CHICAGO — Metra BNSF line trains experienced delays arriving and departing from Union Station on Thursday morning because of Amtrak signal problems, WGN-TV reported.
Delays of 30 to 45 minutes were reported during the morning commute. “Trains must be talked through to proceed safely into the station,” Metra explained on Twitter. “Delays will stack up as trains wait to proceed.”
The signal problems were resolved shortly before 9 a.m., according to WLS-TV, which also quoted Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari as saying Amtrak was investigating the cause of the problem.
The problem, which only affected BNSF trains, was far less extensive that the Feb. 28 signalling “meltdown” which disrupted the evening commute from Union Station. [See “Amtrak CEO says ‘human error’ caused signal problems that snarled traffic at Chicago Union Station,“ Trains News Wire, March 1, 2019.] That incident continues to have repercussions for Amtrak, with U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski and Metra’s board of director voicing criticism of Amtrak’s handling of the problem. [See “Rail subcommittee chairman ‘extremely disappointed’ with Amtrak response to Union Station incident,” Trains News Wire, April 5, 2019.]
Isn’t technology great?! The railroads have no backups for such failures. In the old days heads would have rolled. You will see the same Amtrak drones will continue on with excuses including the BNSF. There seasonal preparation of the passenger equipment for AC and the such is terrible. Old equipment withstanding, they do not rack up the miles Amtrak’s equipment does and they do a fair job of keeping equipment system going.
Isn’t new technology great! Shows how the industry depends too much on it. Had such an incident occurred in the old railroad days, heads would have rolled.
This would never have happened at Memphis Union Station, Houston Union Station and St Louis Union Station. Arriving trains drawn by locomotives on one end backed towards the concourse from the wye, already turned for the runs back to their origins. Push-pull trains, M.U. trains, and dual-ended trains would have been the exception as they directly approach the concourse. Traffic was controlled from a switch tower centred on the wye of each station.
Just another brick in the wall for Amtrak. Another justification for Metra.
Twicde in a month in the same station, Atlas Shrugged.
Amtrak excels at foot-shooting.