Train 5 re-route

[gmushial]

Looks like 6(24) made it to LNK 5hr 18min late, ie, never was able to make up the previous losses. Looks like 6(25) lost another hour over night: 2hr 10min late into Helper UT.

 

[George Harris]

...Wyoming route...ostensibly a freight route #5/6 wouldn't be able to tae advantage of such given al the 59mph freights it would be slotted with...)

The Wyoming route is the original Union Pacific's main line and a very fast piece of railroad. I believe that the speed limit for container train and other top freights is 70 mph. Back when it was carrying regularly scheduled passenger trains the passenger speed limit was 90 mph. It is entirely double track. Back in the early Amtrak days when the CZ ran this route it was about 2 hours faster between Ogden and Denver than the current route between Salt Lake City and Denver.

I don't know where the 59 mph freight idea came from. 59 mph is the maximum allowed passenger train speed limit on unsignaled track by FRA rule. The actual rules says not allowed to operate at 60 mph or faster. For these same conditions the freight train limit is not allowed to operate at 50 mph or faster. Hence, a common freight limit of 49 mph for these lines. The reason that so many lines have passenger train speed limits of 79 mph is the same rule requires additional control systems for any train to be allowed to operate at 80 mph or faster.

 

[gmushial]

Maybe that rain that's falling through the Great Basin did it, ie, washed the slow powder off the rails... after two weeks of multi-hour late #5 and #6's, we have one that's are on time 6(28) and one that's even ahead of schedule 6(29). ... could this be the new norm... or just a fluke? ;-)

 

[chakk]

Most likely, the passenger count is down now a bit following the Memorial Day weekend, so dwell times at stations can be reduced.

 

[Cina]

I hope this on-timeliness continues! At least for the next, say, fourteen days

 

[gmushial]

I hope this on-timeliness continues! At least for the next, say, fourteen days

Sounds like someone else has an appointment with a CZ

 

[Cina]

Indeed! I'm a small-town girl, and if the train doesn't arrive at midnight it won't be just like the Journey song, soooooo...

 

[gmushial]

Sounds like you'll be getting on where I'll be getting off: LNK. Though I'm guessing you'll be getting on #5 while I'll be getting off #6... let's hope we don't get to do it in the rain :-(

 

[Cina]

Sounds like you'll be getting on where I'll be getting off: LNK. Though I'm guessing you'll be getting on #5 while I'll be getting off #6... let's hope we don't get to do it in the rain :-(

Yes indeed! Looks like there's good awnings on the new station so that's something
Edit: wow, I use the word "indeed" too much...

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Sounds like you'll be getting on where I'll be getting off: LNK. Though I'm guessing you'll be getting on #5 while I'll be getting off #6... let's hope we don't get to do it in the rain :-(

Yes indeed! Looks like there's good awnings on the new station so that's something
Edit: wow, I use the word "indeed" too much...

Indeed.

 

[Cina]

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2951089

(I give up trying to embed this.)

 

[gmushial]

Sounds like you'll be getting on where I'll be getting off: LNK. Though I'm guessing you'll be getting on #5 while I'll be getting off #6... let's hope we don't get to do it in the rain :-(

Yes indeed! Looks like there's good awnings on the new station so that's something
Edit: wow, I use the word "indeed" too much...

This time of year it's to LNK or OMA on #6 to pickup the oldest daughter's car and drive it out here (this year she left it in the longterm parking at the Lincoln airport); and in August it's drive it back to there and ride #5 back this way... though generally "cheat" and get on at OMA, in that's an hour earlier and allows me get to sleep at a more reasonable hour. [she's a DVM stu at KSU but interns out here for the summer.]