Hurricane Gustav

[VentureForth]

Just in time to go back to Memphis for Ike!

 

[Guest_George Harris_*]

Each of the evacuation trains (FEMA-1 and FEMA-2) will be making only a single return run from Memphis to New Orleans. Both trains will utilize a detour route via Hattiesburg, Mississippi, due to storm-caused track damage on the CN a little north of New Orleans.

When I first saw this I thougt, this is going to take a while. A few years ago Jackson, Mississippi to Hatiesburg was 25 mph track. But, no longer. Based on a recent CN Central Division timetable, it is now 49 mph track, so not so bad. Jackson to Hattiesburg in something nearer 2 to 2.5 hours instead of something over 4 hours.

 

[had8ley]

Do the SPVs have the ability to use regular HEP connectors to get electricity from a P42 or other regular locomotive?
When FEMA is in charge, are the hours of service restrictions for the crew still in effect?

I'm back...and very tired but safe. I will elaborate some other day. The FRA exempts "emergency" situations and Acts of God. I have worked 30 1/2 hours under these exemptions. None of the crew got even a thank you and we had to fight to get paid~ the timekeeper said we could only work 16 hours! The crew is at the hands of FEMA for whatever it takes to get over the road time wise.

 

[had8ley]

Each of the evacuation trains (FEMA-1 and FEMA-2) will be making only a single return run from Memphis to New Orleans. Both trains will utilize a detour route via Hattiesburg, Mississippi, due to storm-caused track damage on the CN a little north of New Orleans.

When I first saw this I thougt, this is going to take a while. A few years ago Jackson, Mississippi to Hatiesburg was 25 mph track. But, no longer. Based on a recent CN Central Division timetable, it is now 49 mph track, so not so bad. Jackson to Hattiesburg in something nearer 2 to 2.5 hours instead of something over 4 hours.

George;

Correct me if I'm wrong (which often happens) but most of this track was a threadbare 10 mph nightmare when the IC turned it over to the newly formed Mid-South back in the 80's. The IC even gave them engines to operate trains although I don't think GP-10's were the greatest of EMD's accomplishments. The NS has committed major dollars, and an ownership stake, to make this the "Dallas Speedway" and I think signaling is included in the plans. One just has to stand at Tuscaloosa after arriving on #20 and watch the stack and piggy-back trains headed for Dallas via Meridian.

 

[George Harris_*]

Had8ley: I was talking about Jackson MS to Hattiesburg MS, which is still ICRR / CN in ownership. This was originally the Gulf and Ship Island, Gulfport MS to Jackson MS. No signals now or ever in the past. The section south of Hattisburg to Gulfport is KCS owned and it no longer appears in the CN / ICRR employee timetables.

Meridian - Jackson - Vicksburg - Monroe LA - Shreveport is th Dallas Speedway part and is now KCS owned and no longer appears in the ICRR / CN employee timetables. Yes, I have heard that signalling is in the plans, and I believe that some is already in service.

I think you are right about the track condition of Meridian - Shreveport when was turned over to Mid South. ICG basically ran everything into the ground. I used to stop and look at track from time to time when traveling by myself. At that time we lived near Memphi, then in Dallass, had in-laws in Pensacola, and I had worked short jobs in Louisiana and Alabama a couple of times, so I did quite a bit of driving around in the southern part of ICG territory. The Grenada district main line, Memphis to Jackson MS carried Amtrak with a 79 mph speed limit. It was mostly in 112 lb jointed rail that was so worn that the tops of the joint bars were shiney from wheel flange contact.

I was working on the Baltimore Light Rail in the late 80's when ICG (or was it ICRR again?) was selling off the rail from the second main from Chicago to Memphis and Jackson MS to Hammond LA to raise money. Due to budget contraints they considered buying about 20 track miles of it. My comment was please no. Even if not that worn, it has been beat to death by heavy alxe loads while being supported by poor ties and bad ballast. Someone was contracted to go look at it and make an assessment. Basically, he said the same thing but that opinion cost a few thousand dollars instead of my 15 minute opinion by someone already on the payroll. Baltimore decided to buy new 115RE instead.

 

[had8ley]

Had8ley: I was talking about Jackson MS to Hattiesburg MS, which is still ICRR / CN in ownership. This was originally the Gulf and Ship Island, Gulfport MS to Jackson MS. No signals now or ever in the past. The section south of Hattisburg to Gulfport is KCS owned and it no longer appears in the CN / ICRR employee timetables.
Meridian - Jackson - Vicksburg - Monroe LA - Shreveport is th Dallas Speedway part and is now KCS owned and no longer appears in the ICRR / CN employee timetables. Yes, I have heard that signalling is in the plans, and I believe that some is already in service.

I think you are right about the track condition of Meridian - Shreveport when was turned over to Mid South. ICG basically ran everything into the ground. I used to stop and look at track from time to time when traveling by myself. At that time we lived near Memphi, then in Dallass, had in-laws in Pensacola, and I had worked short jobs in Louisiana and Alabama a couple of times, so I did quite a bit of driving around in the southern part of ICG territory. The Grenada district main line, Memphis to Jackson MS carried Amtrak with a 79 mph speed limit. It was mostly in 112 lb jointed rail that was so worn that the tops of the joint bars were shiney from wheel flange contact.

I was working on the Baltimore Light Rail in the late 80's when ICG (or was it ICRR again?) was selling off the rail from the second main from Chicago to Memphis and Jackson MS to Hammond LA to raise money. Due to budget contraints they considered buying about 20 track miles of it. My comment was please no. Even if not that worn, it has been beat to death by heavy alxe loads while being supported by poor ties and bad ballast. Someone was contracted to go look at it and make an assessment. Basically, he said the same thing but that opinion cost a few thousand dollars instead of my 15 minute opinion by someone already on the payroll. Baltimore decided to buy new 115RE instead.

Baltimore Light Rail made a good decision. Both mains to Hammond were given red-headed step child treatment probably back to the middle 70's. I used to shiver watching the Baton Rouge to McComb chemical train come off the Baton Rouge branch main. It had apparently had not been tamped in quite a while and the knuckles and draw bars would slide and squeal so loud coming "up the hill" (it really isn't much incline and tamping would have solved the problem right away) that you had to hold your ears even standing some distance away and with the train only doing 10 mph. It also seemed like it took forever to power the switch as it remained hand thrown well into the 90's.