stranded Acela

[TomNelligan]

I'm surprised that no one seems to have posted anything about the Boston-bound Acela run (train 2230) that got stranded for over five hours yesterday in Queens, leading to (among other unpleasant things) rather challenging sanitary conditions.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/ ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/11/25/ ... uck-train/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I understand how pantograph damage would stop the train and possibly take down catenary as well. But given that this incident apparently happened not far from Sunnyside Yard, why could a yard crew not have pulled the dead Acela set back to Penn Station (or even to the LIRR Hunterpoint Avenue platform if Penn Station was too busy to accommodate it?) within a couple hours at most so that passengers could get off? The unflushable toilet situation sounds like a potentially serious health hazard.

[DutchRailnut]

at same time 3 other trains had catenary damage, two inside NYP so switcher was kind of busy.
as for not having power yup it cuts out all the shit.

[CarterB]

With all the various possibilities of losing power. why isn't there a contingency for manually or otherwise flushing of toilets??????

[DutchRailnut]

there is , open door shit on track.

[CarterB]

Acela bathrooms are capable of a 'track dump'??

[DutchRailnut]

no but doors are, bathrooms are depending on electricity and air, loosing pantograph guarantees both are lost.

[Lincoln78]

Odd, there don't seem to be wires in the photo...

https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/B ... 51762.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[STrRedWolf]

I understand how pantograph damage would stop the train and possibly take down catenary as well. But given that this incident apparently happened not far from Sunnyside Yard, why could a yard crew not have pulled the dead Acela set back to Penn Station (or even to the LIRR Hunterpoint Avenue platform if Penn Station was too busy to accommodate it?) within a couple hours at most so that passengers could get off? The unflushable toilet situation sounds like a potentially serious health hazard.

Aside from the yard switcher being busy, LIRR Hunterpoint Ave is technically inaccessible (the tracks go underneath it). The train (if an engine was found to pull it) would need to be pulled to Woodside.

[BobLI]

Woodside would be a reverse move to LIRR mainline so that move would be impossible. Hunters point is possible if it’s a diesel switcher.

[DutchRailnut]

Odd, there don't seem to be wires in the photo...

https://www.necn.com/news/new-england/B ... 51762.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

sad to say but you trust media ?

[Backshophoss]

The Hellgate line is on the MN's New Haven Line power Grid,will take time for MN's Wire crew to respond,and Amtrak has to clear
the damaged Pan to allow repairs. Not sure if a GP38-3 has enough kw's to power the acela set HEP needs.

Lincolin 78,the used a "stock" photo of MBTA's ROW.

[SouthernRailway]

Amtrak should have a ticketing agreement with airlines, allowing each other's passengers to have their tickets transferred to the other, just like some airlines do with other airlines.

In this case, passengers could have just gone over to LaGuardia and flown.

In other cases, when flights are delayed, passengers could be transferred to Amtrak.

Does this not exist?

[DutchRailnut]

When your stuck on a train how fuck will you get to airport ??

[n2cbo]

no but doors are, bathrooms are depending on electricity and air, loosing pantograph guarantees both are lost.

Has Amtrak never heard of BATTERIES?????

[Tadman]

I realize it was a busy weekend and a Sunday to boot, but this is nuts. Fifteen minutes outside the busiest station on the continent and they couldn't find something to drag it back to the platform or at least a safe place? For six hours? I'd be livid. It's not my nature to blame the carrier, but in this case I'd absolutely hit the roof. There's a reason the government enacted the passenger bill of rights for airliners, sitting for extended time in a tube with no power is unsafe.