Empire Builder February 2019 delays

[TamarackTom]

It looks like the Empire Builder's delays are exploding again.  Sounds like oil shipments are picking up again both on BNSF and CP.  Anyone else heard anything?  Next week I'm heading to Chicago from St Paul and taking the Texas Eagle the next day.   Thankfully, running late shouldn't be a huge issue since it's an overnight layoff one way or the other.

 

[NativeSon5859]

I was on 8 yesterday that was over ten hours late into Chicago.

A combination of things slowed us down.

* Sat outside the Cascade Tunnel for 3 hours waiting on freight trains.
* Lost another 30min inside the tunnel with stalled engines.
* Avalanche on Maria’s Pass caused delays in Glacier Park
area.
* Engine problems in Shelby.
* Extreme cold that night (-20+) caused us to lose several more hours.
* More various delays waiting on freights all the way until Red Wing.

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm hoping I make my connection next week to the Capitol Punishment in Chicago. I'm trying to make it from Seattle to a wedding in Charleston. (Yes I know it's a two hour drive from where I live. But I had an interview at SEATAC)

 

[NW cannonball]

I'm also looking at a connection from the eastbound EB #8 to the TE to San Antonio. And on after a few days stay in San Antonio and another few days in El Paso -- one of the lowest crime cities in the whole USA for the last 30 years -- need to learn the culture -- and has lots of cultural museums and stuff, and,

But anyhow --

The Builder 8 Eastbound -- I don't watch anymore - can see it from near my house, by daylight  whenever it  arrives, and I mean "whenever" usually before noon here at MSP, sometimes later  -- I plan on the Greyhound or the Megabus or airlines to Chi-Town from MSP to connect with any Amtrak out of Chicago.

I use the Builder to-from SEA MSP. But not for onward connections. Kinda like a decade ago when the "Coast Starlate" did or didn't connect at SEA.

 

[NW cannonball]

I'm hoping I make my connection next week to the Capitol Punishment in Chicago. I'm trying to make it from Seattle to a wedding in Charleston. (Yes I know it's a two hour drive from where I live. But I had an interview at SEATAC)

Charleston SC or WV? SC, right, obviously -- sorry.

Like I posted above, have a Plan B.  Train 8 is usually near on-time here at MSP but also randomly late. I can't say where to catch a flight west of MSP when 8 is late. Fargo is the most likely place I think but if you running late late - maybe Grand Forks-MSP-CHI? Minot and west all the way to Spokane very few flights available.

Good chance you make connection to CapL,  but also may need to improvise out in the wilds in the winter.  Good luck.

And -- the few times I've been to Charleston, SC -- like that place. Take care, be good, may all your connections connect.

 

[capltd29]

I'm hoping I make my connection next week to the Capitol Punishment in Chicago. I'm trying to make it from Seattle to a wedding in Charleston. (Yes I know it's a two hour drive from where I live. But I had an interview at SEATAC)

Capitol punishment? I rode a week ago and had a lovely trip. We were 40 mins late, my food was delicious and the crew was fantastic.

 

[tim49424]

Capitol punishment? I rode a week ago and had a lovely trip. We were 40 mins late, my food was delicious and the crew was fantastic.

We had a great experience on the CL last year. It was far from punishment for me and my sister!

 

[flitcraft]

I'm glad to hear that the Capitol Limited was a good trip for you. I have booked a mammoth train trip with my brother and sister-in-law that involves a leg on the Capitol Limited from Washington to Chicago. (Originally we had hoped for the Cardinal, but no bedrooms available.)  They've never traveled by train before, but having just retired they thought it would be fun. (Okay, I convinced them it would be fun...)  So I am encouraged to hear two positive reports!

 

[tim49424]

I'm glad to hear that the Capitol Limited was a good trip for you. I have booked a mammoth train trip with my brother and sister-in-law that involves a leg on the Capitol Limited from Washington to Chicago. (Originally we had hoped for the Cardinal, but no bedrooms available.)  They've never traveled by train before, but having just retired they thought it would be fun. (Okay, I convinced them it would be fun...)  So I am encouraged to hear two positive reports!
 

Both the Cardinal and Capitol Limited are good trains. IMO the scenery is better on the Cardinal. But neither of them are close to the Empire Builder, my personal favorite train!

 

[cpotisch]

13 hours ago, capltd29 said:
Capitol punishment? I rode a week ago and had a lovely trip. We were 40 mins late, my food was delicious and the crew was fantastic.

We had a great experience on the CL last year. It was far from punishment for me and my sister!

I'll be on the Late Shore (#49) tomorrow. Hopefully my fresh and contemporary experience will be as positive as yours.

 

[tim49424]

I'll be on the Late Shore (#49) tomorrow. Hopefully my fresh and contemporary experience will be as positive as yours.

I didn’t experience that. I rode a couple of weeks before that started.

 

[cpotisch]

I didn’t experience that. I rode a couple of weeks before that started.

I see. Still, 1@capltd29[/USER] rode just last week, so experienced the same menu that I will.

 

[tim49424]

I see. Still, [mention=314]capltd29[/mention] rode just last week, so experienced the same menu that I will.

From what I’ve heard, the experience is way better than it was when it first was rolled out. Mind you, not as good as the traditional menus like they have out west, however.

 

[cpotisch]

Since I'll be on the LSL both ways to and from Rochester, I should be getting all three meals if the train runs reasonably on time. A bit sad that they won't have the veggie burger, but the Asian Noodle Bowl looks like it'll probably be good. I'm also hoping that I'll be able to have the breakfast sandwich without the meat.

 

[NativeSon5859]

Had a really good experience on 30 just two days ago. Thought the food was very good. Breakfast is 10X better than what it was before (just the box)...

 

[Seaboard92]

The wedding is on the beach in Charleston, SC. I'll make it there hopefully. If not I'll send the gift I got them.

 

[capltd29]

Since I'll be on the LSL both ways to and from Rochester, I should be getting all three meals if the train runs reasonably on time. A bit sad that they won't have the veggie burger, but the Asian Noodle Bowl looks like it'll probably be good. I'm also hoping that I'll be able to have the breakfast sandwich without the meat.

I loved the veggie burger too. I had the asian noodle bowl, and it was good, has a pretty strong sesame flavor. It can be done hot or cold, but my recommendation would be hot. I had the blondie (which evidently is not vegan, as another passenger had asked about this, but the brownie is reportedly vegan). The blondie was good. I felt like the presentation was reasonable. Hardly a "gas station meal" as some of the grumps describe it. I did not have the breakfast sandwich because I don't usually eat breakfast and I don't like asking people to alter sandwiches (to take the meat of). The rest of the breakfast spread was good. 

 

[fritz]

#7/8 still having BIG problems, can we get back to thread topic?  #7 of 18Feb just went to "service disruption) and lots of other big delays on the map.  I'm riding out of Whitefish next Sunday...anybody know whats going on now?

 

[west point]

BNSF computer problems system wide both Amtrak and freights.

 

[Thirdrail7]

#7/8 still having BIG problems, can we get back to thread topic?  #7 of 18Feb just went to "service disruption) and lots of other big delays on the map.  I'm riding out of Whitefish next Sunday...anybody know whats going on now?

There was also a grade crossing incident, freight interference, switch problems.

It is pretty much publicly available on the Amtrak Twitter feed.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AmtrakAlerts

 

[cpotisch]

I loved the veggie burger too. I had the asian noodle bowl, and it was good, has a pretty strong sesame flavor. It can be done hot or cold, but my recommendation would be hot. I had the blondie (which evidently is not vegan, as another passenger had asked about this, but the brownie is reportedly vegan). The blondie was good. I felt like the presentation was reasonable. Hardly a "gas station meal" as some of the grumps describe it. I did not have the breakfast sandwich because I don't usually eat breakfast and I don't like asking people to alter sandwiches (to take the meat of). The rest of the breakfast spread was good. 

I’m on the LSL now, and found the Noodle Bowl to be ok (had it hot), but the sesame dressing was just too sweet for my taste. Though once I gave it a little pinch of salt and a splash of balsamic, it was pretty decent. The vegan brownie bar that came in the box was way too bitter and tough, but the separate dark chocolate brownie I chose (had a choice of that or the blondie) was very good.

Learn more here in my live trip report thread!

 

[TamarackTom]

There was also a grade crossing incident, freight interference, switch problems.

It is pretty much publicly available on the Amtrak Twitter feed.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AmtrakAlerts

Looks like the EB is slowly catching up to it's schedule now.  Just looks like a stretch of really bad luck in the last week.

 

[montana mike]

You spoke too soon.   #7(20) is now stopped cold (pardon the pun) around Glasgow, MT due to a broken down BNSF freight train blocking the single track in that vicinity.     Amtrak and BNSF are estimating around a 3 hour delay to fix this latest delay.     Meanwhile #8(19) still in MN will arrive in CHI late tonight around 6 hours behind.    #8(20), which started off in SPK, because it was way too late to make a timely turnaround in SEA/PDX is currently running only modestly behind schedule, but there is still congestion and delays along the Hi-Line which my BNSF buddies say will likely add 2-3 hours to their transit time.   This route just cannot catch a break over the past few weeks.   

 

[tim49424]

You spoke too soon.   #7(20) is now stopped cold (pardon the pun) around Glasgow, MT due to a broken down BNSF freight train blocking the single track in that vicinity.     Amtrak and BNSF are estimating around a 3 hour delay to fix this latest delay.     Meanwhile #8(19) still in MN will arrive in CHI late tonight around 6 hours behind.    #8(20), which started off in SPK, because it was way too late to make a timely turnaround in SEA/PDX is currently running only modestly behind schedule, but there is still congestion and delays along the Hi-Line which my BNSF buddies say will likely add 2-3 hours to their transit time.   This route just cannot catch a break over the past few weeks.   

I'm hoping that the problems straighten out over the next few weeks.  I'm heading from SEA-CHI on the 18th.

 

[TamarackTom]

You spoke too soon.   #7(20) is now stopped cold (pardon the pun) around Glasgow, MT due to a broken down BNSF freight train blocking the single track in that vicinity.     Amtrak and BNSF are estimating around a 3 hour delay to fix this latest delay.     Meanwhile #8(19) still in MN will arrive in CHI late tonight around 6 hours behind.    #8(20), which started off in SPK, because it was way too late to make a timely turnaround in SEA/PDX is currently running only modestly behind schedule, but there is still congestion and delays along the Hi-Line which my BNSF buddies say will likely add 2-3 hours to their transit time.   This route just cannot catch a break over the past few weeks.   

Ouch, I was wondering if a Spokane turnaround happened. Keeping my fingers crossed my consist is the #7 westbound going through ND this morning.  I will board when it's the #8 returning. 2 to 3 hours is no problem. That 12 hour plus the other day gets painful.