Amtrak Southwest Chief Discussion

[Backshophoss]

If there was a 3rd unit would be a dead in tow unit for METRA (F59phi),ABQ extra crew would have come north,
DS 18 may have sent a a warrant with the order to "remain where you are standing" until relief power arrived.

[WhartonAndNorthern]

If there was a 3rd unit would be a dead in tow unit for METRA (F59phi),ABQ extra crew would have come north,

I saw the consist come through the Santa Fe Junction camera early this morning. it was a BNSF leading and two P42s trailing. The rear P42 was the Phase IV heritage unit.

[Backshophoss]

The unit setoff at Raton may havehad 1 of the following
1. Crankcase overpressure,only mech Dept allowed to reset that button. unit was drained as well.
2. Bearing failure,traction motor or Wheel.
3. Traction motor turned into "birdnest" (winding failure)

[mtuandrew]

From General Discussion: Passenger Rail, where it’s been pointed out that RailRunner will have 0% of its PTC operational by 1/2021:

What about the 800 pound bear on the track ? How is the SW Chief going to transit that section ? No PTC no Chief. Bus between the two end points ?

[dgvrengineer]

I don't think PTC is required unless there are certain types of hazmat or more than 12 passenger trains daily. If Railrunner starts back up, they may have to cut back on train starts until PTC is installed.

[RRspatch]

I don't think PTC is required unless there are certain types of hazmat or more than 12 passenger trains daily. If Railrunner starts back up, they may have to cut back on train starts until PTC is installed.

I agree. I'm pretty sure that if Amtrak is the only train running on the line then the lack of PTC won't be a problem. I believe if there are six or fewer passenger trains a day then PTC is not required (see service north of Springfield, MA). I don't see the Rail Runner returning until PTC is installed between CP Madrid and Belen Jct.

As far as hazmats are concerned I don't remember seeing any on the Beleen to Albuquerque BNSF switch moves I sent out of Belen every night.

[urr304]

I do not think I can go back through 53 pages of discussions, but just how many miles of route that the Southwest Chief is only train?

I rode the Southwest Ltd as it was called then in 1978 with a consist not much different than it was the combined El Capitan/Super Chief. Raton Pass was impressive.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. URR, going to my most handy Guide, Mar 69, La Junta is 990 miles from Chicago Dearborn, Albuquerque is 1336. Therefore La Junta-Albuquerque is 346 miles.

'Fraid there is no going to the Amtrak site, as they have withdrawn all facsimiles of printed timetables - and not sure if those even exist anymore.

[J.D. Lang]

I go to this site if I want to actually see Amtrak schedules. They have archived them.

https://juckins.net/amtrak_timetables/archive/home.php

[NY&LB]

AMTRAK's last printed TT shows La Junta at 993 from CUS and Albuquerque at 1341
subsequent subtraction yields a result of 348

My 1953 ATSF system TT shows La Junta at 991.7 from Dearborn and Albuquerque at 1338.1
subsequent subtraction yields a result of 346.4

[Jeff Smith]

https://history.amtrak.com/archives/i-c ... ement-1972

Some "Chief History"

[Backshophoss]

The ATS is still online to La Junta,The NMRX core has active I-ETMS PTC Santa Fe -Belen,the only unknown if NMRX/BNSF/Amtk Back office Network is online.
YES, The Chief still lives on!!

[rohr turbo]

Isn't this the 'printed-style' SW Chief timetable you were looking for:
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... 030820.pdf

[urr304]

I do understand that Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico put in money over the years for this route, if I read correctly BNSF threw in some money, but it still is a very expensive operation for one train each way for a rail route that is equivalent distance to crossing Pennsylvania. I know it is very scenic but that is a lot of money for one train. Does BNSF have any use for Albuquerque to Trinidad to go to Denver?

I'm sorry but I have been out of the loop for awhile especially anything west of Chicago.

[RRspatch]

I do understand that Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico put in money over the years for this route, if I read correctly BNSF threw in some money, but it still is a very expensive operation for one train each way for a rail route that is equivalent distance to crossing Pennsylvania. I know it is very scenic but that is a lot of money for one train. Does BNSF have any use for Albuquerque to Trinidad to go to Denver?

I'm sorry but I have been out of the loop for awhile especially anything west of Chicago.

No, there is no freight traffic between Lamy and Trinidad. There is/was a BNSF local (Y-ABQABQ3-XX) that worked east out of Albuquerque several times a week back in the days when I worked 3rd Raton desk. This local serviced local industries between Albuquerque and Bernalillo where it would use the siding to run around the cars. Supposedly this crew was qualified all the way to Lamy for interchange with the Santa Fe Southern. However freight on the SFS dried up and I don't think the Albuquerque local went past Bernalillo in the last three years prior to my retirement in June 2017. There is an asphalt plant in Rosario just east of I-25 that had rail service back then but the most recent Google satellite view shows no cars at the plant.

As far as BNSF chipping money in for the upkeep of the Raton line I believe this was done to keep Amtrak off of the southern trans-con. Getting BNSF freight trains through terminals at Amarillo, Clovis and Belen can be a PITA on a good day and a complete cluster**** on a bad day.