Possible speed restriction and detour in North Carolina

[Superliner Diner]

This is currently unconfirmed. so take it for what it's worth... a warning just in case you were planning travel in the very near future through North Carolina. It has appeared in a series of e-mails I received from various leaders at Carolinas Association for Passenger Trains (CAPT), a regional NARP affiliate.

CAPT says that CSX apparently found some bad track along its "S" line (ex-Seaboard Coast Line) between Fetner and Hamlet, and imposed a 10 mph speed limit through that stretch.

The Silver Star, which traverses that section, is said to be detouring southbound over the "A" line (Atlantic Coast Line) through Fayetteville to Pembroke, then west on another Seaboard line back to Hamlet where it resumes the regular "S" line travel. The Star would therefore miss station stops at Raleigh, Cary, and Southern Pines, which would be covered by a bus bridge operating between Rocky Mount and Hamlet.

There is no word on how the Carolinian and Piedmont trains are being handled. I'm thinking they are unaffected by this mess as they take the "H" line further west from Raleigh to Greensboro.

So far in checking Amtrak's online website, there is no announcement from them. Their reservations process allows one to purchase a ticket to, say, Raleigh on the Silver Star. So maybe this is a day-to-day issue. It is said to have gone into effect quickly on Wednesday, May 30th.

Again please don't shoot the messenger if this is found to be incorrect, but I felt that those who might be planning trips in the very near future through this area should be aware of a potential problem, delay, detour, and possibly bustitution.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Amtrak is now showing travel to city pairs that include Raleigh, Cary, Southern Pines, or Hamlet to be empty, not bookable online. That would prove the detour, but makes one wonder about subsitute bus service.

You can still book trips though the area, such as New York-Miami.

 

[Superliner Diner]

Here it is, on NCDOT's website:

Silver Star Service InterruptionTrains 91 & 92

May 31, 2007 - June 1, 2007

Due to track conditions between Hamlet, N.C. & Raleigh, N.C., Amtrak's Silver Star, Trains 91 & 92 will be re-routed from Hamlet to Pembroke, N.C. over the next 24 hours. No alternate transportation will be provided for passengers at Cary & Raleigh stations.

Ticketholders should call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) to reschedule their travel.

However with that in mind, I tried to do Columbia, SC to JAX, and it would not let me do that either. Columbia is well south of this detour.

 

[jefffromark]

Not sure if any of you ever saw this trackage in daylight, but I was in Denmark SC recently and it looks like branch line status - also further east where US 301 crosses, the track has weeds growing through the ballast, etc. In the days of the late 60's/early 70's the Silver Star and Meteor took approx 24 hours between Trenton NJ & West Palm Beach - both over the same (SAL) trackage. Todays Star takes 28 hours (via Tampa) and Meteor is within the 24 hour period via the old ACL.

I remember one trip on the Meteor southbound between Columbia and Savannah as the coach bounced and swayed side to side, I asked the conductor how fast we were traveling - his reply was usually between 90 & 100 mph on this stretch.

 

[Rafi]

Courtesy of the NARP Hotline News page for today (6/1):

The Federal Railroad Administration operated their T-18 test car over parts of CSX Transportation’s “S Line” this week--the route of the Silver Star south from Cary, NC (just west of Raleigh) to Savannah, GA (via. Columbia, SC). The first 85 miles tested resulted in most of the line having 10 mph slow orders placed on it. As a result, until further notice, the Silver Star is detouring from Selma to Hamlet. The extent of this detour may well grow as the T-18 car moves south and more railroad is inspected. Motorcoach service is being provided for the missed stops—Raleigh, Cary, and Southern Pines.

-Rafi

 

[Palmland]

Raleigh to Hamlet is where the restrictions are currently in place. South of Hamlet the CSX Hamlet Sub operates to Columbia (and through my hometown). Several years ago it was downgraded to 60mph from 79. Columbia to Savannah was 79mph in 2004. Not sure if it has have been downgraded since. When SAL operated the trains, the line from Columbia to Savannah was a straight race track. North of Columbia the line weaves through the Carolina sand hills.

When the line through Columbia was relocated in the downtown area a few years ago, there was some talk of routing the Star via NS to Chalotte then down to Columbia on their line and continue on CSX to Savannah. The line relocation resulted in CSX and NS operating over each other's track into and out of Columbia which would makes the connection an easy one. However the use of the current station would require a short back up move. A better option would be to use the old Southern station which is now a very nice California Dreaming restaurant.

A more likley scenario is to just reroute the Star on a semi permanent basis to the A line. This would exclude Colubmia but pick up the Charleston market.

 

[AmtrakWPK]

The Meteor and the Palmetto already cover the Charleston Market. Two trains on that route already, compared to just one where the Star runs.

 

[BobWeaver]

Raleigh to Hamlet is where the restrictions are currently in place. South of Hamlet the CSX Hamlet Sub operates to Columbia (and through my hometown). Several years ago it was downgraded to 60mph from 79. Columbia to Savannah was 79mph in 2004. Not sure if it has have been downgraded since. When SAL operated the trains, the line from Columbia to Savannah was a straight race track. North of Columbia the line weaves through the Carolina sand hills.
When the line through Columbia was relocated in the downtown area a few years ago, there was some talk of routing the Star via NS to Chalotte then down to Columbia on their line and continue on CSX to Savannah. The line relocation resulted in CSX and NS operating over each other's track into and out of Columbia which would makes the connection an easy one. However the use of the current station would require a short back up move. A better option would be to use the old Southern station which is now a very nice California Dreaming restaurant.

A more likley scenario is to just reroute the Star on a semi permanent basis to the A line. This would exclude Colubmia but pick up the Charleston market.

I know that Denmark to Columbia is still a 79mph zone, as I chased #92 one night and yes, I paced it doing 79. However, it does have to slow for the occasional turn, and as it gets closer to Columbia, the speed decreases probably to an average about 50 or so from what I observed.

 

[Superliner Diner]

A reroute via Greensboro and Charlotte sounds like a worthwhile move, as the Star would pass through larger population centers than it currently does on the Hamlet line.

However if it is going to go that way then why not operate the same way as the Crescent... that is, the NS mainline from Alexandria, VA to Charlotte? It would save time over going through Richmond and Rocky Mount, which are covered by the Carolinian, Palmetto, and Silver Meteor. Richmond of course has more trains in the name of Regionals.

 

[Guest_Amtrak OBS Employee_*]

Raleigh to Hamlet is where the restrictions are currently in place. South of Hamlet the CSX Hamlet Sub operates to Columbia (and through my hometown). Several years ago it was downgraded to 60mph from 79. Columbia to Savannah was 79mph in 2004. Not sure if it has have been downgraded since. When SAL operated the trains, the line from Columbia to Savannah was a straight race track. North of Columbia the line weaves through the Carolina sand hills.

When the line through Columbia was relocated in the downtown area a few years ago, there was some talk of routing the Star via NS to Chalotte then down to Columbia on their line and continue on CSX to Savannah. The line relocation resulted in CSX and NS operating over each other's track into and out of Columbia which would makes the connection an easy one. However the use of the current station would require a short back up move. A better option would be to use the old Southern station which is now a very nice California Dreaming restaurant.

A more likley scenario is to just reroute the Star on a semi permanent basis to the A line. This would exclude Colubmia but pick up the Charleston market.

I know that Denmark to Columbia is still a 79mph zone, as I chased #92 one night and yes, I paced it doing 79. However, it does have to slow for the occasional turn, and as it gets closer to Columbia, the speed decreases probably to an average about 50 or so from what I observed.

As per the timetable/special instructions (yeah I carry these now that I am at CSX), on the Aberdeen Subdivsion ( Southern Jct, roughly South of RGH station to Marston, near N.E. Hamlet) the maximum authorized speed for passenger trains is 60 mph. There are a heck of a lot of slower restrictions in this subdivison due to town ordinances, rail crossings (Sanford NC for exp), and mostly for curves. And that's just the normal stuff. On the Hamlet Sub (roughly S.E. Hamlet to Elmwood Jct in CLB) is 60 mph. Still quite a few other slower restrictions. However, it should be noted this stretch is almost all bolted rail (instead of welded) with a few exceptions up near Hamlet and in between. On the Columbia Sub ( Elmwood Jct in CLB to Norway) the maximum authorized speed for passenger trains is 60 mph. Grades and curves exist here as well as bolted rail almost all the way to Norway. On the CLB Sub (from Norway to Septco Jct near Rincon Ga) the maximum authorized speed for passenger trains is 79 mph as already posted. A few of the towns have ordinance speed restrictions as well as a couple of curves and a drawbridge have restrictions. On the CLB Sub from (Septco Jct to Central Junction in SAV) the maximum authorized speed is 70 mph in this stretch for passenger trains. Yard Limits start there at Central Junction as well as the end of the FLO division where the "Star" enters the JAX Divison on the SAV Sub.

A little note to ponder, most of our CSX traffic on the CLB Sub operates between SAV (Central Jct) and Fairfax, SC. From there most of the freights with the exception of the SAV - Cayce "North Local" and a coal train or two cut towards Augusta on that Subdivison in dark territory. The "Star" of course joins the other few trains on the CLB Sub on to the North. And I have been making this run mostly in daylight causing me not to even see the "Star" unless they are really late! Formerly OBS.....

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee now gone fre]

A reroute via Greensboro and Charlotte sounds like a worthwhile move, as the Star would pass through larger population centers than it currently does on the Hamlet line.
However if it is going to go that way then why not operate the same way as the Crescent... that is, the NS mainline from Alexandria, VA to Charlotte? It would save time over going through Richmond and Rocky Mount, which are covered by the Carolinian, Palmetto, and Silver Meteor. Richmond of course has more trains in the name of Regionals.

A similar plan had been talked about during my tenure at Amtrak, but it was going to continue on its normal route and go to GRO from RGH. Then at Charlotte it was to go over to CLB and rejoin on its current route. As I can remember it is an option in place should CSX decide to abandon the current Hamlet Sub. But at this juncture I can't see that happening. I am sure NC would not be happy with the loss of a RGH routed train! True the bypass of RVR using the "Crescent" route would save some time, but I can't see RGH not having any Southward connections to FL. IIRC when the company was charted in 1971, the "Silver Star" has to connect the two capital cities of NC & SC with FL and the North. I may be wrong on that, though.

formerly OBS......

 

[AmtrakFan]

Well Folks,

Looks like it is sorry Folks your Train is cancelled

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...d=1178293989949