Empire Builder and the Souris River

[Altygrae]

http://www.grandfork...icle/id/209481/

"several more days"...

They're definitely waiting for the Devils Lake line to reopen before restarting service. I hope that Amtrak will be willing to use the KO detour during the 6+ months required to raise the track near Devils Lake. If not, that will be a very long service suspension

Mark

They may be waiting for the Devils Lake sub to reopen but I shouldn't think it would take 6 months more like 6 days. Here's what the BNSF website said about "Proactive Measures":

Creston subdivision - BNSF has raised two mainline tracks up to 8 feet in order to remain in service. Levees have been built to 6 feet above top of rail along both sides of the track and portions of the roadbed have been armored with rip rap (boulder-size rock.) BNSF has filled 160,000 sandbags to be used on the levees if needed.

Glasgow subdivision - BNSF has raised track a total of 5 feet in order to remain in service. Over 300 cars of ballast and rip rap were used to raise and fortify the track.

This didn't take months to complete as the Missouri came up almost as fast as the Souris/Mouse river. Still hoping that the EB is running on the 20th as that means it will probably be running on our start date of the 23rd of this month.

There is also something in the works that sounds like they (BNSF and Amtrak) plan to totally rebuild the tracks along this flood prone stretch.

 

[JayPea]

As of tonight Amtrak is telling me that EB is running from SEA but they are still using buses from PDX to Spokane. Anyone know what is going on? If the line in open through Minot why would Amtrak be operating the SEA leg but not the PDX one?

Amtrak is not running the EB through from Chicago to Seattle yet. It's still running Seattle-Havre(and back) on the west end and Chicago-Minneapolis/St. Paul (and back) on the east. They will have to do this until the EB is restarted in full due to lack of equipment.

 

[PRR 60]

http://www.grandfork...icle/id/209481/

"several more days"...

They're definitely waiting for the Devils Lake line to reopen before restarting service. I hope that Amtrak will be willing to use the KO detour during the 6+ months required to raise the track near Devils Lake. If not, that will be a very long service suspension

Mark

They may be waiting for the Devils Lake sub to reopen but I shouldn't think it would take 6 months more like 6 days. Here's what the BNSF website said about "Proactive Measures":

The six month job is the $100 million project to permanently raise the line, including bridges. BNSF and Amtrak have each pledged 1/3 of the cost. The last 1/3 is waiting for someone to step up (state, fed, Bill Gates, etc.).

 

[chamilton]

I just spoke with Amtrak about the EB from CHI-SEA on the 19th, and they said that it is "definitely not running."

 

[Steve]

I just spoke to Amtrak again. It not lack of equipment. As of today sleeper service is running out of SEA and they are running a stub train out of PDX. They have the cars here in Portland but are not running the sleepers to Spokane only because there aren't enough passengers.

She seems pretty shoddy to me. We booked and paid for a sleeper but they are not going to provide sleeper service even though they have the ability to do so. Its purely a cost saving decision.

This was directly from the Amtrak agent.

 

[DC]

I sure hope the EB is running for my CHI-East Glacier trip in early September. What do you suppose the chances are that I will need to find an alternate way to Montana?

 

[jshand]

The myriad dates they seem to be giving out regarding the re-start of the EB in North Dakota and Montana is crazy. I would love it if we heard the same "possible running date" from various agents.

 

[mp-44]

they are selling tickets on their website for the 20th on and no service alert flag so I don't know. I am suppose to be on the 23rd from CHI to ESM I might still drive from VA. TAKE 3 DAYS

 

[michael Moffitt]

The Devil's Lake Sub is definitely still out--and BNSF is working on repairs--not a large area that needs fixing, but still it has knocked out the entire sub according to my BNSF contact in Montana. They wouldn't give me a firm estimate, but did say that the water levels had receded sufficiently for them to commence repairs several days ago. What puzzles me is that BNSF had offered the option to Amtrak to use the Surrey Cutoff and apparently Amtrak said no thanks--looks like they are holding the entire route hostage to fixing the mess around Devil's lake, which according to BNSF is indeed a huge, long term fix that will require many months (the $100 million dollar figure is low according to the BNSF folks).

Sad to see the politics of this mess getting in the way of providing service to the people.

 

[michael Moffitt]

I sure hope the EB is running for my CHI-East Glacier trip in early September. What do you suppose the chances are that I will need to find an alternate way to Montana?

Just so you are aware--The Park plans on closing the Going to the Sun Road (Alpine Section) in mid-september this year for re-construction efforts. Logan Pass will not be accessible via a vehicle after that

 

[Dan1221]

I sure hope the EB is running for my CHI-East Glacier trip in early September. What do you suppose the chances are that I will need to find an alternate way to Montana?

Just so you are aware--The Park plans on closing the Going to the Sun Road (Alpine Section) in mid-september this year for re-construction efforts. Logan Pass will not be accessible via a vehicle after that

Thanks... I'll be in the park September 5-7, so I'm guessing it will still be open. Crossing my fingers for the EB though, a one-way rental car from Chicago would be a budget buster.

 

[anir dendroica]

Photos of BNSF repair operations near Towner, east on Minot:

http://www.bnsf.com/customers/pdf/weather/2011-07-13.pdf

Track estimated to reopen July 17, per a BNSF employee.

Mark

 

[jb64]

Photos of BNSF repair operations near Towner, east on Minot:

http://www.bnsf.com/.../2011-07-13.pdf

Track estimated to reopen July 17, per a BNSF employee.

Mark

Thanks for keeping us updated, Mark!

 

[EB_OBS]

This just in.. EB to resume almost full service between Seattle, Portland and Chicago on July 17th and 18th.

Trains 8 & 28 will depart Sunday, July 17th to Chicago. Trains 7 & 27 will depart Chicago on Monday July 18th.

Unfortunately, there will be NO SERVICE to or from Minot, ND for the time being. It's tentatively out of service until July 31st. That might even be a bit optimistic. Apparently even some of the concrete platform washed away.

 

[Dan1221]

This just in.. EB to resume almost full service between Seattle, Portland and Chicago on July 17th and 18th.

Trains 8 & 28 will depart Sunday, July 17th to Chicago. Trains 7 & 27 will depart Chicago on Monday July 18th.

Unfortunately, there will be NO SERVICE to or from Minot, ND for the time being. It's tentatively out of service until July 31st. That might even be a bit optimistic. Apparently even some of the concrete platform washed away.

Thank you! This is excellent news for me, not for anyone traveling to or from Minot though.

 

[jb64]

This just in.. EB to resume almost full service between Seattle, Portland and Chicago on July 17th and 18th.

Trains 8 & 28 will depart Sunday, July 17th to Chicago. Trains 7 & 27 will depart Chicago on Monday July 18th.

Unfortunately, there will be NO SERVICE to or from Minot, ND for the time being. It's tentatively out of service until July 31st. That might even be a bit optimistic. Apparently even some of the concrete platform washed away.

Thanks for the update EB OBS. I'll be on 7/27 on 7/23 from Chi to WGL. Hope to see you!

 

[mp-44]

well that sounds like good news I still have a rental car waiting in the wings just in case by By the way who else is on this 23rd trip Sleeper or coach

 

[jb64]

well that sounds like good news I still have a rental car waiting in the wings just in case by By the way who else is on this 23rd trip Sleeper or coach

I am. I'll be in the Portland sleeper.

 

[brucie Bonus]

There is nothing shown now on the Amtrak website re delays or cancellations on the Empire Builder, so now assume all is back to normal.

This is from the Amtrak site 7/12. http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1237608335997

The notice is unchanged.

On the day I made the statement about the Amtrak website there was nothing there about the disruptions.

 

[jshand]

This just in.. EB to resume almost full service between Seattle, Portland and Chicago on July 17th and 18th.

Trains 8 & 28 will depart Sunday, July 17th to Chicago. Trains 7 & 27 will depart Chicago on Monday July 18th.

Unfortunately, there will be NO SERVICE to or from Minot, ND for the time being. It's tentatively out of service until July 31st. That might even be a bit optimistic. Apparently even some of the concrete platform washed away.

This is great news! Is there a way to verify this with Amtrak? Or do you have a contact there? I'm really trying to find out if I need to reschedule my July 21st departure from Grand Forks.

 

[jb64]

I believe EB_OBS is really an OBS on the EB, so an Amtrak employee. Probably more verification than you will get from a ticket agent or Julie.

 

[mp-44]

I will be traveling with my grandson in 0731 #6 I am fulfilling a promise I made 5 years ago when we were at Glacier that when he graduated from high school I would take him back there. I keep my promises Will come into CHI on the CAP Sat AM.

 

[jb64]

I will be traveling with my grandson in 0731 #6 I am fulfilling a promise I made 5 years ago when we were at Glacier that when he graduated from high school I would take him back there. I keep my promises Will come into CHI on the CAP Sat AM.

We are traveling together on both trains (29 and 7) then. I'll board in Was and will exit the EB at Glacier. (WGL) Taking my son and traveling with a friend and her son (both boys 13)

 

[mp-44]

grea I will be coming into Was on the VA.Regional from MSS The 2901 #2

 

[Ryan]

I believe EB_OBS is really an OBS on the EB, so an Amtrak employee. Probably more verification than you will get from a ticket agent or Julie.

I'm pretty sure that he's a manager of some type.