Passenger Trains > Coast Line closed due to fire/11 annuled at OKJ

Saw this information on another foamer list, but haven't seen it mentioned here or the Western board yet. As I understand it, today's #11 (that departed Seattle on Monday) will terminate in Oakland. I don't know what #14 out of LAX will do today. Anyone have more info? Hopefully this will be cleared up before the TO special is scheduled to come through here again on Thursday.

Seriously, I think we hit "submit" at exactly the same time...

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,1484895

Well, you know what they say about great minds! :)

smitty195 Wrote:
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> Well, you know what they say about great minds!
> :)

I'll be nice ;-)
According to Arrow, all passengers for No. 14 are scheduled to take an Ambus
to Bakersfield and ride the San Joaquins north. California is burning again. There is a
5,200+ acre fire burning in the foothills of Morgan Hill too. Started yesterday afternoon.

TopCat

For the Morgan Hill fire, a firefighter friend in Gilroy said Tanker 910 (the converted DC-10) was supposed to do drops there yesterday. I haven't heard if it was there or not, but might be there today also.

According to the Amtrak reservation office, this morning's Coast Starlight #11(3) will terminate at Oakland. A wildfire in Santa Barbara County (unrelated, it seems, to the months-old Zaca Fire) is now threatening the Coast Line, causing a "service disruption" on both it and a closure of Highway 101. Presumably, this will affect "Central Coast" Surfliners 798 & 799 as well.

Looks like it's the San Joaquin that'll get me home today.. :P

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6797078

In Santa Barbara County, crews battled a 200-acre blaze in the Gaviota coast area that shut down a nearly 20-mile stretch of Highway 101. The blaze started about 8 p.m. Monday just north of the 101 and burned across the highway before pushing down to the ocean, Fire Incident Commander Bob Dell said.

The fire, which was about 70 percent contained, also damaged railroad tracks alongside the highway. At least one northbound freight shipment was held up.

Also on the Western Board http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1484656

News showed the 910 do 20k drop of retardant.

smitty195 Wrote:
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> For the Morgan Hill fire, a firefighter friend in
> Gilroy said Tanker 910 (the converted DC-10) was
> supposed to do drops there yesterday. I haven't
> heard if it was there or not, but might be there
> today also.

From Amtrak.com:

Service Alert: Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight Service Affected by Brush Fires Near Gaviota, California

September 4, 2007

Due to forest fires between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, California, closing highways and railways in the vicinity of Gaviota, California, the following service adjustments have been made to Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight trains today, Tuesday, September 4, 2007.

Pacific Surfliner

Train #799 (San Diego-Paso Robles) will terminate at Goleta. No alternate transportation provided between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
Train #774 (San Luis Obispo- San Diego) will originate at Goleta. No alternate transportation provided between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
Train #775 (San Diego-Paso Robles) will terminate at Goleta. No alternate transportation provided. No alternate transportation provided between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
Train #798 (Paso Robles-Los Angeles) will originate at Santa Barbara. No alternate transportation provided between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
Coast Starlight

Train #11 (Seattle-Los Angeles) will terminate at Oakland. Passengers will be provided alternate transportation between Oakland and Los Angeles.
Train #14 (Los Angeles-Seattle) will originate at Oakland. Passengers will be provided alternate transportation between Los Angeles and Oakland.
This information is correct as of the above time and date and is subject to change as conditions warrant. Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.

From the Santa Barbara Independent

Fire Continues to Cause Delays
101 Freeway Expected to Reopen Later Today


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, September 4, 2007
By Chris Meagher (Contact)

As of 9:30 a.m. traffic on Highway 101 is open one lane in each direction just south of Mariposa Reina near Gaviota because of a fire that broke out at about 8 p.m. Monday night. The right lane in each direction will be closed until later this afternoon, probably before the afternoon commute, according to CHP Officer Don Clotworthy. Highway 154 is no longer the recommended alternate route, as it is severely congested with traffic due to the fire.

Santa Barbara County Deputy Fire Chief Tom Franklin said the fire, at about 200 acres, is 70 percent contained as of 9:15 this morning. The winds are “in our favor,” Franklin said, although there is one trouble spot in the northeast portion of the hills near San Onofre Creek. Firefighting crews and bulldozers are working in the area, and aircraft had been deployed to help the situation.

Last nights winds hit 60 miles per hour and pushed the fire very quickly down the San Onofre Canyon toward the ocean. Firefighters from Santa Barbara County Fire Station 18 responded almost immediately, and the fire had already spread to five acres.

At the AMTRAK station I was told that there are service interuption bulletins for todays (Tues) Starlights that are due along the coast. There is no bulletin "yet" for the Starlight (#11) that is in Oregon headed south, due there tomorrow. Meaning that they don't know yet if the Startlight out of Seattle on Tuesday will go through.

jb

Can't believe we haven't seen the "Reroute over the Loop" post here yet,so allow me. This would actually be a good reason to route 11 and 14 via the Loop, IMO, for no other reason than to save on busses and inconveniences.

AlwaysLate Wrote:
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> Can't believe we haven't seen the "Reroute over
> the Loop" post here yet,so allow me. This would
> actually be a good reason to route 11 and 14 via
> the Loop, IMO, for no other reason than to save on
> buses and inconveniences.

During my era at both the SP and the UP we had withdrawn the Mojave subdivision as a detour route. I seriously doubt that this has changed, today, the Gunn, special operation was a one time exception.

To reroute via the Mojave sub, you first make a backup move from the depot at Sacramento to Elvis and then proceed down the Fresno Sub. You miss all of the stations between Sacramento and LA. Other potential detours are even worse. For example, if you go via the Altamont (Oakland) sub you miss all stations south of JL SQ and must run around the train at Lathrup and the passengers all ride backwards all the way to LA. Then you must deal with the congestion and freight traffic over the Tehachipiis.
Metrolink owns and controls the route from Palmdale to LA and, unless you are very late, you are trying to move against the evening Metrolink fleet on the Sagus line.

All passengers for all points, other than LA proper must be bussed anyway. Better to bus from Oakland and fly the LA Passengers via Southwest Air lines. This way they get there early and Amtrak saves money, too. Amtrak pays for detours you know.

mdo

Train 799 ran north on Time to Goleta, it turned as a late train 774 to Los Angeles. An on-time section was launched with 578's equipment, and 578 ran with 582's equipment, which ran with 596's equipment (Confused yet?) 774 arrived in Los Angeles just in time to connect with 578.

The Horizon set could not run through to San Diego as it was not equipped with ATS on the Cab Car, and did not have the seating capacity to hold the crowd expected on 589.

Northbound, Train 775 turned in Goleta for 798, which works out beautifully since the two trains meet in Gaviota anyway, giving plenty of time for the equipment to be serviced.

The plan worked beautifully, but if it's going to happen for any length of time I'd probably suggest running a train 778 off of 799's equipment to avoid some of the confusion and tight turns there, that was where the biggest issue was.

A DC-10 dropping fire retardant at tree top level? Now that is a sight to see!!!!

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1208436/L/

sphogger

For one of the few times in their history, the US Forest Service has made the right decision in not using that DC10. If that thing lasts thru the fire season without crashing, it will be due to luck, nothing else.

Coast Line open at 6:00 pm.

All Trains normal on Wednesday, subject to 10 mph.

The DC-10 also made two drops on the Montebello Fire last week in the Foothills west of Cupertino, Calif.
The second drop was "a bit early" and coated in orange fire retardant several news media vehicles and fire department vehicles that were parked "upstream" from the fire.

Both drops were shown in newsreel footage on local tv station KTVU (channel 2). I would guess from my viewing of the newsreel footage that the jet was about 500 feet above ground at the drop point.