OMAHA, Neb. — The weather-related service disruptions just keep mounting for Union Pacific.
Already hit hard this summer by fire-related closures, the railroad on Saturday informed customers of a series of washouts caused by torrential rains in Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas.
“Our engineering teams are actively working to restore service to areas which are accessible,” the railroad said in an advisory message. “In some locations we are still waiting for the water to recede. Customers with traffic moving through the areas can expect delays from 24-72 hours.”
Amtrak’s Sunset Limited has also been disrupted, with the Monday, Aug. 16, departure from New Orleans cancelled, along with earlier departures that would have passed through the affected area.
KSAZ-TV reports one of the washouts occurred in Gila Bend, Ariz., hit Friday night and Saturday morning by up to 3.9 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. At least two people were killed in the resulting flooding. A UP spokeswoman confirmed the railroad’s tracks in Gila Bend had been closed by a washout about 7:40 a.m. on Saturday, and the railroad hoped to restore the line “within a day or two” barring additional rain and/or flooding.
Another washout was near El Paso, which also experienced flooding that killed at least two people. The Associated Press quoted a National Weather Service meteorologist as saying the area had experienced “unprecedented” rainfall — up to 6 inches in two days in an area that usually receives annual rainfall of 8.5 inches.
In addition to disruptions caused by California wildfires on its I-5 corridor and Feather River Canyon routes, an earlier washout also led to derailment that closed UP’s Los Angeles-Salt Lake City line earlier this summer [see “Flooding triggers derailment …,” Trains News Wire, July 17, 2021].
Sadly the alternate via Phoenix and Buckeye (former route of the Sunset) was not utilized.
The Rio Grande is at high levels due to the rain. I bet the illegals count start dropping and stories of drownings take over.
Mr. Pletcher: Because Amtrak cannot deal with alterations to the script, at least when it comes to the LDs. That takes too much creativity and effort for it to be worth it to them. Especially with a tri-weekly they know if the trip is canceled they can be pretty sure the riders will not try to re-book but will instead seek other modes to get them to their destination. And hopefully, those riders will be happy enough with the alternative that they never come back. And the downward spiral continues until there is nothing left but the sacred NEC. Or so Flynn and Gardner hope.
Why doesn’t Amtrak run the Sunset between New Orleans and San Antonio?
Do they have washers they can put on the locomotives to wash the locusts off the rails as they may be the next thing to disrupt the trains? Fire, Flood, and Pests.
What’s the old saying about fire and flood. UP can’t seem to catch a brake. Burned up in CA and drowned in AR and TX.
Very true! flooding in AZ and TX and hopefully no more burning in CA.