What is AMTRAK's sad excuse for not running the Empire Builders?
I still say that the GN, CBQ, and NP ran their passenger trains in all sorts of weather.
Ed Burns
NP EddieWhat is AMTRAK's sad excuse for not running the Empire Builders? I still say that the GN, CBQ, and NP ran their passenger trains in all sorts of weather. Ed Burns
In the days before BN and later BNSF - railroads had relative legions of MofW employees to marshall against the challenges that Mother Nature would throw the railroads way. Back in the day a railroad Section Gang would be on the order of 8 to 10 men who lived in walking distance of their on duty location and the Gang would be responsible for a Section that was 10 to 20 miles in length.
In the 21st Century a Section Gang will consist of 4 to 5 men who, for the most part, live 10 to 20 miles from their on duty location and will be responsible for 100 miles or more.
When Mother Nature throws her punches the employees for a variety of reasons are unable to get to their on duty location and even when they get to the on duty location they lack sufficient man power to do the manual things necessary to restore or sustain the operation under the challenges.
Amtrak is at the mercy of BNSF for its ability to operate the Empire Builder and how the BNSF MofW forces and Operations personnel respond to Mother Nature's challenges. Railroads in the 21st Century are no longer all weather carriers, they don't possess the manpower to do that job.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
T & E Crews are a big factor. Amtrak only has enough crews to cover 1 RT a day mainly on time. BNSF are supposed to not help in a pinch. Back in legacy days the various RRs had 100 + mile crew districts, Earlier 16 hour duty limits not vigoursly enforced. Almost any freight crew could take over passenger train in a pinch.
2 trains a day on the route would help crewing. The MSP <> CHI 2 trains will probably maintain at least 1 train even in near Blizzard conditions if tracks not blocked. As well the occasional runing 2 builders less than 8 hours apart.
blue streak 1T & E Crews are a big factor. Amtrak only has enough crews to cover 1 RT a day mainly on time. BNSF are supposed to not help in a pinch. Back in legacy days the various RRs had 100 + mile crew districts, Earlier 16 hour duty limits not vigoursly enforced. Almost any freight crew could take over passenger train in a pinch. 2 trains a day on the route would help crewing. The MSP <> CHI 2 trains will probably maintain at least 1 train even in near Blizzard conditions if tracks not blocked. As well the occasional runing 2 builders less than 8 hours apart.
Remember - and this applies to all companies -
For the past three decades everyone has been following the precept of 'Right Sizing' and Plant Rationalization. ie. no extra's in either plant or manpower - no ability to expand for additional demand or recovery from unanticipated 'Acts of God'. Those precepts apply to every aspect of both Amtrak and the railroads business models. When it comes to 'Acts of God' the domiciles of employees tend to ensure that employees will be hamstrug in reporting for duty by said Acts of God. Living 10-20 or more miles for their work location means if highways are impassable from the Acts of God, the employees cannot report.
The operation of Railroads and Amtrak cannot be done with 'Working from Home'.
BaltACDRailroads in the 21st Century are no longer all weather carriers, they don't possess the manpower to do that job.
Why can't they hire local High School kids? OK just kidding and I know the answer.
"Right Sizing", Plant Rationalization and other new terms for layoffs and plant closures are turning up in a lot of other businesses besides railroading. Consider Twitter and Amazon among others.
In addition, I'm real sure that a service that loses tens of millions a year is going to be budgeted for tens of thousands in overtime and supervision every time it storms.
Now, having said that, there are certainly Federal programs that would underwrite a considerable amount of such work, if it could be directed or funneled to the 'right' kinds of people who need or could benefit from the work. In fact this is one of the things that I am listing in the grant application for the "Rail Research and Development Center of Excellence" -- both in training and equipment provision, and in liaison with Amtrak to give them the proactive political credit for the program.
But it still won't be at the level of a GN's or New Haven's efforts to keep the line open no matter what...
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
Do you think BNSF and UP lose money operating these trains?
GrampDo you think BNSF and UP lose money operating these trains?
On paper - Yes!
In reality it doesn't even quiver their profit/loss statements.
Back in the Good Ole Days, they would go down to the local skidrow and hire a bunch of "strong backs and weak minds" to shovel dirt or snow, fill and pile up sandbags, etc. Marx called it the "reserve army of the unemployed"
BEAUSABREBack in the Good Ole Days, they would go down to the local skidrow and hire a bunch of "strong backs and weak minds" to shovel dirt or snow, fill and pile up sandbags, etc. Marx called it the "reserve army of the unemployed"
Two words - Lawyers Liability
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