Amtrak train derailed

[MrEd]

Ten years ago: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the Mojave Desert shook three states and derailed an Amtrak train, but caused no serious damage or injuries

Anyone know what train this might have been ?

 

[profwebs]

Ten years ago: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the Mojave Desert shook three states and derailed an Amtrak train, but caused no serious damage or injuries
Anyone know what train this might have been ?

The Southwest Chief:

Hector Mine Quake

 

[the_traveler]

I was living in AZ (on the CA & NV border - where the 3 states come together), and in my 6 years there, that is the only earthquake I felt. But I don't recalling that it derailed the SWC.

 

[DET63]

I was living in AZ (on the CA & NV border - where the 3 states come together), and in my 6 years there, that is the only earthquake I felt. But I don't recalling that it derailed the SWC.

RAILROAD DAMAGE FROM THE OCTOBER 16, 1999 HECTOR MINE EARTHQUAKE (pdf file)

 

[the_traveler]

A westbound Amtrak passenger train, operating within 20 miles of the epicenter at the time of the earthquake, had 22 of its 24 cars derailed.

They must have running an awful lot of Rail Traks! (I think that's what they were called.) Isn't a usual SWC like 7 or 8 cars? :huh:

 

[AlanB]

A westbound Amtrak passenger train, operating within 20 miles of the epicenter at the time of the earthquake, had 22 of its 24 cars derailed.

They must have running an awful lot of Rail Traks! (I think that's what they were called.) Isn't a usual SWC like 7 or 8 cars? :huh:

More like 8 or 9 cars these days. But back in 1999 things were different.

 

[GG-1]

A westbound Amtrak passenger train, operating within 20 miles of the epicenter at the time of the earthquake, had 22 of its 24 cars derailed.

They must have running an awful lot of Rail Traks! (I think that's what they were called.) Isn't a usual SWC like 7 or 8 cars? :huh:

More like 8 or 9 cars these days. But back in 1999 things were different.

Aloha

Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

 

[Ispolkom]

Aloha
Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

Didn't the Desert Wind stop in 1997?

 

[Shotgun7]

Aloha
Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

Didn't the Desert Wind stop in 1997?

That and it usually only had 4 cars

 

[GG-1]

Aloha
Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

Didn't the Desert Wind stop in 1997?

That and it usually only had 4 cars

Aloha

Not sure when it stopped but when I looked up possible train routes for the described area in the 1984National Timetable I have it is still in there. It followed a different route from the SWC between Barstow and Salt Lake City where it followed the CZ route. And that timetable did not actually show a connection between the CZ and SWC that other Amtrak rout guides show.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Aloha
Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

Didn't the Desert Wind stop in 1997?

That and it usually only had 4 cars

Aloha

Not sure when it stopped but when I looked up possible train routes for the described area in the 1984National Timetable I have it is still in there. It followed a different route from the SWC between Barstow and Salt Lake City where it followed the CZ route. And that timetable did not actually show a connection between the CZ and SWC that other Amtrak rout guides show.

I remember seeing pictures of the CZ hooked up with the Desert Wind and the Pioneer-- If the Desert Wind was on the SWCs route then it is possible for the two to run together.

 

[the_traveler]

Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

It certainly was not the DW, as (1) the DW ceased in 1997, and also (2) the quake hit at 2:46 AM. The DW followed the same route as the SWC between Barstow (actually Ludlow I think) and San Bernadino, but Hector is east of Barstow (before the DW met the SWC route). And the DW did not even get to Las Vegas until (I forget) like 7 or 8 AM. At 2:46 AM, it would have been about 1/2 way between SLC and LV (if it were still running).

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Seems like it has to be the SWC. The problem is how could it be that long? There certainly were not enough superliners sitting around.

Maybe this was the time period when Amtrak had mail and express cars on some trains?

Or perhaps the original report simply contained a typo, a mistake in saying it was 24 cars long.

 

[the_traveler]

The rest of the cars were the mail and express cars.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

The rest of the cars were the mail and express cars.

You're talking at least 10 mail/express cars...

 

[cpamtfan]

The rest of the cars were the mail and express cars.

You're talking at least 10 mail/express cars...

The SWC used to carry up to twenty Express Trak/Mail boxcars plus Road and Railers on a regular bacis! I can't believe noone has seen a photo of the SWCs and Three Rivers back around that time!

 

[DesertRat]

According to Wikipedia and this link: http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste/news/nn10285.htm, it was the SWC. I remember that earthquake very well. Had some dental surgery so I was home with my 5 cats when that shaker happened. The TV was full of reports about the quake including the derailment, but sorry I don't recall how many cars they said were involved.

Edited to add: Of course I was home at that hour, but because of my mouth I didn't sleep too well - and having five agitated cats didn't help either.

 

[DesertRat]

Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

It certainly was not the DW, as (1) the DW ceased in 1997, and also (2) the quake hit at 2:46 AM. The DW followed the same route as the SWC between Barstow (actually Ludlow I think) and San Bernadino, but Hector is east of Barstow (before the DW met the SWC route). And the DW did not even get to Las Vegas until (I forget) like 7 or 8 AM. At 2:46 AM, it would have been about 1/2 way between SLC and LV (if it were still running).

Hm, I remember the DW went through Barstow...

 

[daniel3197]

The former Amtrak Desert Wind along with the UP main line (thru Las Vegas NV) splits off the former ATSF mainline at Daggett, CA.

Daggett is located 8 miles east of Barstow, CA and this is the EAST end of the UP Cajon Pass trackage rights.

The WEST end of the Cajon Pass track rights is in Riverside, CA (LA Basin Inland Empire area).

After the 1996 UP +SP merger this Riverside connection has been made somewhat redundant by a new UP+BNSF(ATSF) connection just west of Cajon Summit at the Silverwood Crossover to enter the former Sp "Palmdale Cutoff" mainline crossing the west slope of Cajon Pass.

The UP built this connection to allow UP trains to/from Las Vegas to directly access the large former SP West Colton Yards.

I hope this helps to explain a bit about the track layout around Cajon Pass + Barstow areas!

----- Daniel

Could the train be the desert Wind, its Departure from LA was same as the SWC after Vegas followed/part of the CZ route

It certainly was not the DW, as (1) the DW ceased in 1997, and also (2) the quake hit at 2:46 AM. The DW followed the same route as the SWC between Barstow (actually Ludlow I think) and San Bernadino, but Hector is east of Barstow (before the DW met the SWC route). And the DW did not even get to Las Vegas until (I forget) like 7 or 8 AM. At 2:46 AM, it would have been about 1/2 way between SLC and LV (if it were still running).

Hm, I remember the DW went through Barstow...

 

[the_traveler]

Thank you. I said Ludlow - but I meant Daggett. (It's been almost 10 years since I lived there.) Going west, both the DW and the SWC then went to (and stopped) at Barstow.

 

[battalion51]

It's a little bit post 99, but it was the best I could find in a quick search. This is circa 2003, and you can see at least ten cars on the bottom. And this was as the Mail and Express era was winding dow

 

[gswager]

I do remember that event very well, not just for SWC derailment. I was on a vacation and was staying at my grandma's house overnight. It wasn't a good night sleep because of coming home really late after Six Flags Magic Mountain and then getting up two hours later to go to San Diego for scuba diving. It was a good bed shaker!