Noticed/Questioned Major Delays, Annulments, Reroutes

Chessie GM50 wrote:two fatal Metrolink crashes.

As a result of the UP/Metrolink crash, Amtrak's Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner routes are affected:

September 12, 2008
7:00 p.m. PDT

An incident involving a Metrolink commuter train and a freight train near Chatsworth, California, has resulted in a temporary closure of the railroad route used by Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains and the Amtrak Coast Starlight, north of Los Angeles.

Amtrak extends condolences to those involved in the commuter train incident and has offered any available assistance.

Pacific Surfliner Service and related Thruway Motorcoaches

There will no service by Amtrak Pacific Surfliners and their connecting Thruway Motorcoach buses on September 13, between San Luis Obispo and Goleta, California, and Los Angeles, pending restoration of the route. No alternate transportation is available.

Amtrak Pacific Surfliners and their connecting Thruway Motorcoaches will operate normally between Los Angeles and points south to San Diego.

Coast Starlight, Trains 11 & 14

The Coast Starlight will originate and terminate in Santa Barbara on September 13, with alternate transportation provided between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.

This metrolink crash seems so odd to me, was the dispatcher taking a dinner break? Common Sense from the dispatching end could of prevented this accident.

hi55us wrote:This metrolink crash seems so odd to me, was the dispatcher taking a dinner break? Common Sense from the dispatching end could of prevented this accident.

This crash is TRAGIC not odd. As far as blame is concerned, the authorities will make that decision and not us on here.
Noel Weaver

Sadly, this is likely the worst passenger rail accident in the US since Big Bayou Canot, the 15th anniversary of which (Sep. 22) is close at hand.

khecht wrote:Sadly, this is likely the worst passenger rail accident in the US since Big Bayou Canot, the 15th anniversary of which (Sep. 22) is close at hand.

I just think that it is kind of odd that it happened a day after 9/11, and it happening 10 days before the anniversary.
Thoughts & Prayers as always.

MODERATOR'S NOTE:

For the sake of keeping this ongoing thread related to delays in general, please move discussion of the Metrolink incident (aside from anything that is directly related to Amtrak, i.e. the service advisory for the affected Amtrak trains) to the active thread over in the Calfornia Commuter & Transit forum.

Thanks.

Does anyone know why #30 (13) eastbound Capitol Limited dropped 9' 45" between CHI and SOB????

Train is now running 12'+ late.

#48 eastbound Lake Shore Limited may have been annulled.

#355 (13) arrived CHI 8' 46" late @7:20AM 9/14.

This is almost certainly due to flooding. Much of the Chicago area (indeed, the area from the Texas panhandle into southern Michigan) has seen rainfall routinely as high as 8-12" in the past few days, and it was the rainiest day in recorded Chicago history yesterday at O'Hare with more than 6.6 inches, partly due to moisture from Ike and partly from a large frontal system.

Amtrak now has a service advisory up - it looks like the Southwest Chief will turn in Kansas City today, and 303, 21/321 & 22/322,352 & 353, 311, 313, 314 & 316 are canceled.

shlustig wrote:#20 Northbound Crescent of the 26th dropped 4' ATL to CLT, and another 4' CLT to CVS; now figured into WAS 9' 40" late (7:40PM instead of 10AM).

Does anybody know the reason(s) for the delay?

I have to say that I have no idea of the meaning of the above paragraph.

george matthews wrote:I have to say that I have no idea of the meaning of the (below) paragraph.

shlustig wrote:#20 Northbound Crescent of the 26th dropped 4' ATL to CLT, and another 4' CLT to CVS; now figured into WAS 9' 40" late (7:40PM instead of 10AM).

Amtrak Train #20, the Northbound Crescent, of August 26th, lost four hours of time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. The train then lost another four hours off the schedule from Charlotte to Charlottesville, Virgina. It is then estimated to arrive at Washington (D.C.) Union Station 9 hours, 40 minutes later, arriving at 7:40 PM instead of the scheduled arrival time of 10:00 AM.

Amtrak has a nifty station code search page; simply click "Stations" on the orange menu bar from the www.amtrak.com homepage.

Does anyone know why #351 (26th) of the westbound Detroit corridor lost 5' between Dearborn and Kalamazoo:

Dp. PNT 47" Late
Lost 1' 45" DER / ARB
" 1' 10" JXN / BTL
" 2' BTL / KAL

Ar CHI 5' 35" Late

Mechanical problems with the locomotive that were reported the night before on the eastbound run by the Chicago to Battle Creek engineer.. What the issue was, I do not know exactly.

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

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.

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.