CN says NO to City of New Orleans in LA, Passengers to be bussed until January 31st

[CMStPnP]

Apparently IC never got around to upgrading it's rickety wooden trestle over the alternate spillway now being used to divert water away from New Orleans and CN does not trust sending a Passenger Train over it............

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2016/01/14-flooding-update-city-of-new-orleans-faces-more-busing

 

[conrailman]

Pictures of the New Trestle, when it  gets done.

[Paul of Covington]

   The last time the spillway was opened in 2011, the Amtrak crew reported a rough ride on the trestle, and it was found that there was a washout, so I guess this is just a precaution.   Here is a TV report from a couple of days ago about the opening of the spillway (if you don't mind the commercial.)

http://www.fox8live.com/clip/12139755/spillway-now-13-open-as-carp-flow-through

[blue streak 1]

CMStPnP

Apparently IC never got around to upgrading it's rickety wooden trestle over the alternate spillway now being used to divert water away from New Orleans and CN does not trust sending a Passenger Train over it............

 

According to news wire CN is running trains from Hammond -  Baton Rouge - New Orleans.  Do not trust it for freights either.  The longer the spill way is open the more likely the bridge which MAS is 10 MPH may have scouring of the pilings ?

Wonder how long it will take divers to inspect each piling once spill way is closed and any necessary repairs done ?

 

 

[Dragoman]

I do not know the area too well, but how much additional time would this routing through Baton Rouge add to the CONO schedule? Would it make an interesting permanent re-route? Bringing Baton Rouge into the Amtrak system might be worth some additional time?

[blue streak 1]

Dragoman

I do not know the area too well, but how much additional time would this routing through Baton Rouge add to the CONO schedule? Would it make an interesting permanent re-route? Bringing Baton Rouge into the Amtrak system might be worth some additional time?

 

Several questions for this proposal. 

1.  Is Hammond - Baton Rouge dark territory ?

2.  Isn't the CN ( Old IC ) route Baton Rouge - NOL slower than the KCS route ?

 

[Deggesty]

My latest information on the track from Hammond to Orleans Jct., Hammond to Baton Rouge Jct., and Baton Rouge Jct. to Orleans Jct. is from an IC Southern Division in 1983.

Speed Limit Hammond-Orleans Jct.: 79 mph, except over Pass Manchac and Spillway. Manchac Bridge: 45 over center. Spillway (2.3 miles) 60 mph. There are some other restrictions. 

Obviously, no passenger train speeds are given for the Baton Rouge or Hammond districts; both districts had a 40 mph limit for freights. Hammond is dark; Baton Rouge may be dark.There are many severe speed reductions between Baton Rouge and Orleans Jct. 

Hammond to Orleans Jct.: 41.8 miles. Hammond to Baton Rouge Jct.:48.7 miles. Baton Rouge Jct. to Orleans Jct.: 79.4 miles.

Back then, 39 minutes was the time from Hammond to Orleans Jct. An hour and a half from Hammond to Baton Rouge Jct., and two hours, at least, Baton Rouge to Orleans Jct.? Would the traveling public consider adding about three hours to the trip?

  

[Deggesty]

Sorry, I should answered the other two questins.

Yes, the Hammond district is dark. I do not remember about the Baton Rouge district below Baton Rouge, but I have the impression that it was dark in 1983 (I could not find anything about signals in the TT, except that the McComb district was then CTC between Oliver (2.5 miles below Hammond) and Skip (2.2 miles above Orleans Jct.).

Yes, the KCS line is shorter than the IC line, and it did have ABS below Baton Rouge.