Fire impacts Coast Starlight (6/29/21)

[AmtrakBlue]

https://www.up.com/customers/announcements/customernews/generalannouncements/CN2021-43.html

• The fire burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near Weed, California, is impacting rail operations between Redding, California and Eugene, Oregon. Our Engineering team is currently assessing the extent of the damage to our rail infrastructure including the Dry Canyon bridge near Hotlum, California. A reroute plan is in place to move traffic around the impacted area. As a result of the alternate routing, customers may experience delays in excess of 72 hours.

 

[Danib62]

So much for my honeymoon

 

[zephyr17]

Well, at least they're in there evaluating it. That's the first step.

Wonder if UP will detour trains over the Inside Gateway or just run everything through Odgen?

My guess is Ogden.

 

[Cal]

How long until the bridge can be repaired?

 

[desertflyer]

Some fire fighters reported that it was mostly the ties that burned. I wonder if it's possible that the bridge itself is structurally sound despite the terrible looking photos?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

How long until the bridge can be repaired?

Depends on the damage.
UP will want to get it repaired as soon as possible.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Hot fires aren't good for steel.

 

[coalman]

Some fire fighters reported that it was mostly the ties that burned. I wonder if it's possible that the bridge itself is structurally sound despite the terrible looking photos?

where are the photos of bridge?

 

[Brian Battuello]

Previous page, response #17

 

[coalman]

Hi I'm on CS in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Train stopped and turning back to Portland. Fire burned bridge south of here. Wish you were here for trip of life time or just the new normal.

I just got back to Portland. I was on this train. A customer service rep spoke with each of us on the train. He said BN had 2 fire trains there. They were working on Southside but could not get to Northside of the bridge is what he heard on their morning briefing before coming to meet our train. We were told last night on our train that Burlington Northern shut down the tracks.

 

[zephyr17]

Um, the fire was on the Union Pacific (ex-SP) portion of the Coast Starlight, route. The train only runs on BNSF between Seattle and Portland.

Sounds like something got lost in translation. Burlington Northern (which no longer exists, having merged with the Santa Fe in 1996 to form BNSF) would not have been involved except maybe to lend equipment and/or workers to UP if UP asked.

With that aside, what was the customer service representative offering for reaccommodation/compensation?

 

[danasgoodstuff]

I just Google Earthed this and it would appear that the trestle in question is after the split with the branch that goes over Siskiyou Summit, but there's probably fire damage there too. It would be something though if they ran passengers that way for the first time in decades, maybe since pre-WWII.

 

[Cal]

It should be back in service by mid August, right?

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Maybe not if they have to do major repairs to that trestle and can't use the alternate route either.

 

[zephyr17]

I just Google Earthed this and it would appear that the trestle in question is after the split with the branch that goes over Siskiyou Summit, but there's probably fire damage there too. It would be something though if they ran passengers that way for the first time in decades, maybe since pre-WWII.

Seriously doubt they'd detour over CORP's Siskiyou Line. Much of it is 10 mph. It would take a very long time.

SP ran local passenger trains over the line until the late 1950s. There were two, one ran from Black Butte junction to Medford, the other Eugene-Medford. One was named Rogue River, forget the name of the other one.

Sometime in the 1990s I think ODOT ran a demonstration train from Eugene as far as Roseburg, maybe even to Medford. It didn't go over Siskiyou Summit, though.

 

[zephyr17]

It should be back in service by mid August, right?

It all depends if the steel structure was significantly weakened. If it is structurally sound, they need to redo the bridge deck and relay the tracks. They can do that pretty quickly. If they have do major repairs to the bridge structure, that is different matter.

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Seriously doubt they'd detour over CORP's Siskiyou Line. Much of it is 10 mph. It would take a very long time.

SP ran local passenger trains over the line until the late 1950s. There were two, one ran from Black Butte junction to Medford, the other Eugene-Medford. One was named Rogue River, forget the name of the other one.

Sometime in the 1990s I think ODOT ran a demonstration train from Eugene as far as Roseburg, maybe even to Medford. It didn't go over Siskiyou Summit, though.

I've seen time tables from earlier when they ran alternate routes Ptld to SF, thru Ashland was 2 hours slower than thru K Falls, even though it's shorter, IIRC.

 

[Cal]

Seriously doubt they'd detour over CORP's Siskiyou Line. Much of it is 10 mph. It would take a very long time.

Hows the scenery on the route?

 

[coalman]

In better times.

Um, the fire was on the Union Pacific (ex-SP) portion of the Coast Starlight, route. The train only runs on BNSF between Seattle and Portland.

Sounds like something got lost in translation. Burlington Northern (which no longer exists, having merged with the Santa Fe in 1996 to form BNSF) would not have been involved except maybe to lend equipment and/or workers to UP if UP asked.

With that aside, what was the customer service representative offering for reaccommodation/compensation?

thanks for the accurate information. He was working on trip continuation. They were paying for overnight hotel stays and Uber. I don't know what they were doing for connecting transportation like flights. They said customer service would contact us in a couple of days about trip compensation for what we paid.

 

[zephyr17]

I've seen time tables from earlier when they ran alternate routes Ptld to SF, thru Ashland was 2 hours slower than thru K Falls, even though it's shorter, IIRC.

The Cascade Line ("Natron Cutoff") was opened in the 1920s because it was faster and far better engineered than the 1870s Siskiyou Line even if it was a bit longer.

The Siskiyou line would be a lot slower now, because a lot of what had been 25/30 mph line is now 10 mph.

Finally, Siskiyou Tunnel has really restricted clearance. Am not at all sure it would clear Superliners.

 

[zephyr17]

Hows the scenery on the route?

It would be really good, with plenty of time to enjoy it.

 

[danasgoodstuff]

thanks for the accurate information. He was working on trip continuation. They were paying for overnight hotel stays and Uber. I don't know what they were doing for connecting transportation like flights. They said customer service would contact us in a couple of days about trip compensation for what we paid.

We hit someone racing the train for the crossing on the Cascades a few years ago and I missed my connection to VIA in Vancouver even though I told them about it and they could've gotten my there in time so I had a hotel stay and flew to SK the next day at my own expense. They did jack for me. Thought I had trip insurance but couldn't find it. Just ate hundreds extra.

 

[danasgoodstuff]

We hit someone racing the train for the crossing on the Cascades a few years ago and I missed my connection to VIA in Vancouver even though I told them about it and they could've gotten my there in time so I had a hotel stay and flew to SK the next day at my own expense. They did jack for me. Thought I had trip insurance but couldn't find it. Just ate hundreds extra.

I got to my brother's wedding in SK (sooner, 'cause I flew) and I wasn't in front of the train, so it worked out. And I got to ride VIA back to Van.

 

[Steve4031]

I’m staying in Mt. Shasta. The smoke the fire is visible from miles away. So far no evacuation discussion for Mt. Shasta. Only Weed.

 

[Cal]

I’m staying in Mt. Shasta. The smoke the fire is visible from miles away. So far no evacuation discussion for Mt. Shasta. Only Weed.

Stay safe!