A grain train derailment on BNSF’s Hi Line in northwest Montana put operations in a crimp this past weekend. Amtrak 7 rolled into Spokane about 12 hours late on Sunday, terminated on the spot with bustitution between there and Seattle/Portland. Today’s No.7 is running equally late.
Other factors have been adding to the delays: weather, crew shortages, etc.
Last night it was a bomb threat against Amtrak at Grizzly, Montana, on the east side of Marias Pass, that brought operations to a standstill again. “This area was shut down from 9:30pm CST until 4:30am CST due to the incident and subsequent investigation,” BNSF reported.
All of these delays have also impacted BNSF’s first two export coal trains heading for Prince Rupert. Both were still parked east of Marias Pass as of this morning. Like I’ve been saying for months, BNSF and China are not waiting for that export dock to be built in western Washington…
[:-,] Somebody let the “Unabomber” - Ted Kaczynski (sp ?) - loose up that way again ?
Bruce, there has been a lot of talk about this on Canadian forums but not a lot of answers. Do you know the BNSF routing to the Canadian Border? If I knew that, I could the extrapolate how these trains will get to Prince Rupert, BC. I think the choices are Sweetgrass, MT and Bellingham, WA. I hope you can help.
Bruce
Because of the extremely sensitive nature of coal exports right now, I personally won’t describe the routing here at this time (others have done so elsewhere). The fact that the first two are pointed west from Cut Bank should tell you which border crossing they won’t use, and which one they will. Beyond that, just think low-grade routing for loads, but not necessarily low-grade routing for empties.
It will be sad to see the Empire Builder’s on time and delay minutes for Jan and Feb.
The bomb threat came from a passenger. Granted, there aren’t a whole lot of facilities available in that part of Montana, but why/how could ascertaining it was false take 7 hours? That is enough time to fly a bomb dog in from Washington!
Tracing the route west from Cutbank, MT, they are going to Bellingham, Wa then up to Price Rupurt, BC. Sweetwater is nothe and east of Cutbank, so if the routing was through Sweetwater they wouldnot be gong through Cutbank,
I really wanted to take Amtrak up on thier discounted rates to Whitefish last month. Taking the train out to partake in some winter recreation sounded great! But watching the EB running 12-16-20 & more hours late most of the month I decided not to. It would really be a bummer to get there too late to catch the train back home.
AgentKid, jump over to railroadforums.com for location and status of first Prince Rupert train. BNSF power has been swapped out, CN power put on, before it reaches the border. This first train to reach Canada is actually the second one to have left the mine. It leapfrogged around the first train on the east side of the Rockies.
Thanks for the tip. There is more that could be said, but I am still shaking my head.
Bruce
Third P.R./NWE coal ran via MRL. RBE coal still running strong.