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T

Trains4me

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May 28, 2015
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I may have just missed it but don't seem to be able to figure out how Amtrak is dealing with the flooding issues along this route. I can see on the status board arrivals into Memphis but no departures northbound on 58, bustitution going on??

Same with 59 southbound, showing departures out of Chicago but no status south of Carbondale I believe.

So, are they just terminating 58 North in Memphis, holding overnight and turning it into 59 southbound and vice versa...turning 59 into 58 around Carbondale? If so, do they turn the engines or just put another engine on the other end.
 
I have the same queations. I live 35 mi. from the Newborn station and have been wondering if 59 or 59 has been getting through. No flooding in my immediate area
 
Yes, the CONO is turning at Memphis. I can't seem to find the info I saw on this, either here or on Facebook.
 
Not sure where it was posted in the forum but, yes, there is a bustitution taking place. The Carbodale newspaper reported the bustitution starting Tuesday or Wednesday Dec. 29 or 30 both trains 58 and 59 would operate as normal to Memphis and Carbondale. 58 passengers would detrain in Memphis and be bused to Carbodale where they will board the 59 equipment and return to Chicago as train 58. The reverse would happen for train 59 passengers from Carbondale to Memphis where the 58 equipment would return to New Orleans as train 59. The newspaper said this would likely occur for about seven days depending on the flood conditions. I am sorry I cannot refer you to the forum topic or the newspaper article.

According the Amtrak Status Reports, this process did occur the last two nights. It is interesting that the overnight schedules of both trains coincide so that this process works well time wise with both trains operating pretty well close to on time.
 
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Does anyone know when the "bus bridge" between Memphis and Carbondale will end? It still did the bus bridge overnight Jan 5-6 last night. Originally someone said the bridge would last seven days.
 
I can't answer that, but I was on the bus bridge on Monday night. They had 3 buses shuttle us from Memphis to Carbondale. They were rented and driven by a company from southern Illinois. The seats were comfortable but a little tight. With breakfast only being served until 7 am the next morning, we got hardly any sleep. They should extend breakfast because of this situation! They had a "train manager" helping with the busing situation and it was pretty smooth.

I'm on the chief right now and found out we won't have a parlor car when we get to the starlight. So far it hasn't been a stellar trip.
 
Forgot to add, we had two people working in the "dining car" vs. the one person people have reported with the cutback. All the staff went on the buses with us and helped with the shuffle.
 
I just got the call for my travel on 58 January 12. I called Amtrak and in this case, it is a bus from New Orleans to Hammond to board the train in Hammond. Train will run from Hammond to Chicago. No mention of the Memphis-Carbondale bustitution which I assume ends this week sometime after river crests in Memphis. News says crest is expected Friday Jan 10.
 
Last nights trains made it through Memphis area. Now the threat is near Nola.
 
Not sure what is going on now. Yesterday, I got revised tickets showing schedule change for my trip January 12 still leaving NOL at 1:45 PM arriving Chicago 10:15 AM Jan 13 - an hour and 15 minutes later than the normal 9AM. When I checked schedules on line this morning, the revised schedule was shown allowing for bus time to Hammond and departing Hammond 4 PM instead of 2:45 PM. Within the past few minutes, I received yet another revised ticket showing the original schedule arrival time in Chicago 9AM. So, off I go to Amtrak.com to check. Lo and behold the revised schedule has been removed and returned to the original schedule. I have received no notice from Amtrak but, now, I am wondering if the bus bridge NOL to HMD has been cancelled. I guess I'll find out when I go to the station in New Orleans Tuesday. In fact since I will be in New Orleans Monday with a free day, I just may take the Loyola Streetcar to the station to see how Monday's departure operates.
 
I have now receive phone call and email from Amtrak informing the bus bridge New Orleans to Hammond has been cancelled and regular train service reinstated to my original reservation departing New Orleans on 'THE TRAIN' with no bus service.
 
I would bet that the track work may be delayed since the areas around the tracks will be flooded. Tracks are elevated but without the access roads it will be hard to work on them.
 
west point said:
CN's 2106 Capital spending plan mentioned major work on the bridge. As to the definition of Major ????????????
Click to expand...
What bridge are you referring to? The CONO does not cross the Mississippi River Bridge in New Orleans nor any where along it route to Chicago but the Sunset Limited does and I don't think the Mississippi River Bridge in CN track.
 
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Tennessee Traveler said:
west point said:
CN's 2106 Capital spending plan mentioned major work on the bridge. As to the definition of Major ????????????
Click to expand...
What bridge are you referring to? The CONO does not cross the Mississippi River Bridge in New Orleans nor any where along it route to Chicago but the Sunset Limited does and I don't think the Mississippi River Bridge in CN track.
Click to expand...
There is a bridge of sorts over the spill way/ lake shore.
 
According to Trains News Wire, one of CN's big capital projects this year is the replacement of the "McComb Spillway Bridge, an 11,000-foot, 1934-vintage bridge in Louisiana between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain." I don't if this this involves the CONO route.
 
Tennessee Traveler said:
I have now receive phone call and email from Amtrak informing the bus bridge New Orleans to Hammond has been cancelled and regular train service reinstated to my original reservation departing New Orleans on 'THE TRAIN' with no bus service.
Click to expand...
I have not heard anything about our trip on January 26th. As far I as know we are still being bused from Hammond to New Orleans.
 
MikefromCrete said:
According to Trains News Wire, one of CN's big capital projects this year is the replacement of the "McComb Spillway Bridge, an 11,000-foot, 1934-vintage bridge in Louisiana between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain." I don't if this this involves the CONO route.
Click to expand...
Yes that is on CONO route. They have been patching it for years. Part of it collapsed about a year or two ago and it has a very low speed restriction like 15 or so.
 
Hammond-NOL bus bridge also rescinded for my journey on 10 JAN.
 
A new twist and new service disruption for my train 58 today January 12. I've just been informed that due to opening the spillway near New Orleans, I will now be bused to Jackson, MS, to board the train there. Probably because Corp of Engineers and Amtrak do not communicate, Amtrak equipment is not prepared so the train 59 now in Memphis will terminate in Jackson, MS, and that will be our train tonight. All these events where just determined after 6am this morning. Guess I will have to call this an adventure. Hopefully, I make it to Chicago and my connection with tomorrow's California Zephyr.
 
The spillway had just opened when 59(9) went through the area at restricted speed. Water was slowly filling the flatlands on the west shore of Lake Ponchatrain. Reminded me of the Yolo Bypass just west of Sacramento in the CZ and CS.
 
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