That cold storage building is a monster. Occuppies a whole block . It is bordered by Amtrak, Montgomery street, Colonie street, & Centre (sp?) street. Evidently part of building facade fell but missed active track. One picture showed what appeared to be removed 2 track siding between Amtrak rails and building that the Facade fell?.
At first thought Colonie could be used but further research and notes is an impossibility.
There is a connector I believe called Bull Run Connector (slightly less than a mile) that connect to Amtrak near North Pearl Street underpass on the north. Bull run connects to the Colonie main line to the south maybe near I-787 and US-9 intersection. Colonie beomes Port sub at the Keenwood yard and connects to Caselton inbound to Selkirk yard leads. If amtrak could even do that it would have to back on Caselton and further on the Berkshire sub until it could enter Amtrak’a Port road. Then forward to the Albany station facing the wrong way. Detour 28 - 30 miles. At restricted speed (15 MPH) 2 hours. Might even be some excepted track especially Bull run.
6 different sub districts 5 on CSX. No way IMO CSX could clear the way especially Selkirk yard and trim leads. I could see this detour ake at least 4 hours delay “IF” CSX would co-operate.
Right now LSL appears to accept bookings Aug 1. CHI July 31. All other Empire service not thru Aug 5th. Guess the plan is to run to SDY and return to CHI. Bus between SDY and ALB. No wye at SDY but locos can switch tracks at the Mohawk river. Knowing Amtrak expect this to last what 4 hours?
Let us consider how equipment is going to be serviced. The passengers should not be exposed to the possibility of additional collaspe. However, how is Amtrak going to service the equipment stranded west of Albany? Many inspections can be done at SDY but there will be items that can only be completed in the Albany shop such as a wheel change out.
It can of course have just an engineer take equipment by the building.
Have a loco push equipment by building. Stop push by manned loco and have loco on other side then pull equipment by building. Amtrak could use a bunch of MOW light weight cars to be used as idler cars.
My number 3 kept giving me a 403 forbidden code
Have CSX move quipment at very high cost that would have equipment unavailable for any servicing at long periods of time.
Can anyone explain why it now worked?
More high tech. Just lease a couple of DPU equipped locos attach one to equipment and have other move 1st loco by building using the DPU function. IMO this not really best option.
I’ve been in a few of those old multistory freezer warehouses. Between the reinforced concrete and the thickness of the floors, it’s not easy to demolish them.
Legally simpler, but technically trickier. They need to monitor the tower to see that is still structurally sound. Once they start to demolish it, it will a risk to pass under it even when they halt work. It seems they would have to cover/protect the tracks from falling chunks. It would take a while.
I imagine that Amtrak will install timbers both inside the rails and outside the rails similar to vehicle grade crossings, The timbers can probably be taller than the rails for whatever height that will clear both locos and cars. Outside the plate “H” clearances additional timbers can be higher.
trains 30, 48, & 59 all delayed out of CHI due to mechanical issues on Aug 2. The early departures 3,5,7, made it on time but these later departures all delayed. CHI maintenance is just seems not up to the task of fixing equipment.
Now 2 round trips of Capitol corridor cancelled effective Aug 15th. Sounds like a reduction of Amtrak personel? Maybe quits or retirements?.
Can we put this shortage as of either T&E and/or OBS? As well, a check of Amtrak job openings since Jan 1st puts the problem at feet of management’s imcompenance. SAC had listed 1 conductor and OAK had 4 conductors, 2 LSA or OBS, 0 engineers. Someone in the area should go to the joint powers in person and have them inquire to Amtrak how many openirgs have been advdertized and filled.
Here is Capitol corridor link announcement look at bottom right hand corner.
Tuesday 3, 5, 7 all depart CHI on time. But 30, 48, & 59 all delayed by mechanical problems/ Is the day shift mechanical passing ptoblems to evening shift instead of fixing problems. Today Thursday 3, 5, 7, 21 all departed CHI no later than 5 minutes. It will be interesting to see what happens to the later departures. note as well most regionals also departed on tme.
A railfan friend’s comment n the Albany - Schenectidy disruption
All Amtrak service west and north of Albany/Resnnselaer was suspended on Friday, July 29th 2022, due to debris falling from the 95 year old - and long abandoned - cold storage warehouse immediately adjacent to the tracks just west of the Hudson River. (The 11 story culprit is seen just west of Interstate 787, adjacent to the Amtrak line to Schenectady which in turn is crossing above the abutting curving CP line between Albany’s Kenwood Yard and Mechanicville to the north.) Concrete and other debris had been falling from the structure, and the concern was that either the building would collapse, or that debris would fall on or just in front of a passing train, leading to direct damage or a derailment. Service - including the inaugural run of the extended Ethan Allen from Burlington via Rutland to NYPenn, was either cancelled outright or a bustitution was performed to bridge the gap between Albany and Schenectady or Saratoga. Service was restored several days later.
This image was captured on Monday August 1st; I fully expected the building to be either in the process of emergency demolition, or at least to find fencing around the periphery, to prevent any debris from fouling the tracks. Instead, the building looks the way it always has - delapidated, shedding sections and festooned with grafitti, but with no barrier protecting the tracks. Careful examination reveals but one traffic barrier partially blocking the intersection of Centre and Colonie streets - at the northeast corner of the buildin