CNO tracks over spillway on fire

[A Voice]

At this point it would make sense to suspend the dining car service (in favor of an enhanced cafe) until the train can run to New Orleans, given how few meals the diner is actually serving and how low-quality they are already.

Wouldn't it make even more sense to simply suspend the entire route during and after the bridge repair?

Hopefully the temporary structure will be sufficient for passenger service, but if not, I would suggest at least running the Chicago to Memphis segment. The City has turned short there many times.

 

[caravanman]

I am a little confused as to the finances of the dinner car. If it is removed from the train, will Amtrak not still have to pay the staff wages?

Ed.

 

[George K]

How difficult would it be to re-route CONO around the spillway, around the eastern side of Lake Ponchartrain?

 

[offroad437]

How difficult would it be to re-route CONO around the spillway, around the eastern side of Lake Ponchartrain?

According to CN it can go Hammond to BTR then south easier than Hammond to Slidell

 

[neroden]

At this point it would make sense to suspend the dining car service (in favor of an enhanced cafe) until the train can run to New Orleans, given how few meals the diner is actually serving and how low-quality they are already.

Wouldn't it make even more sense to simply suspend the entire route during and after the bridge repair?

Illinois counts on the CONO as a third frequency on the Illini/Saluki line to Carbondale. The ridership pattern is strong on the north end, weak on the south end -- most people are going to Chicago, not to New Orleans. A standalone Memphis-Chicago train has actually been proposed. In essence, Jackson-Chicago is viable on its own. So, that's why it wouldn't make more sense.

In terms of trying to keep the whole route running, rerouting via Baton Rouge would work for the interim, though it's an extra 80+ miles.

 

[neroden]

I am a little confused as to the finances of the dinner car. If it is removed from the train, will Amtrak not still have to pay the staff wages?

They don't get paid if they don't work. Wages, not salaries... furloughs happen all the time in railroading. They may be guaranteed some minimum number of hours, but it's probably less than what they were actually working.

 

[offroad437]

I just went out to the staging area for CN crews and asked when they think the rail will be open. They said Sunday for freight and Tuesday for Amtrak. However the 10mph speed restriction will be reduced to 5mph until perm repairs are made.

 

[neroden]

Reopening Tuesday -- whew. Panic averted.

 

[George K]

Panic averted.

Mrs. George and I are traveling to NOL in December. She freaked when she saw the vids: "I am NOT taking a bus from Jackson!"

 

[jis]

Tell her that between now and December it could burn down twice more and get fixed up for trip

 

[George K]

Tell her that between now and December it could burn down twice more and get fixed up for trip

I did, and she smiled.

 

[George K]

Open and being tested.

 

[Thirdrail7]

They still may not allow passenger operations on the temporary bridge.

 

[George K]

SCA on CONO says that they will be using that rebuilt (temporary) with significant speed reduction.

Tuesday is supposedly the day.

 

[Palmetto]

I don't think I'd want to be the engineer on that job!

 

[LCody62]

This makes me very happy!! Hoping they will let us go all the way next Saturday.

 

[George K]

I don't think I'd want to be the engineer on that job!

"OK, here's the deal: This bridge burned down last week, and we sort of shored it up over the last 6 days. We gotta get it good enough for traffic, and we need someone to drive a locomotive over it to make sure it's safe.

Are you up to it?"

 

[Thirdrail7]

I don't think I'd want to be the engineer on that job!

"OK, here's the deal: This bridge burned down last week, and we sort of shored it up over the last 6 days. We gotta get it good enough for traffic, and we need someone to drive a locomotive over it to make sure it's safe.

Are you up to it?"

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I can think of at least one case of locomotive engineers refusing to ride over a bridge they judged to be unsafe, being punished for their refusal by their employer, and then later being killed when crossing the bridge as it failed.

 

[DannyC]

Amtrak state the 29th as the last day it turns in Jackson.. As another question why cant they run as far as Hammond anyway?

 

[Ryan]

Hammond is a challenge to turn engines since the switches sent close to station. Plus Jackson has a side track to store and clean the train off the main line.

 

[willem]

Why doesn't CN have a heavily loaded test car (or two) separated from the locomotive by two or three more cars? That way, if the bridge fails, a loaded car drops rather than a locomotive with an engineer.

 

[offroad437]

Why doesn't CN have a heavily loaded test car (or two) separated from the locomotive by two or three more cars? That way, if the bridge fails, a loaded car drops rather than a locomotive with an engineer.

They will. They have certain procedures for testing. They were probably testing the rail alignment first then will run loaded trains of tankers full of water and sand. Followed by precise measurements to see if anything moved or sank.

 

[offroad437]

Looks like this is open for traffic. I saw a freight crawling across a little while ago.

 

[DannyC]

According to the Amtrak train track map (which from viewings yesterday simply shuts down once 59 reaches Jackson) it seems to be running as normal today..