More Monday morning rail news:
— While Strasburg Rail Road passenger operations have been suspended because of the COVID-19 virus, the short line’s freight traffic is up 169% in March, Lancaster Online reports. The 4.5-mile railroad has handled 43 incoming freight cars this month, 27 more than the same month a year ago, with another 28 cars en route. “Railcars loaded with commodities such as wheat, oats, soybeans, corn and more are keeping local mills and other facilities in operation so consumer products like bread, Pop Tarts, dog food and even kitty litter can be adequately stocked on local grocery store shelves,” Steve Barrall, vice president of guest experience, told the news site. A $2.47 million project to expand Strasburg’s freight yard, funded in part by a $1.7 million state grant, has been put on hold because of the virus outbreak.
— A Union Pacific train was derailed by a tornado during a series of storms Saturday night. The Associated Press reports tornadoes were spotted in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Union Pacific spokeswoman Amanda Treiber told the AP that about 112 cars derailed in an incident near Brookland, Ark., releasing an undisclosed flammable liquid. There were no injuries, and rail service was restored about 9 a.m. Sunday
— Rhode Island is no longer singling out travelers from New York as part of its efforts to contain the coronavirus. After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatened to sue over efforts that included checking passengers at Amtrak stations and police traffic stops of cars with New York license plates, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo expanded the order to require all travelers from out of state to self-quarantine for 14 days after entering the state. Checkpoints have been established on Interstate 95 and two other highways, and National Guard members are at train stations, airports, and bus terminals collecting information from travelers, MassLive.com reports
Thanks Mr. Meyer for unraveling the problem with transitdocs and trains 7/8.
BTW: Amtrak’s tracking map appears to have the same problem. https://www.amtrak.com/track-your-train.html
Richard Schreiner: The Empire Builder is indeed running. Check it out:
http://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/getmap.pl?mapname=West
I believe you are referencing the map at: https://asm.transitdocs.com/map
The general consensus about the transitdocs map is that the stations for trains 7 and 8 at this site no longer correspond to include the current stations served by the Empire Builder and the data therefore being received from Amtrak. That is, now the Empire Builder – being only one of two Amtrak trains between Chicago and Milwaukee – has begun stopping at Sturtevant and the Milwaukee Airport. And, it’s evidently put the transit.docs reporting for these trains into “tilt.”
Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t know of any online customers Strasburg has, with sidings, so does all the incoming freight transload to trucks, thus the need for the yard expansion?
Strasburg . . . isn’t it ironic that this proves the need for the new freight yard, but at the very moment traffic increases to prove the need, the construction is put on hold?
Over the past week, it appears that the only part of the Empire Builder running daily is the Spokane – Portland section. About two days ago, a #8 ran the entire route, but otherwise the service appears to be shutdown.
I can’t find any useful information at Amtrak.com, Trainsmag.com, etc.
Is this a COVID related move, or an unrelated operational problem?
Thanks Paul – appreciate the info.
@Emory, from pictures on the internet about the derailment, it was a double stack train that was blown over
On the UP article – 112 cars derailed Saturday evening and service restored Sunday 9:AM? Maybe it was X number of cars in a 112 car train – or does Uncle Pete run them that short nowadays?
Way back in the early days of the Strasburg RR there was a feed mill at the end of the line that it serviced. Now all freight is transloaded into trucks.