CSX derailment at QN (MARC Brunswick Line / Union Lead)

[mmi16]

Brunswick line's still on the reduced schedule today, but they found a train to run Penn's 428 and 447.

Want to bet that they got a train out from Fredrick or Brunswick via the CSX Old Main line over to St. Dennis, and then down to DC?

MARC crews are not qualified on the OML from Frederick Jct to St. Denis. CSX doesn't have sufficient manpower to provide pilots for such a move.

[MCL1981]

You're telling me someone wouldn't take an overtime run to do that??

[MCL1981]

Back to normal running today. Unfortunately I was fast asleep when we passed through QN so I didn't get a look at any aftermath. The crossing protection for the WMATA yard wasn't working so they had to stop and flag. I can only assume that's a consequence of something that isn't done being fixed yet.

[mmi16]

You're telling me someone wouldn't take an overtime run to do that??

Overtime has nothing to do with it - Hours of Service regulations and staffing levels limit overall manpower availability. CSX has issues getting enough crew to operate their own business, let alone have manpower to provide pilots for an outside party.

[STrRedWolf]

You're telling me someone wouldn't take an overtime run to do that??

Overtime has nothing to do with it - Hours of Service regulations and staffing levels limit overall manpower availability. CSX has issues getting enough crew to operate their own business, let alone have manpower to provide pilots for an outside party.

I can confirm that. If you ever had a hellacious time getting home on the Brunswick line, only to find the next day your train is delayed or canceled due to FRA regulations, this is why.

Granted, this was before Bombardier took over MARC operations on CSX lines.

[MCL1981]

I see. I guess if you've already maxed out the practical regular and OT availability, that doesn't leave much.

Yesterday afternoon was just splendid. A pedestrian was struck by Amtrak's Capital Limited around 4:30. Instant 3 hour delay. Then no sooner do they start moving again, trees fall down across the tracks in nearly the same area. I normally take 877 home (4:55pm). I took Metro instead and hitched a ride with a friend from Shady Grove to Germantown. By time I got home, fed the dog, changed, and was outside on the deck with a beer, 877 was still sitting at Union Station. So glad I decided to make a run for it early.

[jcepler1]

There would have been no reason to run trains from Frederick up and around through the mountains to run some midday trains. There are plenty of MARC trains that spend all day in the yard that they probably used to run those.

Photo from 5/3 at Silver Spring, about 5:30pm. The train had 2 engines and 7 single level cars. Since they were running 3 trains instead of 9, there must have been enough equipment to make a larger train.

[MCL1981]

Wow, that's different. Was that 880/881? 892 and 875 are multilevel sets. That looks like the love child of a 3 and 4 car set out of Brunswick.

[mmi16]

I see. I guess if you've already maxed out the practical regular and OT availability, that doesn't leave much.

Yesterday afternoon was just splendid. A pedestrian was struck by Amtrak's Capital Limited around 4:30. Instant 3 hour delay. Then no sooner do they start moving again, trees fall down across the tracks in nearly the same area. I normally take 877 home (4:55pm). I took Metro instead and hitched a ride with a friend from Shady Grove to Germantown. By time I got home, fed the dog, changed, and was outside on the deck with a beer, 877 was still sitting at Union Station. So glad I decided to make a run for it early.

And each of those crews that were delayed by P029 and the tree were 'on the clock', the Hours of Service clock waits for no one once the crew goes on duty.