Passenger Trains > CZephyr 6(10) has a UP unit

From a Sacramento-area observer:

"Train pulled through Roseville CA about 1100 hrs with a UP loco in front and an Amtrak loco behind. It only had seven cars (excluding the baggage). Probably will be late most of the way East."

Oakland has been doing pretty well with engines lately. Hopefully this is only a fluke. Or deferred work from Chicago?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 15:51 by GenePoon.

I'm not sure the "BNSF leader" problem on the Empire Builder lately has caused that much delay.  Remember that the EB's schedule has something like 6 hours of padding in it between Chicago and Seattle.

Update: 1 hour late at Truckee, lost most of it from Colfax. The leader is UP 4413.

GenePoon Wrote:
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> Update: 1 hour late at Truckee, lost most of it
> from Colfax. The leader is UP 4413.

Out of Provo, UT only 36 minutes late!

Chicago to Spokane, the BNSF leader on the Empire Builder was only about 30 minutes late into Spokane! They could have made up time in Minot, ND, but they still took the "hour break" there. 

jp1822 Wrote:
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> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Update: 1 hour late at Truckee, lost most of it
> > from Colfax. The leader is UP 4413.
>
> Out of Provo, UT only 36 minutes late!
>
> Chicago to Spokane, the BNSF leader on the Empire
> Builder was only about 30 minutes late into
> Spokane! They could have made up time in Minot,
> ND, but they still took the "hour break" there. 

Dang FRA and their mandatory inspections.

What exactly is done during the hour break at Minot ?

Englewood Wrote:
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> What exactly is done during the hour break at
> Minot ?

Change crews and fuel the engines.

CP8888 Wrote:
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> Englewood Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > What exactly is done during the hour break at
> > Minot ?
>
> Change crews and fuel the engines.

Which doesn't take an HOUR all the time. I've do this route at least quarterly and often times the locomotives get fueled, the train inspected (and even fixed - rarely though can a fix be done), and then we SIT and WAIT!!! Sometimes no time is made up - but it used to be.