Amtrak Michigan Service Woes: 09/16/18

[NSSD70ACe]

Yesterday was not a good day to travel by train in Michigan.

Amtrak 351 has a service disruption yesterday in Battle Creek. The Amtrak Alerts Twitter page indicated that the train had mechanics problems and was delayed two hours.

365 was delayed an hour due to assisting 351.

352 was held up outside in Ann Arbor due to local police “being near the track”.

354 was delayed due to freight train congestion and malfunctioning drawbridge signals at MCI.

355 was also held up near Ann Arbor due to police activity.

Any idea what the A2 issues were about? Haven’t heard anything on MLive.

[Michael]

I have no idea what the issue was but I happen to be at the Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor eating trackside waiting for the 355 which according to the tracker was overdue just a few miles away in Ypsilanti but it was so late we finally left.

[twropr]

I read on another forum that ENG 31 failed while #351 was sitting at Battle Creek (don't know what happened to it) and #365 coupled onto the ailing train and took it to Chicago.
Andy

[GTW6401]

I ran into some grumpy folks in Pontiac this morning. They had tickets for 353 and arrived at the station around 9:45am, but the train was gone.

Train departed at 8am.

[Ypsi]

I see today is the only day they run this early.. what was the reason for an early train today

[coasterrider]

CN rebuilding Woodward Ave crossing in Pontiac. Taking main one out of service to replace the track. Amtrak cannot use main two at TRM station account no platform to work off. I heard that 350 and 353 were suppose to bypass TRM all together on main two track. ROY station still has the small crossings to connect track 2 to the platform. Didnt know they were leaving early. Guess I didnt read the memo close enough,plus it was my day off so I really didnt care anyways

[GP30M4216]

I thought that part of the reason the Amtrak NPCU/F40 cab units didn't/don't run on the Michigan Line any longer was that the only way for consists to make and sustain 110mph was to have two P42/Genesis units in the consist. But maybe that was only part of the story (what is the max speed for an NPCU?). Either way, after decades of advocating for push-pull service, I'm surprised to see Amtrak running traditional "normal" train service frequently on this route. Maybe we need to have a protect P42 stationed at Jackson or Niles....just in case?

[NSSD70ACe]

I thought that part of the reason the Amtrak NPCU/F40 cab units didn't/don't run on the Michigan Line any longer was that the only way for consists to make and sustain 110mph was to have two P42/Genesis units in the consist. But maybe that was only part of the story (what is the max speed for an NPCU?). Either way, after decades of advocating for push-pull service, I'm surprised to see Amtrak running traditional "normal" train service frequently on this route. Maybe we need to have a protect P42 stationed at Jackson or Niles....just in case?

NPCUs have a top speed of 100 MPH.

A protect P42 is a good idea, unfortunately there seems to be a shortage of available ITCS-equipped P42s, as I'm still seeing mid-day Wolverines run with one P42. I read somewhere that more P42s are being equipped with ITCS but I'm not sure if that was ever completed or if they were even for the Michigan Services. Besides, with the Chargers coming soon, the P42s have their days numbered.

If IDOT did their stuff right, there should be sufficient Chargers on hand for protect units on each route. If not...well...that's unfortunate for everyone.

[Saturnalia]

As for the original post: it’s railroading. Sometimes nothing goes wrong. Sometimes only a thing or two goes wrong. Sometimes the rails melt down.

Just one of those days...

[NSSD70ACe]

Amtrak Alerts on Twitter is saying that 351 was delayed today due to rail congestion west of Kalamazoo and “speed restrictions throughout the route”. Looking on TransitDocs, I don’t see any areas other than the PNT-DET segment, but they usually travel pretty slow there anyway and as far as I can tell, 350 was the only train 351 met west of Kalamazoo until they reached Porter, when they stopped for two minutes.

[Manistique]

Amtrak's Wolverines have been using one locomotive for a few years now. They keep a spare one at Pontiac depot that is rotated with the power off of 351 daily. They turn locomotives from all three trains at the Pontiac Yard wye at night at once (I heard a GTW local does this move but someone on a post said Amtrak crews do it).

As to no passenger platform on Main 2 at Troy station, it keeps coming back to bite them again and again. They had one when it was the Birmingham station, didn't they?

Plus there has been a slow order on Main 1 through Bloomfield Hills for a couple months now. Main 2 doesn't and trains can go 60 mph on it but not Amtrak, which has to use Main 1 to make its Troy stop.

Amtrak trains from Chicago have not arrived on time at Pontiac very often since they shortened the running time schedule a year or so ago. They are closer to the old schedule.

[railrod1949]

Amtrak's Wolverines have been using one locomotive for a few years now. They keep a spare one at Pontiac depot that is rotated with the power off of 351 daily. They turn locomotives from all three trains at the Pontiac Yard wye at night at once (I heard a GTW local does this move but someone on a post said Amtrak crews do it).

As to no passenger platform on Main 2 at Troy station, it keeps coming back to bite them again and again. They had one when it was the Birmingham station, didn't they?

Plus there has been a slow order on Main 1 through Bloomfield Hills for a couple months now. Main 2 doesn't and trains can go 60 mph on it but not Amtrak, which has to use Main 1 to make its Troy stop.

Amtrak trains from Chicago have not arrived on time at Pontiac very often since they shortened the running time schedule a year or so ago. They are closer to the old schedule.

There is a midnight Amtrak yard crew that wye all three Amtrak engines at once at the Pontiac Yard wye nightly. Once all three turend Amtrak engines are back at the Pontiac depot, engine on the left is for train 353 from 350, engine in the middle is for 355 from 354 and the one on the right is for 351 from 352.

[coasterrider]

Actually the crew makes 2 trips (if CN yardmaster does nott have a crapload of trains in there). They tie the engine left from 350 and engine 352 together and wye those two together. That way PNT mech can begin the air tests and inspections. The second engine will be used for 353. After the arrival of 354,that engine goes solo to the yard and is wyed as well. The crew will just open the north switch and park it north of the depot to be used on the 355 train the next day (or same day however you look at it). IF they waited and tied all three together,there is a chance they might not get back in time and 351 leaves late.