The SWC does go 90mph in a few spots along the way. Thanks to the Santa Fe for installing Automatic Train Stop(ATS) for their premier passenger trains. As a result, Amtrak is allowed to go 90 in these sections. Look at the lead loco and you'll see a funny looking "shoe" over one of the trucks. That's the ATS shoe.
I know for sure that near Williams Jtc. the SWC will go 90. Also after ABQ, near Bernalio, the SWC also goes 90. I think there are sections near Gallup and Winslow too, as well as near Canyon Diablo. And there should be many more, I'm just not familiar with them. But wherever ATS is still in existence, the SWC can go 90mph.
79mph would be the limit if ATS did not exist.
Thanks
Geoff M.
The previous poster is correct whereas the ATS is operated thru an electro-magnetic process. The so-called shoe picks up the electro-magnetic charge from Inductors located on the ties next to the rail at signals. Clear signals will not trip the ATS but anything else will prompt the engineer to acknowledge a "Hit" from the ATS Inductors or otherwise a "Penalty Application" of the Air Brakes will occur immediately. Train must come to a stop before the Penalty Application can be reset!! When the ATS becomes inoperative another set of rules apply and they are quite intensive with the exception that a speed of 79MPH cannot be exceeded.
I'll be on both of those trains in May.
And I'll have my GPS with me, so I'll know when we are cruising at 90 mph.
Is it May, yet??!!??
(Note! this info is from 1997 and could have changed)
Glorieta Subdivision
Milepost 835.2(Lamy) to 865.3(Domingo)
876.6 (Nueve) to 894.7 (Alameda)
902.4 (Albuquerque) to 906.4 (Rio Bravo)
Gallup Sub
10.1 (Dalies) to 27.4 (Dalies)
33.9 (Rio Puerco) to 42.2 (Garcia)
45.7 (??) to 58.7 (Marmon)
94.3 (East Grants) to 153.9 (East Gallup)
161.3 (West Gallup) to 205.9 (Chambers)
225.2 ( ? Zuni) to 274.8 (Hibbard)
Seligman Sub
286.6 (West Pass) to 326.7 (East Darling)
374.3 (Williams JTC) to 418.3 (East Crookton)
493.3 (? Hackberry) to 513.9 (Getz)
527.0x (Griffith) to 561.5 (? Powell)
574.7 (East Needles) to 578 (Needles)
[This message has been edited by Southwest Chief (edited 03-14-2003).]
Does anyone know if the SWC derailment west of Topeka a few years back was on 90mph track? Was the cause ever determined?
Let me know, and I'll post the info sometime around May 12.
Mendota Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
Montgomery to Galesburg
....... 79 MPH. ....... 60 MPH.
Chillicothe Sub
1(A). Speed- Maximum
Passenger ---- Freight
MP 185.0 to Ft. Madison,including trains 100 TOB and over
....... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Marceline Subdivision
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
Ft. Madison to W.B. Jct., including trains 100 TOB and over
..... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
W.B. Jct. to C.A. Jct. (Main 1), including trains 100 TOB and over
..... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
C.A. Jct. to Hardin (Main 2), including trains 100 TOB and over
..... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
C.A. Jct. to Bridge MP 425.0, including trains 100 TOB and over
..... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Bridge 425.0 to MP 444.2, including trains 100 TOB and over
..... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
* Unless otherwise restricted , the maximum speed for freight trains is 70 MPH.
Topeka Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
Holliday to N.R. Jct., including trains
100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
LaJunta Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
MP124.7 to MP 220.5
...... 79 MPH..........55 MPH.*
MP 220.5 to MP 554.9
...... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Raton Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
La Junta to Trinidad
..... 90 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Trinidad to Raton
..... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Raton to Las Vegas
..... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Glorietta Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
Las Vegas to Lamy
... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Lamy to Dalies
... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH.
Gallup Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed- Maximum
Passenger Freight
Belen Jct. to Dalies, including 100 TOB and over
... 55 MPH*.
Main 2
Dalies to Marmon, including 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Marmon to Gonzales, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gonzales to Gallup (westward only), including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gallup to Gonzales (eastward only), including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gallup to East Winslow, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Main 1
East Winslow to Gallup, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gallup to Gonzales, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gonzales to MP 85.9 (eastward only), including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Gonzales to MP 85.9 (westward only), including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
MP 85.9 to Marmon, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Marmon to Dalies, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH*.
Seligman Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed-Maximum
Passenger Freight
Westward Movements Both Tracks East Winslow to Maine, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Eastward Movements Both Tracks Maine to East Darling, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
East Darling to East Winslow, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Both Tracks Both Directions
Maine to East Crookton, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
East Crookton to West Seligman, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Main 1
West Seligman to Peach Springs, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Peach Springs to Needles, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Main 2
Needles to Getz, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Getz to MP 484.0, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 484.0 to West Seligman, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Against the Current of Traffic
MP 446.8 to MP 465.8, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 467.6 to MP 484.0, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH. *
MP 485.8 to MP 509.4, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 511.5 to MP 526.9, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 528.8 to MP 551.7, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 553.5 to East Needles, including trains 100 TOB and over
... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Needles Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed—Maximum
Passenger Freight
Main 1
Needles to Goffs, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Goffs to Bagdad, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Bagdad to Pisgah, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Pisgah to Daggett, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Daggett to Barstow, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Main 2
Barstow to Daggett, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Daggett to Pisgah, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Pisgah to MP 685.8, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 685.8 to MP 671.4
...... 79 MPH. ....... 45 MPH.
MP 671.4 to Bagdad, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Bagdad to MP 646.1, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 90 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
MP 646.1 to Needles, including trains 100 TOB and over
...... 79 MPH. ...... 55 MPH.*
Cajon Subdivision
1(A). Speed—Maximum
Passenger Freight
Barstow to San Bernardino
...... 79 MPH. ....... 55 MPH
San Bernardino Subdivision
1. Speed Regulations
1(A). Speed—Maximum
Passenger Freight
San Bernardino to Fullerton Jct.
...... 60 MPH. ...... 50 MPH.#
Fullerton Jct. to MP 144.5
...... 79 MPH. ...... 50 MPH.#
San Pedro Jct. to Harbor Jct., Main 1 and 2
...... 40 MPH. ...... 40 MPH.#
San Pedro Jct. to MP 144.0, Main 3 and 4
...... 65 MPH. ...... 40 MPH.#
If you are refering to the March 15, 2000 derailment near Carbondale, Kansas, the cause was defective rail. Five Superliners were damaged. Two sleepers, 32094(Montana) and 32118(Wyoming) have been repaired. Diner 38049, Lounge 33046, and Coach Smoking 31533 could still be unrepaired.
quote:
Originally posted by mikesmith:
OK, how do you want me to document the SW Chief's time at 90mph? In minutes, by mileposts (& how can I determine that?), or by GPS points?Let me know, and I'll post the info sometime around May 12.
I was mainly interested in the section you'll cross in the morning on the second day, say Dodge City - La Junta. I had heard that most of the KC-ABQ section had been downgraded to 79MPH recently, although without a major schedule change, I don't see how that makes sense. No need to be exact, just sample a bit and see what you come up with, station names would be fine.
quote:
Originally posted by Santa Fe 5704:
Here are the Speed Limits for the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles directly from appropriate Timetables by Subdivsions.
#
WOW, thanks! Clipped and saved. One question, are these current?
quote:
Originally posted by Santa Fe 5704:
Information I posted is up to date as of the present. Timetables were effective January 2002 and no General Orders have been issued changing anything.
Thanks very much for taking the time to post all of that and I'm glad to know the rumor I had heard about the speeds being lowered was NOT true.
rick
[This message has been edited by rmiller (edited 03-18-2003).]
Through fine-tuning of the schedule along the entire route, end to end times from Chicago to Los Angeles changed little at that time. Subsequently, more time has been added to the schedule to allow for handling of express traffic, mainly into and out of Chicago and into and out of Kansas City from the west.
quote:
Originally posted by Greg:
The segment across western Kansas, southeast Colorado, and northern New Mexico via Raton Pass did have top speeds reduced from 90 mph to 79 mph at some time in the 1990's when Santa Fe removed ATS as part of the replacement of the semaphore signals along that portion of the route.
Well, doggone, you and Santa Fe 5704 cannot both be correct. His timetable shows 90MPH running Dodge to Trinidad, for example.
rick
Thanks for the speed table.
I saved it for my upcoming SWChief trip.
- - - - -The Chief
Why was the track so bad?
Thanks,
David MP 15.06 SCRRA Valley Sub
rick
rick