Just bought Amtrak tickets

Pastor John May 15, 2021

  1. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    Maybe.

    Never count Americans out of the game if either a) there's profit to be made or b) we decide that it needs to be done.

    And, never look to California as an example of how any of the other 49 states might, or might not, do things. Many of the difficulties causing problems for HSR in California are utterly unique to California.

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  2. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    I agree. I can't think of any other state that puts people in charge of things who are loony enough to think Los Angeles to San Diego via San Bernardino is a fast route.

    Fortunately, you can stick a fork in that boondoggle. It's dead.
     
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  3. sd90ns

    sd90ns TrainBoard Member

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    Not according to the Biden administration, they just gave California close to a billion dollars of tax payer money for that boondoggle.
    And yes, I can't wait to see them try and drive an ROW for HSR through the Tehachapi MTs.
     
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  4. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    That's just for Bakersfield to Palmdale. You know. Two cities with less than 550,000 population between them. That's the full extent of it now.

    Of course, they'll have plenty of time to grow before the Techachpis are crossed.

    Doesn't it make you feel good to help pay for these improvements to one for the richest, if not the richest, states in the union?

    Meanwhile, Oklahoma, one of the least wealthy, got told, yeah, you can have Amtrak service--if you buy the equipment yourselves (and if I remember right, cover the losses). Steal from the poor, give to the rich, tell everyone you're Robin Hood.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2021
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  5. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Here's an option for you:
    Spirit airlines will fly you round-trip from Cleveland to Kansas City for only $190.
    Then you can transfer to/from Amtrak for the rest of the trip.
    The catch is that the "flight" takes about 20 hours, with a 15 hour layover in Orlando.
     
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  6. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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  7. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    The Disney Detour.
     
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  8. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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  9. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Ouch! That would do it.
     
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  10. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    Yikes. Kinda glad we chose the bus. Amtrak put some people up in a hotel overnight so they can try again tomorrow. What are the chances that they can get that cleaned up, and the track repaired, by tomorrow?

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  11. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Doesn't look like any tank cars were involved and nothing is burning, so that's a plus.
    Typically, the clean up seems to consist of clearing the derailed cars off to the sides of the right-of-way and then fixing the track.
    The derailed cars will be removed when convenient.
    It wouldn't be a total surprise if at least one of the two tracks might be back in operation by sometime tomorrow.
    If a day's worth of trains is backed up, that's going to have some impact on schedules.
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2021
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  12. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks. That makes sense.

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  13. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    When I rode the Sunset Limited back in June of 2000, there was a derailment on the old SP line at Beaumont Hill before dropping down into the Los Angeles basin. They had built a temporary "shoe fly" around the wreck site to keep the line open. Amtrak went real slow on the temporary track and you could see the mess real well. I seem to have lost all those photos unfortunately.
     
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  14. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    In November 1947 I was standing at the back vestibule of the Golden State somewhere in a southwest desert wondering why we were going so slowly. Suddenly we were on fresh new ballast and track, then passed a lone box car on its back upside down about 20' off the track. I wondered why there were no people around, just this poor boxcar. This was my first experience seeing remnants of a train accident and I've never forgotten it.
     
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  15. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    After being crammed on a bus all night (including an attempted passenger rebellion, and other adventures) we finally made it to Kansas City, boarded the Southwest Chief, and are on our way. Currently about ten hours behind, I think.[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

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  16. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, 10 hours late?:confused:

    Well, have fun, atleast you made it to the train!(y)
     
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  17. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    Glad you're on your way onboard....Finally. :rolleyes:

    Those Siemens Chargers have a great profile, far better than GE's P40s and P42s. :cool:
     
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  18. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Eastbound #4 is operating, but is shown as expected to lose about 4 hours between Kansas City and La Plata, so there must be lots of congestion and/or slow running.
    https://www.amtrak.com/services/maps.trainlocation.html

    The upside of all this is that your westbound ride west of Kansas City will be in daylight, rather than darkness.
     
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  19. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    I'm not surprised. We've passed a whole bunch of parked NS and BNSF (some mixed) freight trains on sidings waiting for their turn to restart.

    As to traveling in daylight, we thought the same thing. Especially since last night was full of torrential rains, lightning, and tornado watches.

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  20. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    That Siemens Charger was the head end of the River Runner on the adjacent track. Since we're way in the back in coach class, I didn't get to see what's up front of ours.

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