EB Empire Builder delay

[Deggesty]

Was there a wreck on the former GN between Wolf Point and Williston yesterday? Amtrak #8/28 lost about 16 hours in that stretch yesterday, and #7/27 lost an hour there this morning. As of now, #8/28 is not expected into Chicago until after 9 am tomorrow.

[BNSFwatcher]

Was that caused by the collapse of the huge trackside grain bin out that way?  Someone sent me a picture of it.  Maybe 80' in diameter and 70' tall, it knocked over a bunch of covered hoppers on the siding.  Might not be the same incident.  #7 was 3-hours late in SBY last nite.  Wicked snow storm, zero visibility, and no cab signals!  No "Fog" involved!  Even the track inspectors and signal maintainers wouldn't move, unless hi-railing!

Hays

[Deggesty]

BNSFwatcher

Was that caused by the collapse of the huge trackside grain bin out that way?  Someone sent me a picture of it.  Maybe 80' in diameter and 70' tall, it knocked over a bunch of covered hoppers on the siding.  Might not be the same incident.  #7 was 3-hours late in SBY last nite.  Wicked snow storm, zero visibility, and no cab signals!  No "Fog" involved!  Even the track inspectors and signal maintainers wouldn't move, unless hi-railing!

Hays

Thanks, Hays. That could well explain the delay.

[Deggesty]

Deggesty

#7 was 3-hours late in SBY last nite.  Wicked snow storm, zero visibility, and no cab signals!  No "Fog" involved!  Even the track inspectors and signal maintainers wouldn't move, unless hi-railing!

And #27 was 2:45 late into Portland today. As to #8/28 into Chicago last Saturday, it was 19:34 late, arriving at 11:29 Sunday morning. It lost more time yet.

[beaulieu]

BNSFwatcher

Was that caused by the collapse of the huge trackside grain bin out that way?  Someone sent me a picture of it.  Maybe 80' in diameter and 70' tall, it knocked over a bunch of covered hoppers on the siding.  Might not be the same incident.  #7 was 3-hours late in SBY last nite.  Wicked snow storm, zero visibility, and no cab signals!  No "Fog" involved!  Even the track inspectors and signal maintainers wouldn't move, unless hi-railing!

Hays

 

The grain bin collapse had a minor effect on the CP at Minot, and was not on the same day. The Empire Builder had a locomotive shut down between Shelby and Havre, MT causing BNSF to add a locomotive at Havre. Then BNSF had a grain train derail at Trenton, ND which caused the big hit making #8 17 hours late leaving Minot. With the freight locomotive leading it lost a bit more time along the way to Chicago.

 

 

[Deggesty]

beaulieu

BNSFwatcher

Was that caused by the collapse of the huge trackside grain bin out that way?  Someone sent me a picture of it.  Maybe 80' in diameter and 70' tall, it knocked over a bunch of covered hoppers on the siding.  Might not be the same incident.  #7 was 3-hours late in SBY last nite.  Wicked snow storm, zero visibility, and no cab signals!  No "Fog" involved!  Even the track inspectors and signal maintainers wouldn't move, unless hi-railing!

Hays

 

The grain bin collapse had a minor effect on the CP at Minot, and was not on the same day. The Empire Builder had a locomotive shut down between Shelby and Havre, MT causing BNSF to add a locomotive at Havre. Then BNSF had a grain train derail at Trenton, ND which caused the big hit making #8 17 hours late leaving Minot. With the freight locomotive leading it lost a bit more time along the way to Chicago.

 

Thanks. This explains why the train got behinder and behinder. It reminds me of my last trip on the IC's City of New Orleans, riding from Carbondale to New Orleans. We had 3 E9's on the point, and all three had electrical problems. An electrician who boarded in Fulton could not keep them running, and two Geeps were put on in Dyersburg--and we lost more time, arriving at Carrollton Avenue in time for me to catch the Southern Crescent for Tuscaloosa. At least, I did not have to spend the night in the NOLA station.

[BNSFwatcher]

I spent the night in the NOL station (1983?).  It was quite nice, but it was aboard the lay-over Crescent-Sunset sleeper.  Otherwise, no thanks!

Hays

[Deggesty]

BNSFwatcher

I spent the night in the NOL station (1983?).  It was quite nice, but it was aboard the lay-over Crescent-Sunset sleeper.  Otherwise, no thanks!

Hays

I also spent the night thus once, in 1971. As you say, spending the night inside the station is not as comfortable--even when the seats were wide enough for two people to sit side by side; I did that once. Now the seats are individual. Police do check anyone sleeping in the station, to make certain that such have tickets.

[Sunnyland]

 One delay I can remember vividly was waiting in St. Louis Union Station for my cousin coming in from New Orleans in the mid-1950's.  The train was 4 hours late due to hitting an auto someplace in MS and all the paperwork that had to be filled out.  That was on the old Illinois Central.  The station looked like a ghost town at 2 am when the train finally pulled in.  Dad had to go to work the next day, but it was summer and I was off school and Mom was a housewife.  Dad wasn't too happy about that experience. But in all our years of train riding, we never had any major delays, but "back in the day", the freights always gave way to the passenger "varnish". 

I did have a 4 hour delay on the Southwest Chief a few years ago, due to tornados in KS.   We were told when the wind gets over 60 mph, the train has to slow down  or even stop, the Superliner cars might topple over.  When we finally arrived in Williams Junction at 2 am, the bus was waiting and so was the lady at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel to check us in.  I never mind a longer trip, it gives me that much more time to spend on the train, but it can be bad if you have a connection to make.

Friends and I were in Jasper, Alta years ago when the CN Super-Continental ran about 14 hours late. It was the day before we were due to leave. A bridge had washed out somewhere west of there and people had to be bused around the obstacle and board another train.   We were staying at the Jasper Park Lodge, owned by CN at the time, so the people could wait in the lobby until they knew the train was coming. Our train came through OK the following day.