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Why is # 52 ( auto train North bound 3 hours late today

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 4:40 PM

ACY

 

 
ROBERT WILLISON

Apparently a csx train ahead of 52 struck a pedestrian.   Tonight's 53 is scheduled to depart at 6 PM. Hey better late than never.

 

 

 

According to the local news in Fayetteville, NC, it was not a pedestrian. A vehicle with four occupants was stalled on a crossing in downtown Fayetteville. A freight train ahead of the Auto Train struck the vehicle. Two occupants got out safely before impact. Of the other two, one was killed and one went to the hospital in critical condition. A fatality means everything grinds to a halt until the investigation is complete. a delay of about three hours is within the "normal" time frame, if you can call it normal in the first place. 

If they're running on time today, I would call that an excellent recovery.

Tom us, not the two drinks.

 

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Posted by ACY Tom on Monday, February 20, 2017 11:55 AM

ROBERT WILLISON

Apparently a csx train ahead of 52 struck a pedestrian.   Tonight's 53 is scheduled to depart at 6 PM. Hey better late than never.

 

According to the local news in Fayetteville, NC, it was not a pedestrian. A vehicle with four occupants was stalled on a crossing in downtown Fayetteville. A freight train ahead of the Auto Train struck the vehicle. Two occupants got out safely before impact. Of the other two, one was killed and one went to the hospital in critical condition. A fatality means everything grinds to a halt until the investigation is complete. a delay of about three hours is within the "normal" time frame, if you can call it normal in the first place. 

If they're running on time today, I would call that an excellent recovery.

Tom

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Monday, February 20, 2017 6:05 AM

Actual departure time for 53 today was 4  15. We are running this morning about 30 minutes early with arrival now scheduled about 8 30.

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Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Sunday, February 19, 2017 11:42 AM

Apparently a csx train ahead of 52 struck a pedestrian.   Tonight's 53 is scheduled to depart at 6 PM. Hey better late than never.

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Posted by BaltACD on Sunday, February 19, 2017 7:59 AM

Don't know any specifics.  There are only 2 sets of Auto Train equipment in Auto Train Service.  If one set gets seriously late the only thing Amtrak can do is to attempt to 'run it back on time'.  They don't have a 3rd set of equipment to place in On Time operation, so the the late set will only be late for at most one round trip.

While Amtrak may have sufficient auto racks to load most of a day's departing autos, they only have enough passenger equipment for the two sides.  Upon arrival at destination the inbound equipment has to be cleaned, serviced and restocked before it can be made available to passengers for outbound loading.  With the On Time arrival and departure times, 7 hours is the normal amount of time used.  When seriously late, I have seen the equipment turned at Lorton as quickly as about 4 hours.  Yesterday Auto Train departed Sanford 29 minutes late - if the train does not encounter serious delays - 53 should depart On Time - Call Amtrak for more information.

Where both sets of equipment have become seriously late Amtrak has been known to cancel originations for the trains in both directions for a day.  What procedure Amtrak uses to make this decision is unknown to me.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Why is # 52 ( auto train North bound 3 hours late today
Posted by ROBERT WILLISON on Sunday, February 19, 2017 6:49 AM

Any idea why auto train 52 is running so late today? I see their  on going track in Georgia affecting some Amtrak trains. 52 been averaging  1.5 hours late most of last week except  Friday when the train was an hour and half early.

Going to catch 53 today, would be nice if we left lorton on time.

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