Passenger Trains > FLA AutoTrain legs cxld today

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-auto-train-late-canceled-sanford-20140511,0,6633843.story



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/14 08:52 by elu34ch.

More discussion here: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3405839

toledopatch Wrote:
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> More discussion here:
> http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3
> 405839


I did read all these posts and the news article, but I am still a bit confused about the reasons for such delays. It seems this train always has a respectable on time performance.

I had to laugh a little, I guess the ads change but when I first looked a Megabus ad popped up.

The bad news is the article made Yahoo news and when possible riders see that and the note about
late trains it seeds doubt among some who value on time dependable transportation.

Bob

richs Wrote:
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> I did read all these posts and the news article,
> but I am still a bit confused about the reasons
> for such delays. It seems this train always has a
> respectable on time performance.

==========================================================

It usually does, but once Auto Train gets several hours out of whack it is difficult
to get it back without skipping a trip, because the time allotted to service the train
is barely sufficient to absorb a "routine" delay of a couple of hours. It also doesn't
have much ability to make up time at station stops or by running faster over the road.

This time, one set was delayed several hours by a police search on CSX property in
Richmond VA, shutting down the line, for a degenerate who raped a 12 year old girl and
killed her 8 year old brother attempting to assist her (the search was successful...he
was captured).

The other set was delayed even more due to broken-down Amtrak engines.

What's disappointing is the statement in the article that "The reason (for the train's
being 'late for about 10 days in both directions') is not clear." Susan Jacobsen is not
much of a reporter if she didn't ASK.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/14 08:50 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> richs Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > I did read all these posts and the news
> article,
> > but I am still a bit confused about the reasons
> > for such delays. It seems this train always has
> a
> > respectable on time performance.
>
> ==================================================
> ========
>
> It usually does, but once Auto Train gets several
> hours out of whack it is difficult
> to get it back without skipping a trip, because
> the time allotted to service the train
> is barely sufficient to absorb a "routine" delay
> of a couple of hours. It also doesn't
> have much ability to make up time at station stops
> or by running faster over the road.
>
> This time, one set was delayed several hours by a
> police search on CSX property in
> Richmond VA, shutting down the line, for a
> degenerate who raped a 12 year old girl and
> killed her 8 year old brother attempting to assist
> her (the search was successful...he
> was captured).
>
> The other set was delayed even more due to
> broken-down Amtrak engines.
>
> What's disappointing is the statement in the
> article that "The reason (for the train's
> being 'late for about 10 days in both directions')
> is not clear." Susan Jacobsen is not
> much of a reporter if she didn't ASK.


Thanks for the explanation. Glad they caught the scum
RichS

> > is not clear." Susan Jacobsen is not
> > much of a reporter if she didn't ASK.
>
>
> Thanks for the explanation. Glad they caught the
> scum
> RichS

Should have tied him to the rails and watched him....starve to death.

an earlier report on the Auto Train situation mentioned "engine problems"

I don't know if it's still the case, but A-T used to have a semi-dedicated fleet of engines assigned, which made it easier to assure regular maintenance and follow ups. I suspect there is little chance that reliability centered maintenance will be introduced in this lane. Unfortunately.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> an earlier report on the Auto Train situation
> mentioned "engine problems"
>
> I don't know if it's still the case, but A-T used
> to have a semi-dedicated fleet of engines
> assigned, which made it easier to assure regular
> maintenance and follow ups. I suspect there is
> little chance that reliability centered
> maintenance will be introduced in this lane.
> Unfortunately.

==================================================

It still does.

However this also means that if they run out of serviceable engines
at Lorton...and it has happened...replacements must be prepared at
Washington and deadheaded there.

There is more spare equipment in Sanford; space and trackage are more
limited at Lorton.

-GP

Might it help if they ran 3 train sets?

Might not have the space to store the extra train set at either Lorton or Sanford.

chakk Wrote:
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> Might not have the space to store the extra train
> set at either Lorton or Sanford.


One of the advantages of A-T is that the equipment is used intensively, with about 17 of every 24 hours in revenue service. That tends to be higher than much of the NEC equipment (which sleeps every night), and lacks the sometimes long layovers of the long distance equipment.

FWIW, I've often thought that a third set with three times weekly service to south Florida (maybe Fort Lauderdale) from Lorton would be immensely popular. In season, at least.