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BigRedEO

BigRedEO

Service Attendant
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Messages
165
Location
Chagrin Falls, OH
Sitting in the station at SLO. Northbound Coast Starlight should have arrived 90 minutes ago. Was told that ALL trains in California have been stopped due to signal problems. I will be very ticked if we are bussed from Klamath Falls to Pasco to make our connection to the Empire Builder!
 
Just and FYI on this topic, the guaranteed connection between the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder goes away for a while this coming January and February while the UP conducts track work in southern and central Oregon.
 
I'm on 14 now. We were 30 min late out of LAX with a brake problem. Then we were delayed with a disabled train in front of us after SBA. JUst now pulling in to PRB. Good meatloaf for lunch and very tasty lamb for dinner. SCAl's been great and the conductor's kept us informed OK. Kinda doubt you'll make the EB in PDX unless we really make up time.
 
Was told they can probably make up two hours, but that still may not be enough to make it to Portland. They'll tell us tomorrow morning. Just finished dinner on the Pacific Parlour Car and champagne is chilling in the sink! Praying we don't have to bus it! And this is my first time on the Starlight!
 
Good luck! The tracks north of Sac are fast and smooth. And scuttlebut has it that the disabled train was auto stopped for blowing a red - oops.
 
BigRedEO said:
Sitting in the station at SLO. Northbound Coast Starlight should have arrived 90 minutes ago. Was told that ALL trains in California have been stopped due to signal problems. I will be very ticked if we are bussed from Klamath Falls to Pasco to make our connection to the Empire Builder!
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Not a signal problem, apparently an engineer on a Surfliner ran a block and was taken off the train. We are on the southbound Starlight with the Surfliner in tow. 4+ hours late and counting.

What a mess.

Stan
 
It just keeps getting better.

5 hours late and counting. We are stopped now for an FRA mandatory locomotive inspection. No power to the train.

On all the long distance trains I have been on this is the first time we got stopped for a locomotive inspection. Wonder if the crew will run outlaw before we get to LA.

Stan
 
Just woke up to find we are in Redding - 3 & 1/2 hours behind, which means more than likely we will be bussed to meet the Empire Builder. :(
 
Yeah, we're getting great pics of Shasta from our bedroom. Wouldn't have been able to see it in the dark this morning if we were on time.
 
Just put on the bus in Klamath Falls. They claim they are going to try and get us to Portland before the train leaves. I doubt they'll make us.
 
yarrow said:
EB_OBS said:
Just and FYI on this topic, the guaranteed connection between the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder goes away for a while this coming January and February while the UP conducts track work in southern and central Oregon.
Click to expand...
that is only southbound isn't it? we are booked on 14 connecting to 28 on 2/6
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No - I think the Amtrak website says the 14 will experience delays starting 1/3.
 
Glad to hear the Northbound made up some time and you will eventually get on the Builder

On the Southbound we finially made it this morning more then 6 hours late. The crew from the Surfliner was on our train and apparently were destined for a drug test. Surprised that they were saying that both the COnductor and ENgineer were in troubke and that the Engineer would likely be fired. We knew that something was up when the conductor made a comment that there had been an insident but no one was hurt. Hupefully our next leg on the SUnset Limited will go smoother

Stan.
 
BigRedEO said:
yarrow said:
EB_OBS said:
Just and FYI on this topic, the guaranteed connection between the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder goes away for a while this coming January and February while the UP conducts track work in southern and central Oregon.
Click to expand...
that is only southbound isn't it? we are booked on 14 connecting to 28 on 2/6
Click to expand...
No - I think the Amtrak website says the 14 will experience delays starting 1/3.
Click to expand...
Came down the 101through SLO and SB a couple of days ago and in several spots where UP had working cars, rails, ties, ballast stored on sidings or on the ground next to the tracks.
 
It seems we may just make the Empiire Builder without delaying them. Our driver is flying down I-5 and we're coming up on Salem already! My first time on the EB! Cannot wait!
 
stan said:
Glad to hear the Northbound made up some time and you will eventually get on the Builder

On the Southbound we finially made it this morning more then 6 hours late. The crew from the Surfliner was on our train and apparently were destined for a drug test. Surprised that they were saying that both the COnductor and ENgineer were in troubke and that the Engineer would likely be fired. We knew that something was up when the conductor made a comment that there had been an insident but no one was hurt. Hupefully our next leg on the SUnset Limited will go smoother

Stan.
Click to expand...
Hi Stan. Would you be kind enough to post what track the Sunset Limited departs from today at LAX? Thanks much!
 
ColdRain&Snow said:
Hi Stan. Would you be kind enough to post what track the Sunset Limited departs from today at LAX? Thanks much!
Click to expand...
We left from Track 10 on time this afternoon and remaining close to being on time so far.

Stan
 
Glad that everybody, self included, made it safe and sound even if there were inconveniences involved. Of course when I got off at PDX - two hours late - there was somebody who didn't get off if K Falls who thought she was entitled to a hotel room and passage on tomorrow's Builder; "she's on her own" is what I overheard - and rightly so.

What's really troublesome is the seriousness of the Surfliner's running the red. If we and they ended up in the same block going opposite directions, what's to keep something awful from happening? Fortunately some backup system or something kept us safe. Is this area under some sort of positive train control?

At any rate, I'm sure the engineer and conductor - regardless of the drug test results - are in deep trouble. And the fact that it worked out makes me more confident that I'll never awake to find my sleeper a pile of twisted metal.
 
I am on 14 a day after you. We're currently at Klamath Falls, and we arrived early. So hopefully traffic has cleared and we'll get to Seattle on time. Best wishes for the rest of your trip.
 
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