Pere Marquette stuck in snow drift -pics from passenger

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Cool pictures!

They get some crazy drifts in that area of the state. I'm glad the train wasn't damaged.
 
While the article says "more powerful" freight engine, the main point of it would be it would be heavier, have six axles and could make multiple hits on the drift if necessary with much less danger of riding up on the ice and derailing.
 
I'm quite surprised that something like this can actually happen as it's not like this is an unused track....it's a very busy rail with a freight every hour or two. According to Amtrak, the train got in shortly after midnight, so not as bad of a delay as I anticipated when first reading the article.
 
tim54449 said:
I'm quite surprised that something like this can actually happen as it's not like this is an unused track....it's a very busy rail with a freight every hour or two. According to Amtrak, the train got in shortly after midnight, so not as bad of a delay as I anticipated when first reading the article.
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By The Associated Press

Posted Feb. 28, 2014 @ 8:18 am

Holland, Mich.

Amtrak says its Pere Marquette train from Chicago to Grand Rapids was delayed nearly three hours Thursday night after getting stuck in a snow drift outside Holland.

Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm tells The Associated Press the Pere Marquette line train was about 8 miles south of Holland night when CSX railroad directed the train into a side track for a freight train to pass. The Amtrak train got stuck on the side track.

Kulm says a CSX locomotive pulled out the Amtrak train. He says the Amtrak train and its 64 passengers arrived in Grand Rapids around midnight.

No one was injured and Kulm says the train had power for lights and heat at all times. He says Amtrak is apologizing to those affected by the delay.
 
I was told by an A/C on the PM back around Thanksgiving that it would be open in May. In conjunction, another train will be added, however he didn't think the second train would be instituted until June.
 
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MiRider said:
tim54449 said:
I'm quite surprised that something like this can actually happen as it's not like this is an unused track....it's a very busy rail with a freight every hour or two. According to Amtrak, the train got in shortly after midnight, so not as bad of a delay as I anticipated when first reading the article.
Click to expand...
Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm tells The Associated Press the Pere Marquette line train was about 8 miles south of Holland night when CSX railroad directed the train into a side track for a freight train to pass. The Amtrak train got stuck on the side track.

Kulm says a CSX locomotive pulled out the Amtrak train. He says the Amtrak train and its 64 passengers arrived in Grand Rapids around midnight.

No one was injured and Kulm says the train had power for lights and heat at all times. He says Amtrak is apologizing to those affected by the delay.
Click to expand...
I obviously overlooked that part. Thanks for pointing it out. I've been on the PM about two dozen times (round trip to Holland) and we never had to pull onto a siding to let a freight go through so my mind must have blocked that important tidbit out when I read it.
 
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Thanks Tim54449. Hopefully the grand opening will NOT be the Tuesday in May that we head to Chicago & on to New Orleans.......
 
I tried to find any other updates and the media has been mysteriously quiet about the opening, so I don't know if there is some sort of delay or if things are still on target for the May opening of the station. I'll be living in Holland when the G.R. station opens and am excited for all the changes, likely including schedule changes that will accommodate day round trips from Holland to G.R. and vice versa.
 
yes, I also have tried to find other updates and no information is available. We have driven by the new station about every couple of weeks and have enjoyed watching the progress. Lights are on inside and the seating area is in.

Signs are up and the big outdoor clock is functioning. We cannot tell if the track spur is completed or not. The track sits below the elevated covered outdoor area between the building and US 131 southbound.
 
I live in Wisconsin currently and have not had the opportunity to get to see the progress of the station up close. I plan on getting over to G.R. to check it out if I can before the slated May opening. From the sounds of your update, I'm thinking they're (pardon the pun) right on track.
 
Thanks for the update...even though it may not house Amtrak until July, it's an intermodal station and it looks as if it is on target for a May opening for bus service.
 
Yeah, apparently CSX has not done the track & signal work yet. Understandably they can't do it until the ground melts, so you can't rationally expect any work until April, which would mean completion no earlier than May.

The delay until July is less excusable and smacks of "we can't be bothered" from the usual bad actors at CSX.
 
There are also spring floods to contend with as Grand Rapids has had the second snowiest winter on record and the snow hasn't stopped falling. Maybe July and beyond opening sounds more and more realistic. I also wonder if they roll out the second PM before the station opens.
 
If CSX gets started within a couple of weeks after ground conditions are suitable, I'll call that good work. If things just sit for a month or more after that, I'll be annoyed. CSX has shown a bad attitude towards its municipal / government customers in the past, but there have been signs of improvement recently, so we'll see.

It's always better to promise a late date and then beat it, rather than promising an early date and missing it, so it makes sense for Grand Rapids and Amtrak to be saying "July". Here's hoping that's a schedule featuring contingency time and that it'll get done before that. *crosses fingers*
 
When that A/C told me they were shooting for a May opening for the station and a roll out of trains #372 and #373, he told me he seemed skeptical about the trains, thinking it'd be June......that was the Monday after Thanksgiving....little did he (or anyone) know what a harsh winter the SW side of the state of Michigan would have. I'm sure if I talked to in more recent days, he'd be thinking along the lines of beyond July for the Amtrak use of the station and the additional train.
 
Drove past the new station last Sunday. Tracks are in, but white rocks still needed to be smoothed out in spots. 3 big pallets of left over railroad ties alongside the new depot. Station looks all completed.

I believe the parking lot had its second paving coat. No media information, not one bit.
 
debmep said:
Drove past the new station last Sunday. Tracks are in, but white rocks still needed to be smoothed out in spots. 3 big pallets of left over railroad ties alongside the new depot. Station looks all completed.

I believe the parking lot had its second paving coat. No media information, not one bit.
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I believe I heard several months ago that the bus service at the new intermodal station will start even if Amtrak is not ready.

I'm wondering if the rumor I heard from OBS on the Pere Marquette is actually a valid one, that a second PM is going to be added in conjunction with the opening of the station. I haven't heard anything yet to back that up.

The lack of media updates is puzzling to me. I guess it's up to us to assume things are still on schedule for a late July (?) opening.
 
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