Sunset Limited #1 (25) Derails

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AMTRAK-P42

Conductor
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
1,181
Location
Redlands, CA
As per a Union Pacific engineer over on TO's.

The westbound Amtrak #1 the 'Sunset Limited' derailed about three or four cars after hitting a tractor trailer at a crossing at about MP 349.2 on UP's Lafayette Sub. on the east side of Houston. This happened at about 23:45 last night. No word on the passengers or crew members. The speed limit is 70 MPH for passenger trains in that area. From what I could tell there was some minor damage to one of the passenger cars as well. It hard to tell about the locomotives. Expect #1 to be very late.

Doug Wooten

UP Engineer

Kingwood, TX MP 21.5 UP's Lufkin Sub.

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Train is bustituting for the remainder of journey west.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
As per a Union Pacific engineer over on TO's.
The westbound Amtrak #1 the 'Sunset Limited' derailed about three or four cars after hitting a tractor trailer at a crossing at about MP 349.2 on UP's Lafayette Sub. on the east side of Houston. This happened at about 23:45 last night. No word on the passengers or crew members. The speed limit is 70 MPH for passenger trains in that area. From what I could tell there was some minor damage to one of the passenger cars as well. It hard to tell about the locomotives. Expect #1 to be very late.

Doug Wooten

UP Engineer

Kingwood, TX MP 21.5 UP's Lufkin Sub.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Train is bustituting for the remainder of journey west.
Click to expand...
A bus from Houston to LA - WOW!
 
Any PHOTOS of equipment damage to share???

I have NOT been able to find any news media coverage of this incident with photos.

Thank you in advance for anything additional.

I do hope and pray for everyone involved in this nasty crash.

---- Daniel

AMTRAK-P42 said:
As per a Union Pacific engineer over on TO's.
The westbound Amtrak #1 the 'Sunset Limited' derailed about three or four cars after hitting a tractor trailer at a crossing at about MP 349.2 on UP's Lafayette Sub. on the east side of Houston. This happened at about 23:45 last night. No word on the passengers or crew members. The speed limit is 70 MPH for passenger trains in that area. From what I could tell there was some minor damage to one of the passenger cars as well. It hard to tell about the locomotives. Expect #1 to be very late.

Doug Wooten

UP Engineer

Kingwood, TX MP 21.5 UP's Lufkin Sub.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Train is bustituting for the remainder of journey west.
Click to expand...
 
AlanB said:
Green Maned Lion said:
Blech. Why wouldn't they just bus them to SAS?
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Because Amtrak doesn't keep a spare consist sitting in SAS to continue the journey west. Therefore a bus to LA is the only answer.
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I think there would be a way to mix and match equipment from the SB #21/#421 and EB #2/#422 in San Antonio to get everyone on their way.

I would take some creative thinking, but could be done.

This makes me wonder: why hasnt AMTRAK cut a deal with the airlines to move passenger in case of emergencies.
 
daveyb99 said:
AlanB said:
Green Maned Lion said:
Blech. Why wouldn't they just bus them to SAS?
Click to expand...
Because Amtrak doesn't keep a spare consist sitting in SAS to continue the journey west. Therefore a bus to LA is the only answer.
Click to expand...
I think there would be a way to mix and match equipment from the SB #21/#421 and EB #2/#422 in San Antonio to get everyone on their way.

I would take some creative thinking, but could be done.
Click to expand...
Well if by creative thinking you mean throw people of out their reserved spaces from the cars of those trains, then sure Amtrak could make up a consist to go further west as a replacement to the derailed train.

But otherwise, you've got passengers reserved into the sleeper and coaches out of SAS on #2 going east of SAS, through passengers on 422's equipment going north and east towards Chicago, as well as passengers holding reservations on 22 departing at 7:00 AM out of SAS on the day that 1 (25) should have departed SAS. And finally the arriving #21 needs to be turned as the next day's 22, where again passengers up the line are expecting their train.

It's a bit easier to say to the poor people on #1 (25), "I'm sorry but with this accident we have no choice but to ______ to your destination." As compared to telling someone "Sorry, we cancelled your sleeper today because we had to give that car to passengers from a train that derailed yesterday."

Now I think that Amtrak may keep one or two coaches in SAS as protection, but I'm not sure if they have a spare sleeping car sitting there. I'm pretty sure that they don't have a spare cafe and dining car sitting there. And then we have to wonder if there is an extra engine or two sitting in SAS.

daveyb99 said:
This makes me wonder: why hasnt AMTRAK cut a deal with the airlines to move passenger in case of emergencies.
Click to expand...
I guess that Amtrak felt that they didn't have enough LA bound passengers to fly them, or perhaps they did and the news just didn't mention it. In fact the news might have just assumed that Amtrak was busing everyone, when buses came to take the people off the train. And for most of the rest of the passengers, flying doesn't work since either there is no nearby airport or again there just isn't enough pax going to a city with an airport to warrant flying them. And then remember that some people are on the train because they don't like to fly.

But there are indeed times that Amtrak does fly people to their destinations. In fact probably about 5 years ago or so, we had a huge debate going on here whereby there was a problem coincidentally with #1, and the train was terminated and passengers were flown. One person didn't want to fly and was quite upset that Amtrak woudn't pay for his car rental.
 
daveyb99 said:
AlanB said:
Green Maned Lion said:
Blech. Why wouldn't they just bus them to SAS?
Click to expand...
Because Amtrak doesn't keep a spare consist sitting in SAS to continue the journey west. Therefore a bus to LA is the only answer.
Click to expand...
I think there would be a way to mix and match equipment from the SB #21/#421 and EB #2/#422 in San Antonio to get everyone on their way.

I would take some creative thinking, but could be done.

This makes me wonder: why hasnt AMTRAK cut a deal with the airlines to move passenger in case of emergencies.
Click to expand...
Probably because of the sheer numbers of pax and the cost of last minute tickets to many different destinations. One bus can stop at Alpine and Sanderson. I don't have the foggiest where the nearest airport might be. Then you have to get from the airport to your destination. The cost would be overwhelming for just one derailment of a train that may have 200 plus passengers. (I was kinda surprised that there were only 50 people on board #1 but seasoned travelers are staying away when they have to be in LA within certain time constraints.)
 
I have a reservation on the Sunset Limited in late Feb - hope this doesnt affect it. Glad no one was injured.
 
Why does an empty flatbed derail Amtrak so easily. Maybe they should go back to the heavyweight coaches.
 
Guest_gp35_* said:
Why does an empty flatbed derail Amtrak so easily. Maybe they should go back to the heavyweight coaches.
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170,000 pounds for an Superliner is pretty heavy. Depending on what the truck was carrying, it could have been pretty heavy as well.
The truck hit the locomotive and then seemingly managed to sideswipe the entire train. There was no major damage but a some damage to the locomotive and virtually all the cars.
 
Do the passengers have the option of finding a hotel room and taking the next day's train? It seems like passengers who prefer trains might prefer that option, but it doesn't sound like Amtrak tends to make much if any effort to make that option available.
 
Joel N. Weber II said:
Do the passengers have the option of finding a hotel room and taking the next day's train? It seems like passengers who prefer trains might prefer that option, but it doesn't sound like Amtrak tends to make much if any effort to make that option available.
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Perhaps, but don't forget - the SL only operates 3 days a week! So it's not like tomorrow's train, it could be "the train in 3 days"! And - I know it's the SL - the next train may not have space (especially for the sleepers).
 
Joel N. Weber II said:
Do the passengers have the option of finding a hotel room and taking the next day's train? It seems like passengers who prefer trains might prefer that option, but it doesn't sound like Amtrak tends to make much if any effort to make that option available.
Click to expand...
With a tri-weekly week train you stand the chance of staying three nights in a hotel and I seriously doubt Amtrak would pick up more than one night of the tab, if any of it.
 
As per RailNet802 on TO's:

Damage Report:

The train was rerailed around noon today & moved to the Houston depot, track #1 where all wheelsets that hit the ground will be replaced. Car dept personnel reported all wheels save one truck hit the ground.

consist / visible damage

P-42 157 / HIT ABOVE SNOWPLOW & BENT COWL BEHIND SAME ON FIREMENS SIDE, pix #1

P-42 36 / NO APPARENT DAMAGE

SLEEPER 32084 / SIDE SHEET BELOW LOWER WINDOWS OF HANDICAP ROOM RIPPED OFF, pix #2

SLEEPER 32065 / CREASE ALONG SIDE BELOW LOWER WINDOWS, SIDE DOOR FRAME DENTED IN

DINER 38000 / CORNERED BY ERRANT VEHICLE 3 FT. ABOVE H.E.P. RECEPTACLE

LOUNGE 33032 / DROP EQUALIZER KNOCKED OFF TOP OF JOURNALS, pix #3

COACH 31007 / NO APPARENT DAMAGE

COACH 31007 / NO APPARENT DAMAGE
 

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