Fire impacts Coast Starlight (6/29/21)

[jis]

I can't imagine that this bus bridge and train turn plan is more cost-effective than just running the trains from SEA-EMY with onward bus connections to LAX during the track work north of LA. I understand that UP repaired this bridge a month ahead of schedule, but you would think Amtrak would be able to respond quickly and restore this important service. Cancelling a full month's worth of trains in the overnight section during the busy summer travel season when the track is now open just looks bad.

Then again, none of us know what UP has chosen to do or allow yet. Amtrak is not in a position to respond any faster than what UP permits it to do.

 

[zephyr17]

Then again, none of us know what UP has chosen to do or allow yet. Amtrak is not in a position to respond any faster than what UP permits it to do.

And UP is not known for being Amtrak friendly.

I said it before, UP and Amtrak set a service resumption date of 9/8. Even though 9/8 was based on a completion date of 9/1, UP has no reason to change it and every reason not to in order to clear their backlog and normalize their traffic patterns without having to account for Amtrak. UP did not spend millions and mount an all hands on deck effort to restore the line for Amtrak's benefit, but rather to move their own freight. Amtrak would have to lean pretty hard on them to have any chance of changing the date. It is not clear Amtrak even wants to, and in any case, Amtrak has little leverage.

Early restoration depends on UP being "nice". UP does not have a history of being nice.

 

[Oreius]

Why can’t they just reroute the Starlight over the Central Valley? I’ve read they have done that during track work on its normal route south of Oakland.

 

[zephyr17]

Why can’t they just reroute the Starlight over the Central Valley? I’ve read they have done that during track work on its normal route south of Oakland.

They could have. I have heard that was the initial plan for this planned maintenance work until the suspension of service between Sac and K Falls due to the Dry Creek Trestle damage.

Apparently they thought it wasn't worth it once the Starlight got stubbed to Sacramento. The Tehachapi detour, as it is usually done, misses all stops between Oakland and LA, as well as missing the run along the Coast.

I was lucky enough to catch a detour a few years ago due to Metrolink work on Tunnel 26 near Chatsworth, and there were very few people on the train between Oakland and LA.

Ironically, with the Dry Creek Trestle back in service, the Sacramento truncation is no longer physically necessary.

Tehachapi detours are usually require a lot of advance planning with UP, and UP is always reticent about it. Tehachapi is an extremely busy mountain railroad, much of it single track. They didn't allow it all for decades, and only started to allow them in the last few years.

Neither Amtrak nor UP finalized such a detour before the service truncation, and with plans now firmed up, and with traffic patterns generally snarled on both UP and BNSF (a tenant on Tehachapi) by fires, there is no way UP will let them on now.

 

[west point]

A thought. It may be that both Amtrak and UP are concerned about fires both in progress and future ones. A bus bridge over the route can be cut by any of road or UP route. Not saying that is what is going on but maybe ??? That might even be a reason UP will not allow Cal Z to go thru Wyoming due to possible more freight detours.??

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Rising from the Ashes: Dry Canyon Bridge Rebuilt in One Month

 

[Oreius]

The “Trestle Angels!”

 

[WWW]

Rising from the Ashes: Dry Canyon Bridge Rebuilt in One Month

As noted this was all done on UP's dime - no government funding "YET" !

 

[MARC Rider]

As noted this was all done on UP's dime - no government funding "YET" !

I would find the process of how this happened to be interesting.

First there's the issue of the corporate decision to swiftly switch allocation of corporate funds toward this project. As we all know, the Union Pacific is not run on democratic principles, so if the top leadership is convinced that a swiftly emerging project is essential to the health of the company, they can almost instantaneously decide to fund that project. No endless discussion with board members, shareholders, management stakeholders with other priorities, and the public, nor are there endless discussions in social media and the press about whether the company should do this and how they should do it.

Second, once the decision is made, staff has to procure the services of contractors and obtain the needed materials for the project. I'm not sure what the corporate bureaucracy in UP is like with regard to this, but they must have some interest in ensuring that they get contractors who do good work at a fair price, the latter being a rather sensitive topic, given this company's history in this matter.

Given that they have been apparently able to rebuild this ahead of schedule (they don't say whether it was under budget or not), maybe there are some best practices about decision making and procurement that could be adopted by the public operators of infrastructure.

 

[CACharger262]

For those still keeping tabs, the Dry Canyon Bridge at Hotlum was approved for passenger train travel yesterday. Pending UP approval, the CS could get a weeks worth of reroute through the San Joaquin Valley and Tehachapi loop starting next Monday the 16th. Once the Narlon bridge work is completed, full service with no reroutes or bus bridges Seattle to Los Angeles would resume on or around the 23rd

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I saw this earlier on FB from someone I believe works for Amtrak and is in a position to know.

Hot off the press folks; Coast starlight will begin normal operations effective 8-23. That’s right.

 

[zephyr17]

I saw this earlier on FB from someone I believe works for Amtrak and is in a position to know.

The "Schedules" tab does now show the train running through starting 8/23. No more 3 segment 11/3011/1011 stuff.

It shows "No trains matching your request" on the Booking tab, though. My take is the train will be running through, but Amtrak's ace IT team hasn't gotten it straightened out in Arrow yet.

 

[oregon pioneer]

I saw this earlier on FB from someone I believe works for Amtrak and is in a position to know.

Seeing the same notification from my friend in Mt. Shasta:

 

[Cal]

So will they begin operations prior to the 23 over Tehachapi? Or are they just gonna resume completely normal operations on the 23rd.

 

[Bob Dylan]

So will they begin operations prior to the 23 over Tehachapi? Or are they just gonna resume completely normal operations on the 23rd.

TBD, it has to be worked out with UP!

 

[zephyr17]

So will they begin operations prior to the 23 over Tehachapi? Or are they just gonna resume completely normal operations on the 23rd.

The Schedules tab shows no service until 8/23, then through service.

Amtrak having cancelled the train entirely starting this last Monday, I doubt they would start it back up suddenly, having cancelled the reservations. They have already driven off the passengers.

 

[Cal]

The Schedules tab shows no service until 8/23, then through service.

Amtrak having cancelled the train entirely starting this last Monday, I doubt they would start it back up suddenly, having cancelled the reservations. They have already driven off the passengers.

Makes sense, I myself had to change my reservation all the way till December.

 

[zephyr17]

Amtrak.com service alert has now been modified to show service south of K Falls only cancelled through 8/22.

Still not bookable until 9/8.

 

[TheTuck]

The SAC to KFS segment has been available to Amtrak for 3 days now, yet Amtrak is unable (unwilling) to operate south of KFS due to the Narlon Bridge project in Central California. The Starlight could be operating between Seattle and Northern California but this would require 3 sets of equipment. The needed third set is currently stuck in LA with no route available to Northern California. I said Amtrak is unwilling because there is ample equipment elsewhere in the system and a simple transfer of equipment from LAX to CHI to SEA or OAK should've already occured and allowed for resumption of service by now. By waiting until August 23, Amtrak shows us how unimaginative they are and unwilling to do anything other than the status quo.

 

[Cal]

The SAC to KFS segment has been available to Amtrak for 3 days now, yet Amtrak is unable (unwilling) to operate south of KFS due to the Narlon Bridge project in Central California. The Starlight could be operating between Seattle and Northern California but this would require 3 sets of equipment. The needed third set is currently stuck in LA with no route available to Northern California. I said Amtrak is unwilling because there is ample equipment elsewhere in the system and a simple transfer of equipment from LAX to CHI to SEA or OAK should've already occured and allowed for resumption of service by now. By waiting until August 23, Amtrak shows us how unimaginative they are and unwilling to do anything other than the status quo.

I doubt UP is letting them resume normal service with their backlog

 

[TheTuck]

I doubt UP is letting them resume normal service with their backlog

That's exactly what Amtrak would make you believe

 

[Cal]

That's exactly what Amtrak would make you believe

And also something that is very plausible.

 

[CACharger262]

Last I heard, UP told Amtrak no re-route through the valley and loop. Now they are currently negotiating a deadhead equipment move from LA to Oakland so they may run EMY to SEA. No word yet if the UP will at least agree to that

 

[Rasputin]

Amtrak is sort of like your little brother. Patiently sitting on a bench at the side of the game, waiting for the big boys to either get tired or finish their game so it will finally be his chance to play.

 

[WillyGonmyway]

Service from Seattle to Los Angeles will be open AUG 24th, 2021 according to AMTRAK this morning. YEAH!!!