Washington DC 1st Street Tunnel derailment 7/11/2023

[John Bobinyec]

Train 86 has derailed in the tunnel south of Washington Union Station. Northward trains are being held at Alexandria.

Train 79 is canceled BETWEEN Washington and Raleigh.

Train 80 is being terminated at Raleigh.

jb

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Washington Post article seems to have the latest. Google “Amtrak derailment today” and it should come up.

No injuries reported, passengers moved from the two affected cars to the other cars, which were then taken to L’ Enfant Plaza station for “unloading.” Doesn’t say anything about people going farther than DC and what they are to do.

Sounds like the DC firefighters and EMS did an efficient job.

Thank goodness it was not worse.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Further cancellations, all trains originating 7/11: 19, 89, 91, 97

This is obviously going to take some time to clean up, even though in the media it's being called a "minor" derailment.

So my question is, why can't the trains detour around the station the way the freight trains go? Passengers originating or terminating at Washington can board or detrain at Alexandria and take the Metro.

jb

 

[joelkfla]

Although I don't see an alert, 98 is also canceled on the booking page for both tomorrow & Thursday. 92 is still showing available.

 

[Thirdrail7]

So my question is, why can't the trains detour around the station the way the freight trains go? Passengers originating or terminating at Washington can board or detrain at Alexandria and take the Metro.

A few trains are doing just that, but you need employees that are qualified on that route to make it happen. CSX pilots are being used, but they don’t have an unlimited supply.

Additionally, bypassing WAS isn’t the same as skipping CLT as an example. Not only is it a major crew change point, it is a mechanical point and a motive power change point.

You’re not going to send electrics down the Landover Line, nor are you going to perform engine changes at New Carrollton. If Philadelphia had a bunch of diesels laying around, you’d have a better chance, but they don’t.

In any event l, I just stopped by to alert anyone in range that rare mileage is afoot. If everything goes according to plan, Amtrak passenger trains will visit the Landover Line in goodness knows how long.

Videos are needed!!!

 

[jis]

You’re not going to send electrics down the Landover Line, nor are you going to perform engine changes at New Carrollton. If Philadelphia had a bunch of diesels laying around, you’d have a better chance, but they don’t.

That is exactly what I was thinking. The only feasible way of doing it would be to move the engine change to Philly and carry out the mechanical stuff that is done in WAS at PHL. Also would require CSX Pilot pickup at New Carrolton and dropoff perhaps at Alexandria. And then there is the issue of PTC fiddling for the diversion.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

A few trains are doing just that, but you need employees that are qualified on that route to make it happen. CSX pilots are being used, but they don’t have an unlimited supply.

Additionally, bypassing WAS isn’t the same as skipping CLT as an example. Not only is it a major crew change point, it is a mechanical point and a motive power change point.

You’re not going to send electrics down the Landover Line, nor are you going to perform engine changes at New Carrollton. If Philadelphia had a bunch of diesels laying around, you’d have a better chance, but they don’t.

In any event l, I just stopped by to alert anyone in range that rare mileage is afoot. If everything goes according to plan, Amtrak passenger trains will visit the Landover Line in goodness knows how long.

Videos are needed!!!

Good to see ya.

There’s a few ALC-64’s waiting to see action.
Yes, I know they’re not ready yet.

 

[John Bobinyec]

By the way, was it 84 or 86 that derailed?

jb

 

[Thirdrail7]

86

 

[Danib62]

VRE is having significant cancelations for the PM commute with trains originating at L'Enfant Plaza.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

92 is taking the Landover route and will back into WUS.

Edit: it took a different route. See screenshots posted 07/12/23

 

[jis]

92 is taking the Landover route and will back into WUS.
View attachment 33084

It's going to have a 9 mile shove from Landover area to Union Station.

Well looks like actually it went to Hyattsville and came down CSX Capital Sub to Union Station. Making max use of CSX Pilot (Ref record of route in railrat.com)

Before 92 apparently two Regionals hooked up together also used the bypass and shove to get to Union Station from the South.

 

[Danib62]

Once Amtrak clears the tunnel I wonder if VRE is going to deadhead all their trains to their suburban termini so they’re in the right place for tomorrow morning’s commute.

 

[zephyr17]

It's going to have a 9 mile shove from Landover to Union Station. Should be interesting to see how much it manages to gum up NARC and Acelas and NEC Spine Regionals in the process.

Asm.transitdocs location history shows it stayed on CSX to Hyattsville, so it could have taken the southern/southeastern quadrant there to keep going forward into Union Station. Unfortunately, the location history didn't show its path on the junction, although it might indicate it didn't stop and back up either so it wasn't there long enough to get a location "ping". Assuming they kept going forward, they could wye it at Ivy City coming out. It doesn't appear they wyed it there on the way in based on location history.

 

[jis]

Asm.transitdocs location history shows it stayed on CSX to Hyattsville, so it could have taken the southern/southeastern quadrant there to keep going forward into Union Station. Unfortunately, the location history didn't show its path on the junction, although it might indicate it didn't stop and back up either so it wasn't there long enough to get a location "ping". Assuming they kept going forward, they could wye it at Ivy City coming out. It doesn't appear they wyed it there on the way in based on location history.

If they came in facing South into into Union Station then they will have to take a non standard route from NY Penn Station to Sunnyside Yard to have the consist facing the right way for being positioned the right way. Normal route into Sunnyside would turn the consist around the loop track, which is the normal entry into Sunnyside.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

It's going to have a 9 mile shove from Landover area to Union Station.

Well looks like actually it went to Hyattsville and came down CSX Capital Sub to Union Station. Making max use of CSX Pilot (Ref record of route in railrat.com)

Before 92 apparently two Regionals hooked up together also used the bypass and shove to get to Union Station from the South.

Yes, I noticed the change in the detour. I'm hearing they may latch 92 and 20 together...

 

[zephyr17]

If they came in facing South into into Union Station then they will have to take a non standard route from NY Penn Station to Sunnyside Yard to have the consist facing the right way for being positioned the right way. Normal route into Sunnyside would turn the consist around the loop track, which is the normal entry into Sunnyside.

There appears to be a wye at the throat of Union Station that appears electrified they could use on departure from WAS to turn the train north.

 

[jis]

There appears to be a wye at the throat of Union Station that appears electrified they could use on departure from WAS to turn the train north.

Seems like too much work and delays passengers further unnecessarily. It is quite easy to just bring it in the other way into Sunnyside in the middle of the night after all passengers have been dropped off.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Meanwhile the combined 92/20 had a Stop Signal violation at H

 

[John Bobinyec]

Where's "H"? I know it comes after "G" and before "I", but where is it geographically?

jb

 

[west point]

Engine change with locos south into Union station probably is not available due to re railing 86. That way an electric motor will pull train(s) wrong way toward NYP. At least Sunnyside will not have to loop those trains.

 

[jis]

Engine change with locos south into Union station probably is not available due to re railing 86. That way an electric motor will pull train(s) wrong way toward NYP. At least Sunnyside will not have to loop those trains.

They will just have to pull the consist straight into Sunnyside instead of going around the loop as they would normally do.

BTW, I saw a photo of the derailment. Looks like the locomotive and two Amfleets derailed at relatively slow speed.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Per Twitter
Inbound trains - so far 98 (12) and (13) as well as 20 (13) - are starting to be canceled as well

 

[jis]

Per Twitter
Inbound trains - so far 98 (12) and (13) as well as 20 (13) - are starting to be canceled as well

Some are due to consists out of position. I wonder why 98(12) is cancelled. The consist for it is arriving in Miami on time today.

 

[desertflyer]

Yikes.