Empire Builder Summer Blues Started Early this year

[Steve4031]

Ill look at the power on 8 when we meet and try and let you know.

 

[montana mike]

Amtrak has had quite a few "power" failures recently. Perhaps just bad luck or?????

 

[tim49424]

Perhaps just bad luck or?????

Is there any such thing as "Good Luck" on the Empire Builder in the last couple years? LOL

 

[montana mike]

Good Point. Every time they appear to getting back to a reasonable schedule something like this happens. I would expect #7 departing tomorrow may be delayed in its departure.

:-(

 

[Steve4031]

7 that departed Chicago is doing ok with me on it. About 15 minutes late. Been looking for 8 for past hour. Did not see it but out may have been on other side.

The sca in 730 car is also working as a server in the diner. He's gonna be tired by the end of the trip.

 

[Bob Dylan]

7 that departed Chicago is doing ok with me on it. About 15 minutes late. Been looking for 8 for past hour. Did not see it but out may have been on other side.

The sca in 730 car is also working as a server in the diner. He's gonna be tired by the end of the trip.

And have Good Tips!

 

[Steve4031]

We are about 15 mikes east of Minot. Pretty close to on time. Iirc the construction zone is between Minot and havre.

The scoop not the missing dining car waiter: a trainee was on the 10 hr late 8. He got iff of 8 in msp and boarded 7. This morning the sca in 730 car was on task. Car was in order, and my room made up after breakfast.

 

[Steve4031]

Bnsf is building a state of the art railroad up here. Concrete ties on passing siding. Almost like riding the chief across Arizona and California.

 

[Steve4031]

Just saw two superliner cars siting on a side track at Stanley. One was a sleeper. Just what Amtrak needs. More cars out if service.

 

[Steve4031]

Just arrived havre. Taking on fuel. A busy railroad today. From Minot to havre most sidings had a waiting eastbound freight. We over took one eb freight too. A great way to spend Saturday.

 

[montana mike]

Freight traffic is indeed heavy. Even with reduced track work over the weekend #8 in WI is around 3 1/2 hours late into CHI tonight-oh, well....

 

[Steve4031]

Early into Shelby. We passed another superliner car sitting in Devon siding.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Why are all the Superliners set out and stting there? Mechanical problems?

 

[Steve4031]

I don't know. I'm curios myself. I saw 2 in one spot and 1 at another. So 3 cars. One was a sleeper. Did not get a good look at others.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I don't know. I'm curios myself. I saw 2 in one spot and 1 at another. So 3 cars. One was a sleeper. Did not get a good look at others.

That sure is not good with Amtrak's fleet shortages, not as chronic as the shortages of another transport company but still pretty bad. I heard that they were able to spare a pair of extra Superliners for the HF.

 

[montana mike]

#7 arrived in WFH tonight--ON TIME!!! First time in many weeks. Yea!!! #8 did arrive in CHI 3 1/2 hours late today--better than yesterday-10 1/2 hrs late and the day before- 5+ hours late....The WFH Stationmaster said BNSF told them they will be wrapping up several of their projects in MT by the end of October, so things should improve a little more at that time. The Superliners on the sidings enroute are a concern...........

 

[Steve4031]

I Suspect some of these cars contributed to delays by being bad ordered and setting off hot box detectors.

Seven arrive early into Seattle at 9:45. Overall a great trip.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Glad the see the EB doing better, now to see if it hold up, which it rarely does. Winter delays might be htting soon, and that won't be good.

 

[Big Green Chauvanist]

I was on board 7 and it arrived in Seattle this morning 30 minutes early! Just like old times when its on-time performance was pretty stellar. Don't know about 27. Only slight delays around Williston--nothing major. Longest delay was actually on the single track east of Monroe, Washington, waiting for a freight for about ten minutes.

I also took the Capitol Limited Sunday evening, which arrived Monday into Chicago--also thirty minutes early.

 

[montana mike]

Eastbound did not fare as well--now over SIX hours late and still not in Chicago. Looks like an arrival waaay after 10 PM now.

:-(

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

EB is still in the red but not that bad. 7(15) has been holding a reletively constant delay, 8 (15) is getting slightly worse at every station, possibly stuck behind a freight.

 

[greatcats]

I just got off the 6 hour late#8 less than two hours ago. You can read about it in my post which was not meant as a Travelogue, but it was moved there. 48 was held for us and it was on the adjacent track for those transferring. While this lateness isn't great, overall it was a good trip from Seattle. We all agreed the crews were great

 

[CHamilton]

8 (15) lost time at the beginning of the run due to loco problems, but stayed around 1:40 late until Minot, where it lost another hour (not sure why, as I fell asleep). Now approaching Devils Lake around 3 hours down.

 

[CHamilton]

8(15) now at Fargo, 4 hours down. Apparently they had to take a 'belligerent drunk' off the train last night.

 

[Bill]

Wow. Thanks for the detailed assessment. Gee, one would think that Amtrak could have done a better job planning that trip. 5 Private cars and barely enough power to get over Marias Pass, plus running out of food sounds like someone did a poor job of provisioning. Having been on quite a few late LD trains, once you lose your "slot" things just seem to snowball.......

An announcement one of the conductors made about having just the two engines suggested that the problem was simply that another loco just wasn't available in Seattle. I hope Amtrak was paid sufficiently to haul those private cars for it to help pay current bills. We had seen the same cars on my CS [30] from CA to Seattle:

Mid-America Mohave MRLX 800651

Wisconsin Valley Lounge 800787

The Milwaukee River 800195

MIlwaukee Road Superdome 800862

Lamberts Point 800702

Overheard an employee on board one of these otherwise empty cars that there had been a Levi Strauss private conference that used these cars in California.

Re: provisioning. This is only gossip I overheard, but it seemed that Amtrak is REALLY REALLY trying to be conservative with ANY outgo of money or supplies right now and for the past month or so.

There were 13 of us that rode these private cars from EMY to SEA on the CS, overnight there, then on to MSP on the EB. Our sleeper was the Minnesota River. The first two cars on your list were empty. We had the run of the Lamberts Point and the Superdome and told to make ourselves at home with the bar. Their chef prepared all our meals and provided snacks.

Arriving at MSP, I continued on on the EB. Because we arrived in Milwaukee so late, I missed the last Hiawatha to the airport. Amtrak used their heads and saved some money. Rather than giving me a taxi voucher to the airport, the EB did a rare stop at the airport station to let me off.