Passenger Trains > Empire Builder #7/27 (26) Delayed at Minot

Train #8/28 was over 5 hours late getting into Minot, ND early this morning. This has now caused a delay that's common - awaiting for a rested crew to take Empire Builder #7/27 (26) to Shelby. About a four hour delay as the train is held in Minot, ND. Not too bad weather in Minot, ND - in the teens. So at least passengers can get out and stretch or take a walk. Typically there's a food truck in the mornings as the westbound Empire Builder rolls into Minot - but off in the distance from the train station - not in the train station parking lot. Allows coach passengers to perhaps get out and get something different....

Four years ago almost exactly to the day I got a couple of unplanned hours in Minot for exactly the reason you describe.  Had a very nice walk all over town, and caught a couple of Soo Line (CP) eastbound freights at the crossing.

Dave

What cause will Amtrak pin this delay on ? 

"Empire Builder Train 7/27, which departed Chicago (CHI) on 1/26, will be delayed at Minot (MOT) for a mandatory crew change. "

"Amtrak train #7 will be delayed at Minot, ND for total Amtrak mismanagement of its crew base and extra board."  (the truth)

MEKoch Wrote:
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> "Amtrak train #7 will be delayed at Minot, ND for
> total Amtrak mismanagement of its crew base and
> extra board."  (the truth)

More to the point from when Anderson started cutting the extra boards back in 2017 and into 2018. Happened before the pandemic. Now exasperated. 

And Gardner and Co. still are too stupid to know they need to get the extra board back in that area and who knows where else to prevent stuff like this happening all the time!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/23 17:37 by ProAmtrak.

Can't catch a break..........And then there's Amtrak #7/27 (27) - the next day's train........now nearly 5 hours late in the morning of Jan 28, 2023 due to:

Empire Builder Train 7/27, which departed Chicago (CHI) on 1/28, is stopped west of St. Cloud (SCD) due to equipment issues. Updates to follow.

Travel it regularly....the Empire Builder used to be a pretty reliable train overall, of the three main Western Routes (e.g. Southwest Chief, CA Zephyr). I just cancelled my Feb 2023 trip on the Empire Builder. Don't have the patience.

Two Chargers and one P42. Let me take a guess at what happened with that number 7......... Bitter cold last night in that area. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can't catch a break..........And then there's
> Amtrak #7/27 (27) - the next day's
> train........now nearly 5 hours late in the
> morning of Jan 28, 2023 due to:
>
> Empire Builder Train 7/27, which departed Chicago
> (CHI) on 1/28, is stopped west of St. Cloud (SCD)
> due to equipment issues. Updates to follow.
>
> Travel it regularly....the Empire Builder used to
> be a pretty reliable train overall, of the three
> main Western Routes (e.g. Southwest Chief, CA
> Zephyr). I just cancelled my Feb 2023 trip on the
> Empire Builder. Don't have the patience.

MEKoch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Amtrak train #7 will be delayed at Minot, ND for
> total Amtrak mismanagement of its crew base and
> extra board."  (the truth)

One train a day is a bad situation for crew management. The people who set up Amtrak didn't have their head cut in, reducing two trains a day routes to one. Then, they made it worse by deciding to use their own crews instead of contracting with host railroads.

TAW

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MEKoch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "Amtrak train #7 will be delayed at Minot, ND
> for
> > total Amtrak mismanagement of its crew base and
> > extra board."  (the truth)
>
> One train a day is a bad situation for crew
> management. The people who set up Amtrak didn't
> have their head cut in, reducing two trains a day
> routes to one. Then, they made it worse by
> deciding to use their own crews instead of
> contracting with host railroads.
>
> TAW

They at fist DID contract with host railroads, as I am sure you know (with all due respect). Moreover, I think you've hit the nail on the head - that's what should be done for both operational and financial reasons - AMONG other things. Agree with you! It would create much better efficiency with crew bases and help eliminate those exorbitant costs....