Amtrak cancellations and delays 2025

[Cal]

Is that the Chief’s former route thru Pasadena?

I think partly. I think it’s the same route until Pomona North, where it then took what is now the Metro A line.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

To make things worse, tonight’s #4 is currently
stopped at Claremont due to a Metrolink trespasser incident

Sounds like fun! I grew up in Southern California so stuff like this tickles my heart. Thanks for the photo. Is that a passenger I see on the platform for a fresh air stop?

 

[Cal]

Sounds like fun! I grew up in Southern California so stuff like this tickles my heart. Thanks for the photo. Is that a passenger I see on the platform for a fresh air stop?

No, that was one of the railfans. However, an attendant in the sleeper and coach both had their doors open, and two conductors were standing outside. So they were letting people out. They've been stopped there for two hours now.

 

[railiner]

According to the Rail Guide, the portion from approximately Claremont to San Bernardino is the former ATSF route, and between LA and Claremont is a mix of Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific. The former ATSF route from LA to Claremont is mostly part of Metro's light rail A line now, soon to run through that whole section.

So, I guess "you can't go home (all the way), again...

Thanks.

 

[GariYaMoshi]

Haven't heard much word about the downed power lines outside of LA, it happened between 8-9am yesterday. The attached photo from Metrolink between 7th St. and I-10 shows them down across the river, which is also where Amtrak's maintenance facility

Any word on what caused the power lines to fall on the tracks?

 

[alanh]

Possibly wind. The lines were energized when they hit the rails and welded to them.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/3-metrolink-lines-orange-riverside-151300224.html

 

[Cal]

Any word on what caused the power lines to fall on the tracks?

We had some storms and wind so I'm assuming that.

 

[west point]

That is definitely an out of spec track defect. How was the defect fixed? maybe thermite filler or splicing in a small section of rail? Did that high voltage also fry the signaling system between isolation joint bars? That high of a voltage might have even jumped one or more isolation points?

This brings up a question for our CA posters, Around here no matter what voltage all power lines are guyed to all poles crossing a highway and in most cases any RR. The guy wires prevent the poles from falling on the ROW from both sides of the ROW. Is this a case of a 4 leg EHV line or just a regular pose. Any guy wires?

 

[JuniusLivonius]

Possibly wind. The lines were energized when they hit the rails and welded to them.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/3-metrolink-lines-orange-riverside-151300224.html

That is an exemplary update from a transit agency. NJ Transit and Amtrak should follow suit instead of posting stupid one-line descriptions like "downed wires" or NJ Transit's blame-deferring favorite: "Amtrak catenary issue"

You can see the other pictures on X:
https://x.com/Metrolink/status/1883993996655223153
https://xcancel.com/Metrolink/status/1883993996655223153 (xcancel link)

 

[Cal]

That is an exemplary update from a transit agency. NJ Transit and Amtrak should follow suit instead of posting stupid one-line descriptions like "downed wires" or NJ Transit's blame-deferring favorite: "Amtrak catenary issue"

You can see the other pictures on X:
https://x.com/Metrolink/status/1883993996655223153
https://xcancel.com/Metrolink/status/1883993996655223153 (xcancel link)

They only posted it to justify cancelling service on three lines with no alternate transportation, which was a complete failure IMO. How are people who take it to work supposed to rely on it if they can just say oh no sorry for two days you’re out of luck!

 

[zephyr17]

According to the Rail Guide, the portion from approximately Claremont to San Bernardino is the former ATSF route, and between LA and Claremont is a mix of Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific. The former ATSF route from LA to Claremont is mostly part of Metro's light rail A line now, soon to run through that whole section.

Yeah, I looked at the routing of the detoured SW Chiefs and it appears it took the Metrolink San Gabriel Sub. The San Gabriel Sub is the old Santa Fe 2nd District from San Bernardino to roughly Claremont, the former PE San Bernardino line from there to Baldwin Park, the Bassett- Baldwin Park connector PE/SP built after abandonment of PE Northern District passenger service to retain access to the PE San Bernardino Line. The SP Alhambra Sub (Sunset Route) between Bassett and El Monte (Metrolink built its own track on the ROW, it doesn't get on the former SP), the old PE San Bernardino Line from El Monte to just east of the LA River about where PE's Macy Street Shops were, the connecting line around the southwest corner of Shops Yard/Golden Pig Intermodal Ramp (another SP/PE connector) briefly on the former UP line on east bank of the river, and the former UP bridge over the river to the Union Station throat.

So it used a route that saw the Santa Fe Chief and Super Chief, PE interurbans, SP's Sunset and even UP's City of Los Angeles.

I think Amtrak still has the Metrolink operating contract for the moment. I wonder if they had to use a San Gabriel Sub qualified engineer that is normally assigned to Metrolink as a pilot.

 

[Cal]

I wonder if they had to use a San Gabriel Sub qualified engineer that is normally assigned to Metrolink as a pilot.

I find it hard to imagine it would be allowed for a crew to operate a 90 minute segment without anyone qualified on those rails.

 

[zephyr17]

I find it hard to imagine it would be allowed for a crew to operate a 90 minute segment without anyone qualified on those rails.

Since Metrolink is an Amtrak operation, I was thinking it was at least possible the Chief's crew may have been qualified on the San Gabriel Sub themselves.

A crew cannot operate a foot or a second on territory they are not qualified on without a qualified pilot, let alone 90 minutes.

 

[Cal]

Since Metrolink is an Amtrak operation, I was thinking it was at least possible the Chief's crew may have been qualified on the San Gabriel Sub themselves.

A crew cannot operate a foot or a second on territory they are not qualified on without a qualified pilot, let alone 90 minutes.

Last time the Chief detoured was four years ago I believe. Im not familiar with how often crews are qualified on alternate routes. However, since the SB Sub and Surfline are usually very reliable, and since Metrolink is operated by Amtrak anyway, I wouldn’t be surprised if the regular Chief crews aren’t qualified on the San Gabriel Sub. That said, I wouldn’t be that surprised if they were too.