Passenger Trains > 20 (15) running 11+ hours late

According to Twitter appears lighting struck twice, I wonder if anyone else has any more specific info. 

Train got hit for 4 hours south of ATL due to a "holding for freight derailment ahead", but strangely it appears to then have sat the entire night in the ATL station as well, arriving at 1130pm and departing after 5am and the only thing notated on Twitter is the same. If the derailment was north of the ATL station (such as in South Carolina as I suspect) there would no need to hold it south of ATL for 4 hours? Later this morning, as it got close to Clemson it lost another 2 hours accounted for "Fire Department Activity". 

FWIW, 19 (15) heading south lost almost 3 hours in that same area. Im assuming this is where the derailment was and the fire department was there to assist in clean-up. They probably held 20 in ATL overnight for open track but I dont know for sure. Anyone have anymore specific info on the derailment? 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/20 07:38 by Amtrak-P42.

Only have confirmation, from a source deep in the heart of Dixie:

Both 20 and 19 got nailed by an NS derailment last night near Inman yard in Atlanta. There was a fire also, making clearing the mess even more difficult. Train #20 is (at the time he wrote) about 9 hours late and #19 about 3 hours late. Both may get later waiting on rested crews.

On the Eastern board:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,5139564

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Only have confirmation, from a source deep in the
> heart of Dixie:
>
> Both 20 and 19 got nailed by an NS derailment last
> night near Inman yard in Atlanta. There was a fire
> also, making clearing the mess even more
> difficult. Train #20 is (at the time he wrote)
> about 9 hours late and #19 about 3 hours late.
> Both may get later waiting on rested crews.

Why would 20 then be held 7 hours more in Atlanta AFTER getting through the Wreck site? 

Train 20 was held just south of Inman yard for the NS derailment. The NS had estimated they would have at least one track open about 5am, but was able to clear it up a couple of hours earlier. (I love the NS mentality, shove it out of the way, we'll get it later - Get the track open!)
20 was in the station in Atlanta for 20 min or so. There was a bridge fire south of Clemson. They were delayed by that also...

Bob

Got it. Well Amtrak incorrectly has it reported then:
* ATN * * 1 359P * 502P Departed: 1 hour, 3 minutes late.
* ATL 1 735P 1 804P 1130P 503A Arrived: 3 hours, 55 minutes late. | Departed: 8 hours, 59 minutes late.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/20 10:09 by Amtrak-P42.

An extra 12 hours with 'contemporary dining' will certainly cause many 'never again's to be heard, just like I used to hear in the '70s and '80s on Amtrak trains that were hours and hours late.

That bridge fire was in no mans land. Only road is what is left of old track 2 gone 60 years ago. I don't even know if there is a place to turn around. Very hilly and lots of creeks and drop offs, the headwaters for the Savannah River Basin. When riding through there I always wonder how they get back there, just figured high railers. Fire trucks are even harder to get in those woods. Location is north of Toccoa GA. and south Westminster SC. Madison SC. Is the closes location.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Only have confirmation, from a source deep in the
> heart of Dixie:
>
> Both 20 and 19 got nailed by an NS derailment last
> night near Inman yard in Atlanta. There was a fire
> also, making clearing the mess even more
> difficult. Train #20 is (at the time he wrote)
> about 9 hours late and #19 about 3 hours late.
> Both may get later waiting on rested crews.

The derailment is just south of the (real) bridge for CP Bridge, at the crossing with Parrott Avenue just
north of Inman Yard as mentioned. I couldn’t get that close to the area, but from what I can see it was a real mess requiring replacement of what looked to be the three primary tracks through that crossing.

This location is particularly bad for NS as the bulk of its Chattanooga and Alabama traffic must pass CP Bridge.

Posted from iPhone

Hit Lynchburg Va around 1700 hrs


Gary

Posted from iPhone

BRAtkinson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An extra 12 hours with 'contemporary dining' will
> certainly cause many 'never again's to be heard,
> just like I used to hear in the '70s and '80s on
> Amtrak trains that were hours and hours late.

Passenger were treated to essentially an extra half day aboard, but it was all via daylight hours from roughly Georgia to the Northeast. Ironically, it's interesting to see the scehdule of #20 operating late as it is possible for this train to operate as a "day train" all the way from Atlanta to NYC if needed! It was largely just looked at as a day train from Atlanta to DC - the more popular overnight departure/arrival train.....But yeah - more of contemporary dining meals - and East of the Mississippi River they have LESS choices!!! I still think Amtrak can get better quality meals - and even at cheaper rates - if it acted more "smartly" in the sourcing department......But lets not get off topic, as that discussion is a HOT MESS!

It would be interesting to spec 19/20 as a daylight only train from MY to ATL.

Maybe a parlor car, too.

Posted from Android

Not easy. Current run time is about 18 hours. Leaving Atlanta at 6 am wouldn't be very popular there. If you shift the departure later in the morning, you get into NY after midnight. 

My wife and I were on a 9.5 hour late Empire Builder, #8 last summer due to a BNSF freight train hitting a haz-mat truck in Eastern Montana. There was no "never agains" that I heard. Everyone I spoke to were very understanding, and Amtrak handled it as best as they could. After speaking to customer service a few days later, I received a voucher for $550, good for a year, but was extended because of Covid, and I used it on the Cardinal last month. If handled correctly, the "never agains" will be held to a minimum.

Does anyone know what engine they added?

I was coming home and was in the south loop (Chicago) at around 6pm. A rail train had pulled up to Kelley after "dropping two sticks". They said on the radio that they had to wait on Amtrak, and another person responded "You've got a long wait, that won't be until after 8pm." I heard that and thought huh? They wouldn't hold it for that, so I checked the status map and saw 58 running 10 hours late. I tried to see it but missed it.

inCHI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone know what engine they added?
>
> I was coming home and was in the south loop
> (Chicago) at around 6pm. A rail train had pulled
> up to Kelley after "dropping two sticks". They
> said on the radio that they had to wait on Amtrak,
> and another person responded "You've got a long
> wait, that won't be until after 8pm." I heard that
> and thought huh? They wouldn't hold it for that,
> so I checked the status map and saw 58 running 10
> hours late. I tried to see it but missed it.

This thread has nothing to do with the City of New Orleans. Wrong train.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/16/20 22:41 by Amtrak-P42.

ctillnc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not easy. Current run time is about 18 hours.
> Leaving Atlanta at 6 am wouldn't be very popular
> there. If you shift the departure later in the
> morning, you get into NY after midnight. 

Not saying that it is "easy." I have long believed that there is a good overnight market to/from the Northeast and Atlanta, GA. Arrival closer to 9 am would allow for a later departure out of NYC (3:15 in stead of 2:15), which would be more advantageous (and yes, I know the Silver Meteor departs at 3:15 pm, but lets leave that aside). Amtrak and even the Southern Railway ran various consists to from the Northeast (NYC, Washington DC) to Atlanta - be it a daily frequency, or train with extra coaches or extra sleepers that were picked up or dropped off in Atlanta, even at the current Peachtree Station. This worked well for matching supply and demand. South of Atlanta we all know how Amtrak and the Southern ran three days a week, or shorter/smaller consists. The Crescent typically runs FULL after leaving Washington (pre-COVID). I hear sleeper numbers have tried to maintain. But we'll see now with additional restrictions on their way.

When the Crescent was running late this day from Atlanta to NYC, it was interesting to watching the schedule and performance unfold. It lost more time when travelling from Atlanta to NYP as a daylight train, but it also had "crew rest" issues to deal with etc. The Crescent used to run ahead of schedule from Lynchburg to Washington DC and even on up to Philly and NYP. A tweak in the schedule - faster speeds on the NEC, maybe it could get better running time as a day time train. Or potentially it gets cut back to Washington DC and you have a later time out of Atlanta heading northbound! Bottom line, its a good corridor! I think it works best as an overnight!