speed restrictions on amtrak

[Anonymous]

amtrak trains are running 10 miles an hour slower than freight trains on csx,bnsf,up but not on ns. the fright trains are running fifty to sixty miles an hour, while amtrak is limited to forty-five. example an two hour some minute trip from washington d.c. to richmond v.a. now takes around four hours. does anyone know whats up with this? is there collusion going on here? would be interested in some replyies.

[Anonymous]

Hello,on the BNSF subdivisions I operate on,Brush,Akron,and Hastings in Colorado and Nebraska we've always had temperature speed restrictions,hot and cold, frieght and passenger.For AMTK whenever its 100F or above AMTK is limited to 65mph.The only differance between now and before the D.C derailment is that slow orders due to track distubance stay on for AMTK longer then they use to.24hrs. While frieght can resume normal track speed after a certain amount of tonage has run over the track to settle it.

[RudyRockvilleMD]

CSX imposes a "hot day" speed limit on freight trains between 1 and 9PM.CSX extended the "hot day" freight train speed limit to passenger trains shortly after the Capitol Limited derailment in Kensington MD, however, it was recently modified so passenger trains are now allowed to travel 20 mph below the posted track speed between 1 and 9 PM. In effect passenger trains ran no faster than freight trains on CSX whenever the original "hot day" speed restrictions were in effect.

[Anonymous]

You mentioned that freights can go back to full speed after a certain amount of tonnage has gone over. If an Amtrak is running on a main where enough freights have gone over it to settle it, would the AMTK restriction be lifted with the freighters, or is the 24 hours a hard time?

[Anonymous]

Yes its etched in ballast as of now.LOL 24hrs isn't that big a deal seeing as theirs only two AMTK trains a day #5 and #6 on these subdivisions.Keith

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the clarification, Keith. 24 hours doesn't sound like that big of a deal with only the CZ coming down the line, but I'm sure it means a lot to the Eastbounders waiting in Osceola and Ottumwa for a regularly delayed (usually by Uncle Pete) Zephyr, only to have it delayed even more because of the heat/cold. I'm sure the logic makes sense, but I don't know how.