21 TE Broken Down

[dart330]

On the TE to SAS, been sitting still for quite a while. HEP comes on briefly every once in a while. We stopped just outside of Temple. Didn't bring my Scanner, no word on what is wrong with the engine, very few announcements.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

As of 6:30 pm the Amtrak Status Board still shows an on time arrival into SAS. The delay must not have "caught up" yet.

 

[dart330]

We got going shortly after I posted. Sitting in Austin now, about to take off.

 

[dart330]

Made it in only a few minutes late, must be a lot of padding as we sat powerless for over an hour. Was the best crew I've ever had on the TE.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Made it in only a few minutes late, must be a lot of padding as we sat powerless for over an hour. Was the best crew I've ever had on the TE.

You are correct about the padding in the TE schedule, usually when #21/#421 are late into AUS, they make up most of the time by having shorter Station stops in AUS and SMC. The biggest handicapp to making up time is the Great Circle Route around SAS to reach the Amtrak Station! Of course UP also does their part by giving priority to Coal Trains and Long Freights chugging up the Single Track through AUS to the Taylor yards where the Eagles branch off onto BNSF Tracks!(and usually make up time going Northbound)Ive set many an hour in the yard in TAY or on the siding on MOPAC Expressway in Austin waiting on as many as 3 slow freights to chug by! glad you made up time, it can be a tight connection to make #2 in SAS some nights and the local Transportsation (VIA???)quits running fairly early also!

SAS needs a new Station, there is a plan to have an Intermodel where the old Katy Station was but this might occur by the time some of us are still alive?? :lol: :lol: :lol: