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Maybe Amtrak should not continue the Sunset east of New 0rleans, maybe a new seperate train east of New Orleans. The bad boy of Amtrak fleet has been ontime or early at least 95% of the time since Rita. That includes east bound trains. I wonder why?
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by gp35: Maybe Amtrak should not continue the Sunset east of New 0rleans, maybe a new seperate train east of New Orleans. The bad boy of Amtrak fleet has been ontime or early at least 95% of the time since Rita. That includes east bound trains. I wonder why?
New schedule (with extra padding) that went into effect west of New Orleans this past spring. The 'Sunset' is operating in a better time slot for Union Pacific to handle it.
Meanwhile, CSX (east of New Orleans) is still having problems moving trains. I don't think any trains ever emerge from the Petersburg, VA - Rocky Mount, NC black hole on time.
SunsetLtd Member # 3985
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They should have a seperate train to ORL. Because when they open the Gulf Coast route again it will be FILLED with slow orders and track repairs. Also it isn't encountering any freight traffic on the line from BMT to NOL because they are being rerouted through some place in Mississippi. But it is nice to see the Sunset run early almost every day!
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I wonder if Amtrak is considering re-routing sunset to la. newest biggest city Baton Rouge?
SunsetLtd Member # 3985
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Hope they do! They have more than enough padding in the schedule.
travelplus Member # 3679
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So do I
gp35 Member # 3971
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I would hate to see Lake Charles and Lafayette lose service. Maybe if Sunset goes daily, keep the Sun,Tue,Fri eastbound Mon,Wed,Fri westbound through Lake Charles/Lafayette. Add Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat eastbound Sun,Tues,Thurs,Sat westbound through Baton Rouge.
SunsetLtd Member # 3985
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Yeah that's a good idea!
chrisg Member # 2488
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The UP has started directional running betwwen Houston and Beaumont so the westbound Sunset uses the old route and the eastbound takes the old Missorri Pacific route like I did on my last trip. Click below to see a photo journal of that route.
quote:Originally posted by chrisg: The UP has started directional running betwwen Houston and Beaumont so the westbound Sunset uses the old route and the eastbound takes the old Missorri Pacific route like I did on my last trip. Click below to see a photo journal of that route.
Great trip report. 2 corrections. 1. Amelia Texas and Elizabeth Texas no longer exist. Beaumont gobbled those town up years ago. You can't tell because of the woods, a seven lane busy street is about 50 yards away. 2. The picture "The BNSF and KCS railroad crossings in Beaumont." The further track is BNSF line going to the Goodyear refinery. The closes crossing track, if you make a 90 degree turn to the left(south) is the U.P. line going to Port Arthur. If you make a 90 degree turn to the right, that line goes to BNSF yard then north to Silsbee.
gp35 Member # 3971
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When did UP start directional running? Yesterday I saw a rare east bound freight on the West bound line(Lafayette sub)
chrisg Member # 2488
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They did it once the Sunset started running east of San Antonio.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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I'd be interested in seeing a map link to this new directional route on the former MP, so I can update my "railroad log" maps.
--Rich K
George Harris Member # 2077
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Will the back-up move described in ChrisG's trip report be a standard part of this directional running?
You can follow the direction ChrisG took on this map - but it does beg the question: why the back-up move? From Google Earth and this map, it looks like they could have gone Twr 26 - Twr 68 - Twr 87 - CP238 - CP79. I guess there are any number of operational reasons why not.
Note that this map shows the primary directions towards Beaumont the OPPOSITE of what ChrisG says, so perhaps it changed recently or the map is simply wrong. But either way it would suggest that some limited directional running has been in place for several years.
Geoff M.
chrisg Member # 2488
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The eastbound routing was told to me by a UP Tower Man who told me after the trip via E mail.
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