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Donald M

Train Attendant
Joined
Jun 20, 2011
Messages
17
How come there isn't much discussion about the reactivated EB, is it on time, are there any problem in the flood areas?
 
Folks tend to comment about things that don't work. When things work, the discussion ends :)

#8(17) departed Glenview, IL 2:29 late.

#8(18) departed Havre, MT 0:15 late.

#7(18) departed Malta, MT 2:59 late.

#7(19) departed Portage, WI on time.

Delays through the flooded areas are not too bad. The derailment/bridge collapse north of Minneapolis was repaired at 9:30 pm last night, just in time for #7. Leftover freight congestion from that blockage probably contributed more to the delays than flood-related slow orders. I suspect there are some heat-related speed restrictions in effect as well across WI, MN, and ND. I'm finally hopeful for my trip coming up on the 29th.

Mark
 
Went past the site of the derailment in Fridley (I think). Hard to see in the dark, but aside from somewhat reduced speed, no obvious signs. #7 still on time out of St. Paul.
 
CHamilton said:
Went past the site of the derailment in Fridley (I think). Hard to see in the dark, but aside from somewhat reduced speed, no obvious signs. #7 still on time out of St. Paul.
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Thank you for posting updates. It's good to see that our ride on Saturday is running fairly smoothly today.
 
#7 about 2:45 late leaving Spokane. Sorry I couldn't post yesterday, as Sprint has no service in ND and MT. Not complaining about delay after seeing extensive flood damage. Will post pictures in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, we get to see eastern Washington in daylight, a rare treat.
 
CHamilton said:
#7 about 2:45 late leaving Spokane. Sorry I couldn't post yesterday, as Sprint has no service in ND and MT. Not complaining about delay after seeing extensive flood damage. Will post pictures in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, we get to see eastern Washington in daylight, a rare treat.
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Last month I was on the Empire Builder from Spokane to Seattle during the very brief time it ran the entire route between Chicago and Seattle. It departed Spokane 5 1/2 hrs late so I saw the Spokane-Seattle run in full daylight. I didn't mind because I'd always wanted to see the scenery out of Spokane during daylight. I live in Eastern Washington, too, an hour south of Spokane (or less, depending on the number of cops on the highway :lol: ) and it was still interesting to see the territory. Those few folks who would have been awake at that time on that particular EB run got to see an even bigger treat, as almost all of the run between Whitefish and Spokane was in daylight, too. There is some very pretty country in that part of the route, particularly around Sandpoint (and the long bridge crossing Lake Pend Oreille there) and it's too bad that it's missed unless the EB is very late.
 
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#7 just arrived Wenatchee around 3:15 late. Assuming no further delays, we should get to Seattle 2+ hours down, since there is lots of padding between Everett and Seattle.
 
Being a newbie eagerly anticipating my first train trip in 3 weeks (SBY to OLW)and watching EB status several times during a day, just want to say how much I appreciate on-the-spot posts like this!

Hoping for fewer/shorter delays when we go, but can deal with 2 - 3 hours - as long as we can get a connection from SEA to OLW same day, we're good! And if not, we'll deal with it. Almost starting to count sleeps!
 
As a newbie and eagerly anticipating my first train trip in 3 weeks (SBY to OLW), and watching this forum and EB status several times daily, I just want to say how much I appreciate all the info I've received from this forum and on-the-scene posts like the above! We're hoping for fewer/shorter delays by the time we go, but as long as we make a connection from SEA to OLW same day, we're good. Have hotel booking and car rental in OLW to deal with if we're terribly delayed. . But we'll deal with it should we have to! Almost to the point of counting sleeps!
 
#7 arrived at 12:45, 2:30 late. The conductor announced all the connections -- they held Thruway buses, re- ticketed PDX passengers on 507, and had Bellingham passengers connect at Everett. Seemed to be well organized.
 
Train 8 currently over 6 hours late. Just left Grand Forks about 730 am central. Lots of flooding still and bascked up freight traffic.
 
Does anyone know what happened to #7 yesterday - seemed to have just disappeared after the posted service disruption! Also, any explanation for the extreme lateness? What happened that it was so late leaving CHI? Curious, this train stuff is all new to me - and fascinating!

I'm also getting a bit nervous since we board in SBY and have to make connection in SEAS for OLW and have reservations to deal with if we don't get there on Aug. 13. If we don't have a cell phone and something happened that we were terribly delayed mid-trip, is there some way we could contact hotels etc. to cancel - i.e. pay phones at stations along the way? I should quit watching the status map!

I gather #7 turns around in SEA and becomes #8 eastbound - right? So what happens when there's a service disruption like this last one? Or is the turn-around actually done in Spokane where the train splits? Pardon my ignorance - but I'm learning a lot from this forum!
 
I gather #7 turns around in SEA and becomes #8 eastbound - right? So what happens when there's a service disruption like this last one? Or is the turn-around actually done in Spokane where the train splits?
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Yes. #7 arrives in Seattle at 10:25 am, and the same consist leaves as #8 at 4:40 pm. That leaves only about six hours to turn, clean, and service the train. As a result, when #7 is running more than 6-7 hours late, it is turned in Spokane with buses provided to (#7) and from (#8) Seattle and Portland. As soon as Amtrak decides to turn the train in Spokane, they post the "service disruption" notice and it disappears from the map.

#7 and #8 have been losing about three hours across ND/eastern MT, and it seems that is likely to continue since at this point it is due to slow orders rather than actual flooding, and it will take some time to repair all of the track to ease the speed restrictions. Yesterday's trains lost considerably more time, likely related to severe thunderstorms and torrential rain between Minot and Glasgow.

Mark
 
thanks for the info - greatly appreciated! Really hoping we won't have to change plans - I figure we're good up to 6+ a bit hours late into SEA to make a connection to OLW, last one at 530 p.m. I think. . Actually o.k. even if we had to overnight in SEA and get the first train to OLW Sunday a.m. More delay than that we'd have to reconsider and drive - but are so looking forward to the train! Keeping our fingers crossed! Heading to Long Beach WA for the Kite Festival - renting car from OLW. It was a bit of a challenge coordinating train times, car rental pick-up times (short hours on weekend) , hotels and do it in our time frame! Some flexibility but not a lot. We knew there could be issues with delays when we booked last Oct. - just didn't anticipate all the disasters with EB that have happened this spring! We drive from Lethbridge AB to Shelby so have to compute that in too - and hopefully not have too long a delay there before boarding - not as lot there to amuse oneself! We're hoping we don't miss having dinner on board from SBY but know that could happen - there's always breakfast and both dinner and breakfast on our return trip!
 

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