posted
I read on another board (one I am not a member of) that there was a tunnel fire in the Cascades putting the Starlight out of service for several days. Anybody know more? Will Jonathon get bustituted on his return trip?
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
| IP: Logged |
"A fire burning in Tunnel 7 on Union Pacific's Cascade Line approximately 33 miles southeast of Oakridge has closed the I-5 rail corridor indefinitely, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported...The Union Pacific hoped the interruption of the line would not last longer than 10 days..."
But Jonathan is in for an interesting time:
"Amtrak is not offering any substitute service between Oakland and Eugene...This will continue until Friday..."
Film at eleven...
Posts: 363 | From: Southwest North Central Florida | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
It is predicted that the starlight will terminate in Sacramento for at least a week maybe 2. This totaly killed my dads run so by the book it said he could temporarly bump another conductor for pay, he chose the starlight between SAC-SLO.
Posts: 98 | From: Bakersfield, CA, USA | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, I'll be following this closely. I'm supposed to leave on #14 on 08/26 SBA/EUG. I don't relish the idea of a bus ride from Sacramento to Eugene.
What is AMTRAK's refund policy in a situation like this? I'm booked in a standard bedroom and, if I was bussed, would lose that night. It seems to me that the accomodation fee should be refunded.
In reality, if the line isn't open by then I'd probably ask for a full refund and fly to Eugene instead. That would, it turns out, actually be cheaper than the railfare + accomodation fee.
Hoping for the best.
Frank in foggy SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Bummer. The story Kairho linked to doesn't seem to indicate a cause of the fire. I don't imagine tunnels through rock catch fire on their own. Just the latest in a string of UP problems.
Why can't Amtrak turn the trains at Klamath Falls instead of Oakland??? They did that last year when UP was doing tunnel work in the same area. A bus bridge between Eugene and K-Falls would be only a minor inconvenience to travelers, and wouldn't kill many a long-planned vacation.
And out of curiousity, is there any connection between last year's tunnel work and this year's fire which apparently got into the tunnel lining?
posted
In the past, a lot of tunnels were lined with heavy timbers. I would have thought them more subject to fire in steam days than now. But then, it used to be that significant tunnels would have watchmen or dedicated patrols, so a fire would be caught early. It is actually very hard to get a heavy timber to start burning. But, once started, a tunnel fire can be very hard to put out. There was a fire several years ago in West Virginia on a former C&O line. I will try to find the article and summarize it, because it gave a very good discussion of dealing with tunnel fires.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
>I don't imagine tunnels through rock catch fire on their own.
You haven't been to Pennsylvania! LOL!
There are many underground coal fires running through the rocks which periodically will pop up to the surface. Ref: http://www.osmre.gov/ocphotoh.htm for one.
Posts: 363 | From: Southwest North Central Florida | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Starlight: Starting Aug 20th, train 14 and 11 will operate a full consist between Los Angeles and Klamath Falls. Bus bridge to Eugene, then one lounge and required coaches will operate Eugene-Seattle.
The fire is major and could take some time to get open.
posted
This closure is sure a HUGE mess for everyone! I found this posting to the "I5corridortrains" Yahoo Group that reports what I believe to be the true cause of all of this. I have heard reports around the internet that freight diesels manufactured by General Electric have a nasty habit of sometimes belching flame when they are throttled-up. I found this photo on the internet that clearly shows a flaming GE freight diesel: http://www.mentalfusion.com/erben22/graphichtml/up/up9301.html
Here is the report that I saw talking about what probably caused the closure of the former SP Cascade line from Eugene, OR to Chemult, OR --- Daniel :
From: "rbulkle" Date: Sat Aug 14, 2004 7:51 pm Subject: Re: Another tunnel fire
I heard about the fire in tunnel 7 this afternoon while I was on the Forest Service road below the track between Abernethy and Cruzatte. Apparently the second unit on a southbound was belching flame when it passed a northbound, and by the time the northbound got to the tunnel the fire was getting pretty well established in two or three units. I heard the number of the culprit unit but didn't register it. Of course, until I hear otherwise I will assume that it was a GE. I had to go and couldn't follow the firefighting, but a helper unit that had made it to Crescent Lake (having had its own problems on the way up) was instructed to bring all the water cars from there down to the tunnel. With creosoted timbers and similar things, the fire could burn for a while.
quote:Originally posted by sbalax: What is AMTRAK's refund policy in a situation like this? I'm booked in a standard bedroom and, if I was bussed, would lose that night. It seems to me that the accomodation fee should be refunded.
Last year we were booked in bedrooms from Boston to Chicago on the LSL, but were bustituted from Boston to Albany while CSX was doing track work. Amtrak refunded us the bedroom accomodation charge BOS-ALB, even though we only lost about five daylight hours in the bedroom. They also provided us with free boxed lunches (sandwiches, chips and drinks), which was kind of nice.
posted
Wow, close the corridor for 10 days?!?! The UP's gotta be wondering what they did to make God mad.
Posts: 106 | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just spoke with "Joe" (Julie's brother?) at Amtrak and he told me that, as of now, they are showing #14 on the 08/26 departure from SBA being a bus from Klamath Falls to Eugene.
This is not ideal but it is certainly better than a bus ride from Sacramento or Oakland.
I'm going to continue to monitor this closely since I have to be in Eugene on the 27th. Luckily, I have several other options including flying as a "non-rev" from LAX to Houston to PDX and then taking the Cascade down to Eugene.
Frank in overcast SBA.
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by daniel3197: I have heard reports around the internet that freight diesels manufactured by General Electric have a nasty habit of sometimes belching flame when they are throttled-up.
If this is a known problem why would any engineer enter a tunnel like that (assuming that was, in fact the cause).
Stupid question: can they seal the ends of the tunnel and starve the fire of oxygen?
BTW, I think Julie sounds more like the housewife type.
posted
No! It isn't true! Julie could never be a housewife. I always imagined her as the Julie in the original "Bad Boys" movie. Ready for adventure. Sneaking aboard my next train ride. Whispering in my ear: "However, trains can make up time".
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Julie is just a little too perky for me - on the other hand, perky is better than grumpy!
Posts: 122 | From: Milwaukee, WI USA | Registered: Jun 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
At this point I'm planning on going ahead with my trip on #14 on 08/26. It will mean a "bustitution" of 4 1/2 hours from Klamath Falls to Eugene but I really do need to be there on 08/27.
I spotted the northbound Starlight today between SBA and GOL and it seemed to be pretty much on time.
I'm wondering if AMTRAK makes any effort to notify passengers about the problem. I would think that I would be getting a call about the change in plans. Or would I have to just arrive at the station on departure day to be told that part of my journey would be on a bus or, if continuing on to SEA, in coach.
Today's LA Times mentioned the halt in freight traffic but didn't mention any change to AMTRAK service.
Frank in SBA
P.S. I don't believe the USPS lady is "Julie". She sounds more like the "Time Lady".
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mr. Presley: My wife is also suspicious of this "Julie" on our cell phone address list. She has noticed that I go away for a while after calling her.
I am also having a problem with the tunnel situation. I would like to go to Eugene from Portland off the Empire Builder next week. The first connection from the EB is a Thruway, but the EB has been typically 1-2 hours late into Portland lately. When I miss the Thruway, the CS is next. But on the website, every day of the CS from PDX to EUG is listed as "service sold out". Does this mean I would have to wait for an evening Talgo?
Now anything that puts me on a train instead of a bus is usually ok, but I want to rent a car at the station at EUG and the Talgo is too late to do that. Would Amtrak be able to put me on a "sold out" train if they missed the previous guaranteed connection?
I am going to call Amtrak, but you guys may know more than they do.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I emailed Amtrak Customer Service and they were nice enough to respond with this: (my message I sent them is first)
Topic: About Amtrak Trains or Service Subject: Coast Starlight Message: Hello, I am taking the Coast Starlight in December from Los Angeles to Chemult, Oregon. I was wondering if the tunnel fire will be repaired by then or if I will have to take a bus and will there be a price difference?
Thank you.
Dear Anton,
Thank you for contacting us. We have no estimate on track restoration in the tunnel. I know December is 3 months away, but this fire is on a side of a cliff, and very hard to get to.
You will have to call back later to see how we are handling this train.
We hope this is helpful.
Sincerely, Marcia Amtrak Customer Service
------------------ --Anton L. pillsbury09@excite.com AIM: pillsburyMN
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
sbalax, look on the bright side. The bus will go through areas not seen by rail travelers. Oregon's highways are also pretty.
Posts: 2649 | From: California's Monterey Peninsula | Registered: Dec 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
