EB #8 Sunday

[TrainLoverJoy]

Anyone want to take any bets on my making my connection to Kalamazoo on the Wolverine with a 2 hour and 5 minute layover on Sunday. The way it's been looking, maybe a 50/50 chance?

 

[Amtrak Cajun]

There is really no way to tell, it just depends on what happens on the route.

I hope you get to make the connection though. Amtrak will get you there regardless.

Have a safe and fun trip.

 

[montana mike]

I agree, the performance for the eastbound EB has been awful. Today's for example looks like it will be between 4 and 5 hours late into CHI. Yesterday was just under 2 hours late and the day before about 90 minutes off the mark. BNSF is really slowing things down over about a 500 mile stretch in MT and ND where they have numerous construction and maintenance projects underway. Because of the mild fall weather they are expected to continue to work hard on these projects for an extended period of time. My BNSF contacts in Whitefish say that 2013 will be even busier, since the energy activity is ramping up big time and the number of trains moving oil to the gulf may quadruple by the end of the year, further slowing traffic movement. BNSF's own internal discussions have raised concerns about the ability of the hi-line system to handle this dramatic increase in traffic without additional delays to not just AMTRAK trains but to their other freight traffic. They are spending big bucks (hundreds of millions) to try to help, but as one BNSF person told me last week, the only real solution is another set of tracks-which as we know isn't going to happen any time soon.

The bottom line--a two hour connection time is very iffy. I have a 4 hour connection coming up in a couple of weeks and I am thinking of Plan B already, given the dismal arrival times of #8.

 

[jebr]

Who knows, I may see the Saturday #8 while waiting for the Northstar train in Big Lake (around 10 AM)! (Hopefully I won't be passing it on the way back, though, as that would mean the EB would be around 14 hours late. Eek!

 

[Mackensen]

I tried to make that connection in May 2011 and failed because of (1) flooding, (2) freight interference and (3) a passenger's medical emergency. Admittedly, I thought at the time that a two-hour connection was iffy, but then I consider a two-hour transfer at an airport at the edge of acceptability. If you miss the connection you'll be bused directly to Kalamazoo. If that happens to you I hope the people you ride with are less annoying than the people I rode with.

 

[TrainLoverJoy]

Anyone want to take any bets on my making my connection to Kalamazoo on the Wolverine with a 2 hour and 5 minute layover on Sunday. The way it's been looking, maybe a 50/50 chance?

I'll answer my own question.....the odds were pretty good! EB was only 45 minutes late, maybe the best time since May???? I had a great trip both ways, #7 and #8. Time to start planning the next one!

 

[slimchipley]

Oh, you'll make your connection. It will, however, be a nasty little shuttle van if you miss #354. Just be glad you're not going all the way to Dearborn/Detroit.

 

[montana mike]

Glad it wasn't the EB that is winding its way thru Montana today--now around 6 and a half hours late!!!!