RAILforum: cz service disruption from busted levee?

This is topic cz service disruption from busted levee? in forum Amtrak at RAILforum.

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Posted by FearOfFlying (Member # 2554) on :

All,

What impact, if any, is this outage having on the CZ?

Ref: http://tinyurl.com/3gmyy

Thanks!

REgards,
FoF.

Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :

Should be none. It is no where near the line used by the CZ. If you looked at the other news items on the same subject, they said such things as "near the border between San Jonquin and Contra Costa counties" and "west of Stockton" It might have some effect on the San Jonquin services, but that would also seem unlikely.

Teh above came from a check on Mapquest and hitting on other stories on the site you referenced.

Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :

Saw on the NARP hotline that the San Joaquin trains are being detoured via Sacramento. They're arriving late but they are arriving.

The CZ and Coast Starlights might incur some delays due to the additional traffic on their route westward from Sacramento but that's about it.

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David Pressley

Posted by amtraxmaniac (Member # 2251) on :

San Joaquins being detoured via SAC?! I'm trying to picture this. Does this mean it will cut on to the UP at Stockton past the ACE station and up to SAC via Lodi//then wrap around at SAC and head westbound from SAC. This seems like a significant detour of at least 2 to 3 extra hours, no?

I know the area well where that leavee broke. It's practicully right under the tracks that the San Joaquin runs on, so I knew service would be afftected as soon as I heared the news of the break. The stretch is between Stockton and Antioch I believe: well to the south of the UP line that the CZ runs on.

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Patrick

Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :

It appears that this did result in the tracks being washed out in part. copying in from an article in the Stockton paper:

An opening in the rail berm (fill across the area) bridged by a trestle was supposed to prevent trapped water from pressing on one side of the berm on Jones Tract and causing it to fail, as it did in a similar flood in 1980. (Did't work in this case.) The water . . . scoured soil from berms supporting rails, leaving only air below rails on either side of the trestle.

Amtrak trains that have been rerouted ... from Stockton to Martinez via Sacramento.
The diverted trains won't go to the Antioch station. Antioch passengers will get a bus ride to other stations, said Amtrak spokeswoman Sara Swain, who urged customers needing information to call (800) USA RAIL.
* * * * * * *
In another part of the article it appears that the BNSF freight is going on the former WP across Altomont Pass. Somewhere else I saw that this might last six weeks.
* * * * * * *
My own opinion is that one hour extra time is possible, but optimistic. About 1h15m would appear to be more reasonable.

Questions: Will Amtrak consider advancing the departure time on the north end to maintain the schedule down the valley? Will they make Sacramento a temporary revenue stop? It would seem liek a good idea.