Commuter Rail Delay Discussion

Glad I took the week off:

Haverhill 204 05:38 AM IB cancelled due to mechanical failure 4/5/2011 next Train from Haverhill will be train 206 and will operate approximately 15 to 25 minutes late. Extra Train will depart Reading at approximately 6:50AM

Lol seems like bad month overall for haverhill. 1001 had a fire in the cab this and had to find its way in on a double draft.

octr202 wrote:Glad I took the week off:

Haverhill 204 05:38 AM IB cancelled due to mechanical failure 4/5/2011 next Train from Haverhill will be train 206 and will operate approximately 15 to 25 minutes late. Extra Train will depart Reading at approximately 6:50AM

I got 2 texts about that while I was getting ready this morning. I got really nervous, but 208 operated on schedule (for once).

Was it electrical panels or something else?

AEM7AC920 wrote:Lol seems like bad month overall for haverhill. 1001 had a fire in the cab this and had to find its way in on a double draft.

Yes it was an electrical fire the loco had to be completely shut down to be brought in, unfortunately the engineer had to inhale the smoke in the process.

octr202 wrote:Glad I took the week off:

Haverhill 204 05:38 AM IB cancelled due to mechanical failure 4/5/2011 next Train from Haverhill will be train 206 and will operate approximately 15 to 25 minutes late. Extra Train will depart Reading at approximately 6:50AM

Another mechanical failure see I doesn't take for another one to go down

Haverhill 231 05:15 PM OB experiencing 20-25 min delays due to disabled train 279 4/11/2011 5:43 PM

Haverhill 231 05:15 PM OB experiencing 15-20 min delays due to Train 279 mechanical failure 4/11/2011 5:29 PM

Haverhill 279 04:49 PM OB cancelled east of West Wyoming St. due to power problem 4/11/2011 5:26 PM

Bad afternoon on the Haverhill line. I was on train 279, and after we stopped at Wyoming Hill the train refused to move, and the lights in the cars had gone out. It seems there was some kind of problem with the engine, which was F40PH number 1000. Any idea how they'll get the train out of the way to clear the line?

Another good night for the Western Route. 279 (the 4:49 Reading local) died at Wyoming, blocking the street and all. 231 (my ride, the 5:15 Haverhill express) is slowly wrong railing it's way toward Reading, making all of 279' stops. Currently about 20 minutes late.

Culprit on 279: 1000.

Whoops, missed your duplicate post...hazards of posting from a phone!

The inbound counterpart to 279 is obviously canceled...supposed to be buses. 233 taking a hit as well. Wonder how long it'll to take to get a yard job up there to retrieve 1000.

Now meandering towards Reading on 231...

I got stuck on the tail end of that. I normally take the 6:55 but managed to catch the 6:20, which left at 6:45. Approaching reading we passed a double draft with 10-- something and 1000 heading inbound.

Train 281 (5:55p Reading) tied on and shoved the dead set to Reading and towed it back in.

Bad night on the Fitchburg Line tonight as well. Signals at the Willows had issues and caused a few trains to operate approx. 1 hour late.

Then a possible person vs. train incident around Porter Square with train #437 causing these alerts.

From mbta.com:

Fitch/SoActon IB 468 expected 45-60 min delay due to prior service interruption 4/11/2011 10:18 PM

Fitch/SoActon 437 08:45 PM OB will operate with about a 75 min delay due to prior service interruption. 4/11/2011 10:16 PM

Fitch/SoActon service restored anticipate further delays. 4/11/2011 9:52 PM

Fitch/SoActon 437 08:45 PM terminated at Porter Sq. Bussing between Boston & Belmont.

sery2831 wrote:Train 281 (5:55p Reading) tied on and shoved the dead set to Reading and towed it back in.

Bad night on the Fitchburg Line tonight as well. Signals at the Willows had issues and caused a few trains to operate approx. 1 hour late.

Then a possible person vs. train incident around Porter Square with train #437 causing these alerts.

From mbta.com:

Fitch/SoActon IB 468 expected 45-60 min delay due to prior service interruption 4/11/2011 10:18 PM

Fitch/SoActon 437 08:45 PM OB will operate with about a 75 min delay due to prior service interruption. 4/11/2011 10:16 PM

Fitch/SoActon service restored anticipate further delays. 4/11/2011 9:52 PM

Fitch/SoActon 437 08:45 PM terminated at Porter Sq. Bussing between Boston & Belmont.

The Boston Globe didn't quite get it right (bolding mine):

Train hits, kills man, 20, at Porter Station
April 12, 2011

A 20-year-old man was struck and killed by a commuter rail train at the Porter Square station in Cambridge last night, Police responded at about 9 p.m. to the station where the man was found on the outbound tracks, Transit Police detective Andrea Purcell said. The train, going from Boston to Framingham, was delayed about two hours, she said.

I've been watching the slow orders grow and grow for five years on the Western Route, but the Eastern generally moved right along. Not so much now. The Rt. 1A overpass work in Ipswich will finish eventually, but this morning my inbound slowed down after Knight's Crossing in Newbury and held less than 40 MPH until we were west of the Parker River bridge. I didn't see any workmen or equipment along the RoW. That used to be 60 MPH once you were clear of the switch at the end of double track.

The geo car found a bad spot of surface out there on the Parker River. A speed restriction of 60 MPH was placed out there for a mile on Monday. It is possible the surfacing crew has gone out there to start the repair. I am guessing the restriction will not be there for long.

Last Friday the 60 mph slow order was reduced to 30 mph and only stretches over the Parker River Bridge now. Looks like when the work train has time they will drop fresh ballast and then the area surfaced by the surfacing gang.