Washout on SW Chief Line Delays 3 & 4 in New Mexico

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Railroad Bill

Railroad Bill

Buckeye Train Watcher
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Messages
3,917
Location
Northern Ohio
According to a report on TrainOrders both SWC 3 & 4 have been sitting northeast of ABQ due to a washout of the track. Amtrak status shows both trains 3-4 hours behind but may be moving?. I believe 3 is somewhere around Lamy and 4 has made it to Las Vegas, NM. We are leaving next week on 3 and hoping for no bustitutions.. :eek:
 
I just saw that 3 & 4 went from minutes late to almost 5 hours....thought I'd check here.....thanks for the info. I ride the SWC and like to keep up with it.
 
So since this accident happened around 8pm MDT, and the SWC trains were already running 3-4 hours late through this area, wonder if warnings of a washout, track problems had slowed them down earlier in the afternoon? #3 arrived in ABQ around 8:30pm about 4.5 hours late.
 
I was on #3 yesterday and we did stop and wait in Las Vegas, NM from 12:45 PM to 4:32 PM. There indeed was a wash out between Las Vegas and Lamy due to excessive rain in the area. Both trains 3 & 4 were held in place in Las Vegas, NM, and Lamy respectively while BNSF repaired the washout. #3 was release to travel 4:32 PM. While in Las Vegas we were allowed to get off the train and walk around near the train in the station and town area nearby. Conductors kept us well informed with as much information as they had. When BNSF completed the repair we were released and the engineer blew the horn loudly and long three times rounding up the passengers. We did arrive Albuquerque, my destination, around 8:30 PM.
 
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From Albuquerque, we rode #4 on Sunday ,10/8, thru this area, did some slow running(10-15 mph) where curves limited sight distance. Could see the recent effects with fresh mud and rocks in the ditch in the canyon areas. Also, an Amtrak Loco was in a siding by itself. Wondered about that until we got home and a friend mentioned this rock derailment.
 
Milw6166 said:
From Albuquerque, we rode #4 on Sunday ,10/8, thru this area, did some slow running(10-15 mph) where curves limited sight distance. Could see the recent effects with fresh mud and rocks in the ditch in the canyon areas. Also, an Amtrak Loco was in a siding by itself. Wondered about that until we got home and a friend mentioned this rock derailment.
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We just returned from trip to and from ABQ on 3 & 4 and saw Amtrak #200 sitting on the siding you mentioned. Conductors both way pointed out the loco for passengers and told of the crash with the boulder. On our return trip there was one Amtrak engine and a viewliner coach passing us going westbound near Trinidad. Wondering if it was going to tow in the wayward engine back to Chicago?
 
Bob Dylan said:
Have you had your annual eye check up Bill?
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I only need them for reading. :) I was surprised as well, but it was a single level car pulled by a P-42 heading west. I am not sure what it was doing but I suspected it was going after #200 and was using the car for the crew? Could not get a photo since we were moving too fast before I noticed it coming up the track. Thought one of our Amtrak members might know what was going on.? :eek:
 
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