Passenger Trains > The black hole has shifted on the Sunset Route

What once was the dreaded black hole on the Sunset route between West Colton and Tucson has now moved east. The Glidden Sub between Houston and San Antonio, TX now seems to be the problem area on the route. Today for example #2 left San Antonio only 15 mins behind schedule and as of 2:30pm CT still has yet to reach Houston putting it 4 and half hours down and counting. Does anyone know what's up with today's run? It always seems that #2 is the one that's stabbed more often than #1.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/13 12:37 by SunsetLtd.

Traffic could be backed up due to freight breaking down on the Subdivision. If a freight got a knuckle or coupler that could delay a lot of trains. Looks like #2 may have to get re-crewed some were along the route.

Posted from Android

The westbound (#1?) was in El Paso at 2pm MT. Dont know it's schedule but first time seeing the westbound limited here during the day.

Posted from Android

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

no.2's problem stems from a bridge issue east of San Antone

SVTS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The westbound (#1?) was in El Paso at 2pm MT.
> Dont know it's schedule but first time seeing the
> westbound limited here during the day.
>
> Posted from Android

This makes no sense--except for a 5:40pm arrival a few weeks ago, #1 has departed El Paso by 2:30pm every trip this month.

Watched #1 for a while in March as we rode from Del Rio, TX to Los Angeles on March 19-20. It seemed to be losing time after San Antonio. We were about 90 minutes off the advertised, but had it all made up by LA. Only about an hour late in El Paso. Lots of daylight.

and its pretty easy to find the schedule if you're interested

My first cousin's daughter lives in Schulenberg TX right on the street which the Sunset parrells traversing that town. I will call her and blame her family for these delays!!!!!

I don't know what this problem is but..........I have driven the old highway many times and UP tends to fill up the sidings with freights waiting for crews. So if something gets out of wack there is no place to have a meet. I talked to a freight crew once that had left San Antonio early in the morning and was no farther than Kingsbury. They ended up going dead before they ever reached Houston. If the tracks and sidings are clear and fluid the Sunset can make it between San Antonio and Houston, 200 miles, in less than 4 hours.

I believe in an occasional black hole from LAUPT to Colton but not all the way to Tucson. In particular, the Sunset hauls butt between Indio and Tucson.

The Glidden Sub has been a slow, bumpy black hole as long as Amtrak has existed.

Bob

bnsfbob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I believe in an occasional black hole from LAUPT
> to Colton but not all the way to Tucson. In
> particular, the Sunset hauls butt between Indio
> and Tucson.
>
> The Glidden Sub has been a slow, bumpy black hole
> as long as Amtrak has existed.
>
> Bob

On today's schedule yes, but back before all the double track was put in from Marcopa to Tucson during the days of the 12-17 hour late horror story runs (circa 2000-2004) . So late that it was killed in New Orleans half the time because of timekeeping.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/13 19:50 by SunsetLtd.

Like I said, I dont have the schedule in front of me and was just making a observation. Im not in downtown everyday in the early afternoon but enough that seeing the #1 was different at least to me. Carry on with your discussion......


tolemy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SVTS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The westbound (#1?) was in El Paso at 2pm MT.
> > Dont know it's schedule but first time seeing
> the
> > westbound limited here during the day.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> This makes no sense--except for a 5:40pm arrival a
> few weeks ago, #1 has departed El Paso by 2:30pm
> every trip this month.

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

Double tracking project on the Glidden Sub in Houston between West JCT and Missouri City, TX. Between UP, BNSF, KCS and Amtrak, they all have to wait there turn to get through the Form B. Trains get stack up in both direction just waiting to get through.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/13 20:16 by kd0086.

Seems like I heard the same thing about the I-610. Needs more lanes at the choke point. Then if you add some more lanes, the choke point moves a mile or two.

SunsetLtd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bnsfbob Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I believe in an occasional black hole from
> LAUPT
> > to Colton but not all the way to Tucson. In
> > particular, the Sunset hauls butt between Indio
> > and Tucson.
> >
> > The Glidden Sub has been a slow, bumpy black
> hole
> > as long as Amtrak has existed.
> >
> > Bob
>
> On today's schedule yes, but back before all the
> double track was put in from Marcopa to Tucson
> during the days of the 12-17 hour late horror
> story runs (circa 2000-2004) . So late that it was
> killed in New Orleans half the time because of
> timekeeping.


Uh, no, it's also lousy dispatching during that time! I remeber hearing about how UP was so concerned about their hot frieghts they pretty much held everyone, including 1 and 2, and that actually was screwing those trains since stopping everyone for them with Amtrak spread like a virus! I know the DT was needed even after SP opened ICTF, but most of the time it was lousy UP dispatching that always screwed up Amtrak!