Empire Builder Summer Blues Started Early this year

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jimhudson said:
:) Glad you made it Jeff! Hope the Cap doesnt Hold for the Late Western Trains! ;)
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You and me both, Jim! Of course yesterday I wanted them to hold the CL for both the CZ and the EB and they didn't. Since the EB is going to be even later than it was last night and since only the EB is affected I doubt they will. And I hope they don't since that would affect me. ;) Forget all those folks having to fight the madness at Passenger Services to make alternate plans; I don't want to be affected!!! It's all about meeeee, meeeee, meeeee!!!!

:p :lol: J/K! J/K!
 
Today's 8 left Seattle over 2 1/2 hours late. :( The good folks who will detrain in Chicago and are connecting to other trains might as well be prepared to miss those trains now and make other arrangements.
 
It was a late spot in the yard and engine trouble, had to change out the trailing unit. Got into Seattle around 1pm and also had trouble getting track time to go to the wey to turn the train.
 
Good Grief, lots of challenges today in SEA. Given the very late start from SEA today I would estimate we have a very late arriving EB in CHI on 9/13. Sadly, today #8 arrived in CHI 5 hours and 48 minutes late--OUCH! We are rivaling the worst performance of the summer again.
 
I checked the stauts and 8 (11) left SEA not too long ago and indeed, it's already 2:40 late. It could make up some time in Washington, but then it'll lose more in Montana and even more in North Dakota. Delays added from GFK-FAR could screw this train over to a toal of 6 hours late!

The 7 (10) going through Glacier NP right now isn't doing too well either, 2:07 late, but it could make up a lot tonight with the extensive padding in Washington.

Despite all this, the worst timekeeping still goes to the 5, which is 3:09 late! Man, the CZ has ot been doing well at all!
 
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Eastbound 8 is 4 hours 15 minutes late out of Williston :angry:
 
#8 today is making up for the grim performance yesterday. Yes, it's good to see a possible arrival time under 2 hours late into CHI-town during the week for sure.
 
TraneMan said:
The Empire Builder said:
Eastbound 8 is 4 hours 15 minutes late out of Williston :angry:
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A friend's partner was on this train and from what he was told, a pick up hit the Empire Builder outside of Minot., no one died..
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That's not good! Another accident! Can't be sure if this is accurate, lots of things get blurred when one tells another, then another, then another.
 
RRUserious said:
Do trains have to stick around a long time for the authorities to come and get evidence?
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we have had two incidents in our travels. one in which someone on the tracks was killed. we were stopped for a couple hours for police investigation and to check the train after the emergency stop. once we hit some debris on the track which just held us up for maybe a half hour while the train was checked
 
Yup, looking like a very late departure from SEA today and even later arrival in CHI for today's #8 from SEA and PDX. Meanwhile #8 chugging along in MN is about 4 1/2 hours behind, so tha tone is on track to missed most connections in CHI tonight as well. Seems to be a pattern here, with several EBs leaving SEA and PDX so late each week that they result in very late arrivals in CHI, which in turn cause hundreds of people to miss connections, with only the weekends showing modest improvements when BNSF reduces some of its track work.
 
8 (12) is going OK now, only 40 minutes late. I'm thinking this train'll lose up to 1 hour running the GFK-FAR, then make a bunch of it up as the train approaches CHI. So, I would extimete tomorrow's arrival at about 5:00 PM.
 
Swadian Hardcore said:
8 (12) is going OK now, only 40 minutes late. I'm thinking this train'll lose up to 1 hour running the GFK-FAR, then make a bunch of it up as the train approaches CHI. So, I would extimete tomorrow's arrival at about 5:00 PM.
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i think you are a little optimistic even given the weekend but i hope you are right. 8(13)hasn't left seattle yet so even going through north dakota on sunday may not save it
 
yarrow said:
Swadian Hardcore said:
8 (12) is going OK now, only 40 minutes late. I'm thinking this train'll lose up to 1 hour running the GFK-FAR, then make a bunch of it up as the train approaches CHI. So, I would estimate tomorrow's arrival at about 5:00 PM.
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i think you are a little optimistic even given the weekend but i hope you are right. 8(13)hasn't left seattle yet so even going through north dakota on sunday may not save it
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Yeah, 8 (13) sure is screwed from the beginning. Departed SEA at 6:56 PM, and it will probably accumulate more delays throughout the trips. Things are getting blasted.

8 (12) suffered a setback between Wolf Point and Williston, but it's not in the red yet. The train will probably lose more until FAR, which could be reached at about 4:30 AM. Then, if padding works out and no further delays develop, the passengers could still make the CL connection at 6:10 PM.
 
It does indeed look like #8(12) has a shot to arrive in CHI under 2 hours late--IF no unexpected delays crop up between MSP and CHI today. Thank goodness for the weekends to restore a little faith in the schedule. I get a chuckle that we are now considering 2 hour delays as "success". :)

#8(13) is looking less well--could be another 4+ hour arrival delay in CHI tomorrow night, even with the weekend construction schedules, since it is almost 2 hours behind already due to the late start from SEA/PDX. I think Amtrak decided to send it all the way to SEA/PDX vs a turn in SPK because they knew #8 could hopefully not lose as much time over the weekend vs a weekday. We shall see....
 
Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
 
Linda T said:
Everyone talks about the CL leaving at 6:40, but the CDL leaves at 5:45. Is everyone just figuring the EB to the CDL is a lost cause? I'll be making that connection, God willing, on Tuesday the 24th from the #8. Keep your fingers crossed!
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:hi: Hopefully you'll be the exception to the Rule and #8 will Roll in Early or On-Time so you can make your Connection with the Card! (otherwise it's a Bus chase to catch the Card in Indiana, a switch to the Cap, LSL or even an Overnight in CHI on Amtraks Dime and a Re-scheduled on the next Days' Cap or LSL depending on the OTP of #8 ) Good Karma to you, keep us Posted! :)
 
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