Passenger Trains > One Unit Wonder Empire Builder

Number 8 arrives into St. Paul Union Depot this morning as a one unit wonder. Engine 304 reportedly set out in Minot to go west. 

BNSF GEVO was added to the 301 snd 312 on 7. I would assume they will add the 304 behind the BNSF GEVO. Send the 304 west to Portland (so they have HEP on the Portland section) and send the BNSF GEVO, 301, and 312 to Seattle so that 301 can be diagnosed and repaired. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/22 07:56 by sethamtrak.

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sethamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Number 8 arrives into Union Depot this morning as
> a one unit wonder. Engine 304 reportedly set out
> in Minot to go west. 
>
> BNSF GEVO was added to the 301 snd 312 on 7. I
> would assume they will add the 304 behind the BNSF
> GEVO. Send the 304 west to Portland (so they have
> HEP on the Portland section) and send the BNSF
> GEVO, 301, and 312 to Seattle so that 301 can be
> diagnosed and repaired. 


Where is this "Union Depot?"

SpringedSwitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sethamtrak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Number 8 arrives into Union Depot this morning
> as
> > a one unit wonder. Engine 304 reportedly set
> out
> > in Minot to go west. 
> >
> > BNSF GEVO was added to the 301 snd 312 on 7. I
> > would assume they will add the 304 behind the
> BNSF
> > GEVO. Send the 304 west to Portland (so they
> have
> > HEP on the Portland section) and send the BNSF
> > GEVO, 301, and 312 to Seattle so that 301 can
> be
> > diagnosed and repaired. 
>
>
> Where is this "Union Depot?"

St. Paul.  That is in Minnesota.

Bob

robj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SpringedSwitch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > sethamtrak Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Number 8 arrives into Union Depot this
> morning
> > as
> > > a one unit wonder. Engine 304 reportedly set
> > out
> > > in Minot to go west. 
> > >
> > > BNSF GEVO was added to the 301 snd 312 on 7.
> I
> > > would assume they will add the 304 behind the
> > BNSF
> > > GEVO. Send the 304 west to Portland (so they
> > have
> > > HEP on the Portland section) and send the
> BNSF
> > > GEVO, 301, and 312 to Seattle so that 301 can
> > be
> > > diagnosed and repaired. 
> >
> >
> > Where is this "Union Depot?"
>
> St. Paul.  That is in Minnesota.

I sure do appreciate that. With the lack of snow, I was guessing that picture was on the west coast.

Surprised 8 has a baggage car!

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> Surprised 8 has a baggage car!
>
> Posted from Android

Only one coach on the Seattle section and it has to have lower level seats.  So, got to have baggage car to have checked baggage.  BSB

ProAmtrak Wrote:
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> Surprised 8 has a baggage car!
>
> Posted from Android

It's one train that's had a baggage car pretty consistently since the start of COVID.  

I don't think the CA Zephyr ever lost its baggage car either

A good photo update on the drought-impacted Mississippi River.

sethamtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Number 8 arrives into St. Paul Union Depot this
> morning as a one unit wonder. Engine 304
> reportedly set out in Minot to go west. 
>
> BNSF GEVO was added to the 301 snd 312 on 7. I
> would assume they will add the 304 behind the BNSF
> GEVO. Send the 304 west to Portland (so they have
> HEP on the Portland section) and send the BNSF
> GEVO, 301, and 312 to Seattle so that 301 can be
> diagnosed and repaired. 

Interesting....... I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak could run with just one locomotive from Minot to Chicago IF it really needed to....... And here's the example coming to fruition. Not that this is prefered or a good solution, just saying!
 

I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak could run with just one locomotive from Minot to Chicago IF it really needed to...

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

If their engines would run reliably, it could, given the light gradients and shrunken consist.   But you can't expect BNSF and CP to hold out their expensive locomotives against the probability of an Amtrak cripple, and in winter, failure of HEP in a single unit could be dangerous for passengers and crew.

 

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak could
> run with just one locomotive from Minot to Chicago
> IF it really needed to.

Why not? Been working fine for yeaes on the Eagle, City of New Orleans and the Capitol Limited...

SpringedSwitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak
> could
> > run with just one locomotive from Minot to
> Chicago
> > IF it really needed to.
>
> Why not? Been working fine for yeaes on the Eagle,
> City of New Orleans and the Capitol Limited...

You cut out the second part of the post you referred to:   
" in winter, failure of HEP in a single unit could be dangerous for passengers and crew. "

What happened to the BNSF requirement for three locomotives on the Empire Builder in the winter months?   BSB
 

BNSF still requires that Amtrak trains on the Empire Builder route in winter have three operating locomotives upon departure from Spokane and Midway (MN, the location of the former Amtrak MSP station).  I believe that both of the trains involved here met that requirement.

railstiesballast Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A good photo update on the drought-impacted
> Mississippi River.

The Upper Mississippi River has a series of locks and dams because of low water in the past.  The river at St Paul is in the lake created by Lock and Dam number 2.  However there are are no dams below St Louis on the Mississippi.

There appears to be ice forming in the river......

It appears BNSF allows amtrak to run with just 2 locomotives when temperatures are not forecasted to be below zero farenheit on the route. So that is why both trains only had 2 locomotives



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/22 15:13 by Oregonpaul.

Oregonpaul Wrote:
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> It appears BNSF allows amtrak to run with just 2
> locomotives when temperatures are not forecasted
> to be below zero farenheit on the route. So that
> is why both trains only had 2 locomotives

Correct. 3 locos when the weather is rancid

Posted from iPhone

SpringedSwitch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak
> could
> > run with just one locomotive from Minot to
> Chicago
> > IF it really needed to.
>
> Why not? Been working fine for yeaes on the Eagle,
> City of New Orleans and the Capitol Limited...

They don't have to deal with extreme cold between now and April!

Posted from Android

ProAmtrak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SpringedSwitch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > GenePoon Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I just mentioned the other day that Amtrak
> > could
> > > run with just one locomotive from Minot to
> > Chicago
> > > IF it really needed to.
> >
> > Why not? Been working fine for yeaes on the
> Eagle,
> > City of New Orleans and the Capitol Limited...
>
> They don't have to deal with extreme cold between
> now and April!

It will get pretty dang cold in Chicago between now and April.

Back in the old days (  up into the 60's) the EB ran Chi- STP with 2 "Q" E's, then 4 GN F's to Havre, then 4 fresh F's to SEA....Now they turn same day round trip turn CHI-SEA PDX on the "drive it till it breaks" program