EB mess

[TraneMan]

One week into the newly padded schedule and here are the results so far:

delays into SEA: average delay 238 minutes (this is actually worse than the long term average)

delays into CHI: average delay 169 minutes, which is a modest improvement over the last 6-9 months performance (which was nearly double this amount)

It is only one week, but it would appear that BNSF was more accurate in it's recommendations to add 4 hours (or more) to the Eastbound EB and up to 3 hours for the Westbound version. It is troubling to see the trains arriving in SEA/PDX so late on a regular basis now, with many of the delays not just thru ND/MT, but in WI and ID/WA as well. It will be interesting to see if the trend of delay reduction continues or whether it stabilizes at these levels.

I"m wondering what's the deal in WI around TOH and LSE area.. On my last few trips, I noticed a newer "yard" and I am guessing that for fracking or something.. So CP maybe got things rolling there.

 

[tim49424]

On my last few trips, I noticed a newer "yard" and I am guessing that for fracking or something..

If that was just west of the tunnel, yes, that would be for fracking. On my two round trips out that way, I noticed there was work going on there laying new track for it. Someone made an announcement on my first trip westbound informing us of what that was.

 

[montana mike]

I believe it is the "sand". Just the right stuff for what they need in ND.

 

[tim49424]

I believe it is the "sand". Just the right stuff for what they need in ND.

That's exactly where it's headed once it's mined in Sparta, just west of Tomah.

 

[mikeschu]

Update on my EB #8 trip early last week:

Departed PDX on time and we were actually 30 minutes early heading into Shelby, MT. We only started losing time at Williston due to slow orders and ended up departing MOT about 45 minutes behind schedule due to a minor maintenance issue.

We lost two hours going through ND overnight and started making time up in Minnesota. We were 2 hr 20 min behind at Winona, but lost two hours between there and Wisconsin Dells due to CP working on track and waiting for freight to pass in the other direction.

We arrived in CHI exactly four hours late.

I think trains may lose as much time on the CP track as they do on the BNSF side for the foreseeable future.

 

[neroden]

I think trains may lose as much time on the CP track as they do on the BNSF side for the foreseeable future.

Three words: E Hunter Harrison

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

CPR got raid by a guy who want short term increase in dividends and a stock price increase.

E Hunter Harrison just doing what the stockholders want. Profits today, who cares about tomorrow.

BNSF boss trying to get a job at BH so he focus on the short term, and fails on the long term.

Greed you can never have enough.

 

[montana mike]

Meanwhile it is interesting that if Amtrak had plugged in BNSF's recommended schedule changes, just about all of the trains chugging along today would have been "on time". Yes, I know, likely something else would come up that would just keep the delays going, but it is interesting to note......

 

[andersone]

i think the motto of the EB should be:

"Time is but a constant in our universe"

 

[montana mike]

LOL

)

 

[CHamilton]

I am on 8(23) which left Seattle 2 hours late due to a bad ordered crew car. Just left Shelby about 1:30 late. Now to run the gauntlet.

 

[montana mike]

May the Force be with you!!

Hopefully #8 will lose only 2 hours or so and will arrive in CHI tomorrow at a "reasonable" time. #8(22) lost around 90 minutes yesterday, so hope springs eternal!

 

[CHamilton]

Just left Havre 1:50 late.

 

[CHamilton]

Just left Wolf Point 1:45 late.

 

[CHamilton]

Leaving Williston 1:55 late.

 

[CHamilton]

We had been less than an hour late at Minot, but are now 2:45 late at Grand Forks.

 

[jebr]

Looks like you guys made up a half-hour in Fargo...only 2:16 down right now.

 

[CHamilton]

Just left Staples. About 2:30 late. Will meet up with jebr at SCD.

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

I'm on the 7 right now..you guys on 8?

 

[jebr]

I'm on the 7 right now..you guys on 8?

Yep, on the 8 right now.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Ryan]

79 MPH HIGH FIVE!!!!

(Don't actually do that)

 

[JoeBas]

If they're both moving 79, wouldn't that be 158MPH High Five?

Wait, what am I saying. They're on the Empire Builder, they'll be lucky if ONE of them is doing more than 20!

 

[CHamilton]

Only 1:02 late at Tomah! Jebr didn't even have time for lunch before Winona. But we had good breakfast and conversation with him and his girlfriend.

 

[CHamilton]

Actually, we've seen quite a lot of 79 mph.

 

[montana mike]

Meanwhile #7 in Central MT is now more than 5 hours behind. Had a brutal run thru eastern MT and ND.

:-(