Crescent- UPDATE

[dlagrua]

Today at National Train Day in Philadelphia I was able to meet with some of the Crescent crew. I asked about the recent accident in Slidell, LA and what resulted.

The two engines were badly damaged and were immediately removed from service. They might be declared a total loss. The baggage car was apparently damaged beyond repair and will probably be scrapped as the Green Lion had guessed. The Two Viewliners were damaged but were able to be repaired locally in short order. They are back on the rails. At this time it sounds like one Crescent train may be running without a baggage car but all the dining car attendent would say is "we're managing".

On a side note, Amtrak must have extra equipment to spare as there was a Amfleet/Viewliner train there that was open for a tour. They had a lounge car/cafe and a Heritage diner too.

 

[had8ley]

We had our own NTD in Slidell today and the Amtrak Road foreman was in attendance. He stated that the baggage car WOULD be re-built and all that Amtrak was waiting for was some heavy duty depressed flat cars with which to move the damaged equipment out of the right of way.The engines WILL be saved as the fire was confined to the fuel tank. I went down to the crossing and personally observed some fresh asphalt poured between the rails; two or three new sign posts bolted togeter with brand new STOP and RR cross bucks. You could tell everything was fresh by the way it was set in the ground. The nearest gated/lighted crossing is at least a quarter mile south of the Textron crossing. It really was weird to see two dead engines on either side of the main track and the bag (IIRC, #1707) behind one on the west side. IIRC, the # 80 had a two foot piece of broken draw bar from either the other engine or bag still attached to its draw bar. I don't know where or how that picture with a gated crossing popped up but it is not correct. Next I had a visit from two security guards; got some pix before they showed up! h34r:

 

[Trogdor]

It's not like Amtrak has zero spare baggage cars. Losing one hurts, but no train loses baggage service because of it.

 

[MrEd]

thanks for the excellent reports today.

 

[dlagrua]

We had our own NTD in Slidell today and the Amtrak Road foreman was in attendance. He stated that the baggage car WOULD be re-built and all that Amtrak was waiting for was some heavy duty depressed flat cars with which to move the damaged equipment out of the right of way.The engines WILL be saved as the fire was confined to the fuel tank. I went down to the crossing and personally observed some fresh asphalt poured between the rails; two or three new sign posts bolted togeter with brand new STOP and RR cross bucks. You could tell everything was fresh by the way it was set in the ground. The nearest gated/lighted crossing is at least a quarter mile south of the Textron crossing. It really was weird to see two dead engines on either side of the main track and the bag (IIRC, #1707) behind one on the west side. IIRC, the # 80 had a two foot piece of broken draw bar from either the other engine or bag still attached to its draw bar. I don't know where or how that picture with a gated crossing popped up but it is not correct. Next I had a visit from two security guards; got some pix before they showed up! h34r:

Good news from the area, although contrary to what a member of the Crescent crew told me. If you look at the pictures the service shop is going to have a good amount of work to get that baggage car back on the rails but I guess that anything is repairable.

 

[battalion51]

To me it didn't look like the motors got banged up that bad, certainly a lot less bad than the Hinesville accident, and all that stuff is back on the road. The motors and that baggage car will certainly need some Beech Grove TLC, but they'll be back, no doubt. On a somewhat related topic, anyone know why 20 had three Amfleet I's on the bottom today?

 

[AlanB]

On a somewhat related topic, anyone know why 20 had three Amfleet I's on the bottom today?

They couldn't fit them on top? :lol:

Sorry, no clue. Maybe they were being sent south for possible flood evacuations?

 

[had8ley]

On a somewhat related topic, anyone know why 20 had three Amfleet I's on the bottom today?

They couldn't fit them on top? :lol:

Sorry, no clue. Maybe they were being sent south for possible flood evacuations?

#20 goes north and the highest water isn't near yet...maybe because we boarded 68 pax at SDL alone....it's nice to see biz pick up but then I think the Sunset (UP) is to its old tricks with OTP on #1 going to pot in a hand basket. Anybody know why ???

 

[dlagrua]

I've read that Amtrak had two spare baggage cars in reserve so they should be able to replace the damaged one on the Crecent (if it already isn't there).

Right now I am more concerned about the rising water in the South effecting Crescent service. We have an early June trip planned and who knows what will be.

 

[had8ley]

I've read that Amtrak had two spare baggage cars in reserve so they should be able to replace the damaged one on the Crecent (if it already isn't there).

Right now I am more concerned about the rising water in the South effecting Crescent service. We have an early June trip planned and who knows what will be.

The Crescent now rolls both ways with a full bag.(What sense did the comment from the diner LSA "We'll make do?" come from ???) The damaged bag is sitting next to the Textron plant in Slidell. You need not worry as much as the City and Sunset have major water issues facing them; namely the City follows the river in places that are already flooded and the Sunset goes therough swamps and over bayous and rivers. The Crescent is fairly well elevated even through the Honey Island Swamp(Big Foot territory) and the bridge across the lake has never been inundated to my knowledge. By accident or design you picked the one train out of three that will probably run from one end to the other.

 

[dlagrua]

Good info. Thanks. As for my info ; like any reporter I just ask questions and hope that it contains some accuracy. In this case many good forum members have gladly filled in the blanks.

I read today that Louisiana will open a major spillway on the Mississippi river that will allow high flood waters to flow southward . I am wondering what the effect will be on lake Ponchatrain where the Amtrak causeway runs into NOL. I am hoping that the flood problems in the South will soon be over for everyones sake.

 

[HotlantaAl]

Now that the dust has settled in Slidell, does anyone know the reason the truck was on the track in the first place? Was the driver not paying attention? Did he think he could cross the tracks before the train got there? Was a car blocking him from getting off the tracks?

Just curious as to what the truck driver's story was?

 

[ACVitale]

According to media reports and statements.....

The driver claimed to have looked but, did not see the train coming...

Yes, In this case, Truth is stranger than fiction.

Apparently, As it was at Textron... Maybe Amtrak was testing the new "Stealth Trains"

 

[dlagrua]

Looking to see if a train is coming won't provide sufficient warning at a grade crossing. By the time you see the train its most likely too late. You do stop, look but most importantly listen for the horn warning.

The accident was probably caused by a truck driver not paying attention or the unlikely chance that the engineer neglected to blow the horn. I assume that all of the engineers actions are recorded in the "black box" so this should prove if a warning was sounded or not. I tend to believe that it was the truck drivers fault.

Amtrak now has several hundred thousand dollars of damage on its hands to contend with but the trucking company should be lible for all of it. I would be interested to see the FRA investigation report and the outcome of this accident.

 

[had8ley]

Good info. Thanks. As for my info ; like any reporter I just ask questions and hope that it contains some accuracy. In this case many good forum members have gladly filled in the blanks.

I read today that Louisiana will open a major spillway on the Mississippi river that will allow high flood waters to flow southward . I am wondering what the effect will be on lake Ponchatrain where the Amtrak causeway runs into NOL. I am hoping that the flood problems in the South will soon be over for everyones sake.

It's called the Bonne Carre Spillway and its only effects are to lower the Mississippi two feet and turn a fairly brackish water lake into mostly fresh water from the river.From the lake it empties into the Gulf through the Rigolets. There is also another spillway that gets little attention~ I saw it when it was last opened in 1973~ the Morganza Spillway which dumps into the Atchafalaya Spillway and eventually makes its way into the Atchafalaya River thus diverting it from the Mississippi. This is the one I would be leary of as the Sunset runs south of where it empties into. It's sorta "untested waters" as it has only been open once since it was built.I wouldn't worry about the Bonne Carre hampering Crescent ops but would cast an open eye on the Sunset route if the Morganza Spillway is indeed opened up.

 

[HotlantaAl]

Well, the #20 Crescent was looking good tonight in Atlanta. Yes, it did have a baggage car.

As a bonus it had two private cars, including the New York Central observation car "Hickory Creek" with a real nice 20th Century Limited emblem sign on the rear.

 

[had8ley]

Well, the #20 Crescent was looking good tonight in Atlanta. Yes, it did have a baggage car.

As a bonus it had two private cars, including the New York Central observation car "Hickory Creek" with a real nice 20th Century Limited emblem sign on the rear.

These two cars were reported to be at NOL NTD Saturday.

 

[AlanB]

The Hickory Creek is a beautiful car and the group that owns it has done a wonderful job of restoring it and keeping it up. I got to tour it several years ago at a Try Transit event in Hoboken, NJ.

 

[dlagrua]

It appears that the Crescent derailment is fully covered but new wheels was the solution to get the Viewliners back in service..

These are some numbers that I dug up on equipment:

68 baggage cars in active use, 52 required to meet the schedule; 56 available That should leave 4 spare baggage cars.

Still believe that the one in the slidell wreck was lost (as it accordian collapsed) but we will see.

52 Viewliners in active use 35 Viewliners required to meet the schedule

The above info may be a bit dated but it looks as though Amtrak had enough spares.

 

[had8ley]

It appears that the Crescent derailment is fully covered but new wheels was the solution to get the Viewliners back in service..

These are some numbers that I dug up on equipment:

68 baggage cars in active use, 52 required to meet the schedule; 56 available That should leave 4 spare baggage cars.

Still believe that the one in the slidell wreck was lost (as it accordian collapsed) but we will see.

52 Viewliners in active use 35 Viewliners required to meet the schedule

The above info may be a bit dated but it looks as though Amtrak had enough spares.

I can promise you the bag did not collapse. It looks like the north end has been seriously sideswiped but it is far from collapsed. Wish I knew how to download pix then maybe we'd have some believers...

 

[MrEd]

http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2011/04/amtrak_train_derailment_in_sli_20.html

 

[dlagrua]

It appears that the Crescent derailment is fully covered but new wheels was the solution to get the Viewliners back in service..

These are some numbers that I dug up on equipment:

68 baggage cars in active use, 52 required to meet the schedule; 56 available That should leave 4 spare baggage cars.

Still believe that the one in the slidell wreck was lost (as it accordian collapsed) but we will see.

52 Viewliners in active use 35 Viewliners required to meet the schedule

The above info may be a bit dated but it looks as though Amtrak had enough spares.

I can promise you the bag did not collapse. It looks like the north end has been seriously sideswiped but it is far from collapsed. Wish I knew how to download pix then maybe we'd have some believers...

You're close to the scene so we have no reason not to believe your first hand info. The opinions on this and other forums appear to be that the baggage car is beyond repair but if it just a shell damage and barring unforseen catastropic frame damage the baggage car will make it to Beech Grove, but do they get it there by truck?

I also read on another forum that the head end engines nose was crushed and that the main electrical box was heavily damaged but this is unconfirmed info.

 

[had8ley]

It appears that the Crescent derailment is fully covered but new wheels was the solution to get the Viewliners back in service..

These are some numbers that I dug up on equipment:

68 baggage cars in active use, 52 required to meet the schedule; 56 available That should leave 4 spare baggage cars.

Still believe that the one in the slidell wreck was lost (as it accordian collapsed) but we will see.

52 Viewliners in active use 35 Viewliners required to meet the schedule

The above info may be a bit dated but it looks as though Amtrak had enough spares.

I can promise you the bag did not collapse. It looks like the north end has been seriously sideswiped but it is far from collapsed. Wish I knew how to download pix then maybe we'd have some believers...

You're close to the scene so we have no reason not to believe your first hand info. The opinions on this and other forums appear to be that the baggage car is beyond repair but if it just a shell damage and barring unforseen catastropic frame damage the baggage car will make it to Beech Grove, but do they get it there by truck?

I also read on another forum that the head end engines nose was crushed and that the main electrical box was heavily damaged but this is unconfirmed info.

Here's the scoop from Amtrak NOT me~ when a class 1 decides to let go of some depressed flats both engines and the bag will be hauled off re-built. Would I bet my life on it? Not a chance but from what I saw from 5 feet away there is certainly no reason either engine has to be scrapped. I'll leave the bag decision up to Amtrak~ I would have been out there with a cutting torch a very long time ago. :hi:

 

[had8ley]

http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2011/04/amtrak_train_derailment_in_sli_20.html

Thanks Ed...I think that indicates exactly what I have posted.

 

[AlanB]

It appears that the Crescent derailment is fully covered but new wheels was the solution to get the Viewliners back in service..

These are some numbers that I dug up on equipment:

68 baggage cars in active use, 52 required to meet the schedule; 56 available That should leave 4 spare baggage cars.

Still believe that the one in the slidell wreck was lost (as it accordian collapsed) but we will see.

52 Viewliners in active use 35 Viewliners required to meet the schedule

The above info may be a bit dated but it looks as though Amtrak had enough spares.

There are 70 baggage cars on the active roster as of March 31st and there are only 50 Viewliner sleepers on the active roster. Only 52 were ever built, and the 2 proto-types have long since been retired.

As an aside, the one Viewliner diner as we all know is currently in BG serving as a test bed for the new Viewliner II dining car layout and it will probably enter service later this year.