Amtrak 11 TLoop Detour -- LIVE MAP LOCATION 4-8-11

[daniel3197]

Heads Up ALL !!

Thanks to the very kind efforts of

SP 4449 steam volunteer Chris Fussel.

You can see the LIVE LOCATION of

Amtrak Train 11 (Friday 4-8-11) as it

makes the Bakersfield -- Tehachapi --- Mojave---LA Detour.

This is updated about every 5 MINUTES.

http://www.instamapper.com/ext?key=9815622852012034549

Chris Fussel is aboard today's Train 11 so this is

very--very handy for us all today.

http://www.instamapper.com/ext?key=9815622852012034549

As I post this at 1:43 PM 4-8-11, Train 11 is at south Madera, CA (avenue 13 area)

---- Daniel

 

[railiner]

Wish I knew about this....I would have been aboard!

Is the train going to take this detour again, anytime? Would appreciate knowing. Thanks.

 

[San Walkeen]

Thanks so much for all involved in posting the webpage. It looks like they are running on UP tracks instead of BNSF tracks. I sure wish I could have made the connection at Sacramento and been on the detour. They will be detouring this weekend and again later this month.

 

[railiner]

I just booked for next Friday, the 15th. I wonder why only the southbound is detouring?

I would prefer the other way, to avoid darkness on last segment, but I want the rare mileage too much to pass up this chance...

 

[Anderson]

*winces*

Ok, does anybody know when they're doing this again? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I suddenly want to be out in CA!

 

[San Walkeen]

This is from the Amtrak Service Alert

Train 11 Detours between Oakland and Los Angeles

* March 23 - 31, 2011

* April 8 - 15, 2011

* April 23 - 25, 2011

I wonder if it detours thru Niles Canyon after Oakland?

 

[AlanB]

We've actually had a few threads on this before. And the construction window allows the northbound to make it through the area being worked on, but not the southbound, hence only the southbound detours.

The route will be: Oakland - Capitol Corridor- Fremont (Niles) - Altamont Commuter Express route through Niles Canyon, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Altamont Pass to Lathrop - UP (former

SP) line throught the San Joaquin Valley* to Bakersfield and over Tehachapi Pass to Mojave and Lancaster - Metrolink Antelope Valley Line through Palmdale and San Fernando to Los Angeles. This particular route between Oakland and Lathrop via Livermore has not seen regular passenger service in decades. Please note again that the train will make no passenger stops between Oakland and Los Angeles.

* This is NOT the route the San Joaquin trains use.

 

[railiner]

That's a lot of new miles for me! Not just Bakersfield to LA. I'm lovin' it!

 

[Gratt]

Again this is why we need some kind of website that is devoted to rare mileage :help:

If anyone wants to start one up I will get them a cookie or buy them a beer :wub:

 

[railiner]

Again this is why we need some kind of website that is devoted to rare mileage :help:

If anyone wants to start one up I will get them a cookie or buy them a beer :wub:

Good idea--but why can't we just have a permanent subject on this site? Most of us 'collectors' peruse this site regularly....

 

[railiner]

In a related matter...I am planning my trip for the 15th....anyone know of a recommended hotel near the Richmond station? If not, I will stay at SFO and a nearby airport hotel before taking BART to Richmond.

 

[railiner]

Does anyone know where the detoured train will make any stops for crew changes, etc.?

 

[San Walkeen]

I doubt the train will stop since there are no Amtrak stations on the detour.

 

[railiner]

I doubt the train will stop since there are no Amtrak stations on the detour.

Not even to change pilots? It's a pretty long detour.....

 

[LA Resident]

I doubt the train will stop since there are no Amtrak stations on the detour.

Will have to stop periodically for engineer changes; it's at least 11 hours from Oakland to LA via the alternate route, far too long for the same operating crew.

Also, I expect there are stops along the way for smoking breaks; for the crew as well as for passengers.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

We should be hearing all about it soon from rtabern, who was on the Sunday detour over the Tehachapis. Quote: "Had an excellent trip over the pass... Trip report in full tom nite. Went into emergency after near suicide at rosamond ca."

Keep an eye out in the trip reports forum.

Rosamond, CA is in the desert between Lancaster and Mojave, adjacent to Edwards AFB.

 

[PRR 60]

According to a highly reliable source, Union Pacific's work on the Coast Line in the Salinas Valley is completed. The proposed Starlight detour trains on April 15 (SEA departure 4/14) and after will operate on the regular route.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Again this is why we need some kind of website that is devoted to rare mileage :help:

If anyone wants to start one up I will get them a cookie or buy them a beer :wub:

Good idea--but why can't we just have a permanent subject on this site? Most of us 'collectors' peruse this site regularly....

I would also like to have a "rare mileage" thread that covers each current and planned deviation so folks who want to ride or photograph can be in the know. Maybe we could have a "rare stock" thread that covers private varnish or other unique equipment as well? Just brain storming here.

 

[LA Resident]

According to a highly reliable source, Union Pacific's work on the Coast Line in the Salinas Valley is completed. The proposed Starlight detour trains on April 15 (SEA departure 4/14) and after will operate on the regular route.

Seems to be true if you go to the website and ask for one=way trip from Oakland south to any intermediate station on CS 11. You can make a booking for the April dates after the 15th that were scheduled for detour. Previously, the site wouldn't allow the bookings.

 

[railiner]

According to a highly reliable source, Union Pacific's work on the Coast Line in the Salinas Valley is completed. The proposed Starlight detour trains on April 15 (SEA departure 4/14) and after will operate on the regular route.

Seems to be true if you go to the website and ask for one=way trip from Oakland south to any intermediate station on CS 11. You can make a booking for the April dates after the 15th that were scheduled for detour. Previously, the site wouldn't allow the bookings.

Good for Amtrak, and bad for me!

A special thanks to PRR 60 for that 'heads-up' that at least saved me from flying cross-country only to be disapointed by not detouring.

I'll have to watch more closely for the next opportunity to get this rare mileage.

I wonder if there will be additional track work later on the coast route that may make it possible?

 

[user 1215]

Are there any former passenger stations that were passed on this detour?

 

[San Walkeen]

Merced and Modesto still have their old Southern Pacific Depots. They have other business's in them but they are still there.

 

[sechs]

Will have to stop periodically for engineer changes; it's at least 11 hours from Oakland to LA via the alternate route, far too long for the same operating crew.Also, I expect there are stops along the way for smoking breaks; for the crew as well as for passengers.

I took the detour last weekend, and the only stop where passengers could get off was Bakersfield.
As I recall, we picked up UP pilots at Oakland, Lathrop, Fresno, and Bakersfield (where we also made the Amtrak crew change that normally occurs at SLO). The last pilot crew was dropped off at Glendale.

 

[Joe Glitz]

Just called Julie's alter ego (a real person) who confirmed alternate transportation to San Jose thru Van Nuys. So I would guess it's still on for the 23d - 25th.

 

[p&sr]

Just called Julie's alter ego (a real person) who confirmed alternate transportation to San Jose thru Van Nuys. So I would guess it's still on for the 23d - 25th.

I would guess it's NOT. The on-line reservation system is happy to sell direct connections along the Coast Route for those dates... which it would NOT do last week when those dates were still scheduled for the detour.

For today, Train #11 arrived and departed Paso Robles just 9 minutes behind schedule. So they certainly did not take the Tehachapi Route today (despite what was announced in the Service Alert).