Starlight detour today or map problem?
- Thread starter acelafan
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It looks like it stayed on the former SP Valley Sub to Roseville instead of switching to the former WP Sacramento Sub at Binney Jct in Marysville as it usually does.
My understanding is that is a regular alternate routing that Amtrak crews are qualified for without requiring use of UP pilot crews.
It is the former regular route of the Starlight prior to the UP-SP merger and UP's reconstruction of the junction at Haggin in Sacramento between the former SP and WP to allow movement in all directions.
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acelafan
Conductor
Very interesting, I had no idea. Thanks for the info and history.
The original, original route was to go north from Davis up the West Valley line through Woodland and Williams and miss Sacramento entirely. That was the same route as the SP Cascade and Shasta Daylight.
It started running via Sacramento and the Valley Sub in the early 1980s when SP announced its intention to downgrade the West Valley line, which was ultimately spun off to a short line (California Northern).
Finally, that stretch between Haggin and Binney Jct and the former WP paired track between Alazon (outside Winnemucca) and Weso (outside Wells) that the eastbound Zephyr uses are the only parts of the old Western Pacific hosting passenger trains.
Seaboard92
Engineer
I believe from Salt Lake City to Wells, NV is also on the former Western Pacific. I think one of these days I need to sit down and do a break down of what former Class Ones Amtrak runs on. Could be a fun project for me when I'm bored.
Here's a close-up from a 1946 schedule. The East line was covered by an all-stops local between Gerber and Sacramento. An aside: in 1964 I stepped off the Cascade for a quick look at Gerber and was almost knocked down by the heat. The AC had been working overtime in my Daylight (non-leg rest) coach.
The West line was the speedway. Note that the Beaver and the Cascade were scheduled to cover 111 miles from Tehama to Davis in 112 minutes, as passengers enjoyed their French Toast. The schedule was shortened when Diesel power and lightweight equipment arrived.
I stand corrected. Yeah, eastbound it is old WP from Weso to SLC, westbound, it is old WP from SLC to Alazon.
Except for the line relocation in Elko that occurred in the mid-80s. None of the track through Elko existed pre-Amtrak.
AmHope
Train Attendant
Waiting at EMY for 11 now. Agent said they had to route around flooded track.The storm that affected yesterday's train affected it today too.
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