Amtrak Plans Additional Train Service after I-5 bridge collapse

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

It doesn't give much information unfortunately. I wonder what equipment they will use, are Superliners still subbing for the Talgo set on 510/517? When I was in Seattle on the 14th the Talgo set under refurb was still sitting at King Street unfinished

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2013/05/Amtrak_WSDOT_BNSF_add_train_to_Help_after_I-5_Bridge_Collapse.htm

 

[DET63]

If they use Superliners, how many cars will a train have? I've seen them run with only 1 or 2 in pre-Cascades days.

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

If they use Superliners, how many cars will a train have? I've seen them run with only 1 or 2 in pre-Cascades days.

Generally when Superliners are used it runs with 3 cars. It varies on the make up, but it's usually 2 coaches (one is usually a coach-baggage) and a food service car, which can be a sightseer, diner-lounge and I think they ran I diner once.

 

[winterskigirl]

The Talgo equipment is supposed to be running on trains 510/517 by June 1st, 2013. That is the latest I was told by an Amtrak Cascades Conductor in April.

 

[NE933]

Kudos, cheers, and salutations to Amtrak for doing something like this: it helps people with a source of transportation during a crisis, and it's excellent PR for the railroad.

 

[zephyr17]

Points for BNSF, too. They've announced that they are cooperating with implementing the service.

 

[Anderson]

Knock on wood, with any luck this will be the camel's nose in the tent on an additional frequency, and the added train will ultimately get extended through to Vancouver.

 

[yarrow]

i thought i read that sound transit equipment would be used. i do hope it turns into a 3rd sea-vac cascades run but i doubt it. as far as having an impact on the congestion caused by rerouting the 70,000(i believe i read) vehicles a day that use i-5 across the damaged bridge the impact will be less than negligible in the short term as far as i can see

 

[the_traveler]

To me, the press release sounds like it's a joint cooperation between Amtrak, BNSF and Sound Transit. It is called "Amtrak Cascades" but it sounds to me like the additional train will use Sound Transit equipment, not Amtrak equipment.

I could be wrong on that. But I don't see anything about Sound Transit adding any trains. Just about 1 train and a cooperation.

 

[CHamilton]

It's possible that Sound Transit equipment could be used, but I imagine that it couldn't be Sound Transit service because Mount Vernon is outside of ST's service area.

 

[yarrow]

It's possible that Sound Transit equipment could be used, but I imagine that it couldn't be Sound Transit service because Mount Vernon is outside of ST's service area.

i thought maybe with amtrak power but i don't know if that would be compatible with sound transit coaches

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

Plus you would not be able to provide food services if Sound Transit equipment is used. I wonder if Amtrak would barrow VIA equipment again. Every time I've been to Vancouver there are usually two or three spare coaches and dome in the coach yard.

 

[GoldenSpike]

Amtrak doing their part to aid in easing the congestion shown in this photo of the detour:

http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2013/05/24/2021053418.jpg

 

[Nathanael]

Sound Transit's involvment could be as small as arranging for the trains to stop at the Sounder platform in Seattle rather than the Amtrak platform. (The two are separated with entirely separate entrances, for No Good Reason)

 

[TrackWalker]

Whatever equipment they decide to use it sounds like it may only run as far north as Bellingham.

We better get 9 track cleared for it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trackwalker/5231834497/

 

[fairviewroad]

Washington's governor is pushing hard for a temporary bridge to be open by mid-June.

My prediction: The temporary bridge is open before a third train is added. With the

temporary bridge in place, there will be no "need" for an additional train. And thus,

the political and financial momentum for the service will evaporate, and the third

train will never run.

If true, it's pretty embarrassing that it's faster to "build a bridge" than to add an additional

train over existing tracks to existing stations.

Prove me wrong, Washington.

 

[yarrow]

Washington's governor is pushing hard for a temporary bridge to be open by mid-June.
My prediction: The temporary bridge is open before a third train is added. With the

temporary bridge in place, there will be no "need" for an additional train. And thus,

the political and financial momentum for the service will evaporate, and the third

train will never run.

If true, it's pretty embarrassing that it's faster to "build a bridge" than to add an additional

train over existing tracks to existing stations.

Prove me wrong, Washington.

those were exactly my thoughts when i read a couple days ago about the temporary bridges. also, i would guess someone looked at the fact that the train would provide no short term relief to the congestion

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

The Amtrak Cascades post on facebook

"We are going to borrow a trainset from Sound Transit and we will announce more when we finish working out all the details."

 

[CHamilton]

Via Facebook:

All Aboard Washington

We just received word from Exec Dir Lloyd Flem that Ron Pate, Acting Director of WSDOT Rail Office, announced at the Blaine State Rail Plan workshop that the additional Seattle-Bellingham round-trip will start on Friday May 31!...The additional Seattle-Bellingham roundtrip, using Sounder commuter train equipment, is loaded in the Amtrak computer system. This means no food service and facing seats. Amtrak and WSDOT seem to have priced the train accordingly. Fares are at the low end for the dates checked. Depart Seattle at 8:15 a.m. Depart Bellingham at 5:15 p.m. 2:40 running time.

 

[chakk]

Kudos, cheers, and salutations to Amtrak for doing something like this: it helps people with a source of transportation during a crisis, and it's excellent PR for the railroad.

Before we praise this too much, let's see how many people actually ride it.

 

[CHamilton]

Washington's governor is pushing hard for a temporary bridge to be open by mid-June.
My prediction: The temporary bridge is open before a third train is added. With the

temporary bridge in place, there will be no "need" for an additional train. And thus,

the political and financial momentum for the service will evaporate, and the third

train will never run.

If true, it's pretty embarrassing that it's faster to "build a bridge" than to add an additional

train over existing tracks to existing stations.

Prove me wrong, Washington.

I think all of us were concerned about that, but it looks like the additional train frequency will start tomorrow morning, and the work to build the temporary bridge has not yet started.

Skagit River I-5 bridge work waiting on NTSB OK

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Washington Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson says nearly all the materials for a temporary Interstate 5 bridge on the Skagit River have arrived at Mount Vernon.

She told a telephone town hall Wednesday night that work can begin as soon as the National Transportation Safety Board finishes its site investigation of the bridge collapse and all the broken piece are removed.

 

[CHamilton]

Amsnag doesn't have the new trains yet, but you can look for 512 (SEA-BEL) and 515 (BEL-SEA) on amtrak.com.

 

[CHamilton]

3rd Round Trip to Bellingham Begins Tomorrow

Because the extra train will use Sounder equipment, running time to Bellingham will be 2h 40m, 28 minutes longer than the 2h 12m that the Talgo sets achieve. The full schedule is as follows:

• There will be no food service on the extra train.
• The $5 bicycle fee is waived on the Sounder equipment due to the ease of loading.
• It is unclear how many cars the trains will have.
• Fares to Bellingham will range from $17-$23. A quick check of tomorrow’s prices yield $9.50 to Edmonds, $13 to Everett, $15 to Stanwood, $17 to Mount Vernon, and $23 to Bellingham.
• An entirely accidental benefit of this: As long as the extra train is running, it will be possible to transfer from the Empire Builder to Cascades at Everett (westbound only). Spokane to Bellingham anyone?

 

[CHamilton]

WSDOT Press Release

If passenger demand persists, the added round trip could remain in service until the Skagit River Bridge is repaired, rail officials said.

Let's see, Galloping Gertie was out of service for ten years...

 

[gn2276]

It looks like the train is going to be the Amtrak 190,Sounder Coach, Sounder Coach, and a Sounder Cab Coach.