BNSF DERAILMENT NEAR GRANTS, NEW MEXICO: JUNE 9

(1)I was a passenger on AMTRAK #4 when the train was annulled at
Gallup, NM on Friday AM, June 9, due to a freight derailment between
Gallup and Albuquerque (probably near Grants, NM) that AM.

(2)Any details? When did BNSF reopen the line?

(3)Also, I saw two PV's parked at Winslow, Arizona:

(a)"AMERICA" (former NYC 4 business car), in real NYC paint; and
(b)"LOUIS SOCKALEXIS" (former PRR blunt-end observation
car, in nice Tuscan red paint with real PRR-style lettering).

(4)Any info. on:

(a)Who owns these cars?
(b)Are they AMTRAK-qualified?
(c)Do they run behind AMTRAK trains?
(d)What are they doing parked at Winslow, AZ?

Worked the Gallup sub last summer and watch it frequently. Looked like the Transcon was closed about 30 hours. At least that is the time from last crew called until they started calling crews again.

Also saw some private coaches parked in front of the LaPasada in Winslow last summer. We were pulling in about midnight and there were people on the back decks drinking wine and watching trains go by. Of course, that is about all there is to do in Winslow. The coaches belonged to a private tour company and the hogger said that Amtrak pulls them, spots them and then blue flags them until the next morning. Nice looking coaches to. Too bad I'll never travel by train like that!

We had a head on outside of Fresno CA. Last week. Both crews survived to my knowledge but a couple of the guys were in critical condition. There were pics and an article on the BLE and UTU websites. My friend who is an engineer out of Richmond had been in that siding just four hours earlier. I havent heard any official cause of yet.