Late Empire builder (#8, #28)

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EB_OBS said:
Well, more BAD news. BNSF just reported a 5ft deep x 30 ft wide mudslide at the Broadway tunnel in Everett, WA. Still trying to figure out what to do about today's #8(10. With the equipment on the wrong side of the slide there's no way to bus around it.
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Maybe they need to originate 8 and terminate 7 in Everett (and bus the 30 minutes to and from Seattle)until all these mudslides stop. How many so far this winter? Casinos have better odds for a bettor than EB OTP this winter.
 
jmbgeg said:
...Maybe they need to originate 8 and terminate 7 in Everett (and bus the 30 minutes to and from Seattle)until all these mudslides stop. How many so far this winter? Casinos have better odds for a bettor than EB OTP this winter.
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But if #8 is on THIS side (SEA, where I am right now) it wouldn't do any good to bus passengers to Everett since there's no equipment to take them anywhere...(at least initially....maybe down the road they could).
 
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Well BNSF says we should be able to get the train thru the mudslide. It may be cleaned up enough by 10pm.
 
Status map now indicates yesterday's #7 is now out of Shelby running an hour and a quarter late. That means Amtrak is now running the WB EB past Havre? ...expecting to get through the derailment area just west of Essex?
 
I got a question. I'm taking the #28 from WIN to CHI on Thursday. And I've never had a service disruption before, but what happens if I do... Will they bus me to MKE and switch me on the Hiawatha or will I have to no way to get to CHI until the train situation gets settled?
 
Empire Builder Boy said:
I got a question. I'm taking the #28 from WIN to CHI on Thursday. And I've never had a service disruption before, but what happens if I do... Will they bus me to MKE and switch me on the Hiawatha or will I have to no way to get to CHI until the train situation gets settled?
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If the train is very, very late, or canceled, then there is usually alternate transportation provided, i.e. a bus or possibly a stub train runs CHI-MSP-CHI.
 
Empire Builder Boy said:
Will amtrak call me to inform me of this or do I need to call them day of?
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You could call Julie at 1800USARAIL or call the station directly. Julie's automated system is not often very helpful when there is a service disruption, so use the option to speak with an agent.
 
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Empire Builder Boy said:
I got a question. I'm taking the #28 from WIN to CHI on Thursday. And I've never had a service disruption before, but what happens if I do... Will they bus me to MKE and switch me on the Hiawatha or will I have to no way to get to CHI until the train situation gets settled?
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I was to go down 3 years ago, and they called me when the service was disrupted. I asked if there was a bus, and she said I had to go up to Mpls. I said I didn't want to do that, so I got all of my money back.

I think all will be fine by next Thursday.

Take it this your first time?
 
I've been on the Empire Builder atleast 10 trips. Just never had a service disruption before and hoping it won't be the case. And if I have to go to MSP than I have to cancel my trip.
 
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EB_OBS said:
Train #8(10) is currently almost 10 hours late. There will be on-time buses MSP - CHI.
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How can they be "on-time" buses if the train is nearly 10 hours late? There's no way they can make that time up driving straight through to Chicago, is there?
 
Bierboy said:
EB_OBS said:
Train #8(10) is currently almost 10 hours late. There will be on-time buses MSP - CHI.
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How can they be "on-time" buses if the train is nearly 10 hours late? There's no way they can make that time up driving straight through to Chicago, is there?
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For passengers boarding at MSP and beyond, a few buses depart MSP at the regularly scheduled departure time. Usually, depending upon passenger counts, there will be one or two express buses that go straight to CHI and there would be a bus that will make all the usual stops.

The passengers on the train don't make up any time but passengers boarding at MSP or beyond have the option of taking the on-time bus or waiting for the very late train.
 
EB_OBS said:
Bierboy said:
EB_OBS said:
Train #8(10) is currently almost 10 hours late. There will be on-time buses MSP - CHI.
Click to expand...
How can they be "on-time" buses if the train is nearly 10 hours late? There's no way they can make that time up driving straight through to Chicago, is there?
Click to expand...

For passengers boarding at MSP and beyond, a few buses depart MSP at the regularly scheduled departure time. Usually, depending upon passenger counts, there will be one or two express buses that go straight to CHI and there would be a bus that will make all the usual stops.

The passengers on the train don't make up any time but passengers boarding at MSP or beyond have the option of taking the on-time bus or waiting for the very late train.
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Thanks for the explanation. Reason I ask is that I board the #8 today in Seattle. I'm supposed to make a connection in Chicago to the Illinois Zephyr, but only have a 2-hour window to catch it. No way I'll catch the IZ if my #8 runs as late as this one does...
 
Looks like #7 got hit by the blizzard in ND overnight; it's now listed as a service disruption. ND state troopers rescued 800 motorists in whiteout conditions.
 
Like I said before. Give up on the EB and send that equipment south for use on the Sunset Limited, the Eagle and the SWC. Just run a coach train between MSP and Chi for the rest of winter. What a waste and they stole some of that from the Sunset years ago so that now we have just a skeleton of a train running three times a week. Better yet, make the EB three times a week and make the Sunset daily.
 
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henryj said:
Like I said before. Give up on the EB and send that equipment south for use on the Sunset Limited, the Eagle and the SWC. Just run a coach train between MSP and Chi for the rest of winter. What a waste and they stole some of that from the Sunset years ago so that now we have just a skeleton of a train running three times a week. Better yet, make the EB three times a week and make the Sunset daily.
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Nah, cancel the Sunset Limited and bring back the North Coast Hiawatha. Then there would be an alternate route between the Pacific Northwest and Chicago when the Hi Line is snowed in. You have to have priorities, after all.
 
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Ispolkom said:
henryj said:
Like I said before. Give up on the EB and send that equipment south for use on the Sunset Limited, the Eagle and the SWC. Just run a coach train between MSP and Chi for the rest of winter. What a waste and they stole some of that from the Sunset years ago so that now we have just a skeleton of a train running three times a week. Better yet, make the EB three times a week and make the Sunset daily.
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Nah, cancel the Sunset Limited and bring back the North Coast Hiawatha. Then there would be an alternate route between the Pacific Northwest and Chicago when the Hi Line is snowed in. You have to have priorities, after all.
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The Sunset Limited is sold out for the next week to 10 days due to spring break. How is the EB doing?
 
Aloha

I have an Idea! Cancel the Empire Builder during winter and run the Sunset Limited Daily coast to coast. During Hurricane season Cancel the Sunset Limited and run the Empire Builder coast to coast.

Hey, I did not say it was a good Idea. :help: :lol: :help: :lol:
 
henryj said:
Like I said before. Give up on the EB and send that equipment south for use on the Sunset Limited, the Eagle and the SWC. Just run a coach train between MSP and Chi for the rest of winter. What a waste and they stole some of that from the Sunset years ago so that now we have just a skeleton of a train running three times a week. Better yet, make the EB three times a week and make the Sunset daily.
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Just get that bazillion dollars ready for UP's daily demands.
 
GG-1 said:
Aloha

I have an Idea! Cancel the Empire Builder during winter and run the Sunset Limited Daily coast to coast. During Hurricane season Cancel the Sunset Limited and run the Empire Builder coast to coast.

Hey, I did not say it was a good Idea. :help: :lol: :help: :lol:
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LOL, great idea GG-1.
 
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