Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
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Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/10/pass ... icago.html
This journey sounds worse than the one David had recently
This journey sounds worse than the one David had recently
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
A similar event occurred near Jackson several years ago after a grade crossing accident. Passengers got off to seek their own way with the police threatening them with trespassing.
While a rare event the negative PR sticks with them.
While a rare event the negative PR sticks with them.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Before some of the more recent corridor improvements, this was much more common. But experiencing even one of these will scare off a new rider. My mom has vowed never to take the train to Chicago, again, after here last experience with an interminable delay some years back.
BTW, how many locomotives does Amtramk run on the combined Michigan Services, and how many of them are running the Siemens Chargers?
BTW, how many locomotives does Amtramk run on the combined Michigan Services, and how many of them are running the Siemens Chargers?
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
All of the trains use the Chargers now. Unless a rare day and a P42 becomes the new "heritage unit".
Does "This" refer to mechanical issues? Seems more common now with the new equipment.
In the past the delays seemed be more frequently caused from the faulty signal system that would drop signals to red after a rainstorm and the 30 mph slow orders by NS due to their unwillingness to maintain, before the state government purchased the track.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Does anyone know the locomotive numbers on the ill-fated Wolverines of Oct. 7? In particular, which one was on the 351 (first train to break down) and the 353 (rescue train)?
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Every Michigan train uses Chargers unless enough aren't available to cover them all.MiddleMI wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:10 pmBefore some of the more recent corridor improvements, this was much more common. But experiencing even one of these will scare off a new rider. My mom has vowed never to take the train to Chicago, again, after here last experience with an interminable delay some years back.
BTW, how many locomotives does Amtramk run on the combined Michigan Services, and how many of them are running the Siemens Chargers?
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Went searching online for photos.
Didn't find any of the engines.
Did find one of a toilet.
You can thank me now for not posting it.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Thanks.ConrailDetroit wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 7:18 amAll of the trains use the Chargers now. Unless a rare day and a P42 becomes the new "heritage unit".
Does "This" refer to mechanical issues? Seems more common now with the new equipment.
In the past the delays seemed be more frequently caused from the faulty signal system that would drop signals to red after a rainstorm and the 30 mph slow orders by NS due to their unwillingness to maintain, before the state government purchased the track.
No, "this" meant delays, in general. Most delays I remember were freight train related (i.e. waiting for trains to pass/clear, etc).
But, yes, what I was asking about the locomotives was really just ruminating of why these new ones seem have problems this significant this early into their usage.
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Nice
Amtrak has to face the reality that they're gonna have to completely redo the mechanical infrastructure (probably not the right words to use, but that's all I've got) on the chargers, and sooner rather than later. I say this because I've been told by an engineer (I believe it was edited out name) that said these engines are too reliant on the HEP, and that's just the beginning of their issues.
Aside from this: Doesn't Amtrak have policy that if a train is delayed more than 6 hours in one location that they would bus the passengers?
Edit - Check with railroad employees before posting their names/usernames on the board
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
busstitution was attempted but there were none available that day. Probably due to the fall color tours going on now.
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Agreed. With PSR and fewer freights now, less delays from freights. Except when there is a derailment which seems more frequent now.MiddleMI wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:16 pmThanks.ConrailDetroit wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 7:18 amAll of the trains use the Chargers now. Unless a rare day and a P42 becomes the new "heritage unit".
Does "This" refer to mechanical issues? Seems more common now with the new equipment.
In the past the delays seemed be more frequently caused from the faulty signal system that would drop signals to red after a rainstorm and the 30 mph slow orders by NS due to their unwillingness to maintain, before the state government purchased the track.
No, "this" meant delays, in general. Most delays I remember were freight train related (i.e. waiting for trains to pass/clear, etc).
But, yes, what I was asking about the locomotives was really just ruminating of why these new ones seem have problems this significant this early into their usage.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
I don't think fall color tours have a ton to do with it. What likely has more to do with it is a trickle down from something else. High School sports. A lot of school districts are running very short on bus drivers. As a result, instead of having school buses transport teams to away events, schools are having to rent charter busses to transport athletes.coasterrider wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 4:52 pmbusstitution was attempted but there were none available that day. Probably due to the fall color tours going on now.
With that said, given this was a Friday incident with Amtrak, it is very possible additional charter trips may have also impacted the situation.
Also, the charter bus companies are not exactly teeming with additional drivers either, so it is a combination of a multitude of different issues.
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Indeed. I noticed last Saturday several high school groups arrived at the Grandville Marching band competition by chartered bus not school bus. And they weren't coming from great distances. Places like Holland and Muskegon way.chapmaja wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 8:01 amI don't think fall color tours have a ton to do with it. What likely has more to do with it is a trickle down from something else. High School sports. A lot of school districts are running very short on bus drivers. As a result, instead of having school buses transport teams to away events, schools are having to rent charter busses to transport athletes.coasterrider wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 4:52 pmbusstitution was attempted but there were none available that day. Probably due to the fall color tours going on now.
With that said, given this was a Friday incident with Amtrak, it is very possible additional charter trips may have also impacted the situation.
Also, the charter bus companies are not exactly teeming with additional drivers either, so it is a combination of a multitude of different issues.
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
At least their schools ponied up for a charter bus. Ours told us at the beginning of the season that no bus drivers were available, so all parents need to arrange car pool to get the kids to and from the cross country meets to various cities. Most of the other schools attending the meets had busses.
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Yesterday I pulled in to officiate HS Volleyball. They had MS football going on at the same facility. In the parking lot were three charter busses. Two were for the football teams (I assume 1 7th grade, 1 8th grade), and another school brought one for their volleyball teams (Frosh, JV, Varsity). The school for volleyball aways used to use school bussing, but the football school has been using charter busses for years to transport teams.~Z~ wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:13 amAt least their schools ponied up for a charter bus. Ours told us at the beginning of the season that no bus drivers were available, so all parents need to arrange car pool to get the kids to and from the cross country meets to various cities. Most of the other schools attending the meets had busses.
Sad when we are in such a situation that the schools don't have the ability to transport their athletes to events and they need to either hire charter busses, for force parents to car pool to get athletes to events.
Even worse is the "drop" only transporation some schools are using. They will transport kids to an event, but the athletes need to find a way home. Works great if you are within a very local area, but if you are an hour drive and have multiple athletes on a team, it is a big problem. I have heard of multiple situations this year where a team has been missing players due to transportation issues.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Many of the teacher/coaches prefer the use of charter coaches because they are more comfortable.
Safer? No.
We had coaches using charters/driving instead of our own school buses without proper authorization from the school district.
This was before the lack of school bus drivers was an issue in our district.
When notified the district did nothing because that made the well paid administrators life easier.
Safer? No.
We had coaches using charters/driving instead of our own school buses without proper authorization from the school district.
This was before the lack of school bus drivers was an issue in our district.
When notified the district did nothing because that made the well paid administrators life easier.
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
How can the engines be too reliant on HEP? HEP is specifically for passenger car electricity. It either works or it doesn't. Are you saying that some of the HEP can be diverted to use as pulling power? That doesn't make any sense.David Collins wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:31 pmI've been told by an engineer (I believe it was edited out name) that said these engines are too reliant on the HEP
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Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
The employee I spoke to didn't go into specifics, maybe it powers electronics in the engine, not positive, just a guess.Steve B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 12:11 pmHow can the engines be too reliant on HEP? HEP is specifically for passenger car electricity. It either works or it doesn't. Are you saying that some of the HEP can be diverted to use as pulling power? That doesn't make any sense.David Collins wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:31 pmI've been told by an engineer (I believe it was edited out name) that said these engines are too reliant on the HEP
Re: Amtrak - 19 hour journey from Detroit to Chicago on 10/7/22
Traction power and the power for control functions have long come from different alternators. I would take "to dependent on HEP" to mean there was a failure in the system providing the non-traction power rendering the locomotive unable to control its internal functions (and not move) or supply HEP.Steve B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 12:11 pmHow can the engines be too reliant on HEP? HEP is specifically for passenger car electricity. It either works or it doesn't. Are you saying that some of the HEP can be diverted to use as pulling power? That doesn't make any sense.David Collins wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 2:31 pmI've been told by an engineer (I believe it was edited out name) that said these engines are too reliant on the HEP