EB - Lateness Problems This Summer

[RRUserious]

Is it just me or really the freight railroads, particularly BNSF's EB route, is having one way too many derailments too frequently? Infrastructure crumbling? Cutting corners to squeeze in more freight? Something's gotta give.

Remember when they thought it would be safe to move nuclear waste to Nevada by train? But I know those trains would be different. No derailments due to careful NRC planning. Or so my dreams went.

 

[amamba]

Well we still sitting in Glasgow. Rumor has it - via an announcement just made - that we are going to attempt a bus bridge to the 7 at wolf point. Of course they aren't due for several hours so they said expect another 4-5 hour wait for that.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Well we still sitting in Glasgow. Rumor has it - via an announcement just made - that we are going to attempt a bus bridge to the 7 at wolf point. Of course they aren't due for several hours so they said expect another 4-5 hour wait for that.

It is for times like this that a good book comes in handy. Hope you have one, or can find something online.

...At least a bus bridge would be better than heading back west, which would certainly complicate the LSL connection.

 

[amamba]

I do have several books on my kindle. I am just hoping to make the LsL on thurs at this point. I don't mind missing my day in CHI but I do need to get home.

 

[EB_OBS]

Amtrak is rounding up the buses right now to bus-bridge #8 from Glasgow to Wolf Point and #7 from Wolf Point to Glasgow.

 

[Trogdor]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

 

[EB_OBS]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

I think he meant #7(17) since DVL is the station code for Devil's Lake. That train is running about 2 hours behind schedule and is due into MOT shortly.

 

[Russell]

Well, should I start worrying now then, the 7(17) is the train I am supossed to be taking out of Pasco tommorrow (Thursday) and am scheduled to make a connection with the Cascades Train(506) leaving Portland at 12:15 tommorrow afternoon, should I start worrying now about making that connection, or just wait and see what happens.

 

[anir dendroica]

With the bus bridge #7(17) will turn in Wolf Point to become #8(16), and the #8(16) that has been stuck in Glasgow for the last 16 hours will turn to become #7(17).

Usually bus bridges introduce at least four-hour delays with unscheduled turning, cleaning, food restocking, etc., so I wouldn't be on #27 being anywhere near on time in Pasco.

Now once #7(17) turns to become #8 (16), the train will be almost 24 hours late and thus Chicago will be short a trainset for #7(19) tomorrow. I wonder if they have enough equipment to cobble together or if they will have to cancel the train?

Mark

 

[amamba]

Do they get two sets of buses? Does our OBS staff go with us or stay with the train?

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

My mistake. I meant #8(17), which is now 8 hours 49 minutes late...

 

[amamba]

Oh they just said that buses are en route. We should be back at train by 12:30 pm and then we will load bus at 1:30 to wolf point. They said its 45 minutes to wolf point. So we are looking at 24 hourish delay. It could be worse - we are at the station so we have been free to wander around town. I had dinner and breakfast in the diner and they said lunch will start at 11:30 in the diner.

 

[amamba]

Ok just corrected that to loading at 12 pm.

 

[Russell]

I wonder if this will affect the 8(19) leaving seattle, and the 7 that is scheduled to arrive in Spokane Saturday morning, I am taking a big trip around the state, not to worried or anything, but just wonder how this is going to affect the Empire Builder portions of my trip.

 

[Ispolkom]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

My mistake. I meant #8(17), which is now 8 hours 49 minutes late...

That can't be right. Train #8(16), which amamba is stuck on, is in Glasgow. Train #8(17) left Whitefish at 9:36 a.m., according to Amtrak Status Maps. What amtrak.com is recording must be #7(17), plodding westward. FWIW, #8(15) arrived in Chicago last night at 8:23 p.m.

 

[fairviewroad]

Oh they just said that buses are en route. We should be back at train by 12:30 pm and then we will load bus at 1:30 to wolf point. They said its 45 minutes to wolf point. So we are looking at 24 hourish delay. It could be worse - we are at the station so we have been free to wander around town. I had dinner and breakfast in the diner and they said lunch will start at 11:30 in the diner.

Well, you should be able to get a reasonably decent view of the derailment from the bus, since I think the tracks are fairly close to Hwy 2 at that point. So at least

you'll all be able to boo and hiss at the cause of your delay!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I'm sure this answer isn't going to please some of you and it's certainly not convenient for the displaced passengers, however, here it is; Force Majeure Event This information can be found under "Terms of Transportation" at the bottom of the page on the Amtrak website. Obviously, anyone can then purchase a ticket on the next train if there is space available. In this particular instance, #28(15) was fully booked so an extra coach was added to accommodate any passengers from the train that returned to Portland with all the passengers which was #28(14). Unfortunately, if you previously had a sleeper, there were only two or three rooms still available on the 15th.

I tend to give Amtrak a little more leeway in matters such as this because Amtrak allows you to unwind most standard coach fares if something goes wrong on your end as well. It's not quite as simple for sleeper tickets or discounted coach tickets, but it's still not as punitive compared as many transportation companies. That being said, it's still not easy or cheap to secure a last minute flight or rental car on your own. I think your post makes an important point that is often missing from the usual newbie threads. Namely, that Amtrak can be a riskier proposition than some folks may realize on their own. Although this is not yet a critical problem it does seem to be growing and some routes seem to be suffering chronic delays as freight traffic returns to pre-recession levels. It's common to see new and potential customers being told that Amtrak "guarantees" transportation to their destination no matter what and that even if the train can't run alternatives will be provided. However, over the last couple years we've seen a growing number of instances where no alternatives were available or provided.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

My mistake. I meant #8(17), which is now 8 hours 49 minutes late...

That can't be right. Train #8(16), which amamba is stuck on, is in Glasgow. Train #8(17) left Whitefish at 9:36 a.m., according to Amtrak Status Maps. What amtrak.com is recording must be #7(17), plodding westward. FWIW, #8(15) arrived in Chicago last night at 8:23 p.m.

I should have said Amtrak is showing 8(17) as running 8 Hours, 47 minutes late into DVL.. I picked DVL because it is past the derailment. I'm happy they are not showing 8(17) as in a service disruption, but that sure doesn't mean things can't change - unfortunately, based on past experiences I've had with Amtrak.com - it seems to be a wild 'donkeyed' guess on Amtrak's part.

 

[Trogdor]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

My mistake. I meant #8(17), which is now 8 hours 49 minutes late...

That can't be right. Train #8(16), which amamba is stuck on, is in Glasgow. Train #8(17) left Whitefish at 9:36 a.m., according to Amtrak Status Maps. What amtrak.com is recording must be #7(17), plodding westward. FWIW, #8(15) arrived in Chicago last night at 8:23 p.m.

8(17) is going to hold in Shelby until 9 pm, because BNSF isn't expecting the line to reopen until early tomorrow morning. That way the crew won't die sitting in HAV or GGW for hours.

 

[EB_OBS]

Well, should I start worrying now then, the 7(17) is the train I am supossed to be taking out of Pasco tommorrow (Thursday) and am scheduled to make a connection with the Cascades Train(506) leaving Portland at 12:15 tommorrow afternoon, should I start worrying now about making that connection, or just wait and see what happens.

There will be an on-time bus departing Spokane at the scheduled 2:45AM time. As of this moment the #7/27(17) is expected to be running four - five hours late minimum by the time it departs Glasgow, MT west.

 

[EB_OBS]

Do they get two sets of buses? Does our OBS staff go with us or stay with the train?

Most of the OBS staff is going to stay with the equipment they are already on. The exception is the Chicago based crew, the 2x30 SCA, the 14 & 15 TAC and the Lounge LSA are going to bus-bridge with the passengers.

 

[EB_OBS]

Looks like Amamba's #8 is in a service disruption. :angry2: And today's #8(18) is ALREADY running 36 minutes late into DVL.

???? 8(18) isn't even scheduled to leave SEA for another 9 hours. How could it be 36 minutes late into DVL?

My mistake. I meant #8(17), which is now 8 hours 49 minutes late...

Train #8(17) departed Whitefish, MT at 9:57AM, 2 hours 11 minutes late.

 

[amamba]

Oh bummer I love our dining car crew. They are really great and have been so cheerful during this delay. As sleeper pax we still seem to be getting all our meals. I am still hoping I will make it to CHI in time for me to catch the LSL on Thursday.

 

[EB_OBS]

Oh bummer I love our dining car crew. They are really great and have been so cheerful during this delay. As sleeper pax we still seem to be getting all our meals. I am still hoping I will make it to CHI in time for me to catch the LSL on Thursday.

Ha! Yeah, you've had Mary, Danielle and Randy in the dining car. Good crew.

 

[amamba]

Hrmmmm now we are just sitting just east of the station. No lunch for sleeper pax and I think there might be a riot....lots of grumbles. It is 12:30 and I think we would all just feel good if we were at least on the buses.