Erik_MagSouthwest Airlines
I had the same thought when I heard some of the backstory of their meltdown.
That's what happens when people with no clue how a business operates try to run said business...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Southwest Airlines will be fine.
All companies have issues. Southwest has a certain amount of goodwill built up. Plus, who else offers the service to points and frequency that they do?That being said....fix the problem.
Ed
tree68That's what happens when people with no clue how a business operates try to run said business...
Agree, and the new CEO seems to see the importance of upgrading their IT infrastructure. This is a HUGE project and will take several years, hopefully some good will remains after that.
Not mentioned here that another trigger of their meltdown was management arrogance toward critical front line personnel. The bad storm through their large Denver base resulted, indirectly, in more ramp personnel calling in sick. Management sent out a bulletin strongly suggesting they work sick and with even more overtime, doctors letter required, etc. As a result half the ramp guys quit and this cascaded to other locations.
The personnel replacement system crashed hard - too many transactions queued.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
Coiuld a dinner train out of Albuquerque break even or better?
daveklepper Coiuld a dinnert train out of Albuquerque break even or better?
Coiuld a dinnert train out of Albuquerque break even or better?
If we are still talking about Raton Pass, the start of the pass is 5 hours from ABQ.
Great. A whole-day trip. Breakfast optional, lunch and dinner standard. Leave at 8:30 Am, return at 8:30 PM. Gourmet-quality, Kosher, Vegetarian, Salt-free, all options asvailable. PA system used by tour-guide.
BNSF: We've known since the 19th Century Glorieta and Raton are operational bottlenecks and money pits.
Railfans: More trains!
Which is basically any RR that goes through mountains.
As a BNSF trainman at Wellington, we do not want traffic moving over Raton (which it never well). That would mean less pool board slots for Wellks & Amarillo
Dreyfusshudson <SNIP> With respect to clearances, I don't recall that many bridges between Albuquerque and Trinidad?- tunnel apart of course. Can't speak for La Junta to Kansas City- it's dark then!
<SNIP>
With respect to clearances, I don't recall that many bridges between Albuquerque and Trinidad?- tunnel apart of course. Can't speak for La Junta to Kansas City- it's dark then!
(1) I was part of a crew that ran 8800 ft trains La Junta to Albuquerque during strikes in the 1980's using locotrol equipment. The surviving tunnel (newer and longer Tunnel 2) has a relay antenna along the crown and barely could accept double stacks .... Old wooden lined tunnel 1 could not even clear certain autoracks in the bad old days - got plugged more than once before they abandoned that tunnel)
(2) There are two (really three) bridges that will not allow stack trains. (the bridge near Mora/Doolittle Canyon/Watrous just clears - even after the helicopter crashed into it) . The gusset plates foul the other two (especially the Canyoncito/ Apache Canyon bridge)....
All the old head qualified crews have just about all retired. Nobody BNSF still qualified to run that line. Plus there is the mess south of Las Vegas where the state of NM is not helping matters any. (no on-line business for 200+ miles does not help either)
MidlandMike daveklepper Coiuld a dinnert train out of Albuquerque break even or better? If we are still talking about Raton Pass, the start of the pass is 5 hours from ABQ.
Well, all I can say is, and I'm sure a lot of people would agree, if given the chance, ride the train over the line while you still can because it might not be there tomorrow.
My wife and I rode out to Arizona on the Chief last year and it felt like a rail-oriented time machine. Looking out the rear window, I kinda felt like I was looking back in time at my own childhood in the '60s. What, with open-wire signal code lines, jointed rail and "searchlight" signals, it looked all the world like railroading in the '60s and early '70s. There were even still a few semaphore blades left last year - not sure if they're still there or not.
So yeah, if you get the chance, ride the line. If a miracle happens and the line does survive long-term afterall, 20 or 30 years from now it will almost certainly look much different.
I am hoping - against all odds - that 2926 will be able to pull an excursion or three over Raton Pass as an Amtrak extra.
It would be incredible to see The Biggest Northern That Ever Was stomp up and over the top to La Junta.
We just drove I-25 from ABQ to Springer yesterday, and there are still a few semaphores north of Glorieta. I am not sure quite where, pulling a trailer in traffic limits my ability to do any railroad surveying. There also a few searchlight signals in the same general area.
After making two trips from the midwest to NW and SW corners of the lower 48 this year I have seen a lot of track go by my truck window. We took US 2 from the MN/ND line all the way to Everett WA, and the second trip followed old Rt 66 and the former Santa Fe line through NM and AZ. Another portion of that trip was I-8 and AZ 238, both of which follow the former SP main line. Shorter portions followed several former SF lines in OK and KS, and a bit of the SP/RI from Tucumcari to Santa Rosa, as well as short sections farther north. Sorry for making a short story long, but I do have an observational point to make, and that is, with the exception of the SW main lines, it looks like there is a huge investment in very lightly used rail lines. I realize that the infrastructure was paid for long ago, but maintenance, taxes, etc. would still be expensive for something that gets used maybe 10% of capacity.
Is it economical to maintain this capacity?
Would it be more economical to pay a few more people to run shorter, more flexible trains, and look harder for business to fill them (even if it doesn't give as high a profit margin as current unit trains)?
All these are thoughts I have had while driving 10,000+ miles this summer, and I am only an observer with no expertise in these areas. I have a good internet connection here at the Emporia KS RV park, so I thought I would post this.
PR
I hve not been over Raton in aprox 18 months(last was via DSW Chief0W0E) New to Albq. On thiat trip there was equipment and rails and ties, staged atr the siding just Nof Glorieta. Of course N of Albq the track was wellmantained (NM Roadrunner area (?).
Since Raton Pass is the 2x daily routing of the SWC, I am sure the mainenance is appopriate to the Class of track. The ride AT THAT TIME W of Newton, Ks. to La Junta,Co. had all the dynamics of a carnival ride...(mostly bolted rail/track(?).
Sam: Newton to La Junta had some of the last jointed rail laid on the Santa Fe (132#) in the late 1950's/ early 1960's. Some has been replaced in recent history, but most of it remains with end batter because of unpredictable tonnage and priority issues. Cropping and Holland welding in the field was discussed, but never happened. (there's only so much a roadmaster could do)
La Junta - Las Animas Jcn. went CWR because of coal trains on the Boise City Sub that appeared in the late 1970's. Between Las Animas Junction and Lamar the 1940's line change for John Martin Dam also created unexpected soils issues and ballast pockets that also complicated things.
There are production gangs out there right now in northern NM playing catch-up with tie and surface issues until the winter freeze hits. Qualified freight crews to run the trains on the old Santa Fe Northern Transcon are getting scattered, fewer and thinner in availability. The old northern transcon as an escape route gets less likely to be used the next time SFBrakie's bubbas screw up on the southern transcon. Should the need for premium dedicated high speed intermodal high speed service ever return, then the line might come back at some level.
I really believe that I've posted this before but am inclined to do so again.
I could almost SWEAR that I once saw a picture years ago in TRAINS Magazine of a double-stack train on the Raton Pass line. I'm thinking I saw such a photograph back in the early to mid '90s.
However, I have searched online and "Googled" and "Googled" but have never found any reference to such a photo or even any reference to such a subject matter.
Does anyone else recall this? Perhaps I'm trying to remember something that I WANTED to see that in all reality just wasn't there.
But I'm certain of one thing. There really was a time back either in the late '80s or in the '90s that the AT&SF reopened the line for through freight for however long that lasted. I don't think it was more that a few trains per week. But after the merger, BNSF just didn't want to do that anymore and spent all the funds they could beefing the south line through Amarillo,
I see some old discussions about the tunnel being notched for Double Stacks but the clearance was close enough that containers still hit the sides so it was never used more than a few times.
Given todays political evironment vis a vis the US and China, I can not see the US giving money to Mexico to go to China. What I could possibly see the US and the US and Mexican railroads as partners investing in Mexico in the form of rail ownership and partnerships with Mexican railroads.and ports. BNSF, UP and CNKCS already has infrastructure in Mexico and BNSF and UP connect directly with Mexican railroads.
caldreamer Given todays political evironment vis a vis the US and China, I can not see the US giving money to Mexico to go to China. What I could possibly see the US and the US and Mexican railroads as partners investing in Mexico in the form of rail ownership and partnerships with Mexican railroads.and ports. BNSF, UP and CNKCS already has infrastructure in Mexico and BNSF and UP connect directly with Mexican railroads.
If you do not understand what I posted, please reread slowly and carefully. If you still do not understand please send me a private message and I will explain in detail.
I think the question is what your post has to do with Raton Pass.
??? Possibly, cross posted Threds????
New Mexico vs. Old Mexico? :)
I'm wondering why he injected politics into this thread.
CSSHEGEWISCH I'm wondering why he injected politics into this thread.
caldreamer CSSHEGEWISCH: If you do not understand what I posted, please reread slowly and carefully. If you still do not understand please send me a private message and I will explain in detail.
rdamon I see some old discussions about the tunnel being notched for Double Stacks but the clearance was close enough that containers still hit the sides so it was never used more than a few times.
Spelczech's cousin Faktczech needs to ask where this came from? (the new tunnel has never been notched for any reason - plenty large already. The old wood-lined tunnel has been courderoyed/ sealed shut for almost 65 years.)
I believe the Super-C AT&SF high-speed freight train used the route more than once. When lightly loaded, it was logical because the route is shorter. And this was before double-stacks.
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