by JimBoylan
Today's Northbound Silver Service trains from Florida seem to be starting in Jacksonville, although a Northbound Auto Trains seems to be scheduled. No Auto Trains departed on Mar. 27.
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Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 5:47 am Now one must wonder for its (timetable) Northbound Lakeland to Sanford run, did they get CSX power to handle the train backwards or did they wye the train at Lakeland and head North forward?They used their own engines for the detour and they didn't wye the train so much as they just took a left from the Wildowwod Sub to the Lakeland Sub.
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 5:47 am I think "life would have been simpler" had not Coleman-Auburndale been yanked. Life would have been further simplified had they hired CSX power and operated the train backwards to Sanford.Why do they need to wye the equipment? The entire premise of setting up the Auto traIn consist is to eliminate the need to wye it. You merely run around it. Even the Auto Carriers allow for through movement so they don't need pointing.
There have been reports at other sites that 53(26) operated forward Lakeland to Sanford. If that be the case, how will they wye the equipment? This is necessary because the entire operation is based on cars with "A-end" facing Northward and with the auto carriers placed so that vehicles are loaded facing North at LOR and South at SFA; unloaded v.v.
Very succinctly, think of AT as a "shuttle".
EKG was a "genius"; and Amtrak acquired all his institutional expertise - for One Dollar.
Thoughts; especially from those around here "who do this stuff for a living".
ThirdRail7 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 12:24 pm Even if this an issue, there IS a wye attached to SFD. It probably holds 12 cars and an engine on the shortest leg, which stub ends. If want the consist changed, you can even flat switch them if you want since there is plenty of room.I know there is a wye there but that shortest leg looks a bit impassable at least on Google Earth.
phillyrube wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2020 10:48 am Cant have been much, nothing in local news last night.It didn't bleed so it didn't lead.
rhallock wrote: ↑Fri Mar 27, 2020 2:55 pm I just spoke with my sister who was on the train. They arrived in Lorton safely and Amtrak is providing a rental car with a $100 credit card. She only found out that her car was among the missing when her name was not called to pick it up. Regarding the cancelled trains, There is an alternate route via Wildwood and Ocala that Amtrak used to use. I rode it myself once. Is there any good reason why this is not being used now? The Silver Star (#92) was in Tampa yesterday afternoon. How hard would it have been to go north that way instead of making everyone go back home?The S line is not a current Amtrak route, therefore, Amtrak has no qualified personnel. CSX operating under PSR edicts likely doesn't have sufficient personnel to provide pilots for the unqualified Amtrak crews.
bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:34 amHe was probably a good politician and lawyer, which inspired confidence and helped him raise money, have access to carriers, etc... But you need a nuts and bolts operating guy(s) to make a railroad work, and that he was not. Politicians are like professors, they don't have much connection to reality when it comes to actually getting wheels to turn on time.Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 5:47 am EKG was a "genius"; and Amtrak acquired all his institutional expertise - for One Dollar.I don't know about that. My understanding is that he basically stole the idea from the DOT and he was not a good CEO. The expansion and the wrecks of course did it in.
I personally did believe in the concept and lost a lot of money that I invested. I was in mourning when I saw pics of those unique cars being cut up for scrap. I will add that I was lucky enough to ride the original and it was a wonderful experience. Those full length dome cars were very special.
So hats off to Mr. Garfield for at least pulling it off. He wasn't a "genius" or good businessman but he did create something special especially with his selection of cool rolling stock.
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:44 pm Well Mr. Third Rail, I'm sure glad you stepped forward with your contemporary industry expertise. Thank you for your agreement that the AT is a "shuttle" and that it was necessary to somehow, someway wye the set comprising 53(26).I've seen worse. You do what you need to do. Additionally, I think the angle of the picture is affecting the picture. That being said:
But if you are a YM at SSY, as your comments around here suggest, I'm not so sure how happy you'd be over directing the movement of equipment over the trackage Mr. Trainguy located. When driving into town on SR-46, I've seen that trackage first hand.
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:44 pmExactly. If you need to do it piece by piece, you do it piece by piece. Your skills still serve you well, Mr. Norman.
But I guess it could be done if they broke the set into "workable" sized parts and minimized blocking US-17/SR-46 (French Ave.).
But then, as Mr. Railnut has reminded this Forum on occasion, I was just "a Non-Agreement office boy", so what do I know?
Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sat Mar 28, 2020 3:44 pm Finally , you note that the (outside contractor) Valets might have had to back the autos out of the racks when they were spotted at SFA (SFD, as I recall, was the Station Code for the former ACL station). Guarantee you I'd be less than happy if MY auto was handled in such a manner.It isn't optimal but consider the options: You arrive almost 12 hours late and
ThirdRail7 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:21 pm That being said, they may try your move today if it comes down to it. They made need to pull the Auto Pain to LKL again. They'll have an engine on each end and cut off.OK Mr. Third Rail, apparently CSX has not decided the trackage is not yet cleared for service. or at least for the AT. Therefore, the detour over the Wildwood and Lakeland Subs will continue.