steve_relei
Lead Service Attendant
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2003
- Messages
- 306
Here is an article from The Sunday Oregonian last Sunday about the rash of retirements of engineers and conductors and other trainmen. This has the result of UP trains not being staffed enough to keep them going, causing them to be stopped in their tracks while waiting for a new crew to take over, but increasingly there is no crew to take over. This is causing delays for Amtrak trains too--both the Starlight and the Cascades runs.
UP Retirements Affecting Train Operations
I, too have noticed excessively late trains on UP. Sometimes, the #507 (southbound Cascades train from Seattle to Portland to Eugene; it's supposed to leave PDX at 5:30pm) arrives on time (even early) off the BNSF but has to wait at the station an extra hour or so for clearance to continue its run. Northbound trains have also been effected. It also shows some of the problems that Amtrak must deal with in order to operate its trains and try to maintain an on time schedule and reputation. The state pays for the Portland-Eugene run. The state is not happy either. You can't afford to get too angry with UP, otherwise it might withdraw permission to run the trains on its lines--even with the funds.
One more problem, there is no word as to when the Oregon City Amtrak station will be finished, opened, and ready for business. I think UP has something to do with this, too. The city has been waiting for the railroad to complete some of its trackwork. That was a few months ago.
UP Retirements Affecting Train Operations
I, too have noticed excessively late trains on UP. Sometimes, the #507 (southbound Cascades train from Seattle to Portland to Eugene; it's supposed to leave PDX at 5:30pm) arrives on time (even early) off the BNSF but has to wait at the station an extra hour or so for clearance to continue its run. Northbound trains have also been effected. It also shows some of the problems that Amtrak must deal with in order to operate its trains and try to maintain an on time schedule and reputation. The state pays for the Portland-Eugene run. The state is not happy either. You can't afford to get too angry with UP, otherwise it might withdraw permission to run the trains on its lines--even with the funds.
One more problem, there is no word as to when the Oregon City Amtrak station will be finished, opened, and ready for business. I think UP has something to do with this, too. The city has been waiting for the railroad to complete some of its trackwork. That was a few months ago.