Amtrak Train 92 (02JUL) Runs Out of Fuel at ALX

The Silver Star, Amtrak train 92 of July 2nd, powered by a single locomotive (# 2), running approximately 2 hours behind schedule, ran out of diesel fuel while stopped at ALX station on the afternoon of July 2nd. A decision was made for Amtrak train 80 to rescue train 92 by towing it into WAS. After stopping at ALX on track 2, train 80 proceeded north thru SRO interlocking, reversed direction thru the interlocking, crossed over to track 3, and backed down about 1.5 miles to the station at ALX. After coupling train 80's rear coach to train 92's locomotive, connecting the air/MR hoses and HEP cables (made more difficult because they were spotted on the bridge over King Street), and performing a brake test, trains 80/92 departed for WAS with one locomotive pulling 7 cars plus 1 dead locomotive and another 11 cars.

The passengers of train 92 were allowed to get some fresh air while there train was parked at ALX. Many of the passengers destined for WAS opted to leave train 92 at ALX and take Metro into Washington at their own expense.

Total delay to train 92 account this incident at ALX was about one additional hour.

Love it; right over King Street for the world to observe the whole Keystone Kop charade.

Oh well, any fans sitting on 'the Green" to the South of the depot must have enjoyed the show.

One small point, Mr. Deasy. You report the train involved was #92(2), yet you report the incident occurred Saturday July 2. I believe the train in question would have been 92(1). Rescue train of course 80(2).

I guess it was a "think I can" moment for the one P-42 hauling that collection.

I remain astounded that CSX will even accept an Amtrak train powered only by a single locomotive, unless of course it was only operating over
double tracked terriroy, such as the RF&P.

And I thought the CNIC was the only outfit mismanaged to the extent they allow engines to run dry on the main! I'm sure the engr. will take the rap for this fiasco account of failing to record fuel-readings prior to blast-off.

At least the Metro was there for anyone who didn't allow any more than the "expected" Amtrak LD delay of 2 hours.

My error ... train 92 (02) with locomotive number 2 ran out of fuel at ALX on Sunday afternoon July 3rd.

I chatted with train 92's Engineer, who said prior to his departure from RVR, he called Amtrak's CNOC and advised them of the fuel quantity onboard with the opinion that it was insufficient to reach WAS. Allegedly CNOC told him the locomotive was fueled at Tampa and it must have a defective fuel quantity gauge ... proceed to WAS.

Passengers on Metro's King Street station platform got a good show.

Rather than tow a hot/dark train into WAS, the crew made the additional effort to connect the HEP to train 92's equipment. The lone P42 locomotive at the head end must have been near the limit of it's HEP supply capacity.

Anyone care to bet who will get Brownies and how many they'll get?

Sounds to me like the Yardmaster deserves oh, A LOT...

That said, gotta wonder about the hostler and the fueling dock guys...

Ditto the Engineer for not checking his fuel when he came on duty.

John Perkowski

IMHO, it's not the responsibility of the engr. to check fuel readings at any facility where there's "round house" personnel on duty.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: I remain astounded that CSX will even accept an Amtrak train powered only by a single locomotive, unless of course it was only operating over
double tracked terriroy, such as the RF&P.

BNSF was so sick of the Southwest Chief Power crapping out they said they had the run with 3 units. What a trip!!!!!! I feel bad for the enginner.

jhdeasy wrote: I chatted with train 92's Engineer, who said prior to his departure from RVR, he called Amtrak's CNOC and advised them of the fuel quantity onboard with the opinion that it was insufficient to reach WAS. Allegedly CNOC told him the locomotive was fueled at Tampa and it must have a defective fuel quantity gauge ... proceed to WAS.

For crying out loud.

Even if the gauge is defective, why couldn't the hosteling crew just dump some more diesel into the tanks? Or is it a case of, "we did what our boss told us to..."

I realize diesel is expensive these days, and that airlines, railroads, and trucking firms strive to optimize where they purchase fuel, but running out of gas on the mainline is, at best, a public relations problem.

Having read Mr Poshpeny's note (as reported by Mr Damon), the Engineer is in the clear: He executed due diligence in saying "I'm not confident with my fuel level."

There'll be at least 10 passengers on that trip who will never again use Amtrak. That I throw at Mr Gunn and his managers feet, all the way down to the Assistant Trainmaster and the Road Foreman of Engines.

John Perkowski

well, for one thing, they dont fuel locomotives in tampa

its usually miami, jacksonville or florence, or somewhere farther north like richmond

If as the original poster indicates the train was only delayed for an additional hour, making for a grand total of a three hour delay rolling into WAS, that's not a bad showing for the Silver Star. Par for the course, at least. And the passengers got to spend an hour at a station in a great town, rather than "in the hole" in the middle of nowhere waiting for a freight to pass by or a mechanic to show up.

In other words, this incident is no more of a public relations disaster than any other run of the Silver Star.

Seems to me like the person to whom the engineer (on 92) reported
concern for the amount of fuel, decided to "take a chance". Well, the train
almost made it but almost is not good enough.
I do not think the engineer can be held responsible for this one.
According to the material I have the fuel capacity for these particular
engines is 2200 gallons. I doubt if this is enough fuel to run all the way
from Miami to Washington without taking on more fuel enroute.
Probably between Savannah and Richmond on the "S" line it is unlikely
that there are any places where they could have taken fuel without a
major loss of time. I would think that they might have been able to at
Jacksonville or Savannah though.
As for the number of engines on a train is concerned, I doubt if CSX would
direct Amtrak to use more power when one will do the job under normal
conditions. CSX sometimes runs trains with a single unit too.
Noel Weaver

Folks,

Now we are making excuses.

Let me be blunt: Running out of fuel is SIMPLY NOT ACCEPTABLE. This was an AVOIDABLE ERROR. The Operating Department folks, from the Trainmaster, Assistant Trainmaster, and Road Foreman of Engines, to the hostlers and fuelers, BLEW IT.

If you say anything else, you're not looking at the situation with dispassionate eyes. Indeed not: You're being a FOAMER.

BTW, as a self-measurement of your defense of Amtrak: Had the next CSXT train up the line run out of fuel and blocked the Silver Star's forward movement, would you be defending CSXT?

John Perkowski
who is a foamer, but who thinks this performance rivals his XMAS 2001 SWC trip where the car cleaners didn't pump the retention tanks.

orulz wrote:If as the original poster indicates the train was only delayed for an additional hour, making for a grand total of a three hour delay rolling into WAS, that's not a bad showing for the Silver Star. Par for the course, at least. And the passengers got to spend an hour at a station in a great town, rather than "in the hole" in the middle of nowhere waiting for a freight to pass by or a mechanic to show up.

In other words, this incident is no more of a public relations disaster than any other run of the Silver Star.

As much as you state correct things here -- "Par for the course, at least" -- the truth remains that this incident just gives more ammunition to the anti-passenger rail bunch, whether they're at the freight railroads, or in government and the think tanks.

This incident is just another sad reminder of how far American railroading has fallen. One cannot imagine the Standard Railroad of the World, GN, or AT&SF dispatching trains without enough fuel to complete the assigned run.

It also makes one wonder just what the definition of "Amtrak service" is. I made a trip on the Chessie Steam Special back in 1977, IIRC. We were running a bit late, and the folks in the souvenir car talked about being on "Amtrak time."

"What's that?" I said, never having been on an Amtrak train.

"The time you say plus or minus 24 hours."