Empire Builder Summer Blues Started Early this year

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Linda posted:

Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
The eastbound Cardinal #50 dosen't depart today from CHI, the next one departs tommowrow at 5:45 PM, not today, so it dosen't matter for this #8. I keep getting CDL confused with Commercial Driver's License so I always call it the Cardinal.

Edit: What happened to the quote?!
 
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Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
:hi: Hopefully you'll be the exception to the Rule and #8 will Roll in Early or On-Time so you can make your Connection with the Card! (otherwise it's a Bus chase to catch the Card in Indiana, a switch to the Cap, LSL or even an Overnight in CHI on Amtraks Dime and a Re-scheduled on the next Days' Cap or LSL depending on the OTP of #8 ) Good Karma to you, keep us Posted! :)
Yeah, hopefully they don't put me on the Cap or LSL, I'll be a couple hundred miles from home. My guess is either the bus chase or the hotel. I'm rooting for two nights and home on the Card, that would be the most ideal. I'll talk to them at CHI if I get the chance. I've been watching the 8 for the last 6 weeks and I will either make my connection, or I won't. It's that simple. :giggle:
 
Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
:hi: Hopefully you'll be the exception to the Rule and #8 will Roll in Early or On-Time so you can make your Connection with the Card! (otherwise it's a Bus chase to catch the Card in Indiana, a switch to the Cap, LSL or even an Overnight in CHI on Amtraks Dime and a Re-scheduled on the next Days' Cap or LSL depending on the OTP of #8 ) Good Karma to you, keep us Posted! :)
Yeah, hopefully they don't put me on the Cap or LSL, I'll be a couple hundred miles from home. My guess is either the bus chase or the hotel. I'm rooting for two nights and home on the Card, that would be the most ideal. I'll talk to them at CHI if I get the chance. I've been watching the 8 for the last 6 weeks and I will either make my connection, or I won't. It's that simple. :giggle:
Are you going to CIN? If you arrive hopelessly late to catch the Card, try asking for a voucher then hopping on Greyhound 4501 at 2:55 AM. It'll get you there in 6 hours.
 
28 (15) from PDX is being held for the late train 14(14) (which I am on). We are just pulling into Portland now, so I imagine 28 will leave about half an hour late.
 
Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
:hi: Hopefully you'll be the exception to the Rule and #8 will Roll in Early or On-Time so you can make your Connection with the Card! (otherwise it's a Bus chase to catch the Card in Indiana, a switch to the Cap, LSL or even an Overnight in CHI on Amtraks Dime and a Re-scheduled on the next Days' Cap or LSL depending on the OTP of #8 ) Good Karma to you, keep us Posted! :)
Yeah, hopefully they don't put me on the Cap or LSL, I'll be a couple hundred miles from home. My guess is either the bus chase or the hotel. I'm rooting for two nights and home on the Card, that would be the most ideal. I'll talk to them at CHI if I get the chance. I've been watching the 8 for the last 6 weeks and I will either make my connection, or I won't. It's that simple. :giggle:
Are you going to CIN? If you arrive hopelessly late to catch the Card, try asking for a voucher then hopping on Greyhound 4501 at 2:55 AM. It'll get you there in 6 hours.
Yes, thanks!
 
Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
:hi: Hopefully you'll be the exception to the Rule and #8 will Roll in Early or On-Time so you can make your Connection with the Card! (otherwise it's a Bus chase to catch the Card in Indiana, a switch to the Cap, LSL or even an Overnight in CHI on Amtraks Dime and a Re-scheduled on the next Days' Cap or LSL depending on the OTP of #8 ) Good Karma to you, keep us Posted! :)
Yeah, hopefully they don't put me on the Cap or LSL, I'll be a couple hundred miles from home. My guess is either the bus chase or the hotel. I'm rooting for two nights and home on the Card, that would be the most ideal. I'll talk to them at CHI if I get the chance. I've been watching the 8 for the last 6 weeks and I will either make my connection, or I won't. It's that simple. :giggle:
Are you going to CIN? If you arrive hopelessly late to catch the Card, try asking for a voucher then hopping on Greyhound 4501 at 2:55 AM. It'll get you there in 6 hours.
Yes, thanks!
If you actually going to HUN, then you're totally out of luck. Greyhound only goes to Cincinnati, no further. If an Amtrak bustitute can't catch up to the Card, you'll have to ask Passengers Services to pay for multiple nights in a hotel until you can leave on the next Cardinal.
 
Meanwhile, the EB situation has again gotten better today. The 8 (15) left SEA spot on time and 8 (14) is also right on time entering North Dakota. 7 (15) hasn't run into the trouble spots yet.

The big problem is with 7 (14) which is again piling up delays while heading westbound. The train seems to be stuck behind a freight yet again. The delays just get worse and worse. Hope things imrpove when it gets to SEA/PUT tommorow morning.
 
8(14) now almost 90 minutes late in ND-look for it to be about 2.5-3 hours late pulling into MSP tomorrow AM. (8/28) now anywhere from 30-60 minutes behind in WA.......

All of this is pretty much standard for the weekend. I would expect 8(14) to be between 2-3 hours late into CHI tomorrow night and 8(15) to be 3-4 hours behind, since they will catch the weekday track work schedule as they plow thru ND.

:-(
 
Whooo!!! #8 arrived today in CHI "only" 96 minutes late--those weekend construction reductions really help!! Looks like everyone should have made their connections--mark this one down in the record books folks.........
 
7 (15) is getting better too! It's making up a lot of time coming out of the construction zones. It was 2:34 late in Malta, now it's only 1:34 from Whitefish. Might make it on-time into SEA/PUT because there's usually not too many delays in Washington.
 
Agree, #7 has a good chance to be on time at both SEA and PDX today. #8 just outside of MSP lost about 3 hours last night in the usual spots-more in line with the weekday delays, but with a little luck might be able to pick up enough time to make it into CHI only 2 1/2 hours behind.

No new projects are scheduled to start on the Hi-Line this Fall. The EBs then have about a 6 month "quiet time" where the main issues will be the winter weather and increased energy freight traffic, which hopefully will cause mostly minor delays.......
 
8(17) must be stuck outside of Glasgow. It's looking like it will be very late in arriving in...3 hrs. 50 min. estimated arrival time according to Amtrak, and adding 5 minutes to the estimated time about every 5 minutes.
Might be an accident. The train could be delayed for 6 hours or more if it really collided with something. In the worst case scenario, the 8 (17) gets delayed 5-6 hours at GGW, loses 3 more hours throughout North Dakota, makes up 2 hours, and arrives into CHI about 7 hours late. Passengers would miss all the connections, even the LSL.
 
8(17) must be stuck outside of Glasgow. It's looking like it will be very late in arriving in...3 hrs. 50 min. estimated arrival time according to Amtrak, and adding 5 minutes to the estimated time about every 5 minutes.
Might be an accident. The train could be delayed for 6 hours or more if it really collided with something. In the worst case scenario, the 8 (17) gets delayed 5-6 hours at GGW, loses 3 more hours throughout North Dakota, makes up 2 hours, and arrives into CHI about 7 hours late. Passengers would miss all the connections, even the LSL.
Never fun. I have a short-haul ticket on there tomorrow (SCD to MSP,) so we'll see how late it is.
 
8(17) must be stuck outside of Glasgow. It's looking like it will be very late in arriving in...3 hrs. 50 min. estimated arrival time according to Amtrak, and adding 5 minutes to the estimated time about every 5 minutes.
Might be an accident. The train could be delayed for 6 hours or more if it really collided with something. In the worst case scenario, the 8 (17) gets delayed 5-6 hours at GGW, loses 3 more hours throughout North Dakota, makes up 2 hours, and arrives into CHI about 7 hours late. Passengers would miss all the connections, even the LSL.
Never fun. I have a short-haul ticket on there tomorrow (SCD to MSP,) so we'll see how late it is.
Oh, that would really stink for you if it was 8 hours late into SCD. Maybe taking the EB in September wasn't such a good idea. It would've been OK if you were riding LD, but for a short hop to be 8 hours late is just disastrous! Even 4 hours late is disastrous, and that's how late 8 (17) already is!
 
8(17) must be stuck outside of Glasgow. It's looking like it will be very late in arriving in...3 hrs. 50 min. estimated arrival time according to Amtrak, and adding 5 minutes to the estimated time about every 5 minutes.
Might be an accident. The train could be delayed for 6 hours or more if it really collided with something. In the worst case scenario, the 8 (17) gets delayed 5-6 hours at GGW, loses 3 more hours throughout North Dakota, makes up 2 hours, and arrives into CHI about 7 hours late. Passengers would miss all the connections, even the LSL.
Never fun. I have a short-haul ticket on there tomorrow (SCD to MSP,) so we'll see how late it is.
Oh, that would really stink for you if it was 8 hours late into SCD. Maybe taking the EB in September wasn't such a good idea. It would've been OK if you were riding LD, but for a short hop to be 8 hours late is just disastrous! Even 4 hours late is disastrous, and that's how late 8 (17) already is!
To be fair, I kinda schedule it assuming it'll be a few hours late. Luckily, since I have to drive to SCD anyways, I can either drive to SCD and take the Link to the Northstar or just drive to Big Lake and take the Northstar all the way down.
 
Unfortunately, looking into the next month and beyond, the situation with the Empire Builder probably won't be improving much. Here's a peek at some of the significant construction projects BNSF has planned for October and the remainder of September along the EB's route through Montana.

Subdivision: GLASGOW
Job: SB04
Location: BAINVILLE'-'MACON
Dates: 10/14/2013 - 10/29/2013
Time: 4:30 - 10:30

Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SHLD BLST - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: GLASGOW
Job: SC30
Location: BAINVILLE'-'MACON
Dates: 10/14/2013 - 10/29/2013
Time: 4:30 - 10:30
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SUPR SURF - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: HI LINE
Job: TP04
Location: KREMLIN'-'HINGHAMCENTER
Dates: 10/1/2013 - 10/8/2013
Time: 4:30 - 11:30
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: TIES - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: HI LINE
Job: UC01
Location: SUMMIT'-'JAVAEAST
Dates: 10/14/2013 - 10/23/2013
Time: 8:00 - 14:00
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: UNDERCUT - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: HI LINE
Job: UC04
Location: BURNHAM'-'PIEGAN
Dates: 10/14/2013 - 11/5/2013
Time: 4:30 - 10:30
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: UNDERCUT - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: KOOTENAI RIVER
Job: SB04
Location: WHITEFISH'-'ELMIRA
Dates: 10/30/2013 - 11/15/2013
Time: 8:00 - 14:00
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SHLD BLST - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: KOOTENAI RIVER
Job: SC30
Location: WHITEFISH'-'ELMIRA
Dates: 10/30/2013 - 11/15/2013
Time: 8:00 - 14:00
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SUPR SURF - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: KOOTENAI RIVER
Job: UC01
Location: STRYKER'-'FISHERRIVER
Dates: 10/24/2013 - 11/21/2013
Time: 8:00 - 14:00
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: UNDERCUT - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: SB04
Location: NASHUA'-'HAVRE
Dates: 9/13/2013 - 10/11/2013
Time: 4:30 - 10:30
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SHLD BLST - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: SC30
Location: NASHUA'-'HAVRE
Dates: 9/13/2013 - 10/11/2013
Time: 4:30 - 10:30
Days: MON - FRI
Notes: SUPR SURF - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: TP04
Location: BOWDOIN'-'HARLEM
Dates: 9/16/2013 - 9/30/2013
Time: 20:00 - 2:00
Days: SUN - THU
Notes: TIES - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: TP06
Location: BOWDOIN'-'HARLEM
Dates: 9/16/2013 - 9/30/2013
Time: 20:00 - 2:00
Days: SUN - THU
Notes: TIES - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: UC04
Location: SACO'-'MALTA
Dates: 9/16/2013 - 10/13/2013
Time: 20:00 - 2:00
Days: SUN - THU
Notes: UNDERCUT - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Subdivision: MILK RIVER
Job: UC07
Location: SACO'-'MALTA
Dates: 9/16/2013 - 10/14/2013
Time: 20:00 - 2:00
Days: SUN - THU
Notes: UNDERCUT - Priority traffic may see delays of up to 4hrs. All other intermodal and auto traffic may see delays up to 6hrs. Ag, Coal and Carload traffic may see up to 12hrs delay.


Most of the major construction east of Montana should be winding down during this time span, with one the biggest exceptions being a tie replacement project scheduled to begin next week on the Staples Subdivision from Wadena, MN to Minneapolis and continue until mid-to-late October. Work is set to begin each weekday morning at 8:30, so a late enough eastbound Empire Builder could just become even later through this stretch.
 
What is a Shield Blast and what is a SUPR SURF?
SHLD BLST = Shoulder Ballast

SUPR SURF = Super Surface

Both are related to cleaning and maintaining the ballast along the shoulder of the track. The first process, which involves cleaning the ballast with a specially-designed piece of equipment, leads to the second process, which involves the use of three machines - a tamper, track stabilizer, and ballast profiler - to check over and finish up the work of the first machine. Using the term "Super Surface" to refer to the group of machines that go to work following the ballast cleaner is unique to BNSF, I believe.

There is a lot more information about these machines at the website of one of the leading manufacturers. Look under "machines & systems."
 
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