Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up Thread 2023

Daily whereabouts of train locations along with sightings for heads ups to other railfans.
Buster Manning
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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Buster Manning »

nope, wasn't on it last night.....now today is another story...

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

“Redhead” P42 108 led sister 107 on Lake Shore Limited 49 (24) which arrived this morning into Chicago. If it stays with the consist and leads 48 (25) tonight it’ll be the second round trip on this route for 2023 so far.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

Amtrak 6 departed Denver at 9:35PM MT, 2 hours and 25 minutes late with CDTX EMD F59PHi No. 2007 (Amtrak California) third out. It's online and working as well.

Found a post on Trainorders explaining what they're doing with it. Excerpt from the thread by username M-636:

"the 2007 is in transit to scenic Pontiac Michigan! The 2007 is be used by the National Loss of Shunt Committee to test a "Shunt Enhancing Device", which if sucessful, will remove the minimum axle count restrictions currently imposed by some host railroads. The minimum axle count requirement is causing equipment shortages due to trains being required to carry extra cars to meet the minimum axles counts imposed, which impacts daily services and scheduled maintenance (Amtrak Chicago need not apply!). The 2007 will be spreading California Sunshine in Michigan for most of February."

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Standard Railfan
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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Standard Railfan »

LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:03 am
The 2007 is be used by the National Loss of Shunt Committee to test a "Shunt Enhancing Device", …
I had to look at today’s date after reading this. I thought it was April 1st already. :lol:

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

Here’s a link to a recent photo of CDTX 2007. The “Amtrak California” lettering will give the people something to talk about for the next many weeks!

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=5815966

Side note, Trains just had an article about the crossing circuit shunt requirements. So many empty, otherwise revenue generating Amtrak cars kicking around just to get the right axle count, whike the railroad struggles to have enough cars on consists for tickets sold. CN is the shunt axle count winner.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

Standard Railfan wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:26 am
LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:03 am
The 2007 is be used by the National Loss of Shunt Committee to test a "Shunt Enhancing Device", …
I had to look at today’s date after reading this. I thought it was April 1st already. :lol:
Lolz

Ironic that they are so concerned with the extra car they run on some Michigan trains when they have multiple extra super liners running on chicago area trains.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Dan Cluley »

I'm guessing it is easier to conduct testing in Michigan where Amtrak owns or controls the tracks.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by LansingRailFan »

EB 350 died at Porter on the single track just prior to the siding. WB 351 and WB 365 are waiting.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by GP30M4216 »

Dan Cluley wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 7:51 pm
I'm guessing it is easier to conduct testing in Michigan where Amtrak owns or controls the tracks.
CN seems to be the instigator of the stricter axle count rules. Perhaps running this test equipment on the Michigan Line will allow not only testing on the Amtrak owned portion of the route, but for a demonstration on CN’s own rails on the Pontiac-West Detroit segment. Guess we’ll see!

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

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LansingRailFan wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:57 am
EB 350 died at Porter on the single track just prior to the siding. WB 351 and WB 365 are waiting.
Still not here. Listed as 5.5 hours late and counting. No 355 because of it not arriving at Pontiac to use yet.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Manistique »

Not sure if any Amtrak trains arrived last night in Pontiac. I may have heard one pass MP 22.5 on the Holly at 4 am but it sounded like a freight engine on a short train (maybe a P42?). Train 351 has not left Pontiac yet this morning but is not canceled. Neither is 353.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Manistique »

Amtrak 351 is on the move this morning, running about 40 minutes late out of Pontiac and giving me a toot as it passed to say all is well this morning.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Manistique »

Train 353 left Pontiac on time and it did have a Genesis P42 locomotive like I thought I heard last night. They must have a slow order out back at MP 22.5 on the Holly as they all seem to be running around half their usual speed going by lately. Not so with freight trains from what I can tell.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by phantosea »

Manistique wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:02 am
Train 353 left Pontiac on time and it did have a Genesis P42 locomotive like I thought I heard last night.
You're correct - 2 P42s and the CDTX 2007 F59 came on 354 last night. They were running 3.5 hours late.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Manistique »

phantosea wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:12 am
Manistique wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:02 am
Train 353 left Pontiac on time and it did have a Genesis P42 locomotive like I thought I heard last night.
You're correct - 2 P42s and the CDTX 2007 F59 came on 354 last night. They were running 3.5 hours late.
I bet the 2007 was on 351 this morning and Buster Manning was trying to get my attention to see it. I was up but on the wrong side of the house to see it.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Buster Manning »

nope....just tootin' to say "Howdy"....

you are correct....there is a slow order behind your house....it doesn't effect the freights too much account of the permanent 45 mph speed restriction just to the north of you and the temporary 40 mph about a mile and a half to the south of you....we could get up to track speed between the two, but not now...

one P42 and the 2007 were dropped off in CN's Pontiac yard this morning to do the shunt testing....CN built a shunt testing area using the old South yard lead that had been stub-ended when CN pulled up the old Horn track and tracks 2-10 of the pick-up yard....sharp minded members will remember that a P42 had been brought up to PNT to do some shunt testing a while back.....evidently CN has taken the lead to try and solve the issue (one could snarkily claim that they are the reason for the shunting issues with Amtrak equipment)....although one CN employee insists that this is a problem on all the railroads that Amtrak runs on----we just don't hear about it as much account of our proximity to CN and not the other railroads

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by CR900945 »

If memory serves me right, this recent shunting issue did start with CN. A number of years ago a train running on CN struck a motor vehicle in Charlotte after the crossing protection failed to operate correctly. Since then it has been a touchy subject with CN. However, CSX seems to be operating shorter Amtrak trains out of Grand Rapids without a similar concern. Perhaps a contributor with a working knowledge of overlay circuits can weigh in on this topic. Most of my railroad experience was at a time when insulated joints and dedicated circuits controlled crossing and block signal functions. Electronics (with overlay circuits) play a larger role today.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by ConrailDetr​oit »

353 is at Milwaukee Jct with 58 and a mix of Horizon, Venture, Amfleeet.

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

Unread post by Robertrains »

Buster Manning wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:26 pm
nope....just tootin' to say "Howdy"....

you are correct....there is a slow order behind your house....it doesn't effect the freights too much account of the permanent 45 mph speed restriction just to the north of you and the temporary 40 mph about a mile and a half to the south of you....we could get up to track speed between the two, but not now...

one P42 and the 2007 were dropped off in CN's Pontiac yard this morning to do the shunt testing....CN built a shunt testing area using the old South yard lead that had been stub-ended when CN pulled up the old Horn track and tracks 2-10 of the pick-up yard....sharp minded members will remember that a P42 had been brought up to PNT to do some shunt testing a while back.....evidently CN has taken the lead to try and solve the issue (one could snarkily claim that they are the reason for the shunting issues with Amtrak equipment)....although one CN employee insists that this is a problem on all the railroads that Amtrak runs on----we just don't hear about it as much account of our proximity to CN and not the other railroads
OK, when they do "Shunt Testing" does that mean that Amtrak California® F59PHI #2007 will run on some trains? Specifically will train 350/355 have this engine? Or will it just be testing in Pontiac? :?: :!: :!: :?: I will be at Royal Oak tomorrow afternoon and it would be cool to see this!!!! :shock:
LansingRailFan wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:03 am
Found a post on Trainorders explaining what they're doing with it. Excerpt from the thread by username M-636:
"the 2007 is in transit to scenic Pontiac Michigan! The 2007 is be used by the National Loss of Shunt Committee to test a "Shunt Enhancing Device", which if sucessful, will remove the minimum axle count restrictions currently imposed by some host railroads. The minimum axle count requirement is causing equipment shortages due to trains being required to carry extra cars to meet the minimum axles counts imposed, which impacts daily services and scheduled maintenance (Amtrak Chicago need not apply!). The 2007 will be spreading California Sunshine in Michigan for most of February."
Robert Jackson (Extreme Railfan/Bluewater and Michigan Transit Museum member)

http://cooltrains.rrpicturearchives.net/

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Re: Amtrak Train Location Update/Heads Up thread 2023

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