Sunset Limited derails in California

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Superliner Diner

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This story about the Sunset Limited is factual.....

From KNBC-TV, NBC-4 in Los Angeles, CA, 5/2/07:

ONTARIO, Calif. -- Part of an Amtrak passenger train derailed Wednesday in Ontario, according to police.
One car derailed near the Ontario Airport. No injuries were reported.
Click to expand...
Story is here.
 
No serious injuries, a relatively quick cleanup, and the passengers interviewed on the t.v. news all agreed: no panic, very orderly, the absolute best of a bad situation; all in all, well-handled by the crew.
 
Two things I saw on news reports I thought were interesting. Obviously everyones ok, thats the main thing.

A: Reports said 190 passengers and crew on board. Thats beyond excellent considering only 2 stops into the journey.

B: The same article stated that pasengers were bused back to LAUS and put on another train to NO? I assume thats hotel in LA until the next scheduled 1/2?
 
I, too found this to be strange. After a 40-mile train trip, while it's nice that Amtrak ordered buses, the buses went in the wrong direction. Those people after their ordeal in Ontario got a 40-mile bus trip.... back to Los Angeles Union Station. Now they had gotten nowhere. And given the less-than-daily frequency of the Sunset Limited, that means that they won't get to leave LAX until tomorrow (Friday), assuming anyone hung around two more days and assuming Amtrak foot the bill for hotels for two nights. Only alternative would have been to route them via Chicago, which would not have gotten them to NOL much sooner on 4 and 59.
 
IIRC there is actually an extra SL trainset that is usually sitting around the yard because of the rotation th train has to take with its schedule into and out of LAUS. So it seems like bussing them back to LA, while questionable at first glance actually makes sense because it keeps the people in air conditioning all the time, and buys time for Rodondo crews to get the trainset ready. As a psychological matter it also helps with the "keep moving" philosophy, where people are less likely to get fussy if you keep them moving, rather than have them sitting around in Ontario in the hot LA sun while you get another trainset readied and out to Ontario.
 
I got off a flight this afternoon (Thursday) at Ontario (ONT) and noticed Amtrak equipment just north of the airport. The consist had pretty much been seperated with the 2 locomotives moved up the track about 200 yards. Looked like some investagators prowling around. I wondered what was going on.

Wb
 
Train Riders Association of California (TRAC) reported that one of their members was aboard the ill-fated train. He said the first #2 left on time from LAUS, and we know what happened to it in Ontario. Pax were bustituted back to LAUS, and they left "after midnight" (which agrees with the 1:42 AM above) to start out their trip all over again.

Most likely the makeup equipment came off the incoming #1. Therefore the second #2 could have left Los Angeles earlier had #1 been on time.

No word on whether the late #1 or the second movement of #2 passed by the derailment scene in Ontario, or took a different route. It sounds like the mainline was intact in the area, so other traffic was not affected.

If #2 stays on the schedule it is on now, it should make a very convenient mid-morning arrival in NOL that will allow for same-day transfers to the City of New Orleans, but unfortunately miss the Crescent by a few hours. However.... wait until they hit the severe flooding that Houston had today. :(
 
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Train 2's crew wasn't taken out of service, meaning that UP immediately took responsibility for this derailment (and that the earth has apparently shifted on its axis!); also, the train was back on the tracks and moved off the main within 3 hours!
 
Guest said:
Train 2's crew wasn't taken out of service, meaning that UP immediately took responsibility for this derailment (and that the earth has apparently shifted on its axis!); also, the train was back on the tracks and moved off the main within 3 hours!
Click to expand...
Didn't Kummant work for Union Pacific before becoming Amtrak's President? If he still holds any influence with UP that might exzplain them taking responsibility.
 
Guest said:
Guest said:
Train 2's crew wasn't taken out of service, meaning that UP immediately took responsibility for this derailment (and that the earth has apparently shifted on its axis!); also, the train was back on the tracks and moved off the main within 3 hours!
Click to expand...
Didn't Kummant work for Union Pacific before becoming Amtrak's President? If he still holds any influence with UP that might exzplain them taking responsibility.
Click to expand...
Doubtful. Many minor derailments are determined to be the fault of defective track or equipment right away. I don't think UP would automatically want to blame it on the Amtrak crew, regardless of who Amtrak's president is.
 
Considering the speed at which this derailment occurred, it's near impossible for it to be anything but track or equipment -- and awfully hard for it to be the equipment.
 
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