Train 59 from Chi to NOL

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rosewood

Train Attendant
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Received notice of alternate transportation over part of our trip Jan 21st. Any idea what and where ? Thought I would ask here before calling Antrak
 
Where will the Mississippi be cresting then, could it be close to Memphis by then? MEM station/tracks are very close to the river. Know they have levees, but with the crests being almost record setting (2nd highest) in many locations, could the Host RR be telling Amtrak to prepare.
 
I just got the call for my travel on 58 January 12. I called Amtrack and in this case, it is a bus from New Orleans to Hammond and board the train in Hammond. Train will run from Hammond to Chicago. No mention of the Memphis-Carbondale bustitution.
 
willem said:
According to the National Weather Service, the river at Memphis will be falling by January 10, long before the 21st.
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Based on this and my actual phone conversation with Amtrak at the number provided to call in the alert notice, the only alternate transportation with be between Hammond and New Orleans not a very long bus ride. I suspect it is to avoid high water from Mississippi and Lake Ponchartrain in the New Orleans area. So the bus ride will be only about an hour long - an adventure for me.
 
Yes they just announced they will be opening the spillway that the train goes through. There is a high risk of washout. The spillway is between Hammond and New Orleans. They are planning to open it this Saturday to reduce water flow past Nola.
 
I just received a notice that we will bused from Hammond, LA to NOLA for our trip on January 27th. When I asked if there was a chance the water would recede enough to get through by then I was told that this detour is for track work and it may last even longer. I guess it is good that the train gets in at 1:30 in the afternoon and not 1:30am, that would suck. I guess the 1 hour adventure will be be fine. I will pack a bit differently now.
 
I received a schedule change today for my 58 trip Tuesday, January 12. Still depart NOL 1:45 PM(by bus to Hammond) but now arrives Chicago 10:15 AM instead of 9 AM. My only concern is that I make my connection to the 2 PM California Zephyr.
 
Service disruption January 12 - A new twist and new service disruption for my train 58 today January 12. I've just been informed that due to opening the spillway near New Orleans, I will now be bused to Jackson, MS, to board the train there. Probably because Corp of Engineers and Amtrak do not communicate, Amtrak equipment is not prepared so the train 59 now in Memphis will terminate in Jackson, MS, and that will be our train tonight. All these events were just determined after 6am this morning. Guess I will have to call this an adventure. Hopefully, I make it to Chicago and my connection with tomorrow's California Zephyr.
 
Spillway was just being opened when my train 59(9) went through the area along the west shore of Lake Ponchatrain at 10 mph. There is more water being spilled now; so much so that river crest in new Orleans has been lowered by one foot. Good for New Orleans -- bad for CN tracks in the area.

Train could be turned anywhere between Jackson and Hammond -- perhaps Amtrak is choosing Jackson for easier servicing of the equipment.
 
Just arrived Chicago. Bus ride to Jackson 3+ hours was not bad just full and cramped. Apparently Amtrak had no ability to turn the train since our train 58 used the 59 equipment in reverse order. Coaches in front, sleepers in back followed transition car and baggage was very last car. They just serviced the two engines and ran them around the rest of equipment. Probably the most rockin and rolling ride I have experienced. We arrived early.
 
59(9) operated with just one locomotive, ao it sounds like Amtrak has added a second locomotive back-to-back, since there is no convenient place to wye the full consist north of NOL.
 
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With the spillway this vulnerable it makes one wonder. What happens if it collaspes ? We know that at present its MAS speed limit is just 10 MPH. Seems to this poster it has reached the end of its useful life ?

If it is shut down how will traffic be rerouted ?
 
I checked status maps and it looks like both 58 & 59 did not run yesterday. Looking at the map now I see that 58 left Yazoo City at 6:42, but 59 still does not show. Is that still because of the spillway problem?
 
lionelhoguy said:
I checked status maps and it looks like both 58 & 59 did not run yesterday. Looking at the map now I see that 58 left Yazoo City at 6:42, but 59 still does not show. Is that still because of the spillway problem?
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I believe status maps was down yesterday. Did you check Amtraks status to see if they ran yesterday?
 
Just received notice #59 will bus from Memphis to NewOrleans till the end of January
 
I called today after getting my phone message and they said that my trip on January 26/27 is still showing a bus trip from Hammond to NOL. I will even arrive an hour early. How much longer is the bus trip from Jackson compared to Hammond?
 
Bus from Jackson to NOL is about 2 hours longer than from Hammnd to NOL.
 
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