Texas Eagle # 21

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This is what I heard from a posting that a friend made, I wish I had known before nightfall and had time to go get some daytime picstures of the TE in Arkansas.

"Flooding on Christmas Day-December 25, 2009-across Arkansas caused Amtrak's Texas Eagle #21 to be stopped at Bald Knob, Arkansas due to flooding of UP's tracks south of there between Bald Knob (45 miles north of Little Rock on UP's main-north line to St Louis) and Little Rock. Passengers were bused between Bald Knob and points south to Texas. I spent a few hours going up to Bald Knob to get a photo of the stopped Eagle at Bald Knob. Four-lane Highway 67/167 was under water just north of Little Rock and I had to detour, going east to Lonoke then north to Cabot then use old secondary roads to Bald Knob. But I got my pictures!!

The Amtrak agent at Little Rock told me that the northbound Texas Eagle, #22, had left Little Rock on time about 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve and had been walked through the flooded track south of Bald Knob (I don't know if water was over the track or just up to it). It was decided at that point (about midnight) that the southbound Eagle #21, would NOT be walked through the flooded track since it was getting worse, so the train was stopped at Bald Knob and everybody taken off and bussed south. He said that it being Christmas, it was very difficult to get buses. The one shown in the photo is from a company called Memphis Trailways. I assume the train will be turned at Bald Knob and become the northbound #22 tonight and that #22 will be turned at Little Rock and become the southbound #21. I can't confirm that. That would mean buses will take passengers off #22 and bus them to Bald Knob." His pictures that he talks about can be found here: http://thundertrain.org/AmtrakBaldKnobAR-122509.html
 
Thanks for the Pics and report! Happy Holidays! At least it wasnt snow and ice, hopefully the water has gone downa nd the line is open an d trains are running, bustitution sucks! ;)
 
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Not sure how the flooding on the tracks is, but as of 6pm the news was reporting that the highway that runs parellel but not next to the line was still closed due to flooding. The section of highway effected is a rather large interchange with a lot of traffic flow. The landfill sits between the highway and the railroad tracks in that area, so maybe Amtrak and UP will get lucky and the water is sitting in the landfill but not on the tracks. Although I have been lucky to not get bustituted, I would say that sucks, pay for a train and have to take a bus, not what I paid for.
 
I actually have to take the TE 21 tomorrow (26th) so if you have any additional updates between now and mid-afternoon on if the line is running it would be greatly appreciated.
 
I actually have to take the TE 21 tomorrow (26th) so if you have any additional updates between now and mid-afternoon on if the line is running it would be greatly appreciated.
#22 is now showing a Service Disruption after Marshall,TX which is the last stop before Texarkana! #21 is shown out of STL on time, I'm guessing that the flooding in ARK mentioned above may still be going on, even turned to ice with the cold temps were having across the Mid-West! There is no info I can find on the delays except what has been posted above! Perhaps someone will have info, this is a popular train with many followers!
 
I actually have to take the TE 21 tomorrow (26th) so if you have any additional updates between now and mid-afternoon on if the line is running it would be greatly appreciated.
FYI: Just receive an e-mail from a contact in LRK: #22 will be stopped upon arrival in LRK/pax bussed to catch #21 which is on a sideing North of LRK @ Bald Knob>train #21 will be turned here to CHI as #22 to arrive 12/26 in PM!

(yesterdays #21). #21 out of CHI today (12/25) will see upon arrival @ flooded area (Bald Knob)whether or not it can procede South- if not, pax will be bussed to LRK/#22 will be turned there to go South as #21 and tomorrows (12/26) #22 SAS-LRK will have pax bussed to LRK. Hope this helps out? :blink:
 
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Jim,

Thanks for the help. So it looks like if I went ahead and departed today I'd probably have to endure 1-2 hours of bus riding.

I called Amtrak this morning and informed them I heard of the service disruption in Arkansas yesterday and asked them if this would still be an issue today. The agent I spoke to said she had no indications at all that service would be disrupted so I still have no idea if they are under the impression that "full service" includes being bussed or the agent just doesn't know. I'm travelling with a toddler so I'm trying to make the best decision I can to make the trip as easy as possible.
 
Jim,Thanks for the help. So it looks like if I went ahead and departed today I'd probably have to endure 1-2 hours of bus riding.

I called Amtrak this morning and informed them I heard of the service disruption in Arkansas yesterday and asked them if this would still be an issue today. The agent I spoke to said she had no indications at all that service would be disrupted so I still have no idea if they are under the impression that "full service" includes being bussed or the agent just doesn't know. I'm travelling with a toddler so I'm trying to make the best decision I can to make the trip as easy as possible.
It's good to see #21 and #22 back in service even if they are late! Looks like #22 from SAS had to bustitute this morning which is not good!

I'm not able to get any news so far about the track/flooding situation North of LRK, there is a member supposed to be catching #21 in CHI-AUS today but haven't heard from him yet nor my LRK contact! Hope you don't have to ride a bus except to get to the station to catch #21 if you go today! :( :)
 
We made it home!

Upon arriving at the station last night to catch the TE 21, I had the opportunity to ask the conductor about the service disruption in Arkansas due to flooding. It took him a moment to answer because I think he was surprised at the question...probably wondering how in the world I had heard about this. He said that UP managed to get it fixed late last night or earlier that day (26th). I took great comfort in knowing that but as I proceeded to board, I noticed that there was some snow buildup on on the cars in various places. The thing that really caught my eye though was the ice on the axles....I began to wonder if these cars were the ones on the #22 that was walked through the flooding? A couple of times during the night I awoke to the train stopping, each time in the back of my mind thinking that maybe they weren't going to take a chance on that flooded track, but nope, I woke up in the morning around 7AM in Marshall, TX.

Amtrak really came through and to their credit, so did UP for getting that track fixed so quickly. I also want to thank the members here for providing such accurate information so quickly....if I hadn't read this site I never would have known.
 
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