What is up with 22 lately?

[Shortline]

Have to go to Michigan for a few days, taking 22 on Monday FTW to Chicago. Took a look at the status and history, wow, 22 has not been doing well... showing 10 hours late today, and all but 1 or 2 days lately have been too late to make the connection I think...

1 what is going on, I assume track work (tis the season...)

2 if I do miss the 6 PM Wolverine, will they hotel me or try and put me on the bus that gets to KAL at 0300 or so? Not doing that either way, will overnight on my own and catch the early train if necessary.

3 if REALLY late does the light rail at St Louis go to the airport? Bailing there and flying is a backup plan, if I even still go... might just cancel tonight and fly on Tuesday directly.

 

[afigg]

Have to go to Michigan for a few days, taking 22 on Monday FTW to Chicago. Took a look at the status and history, wow, 22 has not been doing well... showing 10 hours late today, and all but 1 or 2 days lately have been too late to make the connection I think...

1 what is going on, I assume track work (tis the season...)

I saw that TE #22 (7/04) is winning the contest today for most delayed arrival at CHI, currently 10+ hours late. It was not caused by track work, but a track washout in Arkansas due to heavy rain according to Trainorders,

 

[Bob Dylan]

As was said flooding in Arknsas has delayed/ disrupted the Eagles for several days.

Also there is track work between Chicago and St Louis that is causing delays including reroutes thru Amish Country in Eastern Illinois on certain days and Bustitutions for the Lincoln Service Trains between CHI and STL.

The Light Rail in STL does run from the Intermodal Station directly to the Airport.

You would be bustituted to Michigan if you miss the last Wolverine out of Union Station!

To be honest, think I'd just fly with the mess that is going on right now, and I am not an advocate for Flying over Trains by any means!

 

[adt1982]

The CHI-STL track work will have the Eagle on the eastern detour tomorrow and Tuesday.

 

[Shortline]

Watched the status maps, even though 21 got to SAS late last night 22 left ust 3 minutes late this morning, so I decided to give it a shot after all. Just boarded 821 in OKC. If nothing else, can always decide to bail and fly from FTW, LRK, or STL if things start to go bad. Here's hoping!

Have never done the detour, anything good to see? With no stops between STL and CHI, does it tend to slow things down over the other route due to track speed and pilot changes, or speed things up with no stops?

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Watched the status maps, even though 21 got to SAS late last night 22 left ust 3 minutes late this morning, so I decided to give it a shot after all. Just boarded 821 in OKC. If nothing else, can always decide to bail and fly from FTW, LRK, or STL if things start to go bad. Here's hoping!

Have never done the detour, anything good to see? With no stops between STL and CHI, does it tend to slow things down over the other route due to track speed and pilot changes, or speed things up with no stops?

You may be alright as your timing is good, taking you north on what has now become a preciously rare rain free day around here. Needless to say folks in Oklahoma are envious of California right now

Hopefully you'll have time for a stroll around the CUS neighborhood and a good meal before boarding your Wolverine.

 

[Lonestar648]

Both 21 and 22 have been plagued with high water in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri in addition to the STL-CHI track work. When I traveled on 22 in June I was excited that we were only about 5 minutes late leaving Popular Bluff, but we got to STL about 5 hours late. My Garmin showed us going about 5 mph in places where all you could see out the rear of the train was the top of the rail due to the heavy rain. If the rain lets up the wash out areas can be repaired and slow orders reduced. I think I read that off and on all summer the UP will be doing track and signal work on the STL-CHI normal route. The detour is limited to 60 mph and a pilot UP engineer on board which adds about an hour to the trip if you are lucky with freight congestion.

 

[Shortline]

Well, so far it's going great, 821 is running a bit late which just reduces the wait in FTW, while 22 is running close to on time. On top of that, just noticed I had roomette 21, in the transform, which is ok, but with the regular sleeper on the rear now, would rather be back there-I don't mind the dorm car on some trains but on the Eagle, with only one engine and no baggage, that horn is awful loud in the first car- called and got lucky, now in a lower level roomette in the real sleeper. Perfect! Love it when things start falling into place!

 

[Shortline]

Spoke too soon....still in FTW, 22 has been sitting outside Cleburne for a while now, just announced it is now not expected until 4:45 now.....

 

[Bob Dylan]

There are still heavy rains in Arkansas and Missouri ( heading to the NE) and the track work between CHI and STL is ongoing with the Eagles scheduled to do the Eastern Reroute several times this month.

I personally like the reroute through Amish Country even though it's slower as was said. To me its neat to see the huge farms, the wagons and plows pulled by horses, and the Amish kids waving @ the train as it rolls by even though there's nothing else to see on this non-stop route! ( there is a crew change along the way but you can't get off the train)

I'd plan on being Late to Very Late getting to STL if you make it that far? The "Black Hole" between LRK and PBF and PBF and STL is where it floods and there is also lots of freight traffic!

A couple of times this past month the Eagles have even been rerouted via Cape Girardeau along the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.

Please keep us informed, it sounds like it's going to be one of those adventures on a LD Train!

 

[Shortline]

Yes, it's looking that way....I have options, if time is made up and not looking TOO late into Chi, I can stay over and catch the early one on Wed and still be ok. If we get stupid late, can bail in St Louis and either fly to Michigan, or catch a river runner in KC, have work I can do there as well. Either way....I can live with late once on board, just hate sitting around this station in Ft Worth....and right now 22 has been sitting outside CBN for almost 4 hours now...