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Trains News Wire FLASH: Amtrak curtails ‘Empire Builder’ operations to resolve timekeeping issues
Amtrak isn’t being completely candid about the causes of the delays, some of which have been the result of Amtrak locomotive (and other equipment) failures, late originations at Chicago (e.g., one in October caused by the commissary mis-stocking the diner), and refusals to annul and turn #7 at Spokane on some trips where that would have been the better solution. BNSF congestion around Stanley is certainly a major contributor, but by far not the only cause of these delays.
Say it ain’t so, Joe (Boardman, that is).
If I was planning to travel this winter, I would now check to see if Southwest served my departure and destination, since I could not rely on AMTRAK except during fair weather.
Uh, oh, looks like my first comment may have been censored. Regardless, I will now submit that the Guse seems to have made a worthwhile posting this time. It is strange how BNSF gets through and even crows about it.
Can anyone explain why on Sunday, number 7 was at least two hours late…out of Chicago? Perhaps because it had the same locomotive consist (and one more P42) as Fridays 8, which came in at 9 AM Saturday?
Strange how that bus service shows up on short notice. Isn’t free market capitalism wonderful with how it produces on short notice? You never hear about the reverse happening.
Another strange thing is how the private sector freight railroad equipment keeps moving in the cold and snow every winter, yet Amtrak can’t. I suspect quite a bit of this has to do with crews. The freight railroads, like UPS and FedEx, hire the best people. Amtrak, like the Post Office, is stuck with affirmative action, silly feel good mandates, and those unable to get a job in the private sector due to a lack of willingness to work hard or a lack of skills.
If getting Amtrak across North Dakota is really that important, slap two old beat up but still running green, black, and rust SD9’s on the front and drag the train across like its full of coal. I don’t know. Does BNSF still have any old EMD products resembling that description? Better yet, lease some old Alco power from Minnesota Commercial. Those antiques probably run better than anything Amtrak has and are obviously immune to snow and cold.
Now that is a plan with the paying passenger in mind! I’d cancel my train plans if the carrier put me on a bus for my Christmas travels.
And how, pray tell, will passengers get from St. Paul to Spokane?
#8’s been routinely running 4 to 12 hrs late into st paul lately. a few times 17-20hrs.
#8’s been routinely running 4 to 12 hrs late into st paul lately. a few times 17-20hrs.
This also would not have happened on the GN or NP because those companies had to EARN their money to stay in business, whereas Amtrak is guaranteed income (from the government) no matter how bad it performs.
Agreed, this would not have happened on the GN or NP, but both those roads had pools of equipment to help with timekeeping, late trains, bad weather etc, something Amtrak doesn’t have.
This would never happen on the Great Northern or Northern Pacific, even with bitterly cold weather in Montana and North Dakota.
With all the various problems causing chronic delays to the Empire Builder for the last three years, when is someone going to come up with a LONG TERM plan to ensure better reliability. I am afraid that a lot of people along the High Line no longer think of Amtrak as a reliable alternative.
It would help timekeeping, a bit, if loons didn’t drive bulldozers across the tracks in front of the oncoming “Empire Builder”. Our #7 was seven hours late Monday night at Shelby, MT. I didn’t ask why. Just routine, since they started raising the track over Devil’s Lake. When the project is done, one won’t need seatbelts in the sleeping car berths. Worst Amtrak ride (Minot-Grand Forks, ND [jointed rail]) since the “Broad Way Limited” (CHI-NYP), on PRR/CR, was eliminated.
These delays happen in the summer and the excuse is heat restrictions. After my 2012 Chi to WFH round trip, it became totally obvious that there is no interest in the “network”. Late arrival, running out of food, and traveling from ND to CHI with no water in the Portland sleeper was enough proof for me. I am booked for the same trip in summer 2014 and short of being called stupid, I think I will carry along some dehydrated food and bottled water. 
While Amtrak is trying to figure out how to operate a locomotive in cold weather:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50IgzksUqpQ
You can always count on Yoopers in winter for when it comes to transportation. They live for this weather. Winter beaters always start, no matter how bad it gets.
If you are from the South and drive in the ditch in the Upper Midwest and 2 guys in a pickup truck loaded with shovels, a chain saw, a tow strap, and a case or two of beer show up, stay out of their way. They know exactly what they are doing.
Indeed this is pretty pathetic. Amtrak bills itself as being a lifeline and the only public transportation option for some small cities and towns, like those across Montana and N. Dakota served by the Builder. In fact it wasn’t that long ago that the Builder was being touted as the best example of how Amtrak is serving that market. And now this.
Couple this mess with the real threat of the Southwest Chief discontinuance and the LDs appear to be truly headed for extinction.
In the 40+years of Amtrak’s existence, none of these LD routes, at least west of CHI ever got a second train on a complimentary schedule and today’s one-train consists are absolutely anemic-like the 5 revenue cars on the CZ I saw at CHI in early Fall.
Part of the problem is the unwillingness of elected officials to do public-private partnerships with the freight railroads for the capacity expansion needed for the passengers and freights to co-exist. We have Democrats like Washington State’s Patty Murray who if asked will tell you with a straight face that she “supports” Amtrak. And then, after talking the talk they do not walk the walk. What REALLY motivates Sen. Murray in the transportation field is keeping the construction of Boeing’s 777X in her state. She’ll walk the walk for that we can be sure.
Mr. Selden is right on in his commentary on Amtrak’s not being candid on the circumstances behind the Builder’s service woes. I think Amtrak has all but given up on the LD “network” and I think CEO Boardman and his top management team are just about as NEC-centric as the Warrington administration was.
Mr. Captalist, The Guse says that “the freight railroads, like UPS and FedEx, hire the best people”. He forgets that these “best people” are union people, which The Guse hates!!!Ironic, isn’t it???
I took the Builder from Portland to Minneapolis last month. It was four hours late, no fault of Amtrak whatsoever. I slept great as we spent hours sitting in sidings waiting for westbound Intermodal trains. BNSF has an obligation to get the Builder over the road in exchange for dumping passenger service on Amtrak back in '71. If they don’t want to accept that responsibility maybe they should be forced to run the service themselves again. BNSF has created this crisis.