Today's Lawrence KS newspaper has article about a 80 x 100' sinkhole just 75 feet south of the BN tracks near Hutchinson, KS. Amtrak trains are being slowed to a crawl as they go by, being escorted by a track inspector on foot. http://www.ljworld.com/section/stateregional/story/192388
[This message has been edited by transient (edited 01-19-2005).]
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
Sounds serious. So now even the Chief has been hit by the weather. I hope they can continue to run (well walk) through there instead of closing the line.
Posted by RRCHINA (Member # 1514) on :
The landscape at this location is almost flat and therefore this sinkhole was probably the result of underground mining for SALT. There has been salt extraction from beneath the surface here for 100 =/- years and if weather was a factor it was likely only as a cause for a shallow mine cave-in.
Perhaps later news will correct me, but this is my first thought about this incident.
Posted by travelplus (Member # 3679) on :
Hope this won't affect my trip from LA-LMY on Feb 7th.
Posted by canoe86 (Member # 3099) on :
This is NOT good news for me. I will be taking that train on Sunday so please if anyone hears more on this, please post it!
Posted by transient (Member # 3682) on :
This update says that the sinkhole has expanded by 14 ft. in the last week. There will be an attempt in the next few days to slope the banks and to build a retaining wall to protect the tracks. http://www.kake.com/news/headlines/1360231.html
SW Chief passengers will be going by this area at night which might be a bit unnerving to some. But then, I get a few anxious thoughts crossing the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers as well! Part of the adventure of train travel!
Posted by canoe86 (Member # 3099) on :
Thanks for the update! We rode The City of New Orleans 4 days before it derailed this spring. I started thinking about what would happen if it would have been at night. Since then, I pack a flashlight, just in case. Of course, I never really thought about those river crossings....until now. (gulp) lol
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
Good idea, Canoe86. I started carrying a flashlight and extra batteries a few years ago, just in case anything did happen and we lost power.
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
Having a flashlight is a very good idea. I always have one chained to my belt (or belt loop) when I'm on a train.
And I was encouraged when I saw my sleeping car attendant on the Coast Starlight also had a flashlight on his belt.
Although Superliner II's are supposed to have "crash" lights. I don't want to count on them, and plus you never know if you'll be in a Superliner II or I (the I's do not have safety lights).
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
If you are worried about the river crossings in a passenger train, you have a serious lack of real things to worry about.
A loaded coal train weighs up to 36 tons per axle and a passenger coach about 15 to maybe 20 for a Superliner. The passenger diesels are also lighter than the freight version.
Things like the Sunset Limited into the Bayou due to the bridge being hit by a barge are so rare as to not be worth worrying about for the simple reason that there is no reason to waste time worrying about things that are completely beyond your control.
George
[This message has been edited by George Harris (edited 02-10-2005).]
Posted by jimdim8151 (Member # 3592) on :
Anyone know of any updates on the sinkhole situation and the SWC?
I'm scheduled to take the SWC in two weeks.
Thanks,
Jim D.
Posted by transient (Member # 3682) on :
Judging from the lack of media attention in recent days and the mostly on-time arrivals of the Chief, I would guess that the sinkhole situation has been stabilized.
Have a good trip!
Posted by travelplus (Member # 3679) on :
You are more likely to get killed in a car than on board a train. Think about it the Metrolink Crash only killed 10 I've heard of more people dying in a 10 car pileup. Train travel is very safe so this is why I take the train. Think about driving on Highway 5 in low visibility that's what happend when my family went down to LA in December. I sure wished we took the train. My father can't get it through his head that train travel is relaxing. We could have been relaxing on the thruway buses and train down to LA, and rented a car. While this might be a bit more expensive, it's so relaxing;. Or we could have hopped on the Coast Starlight.
Posted by Southwest Chief (Member # 1227) on :
I've heard the Chief's (#4) horn just about every night here in SoCal (closest station to me is Fullerton). So I'm assuming the line is still very much open.
Unless there is an abundant amount of NS led BNSF freights that happen to go by at around the same time the Chief goes through. (Those NS horns are just like Amtrak's)(Both use K5LA's).
Posted by canoe86 (Member # 3099) on :
No problems, just got back from my trip. Actually, didn't notice when we went past the spot in question.
Posted by Eric (Member # 674) on :
According to outside sources, the infamous sinkhole is growing daily, and threatening the BNSF tracks in that location. All trains are being led through by an employee on the ground- pretty much a crawl.
Posted by RRCHINA (Member # 1514) on :
Yes there is a continuing problem but it is safe the way they are doing it. And since the affected area is 200-300 feet long the delay to trains is minimal,