siberianmo
Service Attendant
G'day!
I resumed my rail travels after a brief hiatus with another run along my FAY-VOR-IYTE short-distance route aboard the Missouri River Runner from Kirkwood, MO to KCity and return. This one turned out to be amongst the longest ever encountered - but a good time nonetheless . . .
Trip Report
July 16th, 2014
Kirkwood – Kansas City – Kirkwood
Aboard the Missouri River Runner
“The Longest Day”
Caveat: These reports are “memo’s to file” and are intended for inclusion within my foto albums as a record of my experiences – they are not “blogs.”
Wednesday, July 16th - #311 Missouri River Runner
Amtrak train #311 westbound arrived late at Kirkwood from downtown St. Louis where about 75 passengers were waiting to board.
Weather: Dry – absolutely beautiful fall-like morning.
Equipment:
Locomotive AMD103/PA42 #69
Horizon coaches #54534 - 54513 - 54502
Amfleet Café/Business Class car # 48178 <at rear>
Departed
Kirkwood 10:48 AM < sked 9:44 – 4 mins late>
Washington 11:28 < sked 10:21 –7 mins late>
Hermann 10:57 < sked 10:49 – 8 mins late>
Jefferson City 11:48 < sked 11:36 – 12 mins late>
Sedalia 1:06 PM < sked 12:46 PM – 20 mins late>
Warrensburg 4:37 < sked 1:20 – 197 mins late>
Lee’s Summit 5:24 < sked 2:04 200 mins late>
Independence 5:42 < sked 2:20 – 202 mins late>
Arrived
Kansas City 6:02 < sked 2:55 – 187 mins late>
Crew: Conductor: Rich – Assistant: Adam - Café attendant: Debbie
Miscellaneous:
Café/Business Class car at rear of consist with 11 passengers upon departure from Kirkwood (none added /5 off along the way). Boarded first for B/Class took single seat on port side, near rear.
Business Class amenities: Coffee with unlimited refills along with a free non-alcoholic beverage of choice. I took iced tea (for home). No USA Today – and – free WI-FI unavailable. Clean interior, windows full of water spots. Rest room in the café area of car.
Foto ops were available but the very dirty vestibule door windows (2) made the clarity a problem for my little Canon Elph. My albums are chock full of those scenes over the decades, so for me there really was nothing missed. A shame given the excellent weather and visibility. Some fotos will appear on my web site @ www.trainsrealandmodel.com .
Sat in café area (on/off) chatting with friends.
Freight activity was normal with some very long mixed loads requiring mid-consist loco.
Shortly after departing Sedalia, approximately 1:10 PM, we lost power to the loco. However, all HEP remained functioning.
At 2:28 two UP freight locomotives arrived on scene, #6811 & 6293 – both AC44CW’s, from Jefferson City.
At 3:46 UP #6811 departed – made me wonder why two were sent; no one seemed to know.
It was announced after lash up that the delay would continue because the lead loco did not have a radio console; again made me wonder why a loco would be put on the tracks without one.
Supposed that #6811 probably had one given it was the lead of the two UP’s – perhaps left it to be installed in #6293 – do not really know. Anyway . . . finally got underway @ 4:08 PM but at reduced speed due to limitations of UP freight loco.
Some passengers seemed to be rather annoyed at the delay with concerns about this ‘n that whereas the more experienced took it in stride. After all, what can one do other than to occupy the mind with other than negative thoughts?
Some passengers waiting for the now late east bound train (#316) were boarded for the trip to KCity, thru the Wye and then the return eastward.
Upon arrival in KCity, all waiting east bound passengers were boarded for #316 and were taken on a 19 minute trip through the Wye. We passed by the KCity station on a thru track with no stopping.
Return trip - #316 Missouri River Runnr
Crew: Conductor: Mark – Assistant: Jamon – Café attendant: Deb.
Train #316 departed on time for St. Louis with 8 in Business Class. None picked up on the way; did not notice departures as I was in the Café area for majority of trip.
Weather: comfortable, dry & cloudy in KCity.
Equipment: Same as above with addition of UP loco #6293
Departed
Kansas City 6:22 PM for Wye then thru station for east bound trip < sked 4 PM – 142 mins late>
Independence 7:02 < sked 4:19 – 163 mins late>
Lee’s Summit 7:17 < sked 4:36 – 161 mins late>
Warrensburg 8:38 < sked 5:19 – 199 mins late>
Sedalia 9:08 < sked 5:49 – 199 mins late>
Jefferson City 10:15 < sked 7:03 – 192 mins late>
Hermann 11:04 < sked 7:48 – 196 mins late>
Washington 11:32 < sked 8:16 – 196 mins late>
Arrived
Kirkwood 12:13 AM < sked 8:56 – 199 mins late>
Miscellaneous:
Business Class amenities: No newspaper. Coffee with unlimited refills along with a free non-alcoholic beverage of choice. I took another iced tea for home.
Heard perhaps the most humorous announcement ever on that run – “Just found out that our Wi-Fi is not working. So read a book, look out the window or annoy the person sitting next to you. But by all means, enjoy the trip!”
Sat in Café car for the duration chatting with friends, crew and a new acquaintance - a retired Australian Army man (33 years) who was a most interesting guy to meet. He is on a rail journey throughout the US and Canada, leaving for home on August 30th.
We all had a fine time chatting about this ‘n that. Made the long, long day/night pass by quicker than normal. Deb was her normal delightful self which helped to make it all a good trip.
Because we lost our “window” in departing KCity, several trips to the passing siding were required for passing freights.
Was told that UP’s freight locomotives can only attain a 70 mph speed, which for that run would be fast!
Got home at 12:45 AM weary but pleased to log another fine experience on the rails.
End of Report
Three fotos accompany this report with a full selection available on my web site - www.trainsrealandmodel.com
(1) Train #311 arriving Kirkwood, MO with a 4 car consist - one more than usual
(2) UP loco heading up #311 at Kansas City, MO - this lash up continued for #316 back to St. Louis
(3) Amtrak #69 in inoperative condition trailing UP loco
I resumed my rail travels after a brief hiatus with another run along my FAY-VOR-IYTE short-distance route aboard the Missouri River Runner from Kirkwood, MO to KCity and return. This one turned out to be amongst the longest ever encountered - but a good time nonetheless . . .
Trip Report
July 16th, 2014
Kirkwood – Kansas City – Kirkwood
Aboard the Missouri River Runner
“The Longest Day”
Caveat: These reports are “memo’s to file” and are intended for inclusion within my foto albums as a record of my experiences – they are not “blogs.”
Wednesday, July 16th - #311 Missouri River Runner
Amtrak train #311 westbound arrived late at Kirkwood from downtown St. Louis where about 75 passengers were waiting to board.
Weather: Dry – absolutely beautiful fall-like morning.
Equipment:
Locomotive AMD103/PA42 #69
Horizon coaches #54534 - 54513 - 54502
Amfleet Café/Business Class car # 48178 <at rear>
Departed
Kirkwood 10:48 AM < sked 9:44 – 4 mins late>
Washington 11:28 < sked 10:21 –7 mins late>
Hermann 10:57 < sked 10:49 – 8 mins late>
Jefferson City 11:48 < sked 11:36 – 12 mins late>
Sedalia 1:06 PM < sked 12:46 PM – 20 mins late>
Warrensburg 4:37 < sked 1:20 – 197 mins late>
Lee’s Summit 5:24 < sked 2:04 200 mins late>
Independence 5:42 < sked 2:20 – 202 mins late>
Arrived
Kansas City 6:02 < sked 2:55 – 187 mins late>
Crew: Conductor: Rich – Assistant: Adam - Café attendant: Debbie
Miscellaneous:
Café/Business Class car at rear of consist with 11 passengers upon departure from Kirkwood (none added /5 off along the way). Boarded first for B/Class took single seat on port side, near rear.
Business Class amenities: Coffee with unlimited refills along with a free non-alcoholic beverage of choice. I took iced tea (for home). No USA Today – and – free WI-FI unavailable. Clean interior, windows full of water spots. Rest room in the café area of car.
Foto ops were available but the very dirty vestibule door windows (2) made the clarity a problem for my little Canon Elph. My albums are chock full of those scenes over the decades, so for me there really was nothing missed. A shame given the excellent weather and visibility. Some fotos will appear on my web site @ www.trainsrealandmodel.com .
Sat in café area (on/off) chatting with friends.
Freight activity was normal with some very long mixed loads requiring mid-consist loco.
Shortly after departing Sedalia, approximately 1:10 PM, we lost power to the loco. However, all HEP remained functioning.
At 2:28 two UP freight locomotives arrived on scene, #6811 & 6293 – both AC44CW’s, from Jefferson City.
At 3:46 UP #6811 departed – made me wonder why two were sent; no one seemed to know.
It was announced after lash up that the delay would continue because the lead loco did not have a radio console; again made me wonder why a loco would be put on the tracks without one.
Supposed that #6811 probably had one given it was the lead of the two UP’s – perhaps left it to be installed in #6293 – do not really know. Anyway . . . finally got underway @ 4:08 PM but at reduced speed due to limitations of UP freight loco.
Some passengers seemed to be rather annoyed at the delay with concerns about this ‘n that whereas the more experienced took it in stride. After all, what can one do other than to occupy the mind with other than negative thoughts?
Some passengers waiting for the now late east bound train (#316) were boarded for the trip to KCity, thru the Wye and then the return eastward.
Upon arrival in KCity, all waiting east bound passengers were boarded for #316 and were taken on a 19 minute trip through the Wye. We passed by the KCity station on a thru track with no stopping.
Return trip - #316 Missouri River Runnr
Crew: Conductor: Mark – Assistant: Jamon – Café attendant: Deb.
Train #316 departed on time for St. Louis with 8 in Business Class. None picked up on the way; did not notice departures as I was in the Café area for majority of trip.
Weather: comfortable, dry & cloudy in KCity.
Equipment: Same as above with addition of UP loco #6293
Departed
Kansas City 6:22 PM for Wye then thru station for east bound trip < sked 4 PM – 142 mins late>
Independence 7:02 < sked 4:19 – 163 mins late>
Lee’s Summit 7:17 < sked 4:36 – 161 mins late>
Warrensburg 8:38 < sked 5:19 – 199 mins late>
Sedalia 9:08 < sked 5:49 – 199 mins late>
Jefferson City 10:15 < sked 7:03 – 192 mins late>
Hermann 11:04 < sked 7:48 – 196 mins late>
Washington 11:32 < sked 8:16 – 196 mins late>
Arrived
Kirkwood 12:13 AM < sked 8:56 – 199 mins late>
Miscellaneous:
Business Class amenities: No newspaper. Coffee with unlimited refills along with a free non-alcoholic beverage of choice. I took another iced tea for home.
Heard perhaps the most humorous announcement ever on that run – “Just found out that our Wi-Fi is not working. So read a book, look out the window or annoy the person sitting next to you. But by all means, enjoy the trip!”
Sat in Café car for the duration chatting with friends, crew and a new acquaintance - a retired Australian Army man (33 years) who was a most interesting guy to meet. He is on a rail journey throughout the US and Canada, leaving for home on August 30th.
We all had a fine time chatting about this ‘n that. Made the long, long day/night pass by quicker than normal. Deb was her normal delightful self which helped to make it all a good trip.
Because we lost our “window” in departing KCity, several trips to the passing siding were required for passing freights.
Was told that UP’s freight locomotives can only attain a 70 mph speed, which for that run would be fast!
Got home at 12:45 AM weary but pleased to log another fine experience on the rails.
End of Report
Three fotos accompany this report with a full selection available on my web site - www.trainsrealandmodel.com
(1) Train #311 arriving Kirkwood, MO with a 4 car consist - one more than usual
(2) UP loco heading up #311 at Kansas City, MO - this lash up continued for #316 back to St. Louis
(3) Amtrak #69 in inoperative condition trailing UP loco
)
