Passenger Trains > 7/17th and 7/18th

Any news on 7/17 and 7/18?

Ed Burns

Well, they both ran via the Surrey Cur-off (while Train 8 ran Grand Forks), per the location tracker. Train 7(17) is currently west of Spokane running a little over 3 hours late. Meanwhile, 7(18) is in Minot, having arrived 32 minutes late after running the Surrey! Wow! BNSF and Amtrak got thier ducks in a row? This train may be at the mercy of waiting for last night's inbound crew from Shelby to get rested. 

I have no idea why they are doing this. The weather could be a factor.
Dave in MT

monaddave Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, they both ran via the Surrey Cur-off (while
> Train 8 ran Grand Forks), per the location
> tracker. Train 7(17) is currently west of Spokane
> running a little over 3 hours late. Meanwhile,
> 7(18) is in Minot, having arrived 32 minutes late
> after running the Surrey! Wow! BNSF and Amtrak got
> thier ducks in a row? This train may be at the
> mercy of waiting for last night's inbound crew
> from Shelby to get rested. 
>
> I have no idea why they are doing this. The
> weather could be a factor.
> Dave in MT

The Surrey Cut-Off is typically used when BNSF does "directional running" following bad weather in the region. But the March 17 departures of #8/28 and #7/27 were both listed in "service disruption" and I think #8 did actually take the Surrey Cut-Off this day, when typically it would have went via Grand Forks eastbound. In past few day though - #8/28 have been seemingly taken the regular route, while #7/27 have been taking the Cutoff and then go into "Service Disruption" mode for entire trip or portion of it. I had posted about this a couple of days ago, and got no answers. No answers that I've seen on Amtrak Twitter alert or otherwise either. So, not sure exactly what is going on, other than stating what's typically been the history of hte past - directional running when weather is bad. At the same token, I can't say I recall any major winter weather affecting the area along the route. But. I am sure something is up. Glad BSNF was able to accommodate the Amtrak trains, rather than trying to outright cancel the Empire Builders......Appears Train #7/27 that departed Chicago today, March 19 is also destined to take the Surrey Cutoff.....As the name implies - the "cutoff" is supposed to be a short cut, so they shouldn't be losing too much time by detouring - quite the opposite. But BNSF pilot crews are required.....

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> monaddave Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Well, they both ran via the Surrey Cur-off
> (while
> > Train 8 ran Grand Forks), per the location
> > tracker. Train 7(17) is currently west of
> Spokane
> > running a little over 3 hours late. Meanwhile,
> > 7(18) is in Minot, having arrived 32 minutes
> late
> > after running the Surrey! Wow! BNSF and Amtrak
> got
> > thier ducks in a row? This train may be at the
> > mercy of waiting for last night's inbound crew
> > from Shelby to get rested. 
> >
> > I have no idea why they are doing this. The
> > weather could be a factor.
> > Dave in MT
>
> The Surrey Cut-Off is typically used when BNSF
> does "directional running" following bad weather
> in the region. But the March 17 departures of
> #8/28 and #7/27 were both listed in "service
> disruption" and I think #8 did actually take the
> Surrey Cut-Off this day, when typically it would
> have went via Grand Forks eastbound. In past few
> day though - #8/28 have been seemingly taken the
> regular route, while #7/27 have been taking the
> Cutoff and then go into "Service Disruption" mode
> for entire trip or portion of it. I had posted
> about this a couple of days ago, and got no
> answers. No answers that I've seen on Amtrak
> Twitter alert or otherwise either. So, not sure
> exactly what is going on, other than stating
> what's typically been the history of hte past -
> directional running when weather is bad. At the
> same token, I can't say I recall any major winter
> weather affecting the area along the route. But. I
> am sure something is up. Glad BSNF was able to
> accommodate the Amtrak trains, rather than trying
> to outright cancel the Empire
> Builders......Appears Train #7/27 that departed
> Chicago today, March 19 is also destined to take
> the Surrey Cutoff.....As the name implies - the
> "cutoff" is supposed to be a short cut, so they
> shouldn't be losing too much time by detouring -
> quite the opposite. But BNSF pilot crews are
> required.....

JP that's been Amtrak's decision since Airline Boy was CEO when the weather got bad, even when it's a mild snowfall!