The Great Blizzard of 2011

[anir dendroica]

CZ spent the night in Ottumwa. Crew change needed but no way to get a new crew to the train in the blizzard. So they put the engineer and conductor in a hotel for the required eight hours of rest, then they got back on the train to continue the westbound journey.

While I'm not saying that a crew wasn't needed, it's highly unlikely that the crew that took the train to Ottumwa rested and then continued west. Most crews aren't qualified for multiple territories and therefore would be unable to operate the train on tracks that they don't know. The crew taking the train from Chicago to Ottumwa would probably only be qualified to return the train to Chicago.

If indeed they were waiting for a crew to rest, then my guess would be that they were waiting for the crew that had run #6 into Ottumwa to rest, and not the crew that took the train out of Chicago.

I would assume that the crew normally operates Chicago to Omaha but due to weather delays expired on HOS at Ottumwa. Hence the rest, back on the train, and completing the run to Omaha on a second shift. Of course I know no actual details aside from what I read on this and other boards, so I could be dead wrong.

 

[AlanB]

CZ spent the night in Ottumwa. Crew change needed but no way to get a new crew to the train in the blizzard. So they put the engineer and conductor in a hotel for the required eight hours of rest, then they got back on the train to continue the westbound journey.

While I'm not saying that a crew wasn't needed, it's highly unlikely that the crew that took the train to Ottumwa rested and then continued west. Most crews aren't qualified for multiple territories and therefore would be unable to operate the train on tracks that they don't know. The crew taking the train from Chicago to Ottumwa would probably only be qualified to return the train to Chicago.

If indeed they were waiting for a crew to rest, then my guess would be that they were waiting for the crew that had run #6 into Ottumwa to rest, and not the crew that took the train out of Chicago.

I would assume that the crew normally operates Chicago to Omaha but due to weather delays expired on HOS at Ottumwa. Hence the rest, back on the train, and completing the run to Omaha on a second shift. Of course I know no actual details aside from what I read on this and other boards, so I could be dead wrong.

Assuming that the map from Trains is still correct, the engineer changes in Ottumwa, while the conductors run through to Omaha.

 

[Ryan]

I thought that the engineer and conductor always changed out at the same places?

Nevermind, I see that there's a whole thread that was started on the topic.

 

[The Chief]

,,, After sitting in Kansas City for nearly four hours, the decision was made to hold the intermediate passengers overnight and send them the next day, such as to Ft. Madison, Iowa. Chicago passengers would stay on and be detoured via St. Louis, which is what happened,,,

,,, Just did some recalculations - it took us 13, not 11 hours to travel approx. 550 miles Kansas City to Chicago via St. Louis,,,

greatcats yours is a well-reported post; thanks for sharing a first-hand account. Am I to understand your Southwest Chief consist diverted in entirety from KC to StL, thence to Chicago? Very interesting as that sounds to be the case.

BTW, as you mentioned The National Limited, and you are a evidently a classically trained vocalist, do you know how to get to Carnegie Hall??

 

[Trogdor]

Assuming that the map from Trains is still correct, the engineer changes in Ottumwa, while the conductors run through to Omaha.

Ottumwa is an engineer crew base, so the engineer could very well be (and likely is) qualified on both sides.

 

[henryj]

Meanwhile here in Houston, Texas:



It looks like #2 is running hours late. Maybe we can catch it running in the 'snow' tomorrow in daylight. lol.

 

[AlanB]

Assuming that the map from Trains is still correct, the engineer changes in Ottumwa, while the conductors run through to Omaha.

Ottumwa is an engineer crew base, so the engineer could very well be (and likely is) qualified on both sides.

I don't doubt you, but I have to say that it seems odd that they would put a crew base there. You've got an engineer base in Chicago and another in Lincoln, so one would think that Ottumwa would just be a turn around point for engineers from the other two bases.

 

[RRrich]

How to get to Carnegie Hall??

Practice, Practice, Practice

 

[oldtimer]

How to get to Carnegie Hall??

Practice, Practice, Practice

Do you know how old that joke is?

I first heard it from Peter Stuyvesant when he was on his way to bargain with the Indians!

By the way greatcats too bad the Moody has let the CSO down again, but hope you enjoyed yourself.

:unsure: :giggle: :wacko:

 

[GG-1]

How to get to Carnegie Hall??

Practice, Practice, Practice

Do you know how old that joke is?

I first heard it from Peter Stuyvesant when he was on his way to bargain with the Indians!

By the way greatcats too bad the Moody has let the CSO down again, but hope you enjoyed yourself.

:unsure: :giggle: :wacko:

Alohw

We are not that old, and I have been to Carnegie Hall

 

[Trogdor]

A lot of crew bases are based on historical locations, or based on Amtrak needing to close a different crew base but not wanting to pay the separation penalty for employees who don't want to move.

I'm not saying there aren't folks that want to do away with the OTM base, but for now it stays.