posted
You may have heard that there was a minor earthquake here in the San Jose area last night. It also made a few of the news reports that Amtrak (by which I presume they mean the Starlight) was delayed by eight hours. Apparently the northbound Starlight sat around outside of Gilroy for most of the night while they checked the tracks.
I can understand why Amtrak wants to be careful, but does anybody know why it takes so long the check the tracks? It's not that far from Gilroy to San Jose.
FWIW, other rail services (BART and the VTA Light Rail) also shutdown after the quake, but they were back up and running in 30 minutes or so.
Posts: 14 | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Unfortunately, it wasn't just the Coast Starlight that was delayed. All trains on Union Pacific tracks were stopped---and did not move---for several hours. There was a rumor on another railfan website that the UP was "out to get" Amtrak by making them sit and wait. This is absolutely false. I listened to UP Dispatcher 58 for a few hours after the quake, and they were doing a pretty fine job. There were track and bridge inspectors all over the place. They were working their tails off. I also heard them say that #14 (Coast Starlight) was a "high priority" and to get them moving again as soon as possible.
I think the worker-bees that handled everything last night did a great job. But their hands were somewhat tied due to UP company rules regarding earthquakes. It does seem a bit ridiculous, in my opinion, to hold trains for such a long period of time for a moderate earthquake. The earthquake was not small by any means---I live in the East Bay and felt it VERY clearly! Scared the crap out of me, actually. But there's got to be a better way for them to inspect their infrastructure in situations like this.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
In Japan the Bullet Trains have an automatic system for seismic safety. They plant sensors right on top of the earthquake faults. If a big enough quake hits, the sensors send a signal that cuts off the power to the Bullet Train catenary. This power cessation also puts the train into emergency braking. By the time the earthquake waves get to the RR the trains are stopped.
I wonder how long they spend inspecting the rails?
Jack
-------------------- Jack Posts: 13 | From: Anaheim, CA Orange | Registered: Feb 2004
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I was on the northbound Starlight, actually in a private car (Louisa) when the train stopped for a quake. It was around 1988 or so. We waited for 5 hours near San Jose.
-------------------- Matt Visit gallery for photos of our train layouts Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
The 5.4 quake on October 30th was the largest to hit the SF bay area since the "pretty big one" in '89. The epicenter was not far from San Jose, so that area got a good jolt. We had a pretty good ride here in Monterey. It doesn't surprise me that UP took extra care with inspecting the tracks.
Might mention that Monterey airport also closed for a time to inspect the runway that evening.
posted
May 1983 Coalinga (6.7) was my "one and only' in this lifetime. When it hit, I was aboard an aircraft awaiting departure from SFO back to ORD. I thought "oh, oh; someone just hit the plane with a service truck; hope we're not delayed".
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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LOL-also known as Chicago-O'Hare International Airport....for the airline impared.
Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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AS far as delays....try 3 hours from just hitting a drunk who stumbled out on the tracks. WE were on the San Joaquin in Central California with the closest city (Fresno) still 30 miles away.
-------------------- Patrick Posts: 387 | From: Bakersfield, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Jack_S: In Japan the Bullet Trains have an automatic system for seismic safety. They plant sensors right on top of the earthquake faults. If a big enough quake hits, the sensors send a signal that cuts off the power to the Bullet Train catenary. This power cessation also puts the train into emergency braking. By the time the earthquake waves get to the RR the trains are stopped.
I wonder how long they spend inspecting the rails?
Jack
"By the time the earthquake waves get to the RR the trains are stopped." Not always true. Depends on how close. In October 2006 a Shinkansen train was derailed by an earthquake. Speed of train: about 200 km/h = 125 mph. Location: about 8 km = 5 miles from the epicenter. 206 km =128 miles from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen line to Nigata. Train slid to a stop on the concrete slabs supporting the track over a distance of about 1.6 km = 1.0 miles, ending up more or less upright. (Another report says 2 km = 1.25 miles) No reported injuries. "Miyamoto, an expert on vehicle engineering, said the derailed cars did not flip over becuase their wheels on the left side became hooked on the right-side rails, and becuase the cars' bodies came to rest on top of the 50-meter-tall slab supporing the rails of the Takyo-bound tracks." (I think the 50 meter number is suppossed to be 50 cm = 19 inch thick for the slab supporting the rails.)
There is also no comparison in the time required for inspection, as the manpower available for Shinkansen track maintenance is best described as overwhelming. They do a 100% inspection of 100% of revenue trackage every night. Therefore they have very large forces available for track maintenance and inspection. I have heard numbers equivalent to about 1 person per kilometer. Provision of a maintenance force that large here would bankrupt every railroad in the US very quickly.
When things like earthquakes or other disasters happen they have a habit of not being like the disasters for which plans have been made. Therefore, a certain amount of confusion always follows.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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George -- after all these years that you have been a Rail Forum member, I HAVE to ask you, since my curiosity is overwhelming -- you are obviously a structural engineer, right? Do you specifically work with railroads and trains? And are you employed by a railroad? (you don't have to say which one)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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I am a Civil Engineer. Mostly in design and construction of track. Mostly transit systems with some railroad work. Over 30 years total. I worked about a year for a railroad company just out of college, then uncle called. When he got through with me, I went to DC and worked on the WMATA system, first construction, then design. I have spent most of the last 17 years in Aisa, 14 in Taiwan, 2 in Hong Kong, and a few months in Singapore. My last there was 8.5 years on the Taiwan High Speed Railway, where we have Japanese equipment and track that is mostly Japanese and German in concept. Therefore it was necessary to learn a lot about how the Japanese did things. When you live and work in a country where earthquakes are so common they are monitored by the weather bureau, the issue of trains on track on structures in earthquakes is given much thought. Just for fun, go to www.cwb.gov.tw find the button that says English and then click on earthquakes and hunt around. I am currently in California involved in certain parts of the California High Speed Rail.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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