Passenger Trains > Not a good July 4 for the Texas Eagle

Texas Eagle 21(2), much delayed out of Chicago, did not arrive
in San Antonio in time for a timely turn and on-time departure.
Train 22(4) departed 1 1/2 hours late.  It is now apparently
cancelled north/east of Ft. Worth; availability is blocked.

Train 21(3) departed Chicago about 1 1/2 hours late; it lost
more time along its normal route...5 1/2 hours late at
Arkadelphia.  It continued on, then stopped, spent most of
four hours sitting still, and is now reversing back to
Arkadelphia at 8mph.  Its availability over the rest of its
route is now blocked.

Weather has been bad:

> HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A LARGE PART OF ARKANSAS.
>
> .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
>
> RAIN WITH AN OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORM OR TWO WILL CONTINUE FOR THE
> MAJORITY OF THE MORNING OVER SOUTHERN ARKANSAS. THIS AREA HAS SEEN
> EXTENSIVE RAINFALL OVER THE PAST 12 HOURS WITH WIDESPREAD FLASH
> FLOODING BEING REPORTED...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST. MANY ROADS
> ARE REPORTED CLOSED OVER THIS PART OF THE STATE. PRECIPITATION WILL
> BE MORE SCATTERED ACROSS THE REMINDER OF THE STATE.
>
> SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP IN THE HEAT OF
> THE DAY BUT THE COVERAGE WILL BE MUCH SPOTTIER IN NATURE WITH THE
> BEST CHANCES OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS AS A WEAK UPPER
> LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE
> POSSIBLE WITH ANY STORM.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/15 14:34 by GenePoon.

Update:

"According to a friend on the train they are reversing all the way into Little Rock. No information about what will happen there."

Now has arrived back at Little Rock.

Train 22(4) has arrived at Ft. Worth.

Both at zero mph.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/15 14:19 by GenePoon.

what do you mean "availability" ?

George Pierce
San Antonio, TX

Passengers on 21(3) in Little Rock will be bused "for remainder of trip."

However there is already a train in Ft. Worth so maybe a bus
bridge between FTW and LRK?

"Availability" = space available for sale.  Blocked = ZERO, which is what
Amtrak does when they cancel a train, or arrange a detour or bustitution.

Train 22(4) is close to schedule in central Illinois.  Amtrak is still selling space past St. Louis to
onward points into Texas, so there is hope!

Chance of rain in eastern Arkansas is decreasing, ending Sunday afternoon. Flood warnings
continue in parts of the region through 10pm tonight.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/15 17:29 by GenePoon.

UPDATE:  Washout on UP south of Little Rock is supposed to be repaired 
during the night, with open track by morning. 

Should it not be fixed, current plan is that Train 21(4) will either wait for
clear track at Little Rock or detour to Pine Bluff on the UP White Bluff Subdivision,
then to Texarkana on the UP Pine Bluff Subdivision (ex-Cotton Belt).
The last I remember, that detour would require a turning movement in the Pine Bluff
Yard. 

Subject to change, of course!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/15 21:43 by GenePoon.

No detour.  Train departed Little Rock virtually on time by Amtrak standards, sat south of Arkadelphia for open track.  Now past Hope (not "beyond hope" though that is true for further on-time operation) on the way to Texarkana.

21(4) was the fourth train through the washout area.  Eastbound traffic was fleeted through first: two UP trains followed by Amtrak 22.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/15 09:12 by GenePoon.

Amtrak resumes runs after rail fix

By Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
This article was published today at 4:23 a.m.


Amtrak trains are running again between Arkadelphia and Texarkana, Texas now that tracks damaged by weekend flooding have been repaired, an Amtrak spokesman said.

A section of track owned by Union Pacific closed Saturday from Arkadelphia to Texarkana. Jeff DeGraff, Union Pacific spokesman, said heavy rains swept away parts of the track and the trains had to be rerouted.

The track reopened at 6:40 a.m. Sunday, although trains continued to be rerouted because of congestion on some Amtrak routes, DeGraff said.

"We should be back to normal operations by tomorrow," he said.

More than 150 passengers waited for charter buses Saturday at the Little Rock Amtrak station, after the company's southbound passenger train, the Texas Eagle, was halted because of the damaged track.

From Friday to Saturday night, Prescott and surrounding areas received 12 to 14 inches of rain, said Joe Goudsward of the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.