Passenger Trains > Problem w/ #5 & #6 in Nebraska?

Sunset/Eagle/Heritage Line-Up 19-Aug-12
8/19/2012 7:50 from: AmtrakStatusMaps
hh:mm Station Code
TR#1 0:33 late DRT_ALP Eng. 91, 161
TR#2 0:40 late SAS_HOS Eng. 57, ?
TR#21 1:40 late TXA_FTW Eng. 150
TR#22 2:12 late PBF_STL Eng. 74
TR#22 0:04 late SAS_FTW Eng. 821
TR#4 1:50 late LRC_KCY ETA GBB Cam: 1:39 PM
TR#6 S_D* OMA_GBB ETA GBB Cam: ??:?? AM
* "Service Disruption . . ." Unknown problem between McCook & Hastings, NE.
Tr #5 & #6 affected.
AmtrakStatusMaps
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Galesburg RailCam url: Link Updated and working!
http://www.galesburgrailroadmuseum.org/RailCamPage2.html

RailNet802, over

Train #6 had problems with some bovine on the right of way around McCook.
Nathan Z.

At least the meat would have been fresh not frozen like that in the diner. Rode Amtrak Coast Starlight years ago when they hit a bunch of horses ambling down the track The fire Department had to come out in Dunsmuir and hose off the front of the lead unit.And the Police removed one person in Redding. And believe it or not we arrived LA on time.

Train 6(17) encountered a herd of cattle on the tracks east of McCook. Every air hose was knocked loose and there was
considerable other underbody damage. As of Sunday morning, a source in Omaha said estimated arrival there was 200pm.

Situation also affected Train 5(18).

And yes, it was necessary to hose down the nose of Train 6(17)'s engine with a fire hose. I have a photo of the brown
being washed off, but don't yet have clearance to post it.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/12 19:16 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
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And yes, it was necessary to hose down the nose of
Train 6(17)'s engine with a fire hose.

Inside or outside . . . er never mind.

Thanks Gene

RailNet802, out

Train 6(17) departed Omaha at 212pm (scheduled 514am).

Train was minus the Transition Sleeper, which was disabled in the collision with the cows,
and set out at the first siding past the accident scene.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/12 16:33 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
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> Train 6(17) departed Omaha at 212pm.
>
> Train was minus the Transition Sleeper, which was
> disabled in the collision with the cows,
> and set out at the first siding past the accident
> scene.

Where is 5(18)?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/19/12 14:55 by Ptolemy.

Ptolemy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Train 6(17) departed Omaha at 212pm.
> >
> > Train was minus the Transition Sleeper, which
> was
> > disabled in the collision with the cows,
> > and set out at the first siding past the
> accident
> > scene.
>
> Where is 5(18)?

I'll try and find out but would expect it had to wait for clear track...that is, for the disabled
6(17) to move.

Having hit livestock more often than I'd care to recall, they can make for a real mess and do serious damage underneath. When we hang equipment under one of the cars we only half jokingly say that it has to withstand the cow test. That's a direct impact by a cow at 60 mph. Regrettably nothing of the cow is salvageable. It's all tainted.

calzephyr48 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Having hit livestock more often than I'd care to
> recall, they can make for a real mess and do
> serious damage underneath. When we hang equipment
> under one of the cars we only half jokingly say
> that it has to withstand the cow test. That's a
> direct impact by a cow at 60 mph. Regrettably
> nothing of the cow is salvageable. It's all
> tainted.

Reminds me of one night while running a San Diegan just south of Guadalupe, California. We rounded a curve, and there between the rails were a dozen or more wild boars feeding on grain or whatever had leaked out of some covered hoppers on a previous freight. I'll never forget the sound as we mowed them down, like a bowling ball hitting the pins. Needless to say, they separated almost every air hose on the train. It was an ugly sight underneath there, but fortunately, no other damage, surprisingly.

According to the Agent in Lincoln this is the second time they've found Cattle in the same spot in a week or so. Also remember the Demolition crane in western Nebraska and the Center Pivot between Lincoln and Hastings. Do we need to start a pool as to what they will find with the eb train next?
Steve

Here is the train being washed by the Hastings Fire Department in Hastings, NE... a civilized 9+ hours late...

---

Considering the desperate cattle feed situation due to the drought, I have to wonder if they aren't being herded deliberately onto the tracks. Insurance money's better than selling for pennies on the dollar, or worse having them die of starvation/thirst in the fields. Something Amtrak/BNSF police should maybe look into, if in fact this is the second time in a week or so.

According to Amtrak Ops, 5(17) departed SLC at 0108 hrs MTN time today (Monday). Not sure why it's not showing on the status maps-those are usually very dependable.

Good night,
AJ

rovertrain Wrote:
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> Here is the train being washed by the Hastings
> Fire Department in Hastings, NE... a civilized 9+
> hours late...


Go ahead dude...show them the BEFORE picture...

Pump

UPTRAIN Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rovertrain Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Here is the train being washed by the Hastings
> > Fire Department in Hastings, NE... a civilized
> 9+
> > hours late...
>
>
> Go ahead dude...show them the BEFORE picture...
>
> Pump

Didnt get up there in time

lowwater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Considering the desperate cattle feed situation
> due to the drought, I have to wonder if they
> aren't being herded deliberately onto the tracks.
> Insurance money's better than selling for pennies
> on the dollar, or worse having them die of
> starvation/thirst in the fields. Something
> Amtrak/BNSF police should maybe look into, if in
> fact this is the second time in a week or so.

Amtrak could sue the farmer for letting his cattle onto the tracks and damaging and delaying the train. Also criminal charges if it was deliberate.

From the height of that fireman's hose, did at least one cow try to jump over the moon -- I mean the Amtrak lead locomotive?

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lowwater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Considering the desperate cattle feed situation
> > due to the drought, I have to wonder if they
> > aren't being herded deliberately onto the
> tracks.
> > Insurance money's better than selling for
> pennies
> > on the dollar, or worse having them die of
> > starvation/thirst in the fields. Something
> > Amtrak/BNSF police should maybe look into, if
> in
> > fact this is the second time in a week or so.
>
> Amtrak could sue the farmer for letting his cattle
> onto the tracks and damaging and delaying the
> train. Also criminal charges if it was deliberate.

Which is why I said what I did. Look, I don't want to get more morbid here than I already have, but when you think about it being mowed down by a speeding train rather than suffering death by starvation and thirst if I had the choice I'd take the train. I realize the cattle wouldn't have been thinking along these lines, but at least in a sense if it was deliberate it was a favor, at least to those that went quickly. But as a practical matter there's no reason BNSF and/or Amtrak should pay for it.

And also when you you think about it we owe a lot to Bos primigenius, and the people who raise them.

irhoghead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Reminds me of one night while running a San Diegan
> just south of Guadalupe, California. We rounded a
> curve, and there between the rails were a dozen or
> more wild boars feeding on grain or whatever had
> leaked out of some covered hoppers on a previous
> freight. I'll never forget the sound as we mowed
> them down, like a bowling ball hitting the pins.
> Needless to say, they separated almost every air
> hose on the train. It was an ugly sight
> underneath there, but fortunately, no other
> damage, surprisingly.


That sounds remarkably similar to a trip I took from Irvine to SLO back in 1997 or 1998. I was riding in the ex-Metroliner cab car and heard the impacts (at least a dozen wild boar according to the engineer) and then felt the train go into emergency. We took quite a delay while everything was put back together.

I'd heard another thud earlier in the trip around Chatsworth; the hoghead told me that one was a dog. Gruesome trip!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/12 17:33 by ThumbsUp.