Barge hits BNSF bridge.

[spokyone]

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Passengers on Amtrak's California Zephyr will arrive at their destinations -- by bus.

Amtrak uses a railroad bridge over the Mississippi River in Burlington that was closed when it was hit by a barge early today.

The California Zephyr operates between Chicago and San Francisco, and is heading back to Chicago.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari (MAG'-lee-AIR'-ee) says it will make a scheduled stop in Mount Pleasant in southeast Iowa this afternoon, where it will end the service.

Amtrak will then bus 140 passengers to their destinations, which are Burlington and three stops in Illinois -- Galesburg, Naperville and Chicago.

Magliari says Amtrak has been told the bridge will reopen today, and the afternoon train, which leaves Chicago for San Francisco, will be able to use it.

[ALCOC415]

Route 34 bridge at Burlington just reopened. BNSF bridge still closed and they have moved railcars on to the bridge to stabilize it until it could be repaired. The barge that hit the rr bridge is still up against it. I spoke to MOW and they have said they are not sure when they will reopen for rail traffic. I am guessing Amtrak will reroute.

[MP173]

Not a good day for the barge driver.  Any indication of what caused the mishap?  Could the high waters have been an issue?

ed

[spokyone]

The W/B CZ just left Galesburg on time with my niece and her children aboard.

[CShaveRR]

Route 34 bridge at Burlington just reopened. BNSF bridge still closed and they have moved railcars on to the bridge to stabilize it until it could be repaired. The barge that hit the rr bridge is still up against it. I spoke to MOW and they have said they are not sure when they will reopen for rail traffic. I am guessing Amtrak will reroute.

Note this:  the Newswire seemed to suggest that the railroad and highway bridges were one and the same--definitely not the case.

[spokyone]

I just heard from my niece & 4 children aboard. The train made it to Gulfport IL, then sat until 7:30. Now the CZ is backing to Galesburg. BNSF HAD assured Amtrak that the bridge would be open by 8 PM for sure. According to an eyewitness, the coal barge is still trapped against the RR bridge. I'm not sure what my niece"s plan is now. An elderly couple in Burlington booked for Denver report that Amtrak told them they must wait until 8 PM before they could obtain a refund. Yikes.

[spokyone]

This just in: The CZ is just outside of Galesburg. Amtrak is holding awaiting instructions. FROM WHO? Passengers are getting hungry.

[conrailman]

The Dining Car and Lounge should be open to feed the people on Amtrak 5? Your family should go Dining Car or Lounge car to eat?

[greyhounds]

http://khqa.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=129178

Play the video to eventually see the barge up against the BNSF bridge.  The barges broke loose and floated into the bridges. 

I'm no barge guy, but this looks fairly dicy.  The barge is up against the BNSF bridge and parallel to it.  It's nowhere near the swing span but "balanced" at a mid river pier.  The river is over its banks and the water level is high enough so that the barge looks like it won't pass under the bridge if moved.

So I guess they're going to have to try to go down there with a tow boat powerful enough to fight the high water current, tie on to the barge, and pull it upriver against the current.  If they nudge the barge they'll force it into the bridge.  Just keeping control of the tow boat in that situation looks difficult, but, as I said, I'm not a barge guy.

I can't imagine BNSF assuring Amtrak that this would be cleared up by 8:00 PM.  Maybe they did?  But if somebody did that, they're going to have some 'splainin to do.  I also would guess they won't try anything until daylight, if then. 

Spokyone, I hope your niece and the children come through this without too much hassel.  It's not a life threatening situation, but it can't be pleasent.

Edit:

Here are some better photos. 

 http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Barge-web-050108

 

The 2nd and 4th show the barge up against the BNSF bridge.  It's going to be a long night for the passengers on #5.  Is that a man out there on that barge in the 4th photo? Left corner facing camera.

[SchemerBob]

I'm surprised BNSF even let Amtrak come towards the bridge when they knew by then it wouldn't be repaired on time. This "backing up" stuff sounds like something you'd experience on the UP somewhere.

If the bridge doesn't get repaired for some days, will Amtrak reroute? They did it over the C&NW during the flood of '93.

[spokyone]

This was scheduled a low budget family outing, staying in Iowa tonight and returning tomorrow. They did not have a contingentcy plan and neither did Amtrak. The kids grandma just called from Galesburg. She drove down there and right not they are chowing down. Kids are taking it better than Mom and Grandma. Still no word on RR bridge plans.

[Anonymous]

Just saw video on one of the Quad City tv stations. They were pulling the stuck barge away from the bridge and the cable broke and the barge crashed into the bridge again. this time the damage seemed to be worse. they said the track itself may have been damaged this time.  This happened just before dark.

[blue streak 1]

Will the barge company have to pay all damages including those AMTRAK passengers? Bet not.

[Dakguy201]

I don't see why the BNSF just did not reroute Amtrak.  Run the eastbound train to Burlington, then south on the line along the river to Ft. Madison (maybe 30 miles?), cross the river there, and run east on that line until rejoining the CZ's route at Cameron, which is just west of Galesburg.  That would have required a pilot engineer, but it surely would have been cheaper and more convenient to the passengers than the bus bridges utilized. 

[Chris30]

The usual reroute for the CZ is the UP Overland Route (ex-C&NW) between Chicago and Omaha with no intermediate stops. I would say on average this happens @3-4 times a year for various reasons.

I can't believe there wasn't a backup plan in place by Amtrak/BNSF. Where's the Amtrak train now? Still in Galesburg?

CC

[Anonymous]

because that line is closed because of the flood.

[spokyone]

From the Burlington newspaper.

Steve Forsberg, spokesman with BNSF, said a crew hired by BNSF would try to sink the barge early today.

"We're estimating it will take eight to ten hours," he said. "We're not able to run trains, and we're holding well over fifty trains, and we don't have an estimate as to when the bridge will be reopened."

Although the initial barge hit did little to no damage to the bridge, the second hit after the rescue attempt cause visible damage to main track one. Forsberg could not comment on the extent of the damage until it has been examined.

"We're sinking it because the attempts to pull out the barge have proven unsuccessful," Forsberg said.
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Galloping-barges-050208

I asked 3 year old Jenna did she like the train and in her crystal
clear little voice she said, "That train don't go no where."

[spokyone]

The BNSF Railway bridge at Burlington opened at noon today to freight traffic leaving Burlington, but a runaway barge that struck the bridge Thursday continues to remain wedged under the structure.
Both the eastbound and westbound California Zephyr passenger trains will be affected today. Service is being detoured on a northerly route through Iowa.
http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/bridge-webupdate-050208

 

[t.winx]

Just saw the CZ on the UP in Rochelle.

[spokyone]

A final note. My niece said when the CZ was backed to just outside Galesburg, several freight trains passed them on the other track. Amtrak employees did not have an answer for her when she wanted to know how those trains could proceed. I told her then, that they were going through the wyes to proceed on the ex Santa Fe line through Fort Madison. I can see now why she was agitated when they finally returned to Galesburg Thursday night. BTW, the kids want to ride a train again.
 

[nanaimo73]

Bob, thanks for the updates. Much appreciated.

[route_rock]

  What a mess!!! Who was Amtrak waiting for outside G town? YARD CONTROL!!!! If Galesburg is in meltdown mode (common in times like these) then guess what. Amtrak is going to have to wait until something is done, But hold on you say Amtrak has priority! Also true so next time the frieghts will sit and amtrak will move.

  Happens all the time.

  Also for going to Ft mad then turning east wouldnt work not only cause of the river being flooded. No way to get off the BN line onto the transcon with the train pointing the right way.Would have to go to Quincy WYE there and then up the Brookfield.I cant picture the Chilli West being too thrilled with Amtrak being on his line if a ton of BN stuff was coming to foulhis parade of Z's.

[spokyone]

  What a mess!!!

The bridge was back to normal on Saturday PM. How long did it take to get all the backed-up rail traffic through Galesburg?

[route_rock]

  Not sure, I didnt even know about it till I read it here. I am working in Denver right now so news from home has been limited. I did notice a ton of Creston people on the bump board yesterday so this makes sense now.Now getting across from Ottumwa to Galesburg was a treat before this as most of it was covered in 25 MPH slow orders.Also with the flooding the WQMDMO was coming up from Quincy on the Brookfield adding to the mess that line can be and trying to fight its way through Galesburg yard. (yes the KC wye and out the connection but I have sat on mtys there for 6 hours trying that move)

  Keep the news coming! I hope to be back in late JUly or August.I didnt think that I would miss the old QC Galesburg area but I actually do.

[spokyone]

Keep the news coming!

The owners of two towboats that tried to prevent barges from crashing into two bridges near Burlington, Iowa, last week have filed court action in Rock Island, asking to be exonerated of any wrongdoing.

Bruce and Bette Lynn, owners of Matteson Marine Service, Inc., of Burlington, filed the complaint for exoneration, or limitation of liability, this week in U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois.

They are asking the court to order anyone claiming damage from the break away to provide "due proof of their respective claims" and appear in court.

The complaint also asks a judge to find the company "not liable to any extent for any loss, damage, expense or injury, nor for any claims whatsoever in any way arising out of or in any consequence of the aforesaid incidents." It further claims the company and owners are entitled to a decree of exoneration.

According to the filing, both owners were operating towboats near Gulf Port, Ill., tending to a fleet that included five barges that broke loose from their moorings and moved down river.

The runaway barges caused damage to other barges and barge cargo, the court record states. They may also have damaged the Highway 34 Bridge and Burlington Railroad Bridge, the filing adds.

Each owner secured at least one barge and tried to prevent them from making impact with the bridges but were unsuccessful, the court complaint states.

The incident occurred without the fault or knowledge of Bruce and Bette Lynn, the complaint claims.

According to the filing, no legal action has been taken so far against the towboat

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/05/08/news/local/doc482284fd56246874287989.txt?sPos=3