I’ve noticed over the last several months that Amtrak “Southwest Chief” is consistently losing 2-4 hours in both directions east of Alburqurque, particularly over the ABQ-Raton segment. I would not think that freight train interference would be an issue over this line, and that any serious deterioration in track condition would have been reflected in the most recent schedule changes. Other than the occasion horrific timekeeping fall-down in crossing Kansas (especially eastbound), the train seems to hold fairly well to running times across the rest of system (although not making up much of the lost time other than on the padded Bartow-Los Angeles segment on the westbound home stretch). What gives here??? [*-)]
There are no freight trains between Alb. and Raton, NONE. The only possible interference from other trains would be the Road Runner commuter trains which operate from Alb. to a location a few miles east of the I-25 crossing where they then use their own track to Santa Fe.
Heat
I do not recall serious delays in the summers back when the Chiefs and Cap were run by ATSF. And there were some freights back then. Or perhaps this is just more evidence of the harm from Global Warming?
With jointed track there was much less possibility of buckled track or sun kinks. The joints allowed a lot of expansion area before enough stress was created to shift the track structure out of line. Welded rail, without all the joints, builds up temperature related stresses when temperatures begin to exceed the ‘normalized’ temperature that the rail is laid at. In the pre Amtrak world, jointed rail was the norm; today welded rail is the norm.
Welded rail is a technology that has yet to be MASTERED when it comes to responding to high and low temperatures.
The rest of the world has “solved” it. It’s called expansion joints.
The rest of the world hires people to maintain expansion joints. US carriers don’t want the maintenance of expansion joints. US carriers do their best to find technologies that don’t require periodic site specific maintenance.
Eastbound on Monday departed Newton at 3:10–thats PM, not AM. Yet another trainload of riders likely never to use the service again.
my response was meant to be amusing, that’s why the solved was in quotes, my apt. In London was right next to one on the DLR it was anything but quite!
I think the guess that it is heat related is probably correct. I fly-in to Kansas City frequently and it is warmer than Dallas sometimes…which is really weird.
I have to tell you though being in the hotel across the street from Union Station, UP and BNSF really pump a lot of trains through Kansas City…24 by 7. Sometimes three at a time. Mostly 2 mile long intermodal and coal trains but every once in a while a mixed general merchandise train.
CWR has been around quite awhile. ATSF stated installation (weld in situ) about 1955.
Balt has been trying to get the point across in a pretty clear manner.
Between Trinidad MP 616 and Albuquerque/Hahn MP 902, you have 5-6 track department folks (including two track supervisors/ motor track inspectors), two signalmen and no mechanical people. Since NM welched on the deal to buy the line and Amtrak was not interested in contributing to the pitance they contribute, the “just get by” solution is what you get.
Between the speed restrictions for heat and underpowered trains that can just barely make it over the hills, much less district speed over the flats, you’re seeing the results.
There is no more local business between Trinidad and Lamy/Bernalillo. It has always been thin and non-existant after York Canyon (now home to Ted Turner’s pet bison), MDF, Lumber and Maloof all quit. The small amount of traffic on the Santa Fe Branch also went away and had been in serious decline for decades. NM made sure to discourage most new industry with their politics. The route is still the fastest way between Chicago and LA if you can handle the grades, but NM ownership of part of the old northern transcon makes it unattractive as well. There is insufficient market for premium fast freight (ATSF and BNSF both tried). NM can rival IL for corrupt, inept and totally dependant on Uncle Sugar. Been that way since Day 1.
Dining Car can remenber when that piece of railroad was hopping and its own Division (Headquartered at Las Vegas). It was still 6-10 trains a day (massive RCE/ Locotrol trains were common) when I was there. One train each way still strikes us as feeling a little weird.
There was (is?) some freight traffic north of Alb. out about as far as the Road Runner jct. Here is an image on Google Earth dated 4/22/17 that caught a switching move. 35°30’14.67"N 106°14’38.72"W
Just seems incredible that BNSF can’t route some of its trains over the Raton Pass mainline to help relieve some of the congestion on the Transcon. If
There is a lot more involved in how to route trains over a carriers network than just having track running between B & X. Is there a crew base to support the traffic, will there be tonnage and/or length limits on the trains, will helpers or Distributed Power be required, will the communication equipment on the line support Distributed Power, is the track structure sufficiently maintained to support the intended tonnage, are there track and signal maintenance forces in place to support the wear and tear on the track and signals on a continuing basis. All the questions cost big bucks to answer and for what kind of return on investment.
As Mudchicken has stated, just enough resources have been put into the line to operate the SWC with a degree of safety.
Aren’t some of the grades on the Raton line approaching 3% - not the kind of grades you WANT to use to make money on the freight you haul.
There is also a stretch of 4.03% at Morley. 3% is more of the mode type thing.
The crew base on the Raton Sub is gone. Either retired or moved elsewhere. Running the occasional bare table move requires getting people back there or putting qualified (read not many) pilots on board.
Longstanding concern about putting money into the passing sidigs (upgrading light track structure, poorly anchored because of the light rail) if the thing were to ever run serious trains again. The tunnel is OK for clearances, but two/three truss bridges have issues with gusset braces and top diagonal/ cross bracing struts close to or fouling stacks.
It is an operable railroad that requires a better understanding and skill than most places and must be run with respect. The least common denominator can wipe out all the advantages pretty quick.
“Los Angeles Rams Guy” ]ust seems incredible that BNSF can’t route some of its trains over the Raton Pass mainline to help relieve some of the congestion on the Transcon. If you modify some of the bridges you could definitely open up some possibilities for it.
The transcon (Southern) is doing quite well -see Fred Frailey’s recent blog. There will always be situations like Fred describes (a false positive hot box alert) but there are methods in place to handle them.
It seems so easy for some of us to look at a map, or have a personal bias, and then ‘know’ that a change would solve perceived problems. Railroading in todays enviornment is a very sofisticated business and BNSF does it well.
“Los Angeles Rams Guy” ]ust seems incredible that BNSF can’t route some of its trains over the Raton Pass mainline to help relieve some of the congestion on the Transcon. If you modify some of the bridges you could definitely open up some possibilities for it.
The transcon (Southern) is doing quite well -see Fred Frailey’s recent blog. There will always be situations like Fred describes (a false positive hot box alert) but there are methods in place to handle them.
It seems so easy for some of us to look at a map, or have a personal bias, and then ‘know’ that a change would solve perceived problems. Railroading in todays enviornment is a very sofisticated business and BNSF does it well.
This should give you an idea of how severe the northern transcon is. The old Santa Fe refused to even route the old Super C on it even with its massive amount of HP per ton it ran with. Why the grades alone made it enough of issue even for a train that had 7 or more HP a ton. These trains that are run today even with AC lovomotives would have issues running over Raton on a daily basis.
I remember watching a video of the York Canyon coal train going over Raton. The train had to double the hill with three Dash-9’s up front and three pushers on each cut. After the train was re-assembled, only two Dash-9’s were needed to complete the trip.
This route is not very practical even as a relief route.