Passenger Trains > #3(26) - Another dreaded "Mechanical Assessment"

https://asm.transitdocs.com/train/2025/8/26/A/3

And the band plays on....

 

Amtrak's enroute failures (and many other operating defeats) are really, really bad.  They would not be tolerated in any other business that I am aware of.

Indifference, lack of any semblance of passion for the business is clearly evident.  Elsewhere in this section there was a reference by a private car owner noting that (perhaps I misunderstood) that a shake-up was imminent at Amtrak.  It is certainly deserving, but will it actually occur?  Today's focus seems to be on DOT Secretary Duffy riding the new NEC trains and the status of Washington Union Station.  Worthy considerations but not representative of Amtrak as a national system where serious problems are ever growing.

Amtrak's service performance is among the most under reported national stories.

Don;t be conned, Secretary Duffy, by the nice new equipment as it does not represent the entirety of the Amtrak network.

Do we really need any more proof that Amtrak is deliberately running the LD service into the ground so that it will starve to a slow death, while they focus exclusively on the regional and NEC services?? Please!

#3 should be able to travel west to La Junta with just one engine working and maybe grab a BNSF engine from the yard there. It's west of there where two engines are required to climb Raton Pass and beyond.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/25 14:11 by Cumbresfan.

Hard to believe they have enough schedule padding that this train could conceivably make up 3 hours!  

 

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

PRR1361 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do we really need any more proof that Amtrak is
> deliberately running the LD service into the
> ground so that it will starve to a slow death,
> while they focus exclusively on the regional and
> NEC services?? Please!

Never confuse strategy for incompetence.

"Mechanical Assessment " is about as helpful  as telling your Doctor " I don't feel well " and nothing  more . Maybe USMC Col. Jessup  WAS right - "you can't handle the truth ! ".
 

Cumbresfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #3 should be able to travel west to La Junta with
> just one engine working and maybe grab a BNSF
> engine from the yard there.

He might not get west of LAJ if the flooding affecting 3(27) gets him, too.

illini73 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cumbresfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > #3 should be able to travel west to La Junta
> with
> > just one engine working and maybe grab a BNSF
> > engine from the yard there.
>
> He might not get west of LAJ if the flooding
> affecting 3(27) gets him, too.

See my comment in the thread above: 
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,6070372

ThunderMountain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Amtrak's service performance is among the most
> under reported national stories.

When the NEC goes down it makes the NY Times because the NEC is actually relevent to a meaningful audience.  The average American neither
knows nor cares that long distance trains even exist, let alone whether they've broken down or not.  

PRR1361 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do we really need any more proof that Amtrak is
> deliberately running the LD service into the
> ground so that it will starve to a slow death,
> while they focus exclusively on the regional and
> NEC services?? Please!

The regional services are a shit show as well. Just look at the Michigan line and the constant lateness and cancellations. Basically, Amtrak is the gang that can't shoot straight. 

Bus bridge underway.    

A passenger reports: "Can’t blame amtrak for weather. but equipment and maintenance 100%. We are one the poor souls on the bus. Amtrak organization and communication throughout this ordeal has been very poor. we are on a 5 hour bus ride now- no water, no food or snacks. not even a amtrak rep on our bus. Very disappointing to see how they ate handling a difficult situation. Very bad experience for sure"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/25 20:56 by GenePoon.

Valid.  And yet...it is so bad it is almost hard to believe that it is not intentional.

DutchDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PRR1361 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Do we really need any more proof that Amtrak is
> > deliberately running the LD service into the
> > ground so that it will starve to a slow death,
> > while they focus exclusively on the regional
> and
> > NEC services?? Please!
>
> Never confuse strategy for incompetence.

How did all the several "mechanical Assessments" turn out?

After "mechanical assessment" four or five times, 3(26) had a BNSF leader plus AMTK 164-138-14 , so they "mechanically assessed" 3 P42's as bad.

This was before being held at La Junta account weather and reported washouts: the train 10+ hours late, was terminated anyway.

Just viewed this consist at Galesburg, 6pm CDT with BNSF 6211(ES44AC) leading