Noticed/Questioned Major Delays, Annulments, Reroutes

Does anyone know if the suspension of Amtrak Cascades service was a decision by BNSF or Amtrak itself?

hi55us wrote:

AMTK1007 wrote:

shlustig wrote:Does anybody know why #306 (19) on the eastbound STL Corridor dropped 5' 50" between SPI and JOL last night?

Don't know off the top of my head, but I know there were many stop and protect orders on the St Louis line... there may have also been a signal failure.. St Louis trains were set up push pull yesterday.

Did they stick a cabbage on one end? I would be surprised if they had extra cab cars hanging around.

Atleast one train operated with an NPCU (90230) and one train had the 508 at one end and a P 42 at the other

AgentSkelly wrote:Does anyone know if the suspension of Amtrak Cascades service was a decision by BNSF or Amtrak itself?

It was a BNSF decision.

Its odd though since the Coast Starlight and the Empire Builder are still operating though the EB is operataing only out of Portland I read last.

Kaback9 wrote:Its odd though since the Coast Starlight and the Empire Builder are still operating though the EB is operataing only out of Portland I read last.

Direct from the BNSF Website
To: All Customers

12/20/2008

Report Severe Weather Pacific Northwest


BNSF has halted train operations between Wenatchee, Washington and Seattle, Washington at approximately 6:00 p.m. CT on Saturday, December 20, 2008 due to severe winter weather conditions. The region has been impacted by high winds, sub zero temperatures and snow with blizzard conditions forecasted in the area. It is estimated to resume operations at 2:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 21, 2008.

Customers may experience delays of 12 to 36 hours on shipments moving through this corridor.



To: All BNSF Customers

12/22/2008

Final Report: Severe Weather Pacific Northwest


As mentioned in a Service Advisory on December 20, 2008, BNSF reported service would be impacted by severe winter weather conditions resulting in halted train operations between Wenatchee, Washington and Seattle, Washington. Train operations resumed on Sunday, December 21, 2008. Weather continues to impact operations in the Pacific Northwest and delays are expected.

BNSF will continue to monitor weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest area where sub zero temperatures with snow and blizzard conditions are still being forecasted.

Customers may experience delays of 12 to 24 hours on shipments moving through this corridor.

Eastbound Cardinal (#50) of 12/23 Dp. CHI 4' 07" Late, Ar. DYER 11' 09" late.

Does anyone know if: (1) this was due to anything other than weather, and (2) if there was any attempt to return to CHI?

No train service will be available on the Amtrak Cascades route between Eugene, Ore. and Vancouver, B.C. Thursday because of heavy rainfall, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Vickie Sheehan said.

http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews ... 19168.html

This looks to be another long outage, with The Chehalis River expected to go 7 feet over flood stage. Last year this line was out for the same reason for about a week, as I recall (BNSF was out only a few days, but they refuse amtrak regularly even when they operate their stuff).

Actually, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation's Amtrak Cascades 2007 Performance Report: "When severe flooding closed a portion of Interstate 5 in Chehalis in early December, Amtrak Cascades service was disrupted. Although I-5 was completely closed for four days, Amtrak Cascades resumed service within 48 hours."

BNSF actually treats Amtrak very well and the Cascades service isn't cancelled unless the trains absolutely can't get through, and that is the case if there have been mudslides. Amtrak's cacellations are probably based conservatively on BNSF's estimates to reopen the line.

UPDATE: The Cascades are out till at least sunday:
http://www.kval.com/news/local/37236564.html
I-5 at Ground Mound MP88 was expected to close at midnight but was closed by 6pm tonight, and the EB Spokane-Seattle is out for at least tonight. The snoqualmie pass is closed on I-90 till at least Thursday morning due to avalanche danger, which presumably is the reason for the EB annulment.

Re last year, I don't think it was 48 hours, but I will look around.

Seattle transit Blog is reporting that BNSF is closed as of now
http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/01/0 ... suspended/

28 running PDX-Chi alone today.. will go to Midway where it will marry up withthe Stubby off 807 today ( there is no 7/27 running west of Midway today)

From the BNSF website:

To: All BNSF Customers

01/07/2009

Preliminary Report: BNSF Weather Advisory for the Pacific Northwest

We have reports of mudslides, washouts, and flooding in the Pacific Northwest. These conditions are expected to continue over the next 72 hours. BNSF personnel are determining the impact and we will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available. Greatest service impact to traffic destined Seattle, Tacoma and north.

Yup, we're going to see some serious flooding, most likely rivers will run higher than we saw during the floods of 2007. As of 9pm tonight the temperature in Seattle is 51 degrees, it's raining hard and the freezing level in the mountains is above 7000 feet. That means that much of the mountain snowpack is going to melt and flood the lowlands. The Amtrak Cascades service will most likely be impacted around Centralia, where the BNSF mainline may soon be underwater and near Mt. Vernon where the downtown area may be flooded. In addition to the I-5 closure, all east-west mountain passes are currently closed due to avalanche danger.

Amtrak flies out customers.

I say hurrah! Seriously, sounds like Amtrak is making an effort to make customers happy. Sure, it won't create great soundbites on television, "OMG, we were stranded, they didn't do anything for us." But, I'll bet a number of customers will come away with a smile on their face.

Where's Mike Rowe - Mr. Dirty Jobs - when you have 400 million tons of mud (and trees, rocks, broken houses, a few cars, etc. ) to shovel ??