

We had to wait by the power plant for an engine from BNSF and then we went all the way to Denver in reverse.

I can't remember the exact time but we arrived in DEN around 11:30am.

 

[PeeweeTM]

So what did they do, turn the train around and pull it with the freight engine? I guess the AMTK locks were on the rear then? Did they turn it back around in Denver? I guess I'm having trouble envisioning the purpose o this.

Hi!

Normally, this train is turned (or do you say "whyed"?) in Denver, because the train enters Denver from the north(-eastern) en leaves Denver in the north(-western) direction. This turning of the train was now done around the scene of the accident.

The derailled cars were tankcars, at least one carried UN1987, but there was no party going one...

Jetlaged regards from Rotterdam,

Peter

 

[PeeweeTM]

So what did they do, turn the train around and pull it with the freight engine? I guess the AMTK locks were on the rear then? Did they turn it back around in Denver? I guess I'm having trouble envisioning the purpose o this.

I was on that same train.

The Conductor gave us a lot of information and we went right by the derailed coal cars and, as he said, no one was injured so it wasn't a tragedy.

We had to wait by the power plant for an engine from BNSF and then we went all the way to Denver in reverse.

I can't remember the exact time but we arrived in DEN around 11:30am.

Hi JoanieB!

The conducter kept us informed, like you said. I must have overheared the first announcements.

I was having breakfast during the start of the small detour. After I finished, I wanted to return to my room at the end of the train, but I noticed, I was walking in same direction as the train was moving in... :blink:

The fresh air from the door opening in our car during the backward movement was a nice replacement for a smoke stop.

Too bad, safety regulations didn't allow us to walk around the train during the waiting time. I'm an engineer and a wagon inspector in the Netherlands, so I have to walk a lot track side. But I understand the troubles with making exceptions, so I played my role as a member of the herd and just waited for things to come...

Sunny greetings from Rotterdam,

Peter

Edith helped out with the pictures!

Moving with a bit less then 79 MPH, the conductor (or his assistent?) giving directions to the engineer.

The derailment:

Help is on the way:

At Fort Morgan:

At Denver:

At Denver, too:

 

[MiRider]

Hi Peter!

Those are awesome photos!

Thanks for posting them.

 

[PeeweeTM]

Thanks for the compliment!

Peter

PS:

is not as interesting as the audio. You now know, why I'm happy, this BNSF unit only drove in the morning, not during the night!Poor Curtis' announcement is boo-ed at from the locomotive!