Amtrak Fire at Beech Grove

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adamj023

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Apr 1, 2015
Messages
277
Heard about the Beech Grove fire. I don’t believe anyone was hurt from reports I heard. Hopefully they can repair or rebuild the facility quickly and add appropriate working water connections and fire safety standards. I don’t know if it was intentional but apparently they are investigating. Facility dealt with painting and cleaning. I hope none of the trains were damaged.

https://fox59.com/news/overnight-fire-damages-amtrak-facility/
 
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I can't make out which building that is exactly. It looks a lot like the lumber building I've borrowed wood from when I was taking the brake bracket off needing something to hold it up. If it's that building then there won't be much in it, and there wouldn't be any cars or locomotives in it.
 
12:30 a.m. Saturday and found 2 buildings, used to house paint and cleaning supplies, on fire. There was no working fire hydrant at the facility, firefighters say there were not able to get water on the fire until 1 a.m. The fire was under control by 2 a.m.

So the local fire trucks don’t carry water? Or was the fire so big already that the water they do carry was not going to get it done. The P42 in the picture is going to have some paint/skin damage. A bit too close to the action not too.
 
From what media has said, paint and cleaning supplies were in the two buildings. If Amtrak keeps the materials stored there and puts in replacement prefab structures, I would hope they add better fire protection including working water connections. Incident could have been a lot worse. Amtrak has had a lot worse blunders over the years.

The larger maintenance facilities likely already have better fire suppression systems.
 
So the local fire trucks don’t carry water? Or was the fire so big already that the water they do carry was not going to get it done. The P42 in the picture is going to have some paint/skin damage. A bit too close to the action not too.

The P42 replacements are already on order. Deliveries couldn’t come soon enough.
 
From the looks of it, it's a small building. Nothing major.

That's P40 822 on the side
 
Agreed its nothing major.

As for the P40 822, was this an exhibit train or was it actively in service? Train had extensive body work and painting done as shown below. Doesn’t look to be a loss of service but also new replacements should be in quickly. Just a loss of materials and some new reconstruction required to rebuild or relocate their storage buildings.

https://history.amtrak.com/exhibit-train/gallery/p40-822-body-work/image_view_fullscreen
 
Agreed its nothing major.

As for the P40 822, was this an exhibit train or was it actively in service? Train had extensive body work and painting done as shown below. Doesn’t look to be a loss of service but also new replacements should be in quickly. Just a loss of materials and some new reconstruction required to rebuild or relocate their storage buildings.

https://history.amtrak.com/exhibit-train/gallery/p40-822-body-work/image_view_fullscreen
It was one of the 2011 heritage units and has been in service for many years. I've seen it on the Chief multiple times. I believe it has been active recently.
 
It was one of the 2011 heritage units and has been in service for many years. I've seen it on the Chief multiple times. I believe it has been active recently.
That could also have been #145 - a P42. They're painted the same. #822 has been in the shop for over a year, since being reported as damaged. The Phase III paint must be unlucky, since 145 has taken a beating too although is currently in service.

amtrak-crash-front-ho-ps-180131-jpg_20180131-121535_3x4_608.jpg
 
@Cal
Right, I wasn't suggesting #145 was one near the fire, but rather the one you'd seen on the SWC per your quote. It's been on there occasionally and since being repaired from the above picture in 2018 is a regular on the Pennsylvanian. #822 has been at Beech Grove since around this time last year, according to a couple of sources.
 
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@Cal
Right, I wasn't suggesting #145 was one near the fire, but rather the one you'd seen on the SWC per your quote. It's been on there occasionally and since being repaired from the above picture in 2018 is a regular on the Pennsylvanian. #822 has been at Beech Grove since around this time last year, according to a couple of sources.
Oh okay, yeah. I'm sure it was 822 that I've seen.

Anyways, I'm hearing reports from friends that 822 was retired. Maybe it has, not sure.
 
Regardless, the P40 which were reconfigured fo P42 and P42 are getting phased out as soon as the ALC-42 start arriving. ALC-42 in Amtrak liverly was last spotted at the Siemens plant in California a few weeks ago so it shouldn’t be that long before it is on the rails for Amtrak. Haven’t heard if anyone saw it again since then. I guess they will test the cars before they are readied for usage.

Due to the investigation of the fire, facility will probably take a little while at Beech Grove before it is demolished and rebuilt or relocated. Amtrak should be in much better shape next year as more work is done and newer equipment is placed into service.
 
Oh okay, yeah. I'm sure it was 822 that I've seen.

Anyways, I'm hearing reports from friends that 822 was retired. Maybe it has, not sure.

#822 was behind #24 on train 2, hit by a semi on March 2, 2020. Both units were stored in San Antonio until April 10, then moved to Beech Grove arriving April 28, 2020. That's why I suggested that if you'd seen Phase III paint on the SWC "recently" it might have been #145 and that the two units in that scheme have taken a beating over the years. From the fire photo it doesn't look like #822 is in bad shape, however many of the P40's have been stored or scrapped. A few remaining were dedicated to the Auto Train until Covid.
 
822 would not be parked there if it was scrapped, or in storage. It’s by itself not on a dead line. So it getting work on, to at least to determine if it can or should return to service.
 
ALC-42 is the future. Not sure if they will acquire ALC-42 in dual mode for the longer haul routes that use electric and diesel or choose another supplier than Siemens altogether.

Beech Grove facility looks like it could use work so this fire will just force them to accelerate reconstruction over there. Considering they are calling for an expansion, Beech Grove will likely see more activity.
 
#822 was behind #24 on train 2, hit by a semi on March 2, 2020. Both units were stored in San Antonio until April 10, then moved to Beech Grove arriving April 28, 2020. That's why I suggested that if you'd seen Phase III paint on the SWC "recently" it might have been #145 and that the two units in that scheme have taken a beating over the years. From the fire photo it doesn't look like #822 is in bad shape, however many of the P40's have been stored or scrapped. A few remaining were dedicated to the Auto Train until Covid.
Yep.

And FYI, when I said I had seen 822 on the Chief, it was recently as in a few years, not so much a few months.
 
ALC-42 is the future.
I wouldn't be too sure about that. After recent winter problems in the Midwest and mixed reactions about their testing on Amtrak LD trains, there is a school of thought that they'll be fine for certain routes but that Amtrak (and VIA) will eventually secure other long-distance locomotives from a more "traditional" manufacturer - even if they're modified freight units.
 
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