17 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

As posted elsewhere by Gene Poon: Account fire damage to Tunnel 7 on UP near Cruzatte, OR., current estimate for open track is 21AUG04 at the earliest. Beginning on 16AUG04, and until track is restored, Amtrak's Coast Starlight, Trains 11 and 14 will operate Seattle-Eugene and Los Angeles-Oakland only, with no alternate transportation offered between Oakland and Eugene.

[BillMagee]

...with no alternate transportation offered between Oakland and Eugene.

So what happens to someone who booked the Coast Starlight between Oakland and Portland weeks or months ago and is now stuck with no transportation? It is too late for advance purchase airfares. Tough luck?

[ICGsteve]

This nonsense on the part of the carrier was once against the law and punishable by a sizable fine. Remember yeas ago when the back of the ticket listed "terms and conditions" and stated that the railroad had defined obligations in the event of cancelled trains and missed connections? My sense is that Amtrak has figured out that bus substitutions passify none of the passengers because it is slow and unpleasent. Gunn figures that Amtrak is out of money and if the passengers do not give Amtrak credit for providing a bus then why bother doing anything. Cancel the trains and walk away. Bad choice. Amtrak should do what it should have done all along, work out a way to get stranded passengers on airplanes.

Edited by ICGsteve, 17 August 2004 - 11:38 AM.

[NickG]

From the Albany Democrat-Herald, 8/18/04:

I-5 rail corridor cut by tunnel fire

A fire burning in Tunnel 7 on Union Pacific's Cascade Line approximately 33 miles southeast of Oakridge has closed the I-5 rail corridor indefinitely, the Oregon Department of Transportation reported.

The full story is here.

[NickG]

From the Oregonian, 8/19/04:

Fire in tunnel cuts rail link to California

A fire continues to burn inside a key rail tunnel southeast of Eugene, disrupting Amtrak passenger service between the Northwest and California and causing freight delays for West Coast shippers.

The full story is here.

[BillMagee]

This fire is a pretty big deal. The support timbers inside the tunnel are burning and it is very difficult and very, very dangerous to try to put out. They may have to let it burn itself out. Then, the structural integrity of the support system must be confirmed or, if too badly damaged, reestablished by reinforced shotcrete or something like that. Bottom line: this tunnel could reopen in a week or it could take a month or more. Until the fire is out and the damage is assessed, a reopening date is just a guess. Very ugly!

[RailHaRRy]

From a NARP update e-mail today (8/19):

Passengers on the Coast Starlight will be facing substitute motorcoach service between Eugene and Klamath Falls, Oregon for the foreseeable future.  On Monday, a fire started inside Tunnel #7 on Union Pacific's Cascade Line (approximately 33 miles south of Eugene). Service was suspended between Oakland and Eugene with no alternate transportation on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Since there is no viable rail detour around the tunnel, a bus bridge was established today between Eugene and Klamath Falls.  It will be in place until the tunnel is repaired.

A full-service Starlight (coaches, diner, lounges, sleepers) will operate between Los Angeles and Klamath Falls.  Passengers will then ride a bus to Eugene to re-board a "stub"" train (coaches and lounge only) to continue to Seattle.  One of the busses will protect the missed stop of Chemult.

Amtrak's reservation system is being modified to show the bus bridge as a Thruway connection and zero-out sleeper sales north of Klamath Falls, a sign that through train service may not resume for some time.

[BillMagee]

An unconfirmed report from Gene Poon on Trainorders indicates that the tunnel has collapsed. If true, the restoration time for the railroad and the Coast Starlight will be measured in months, not weeks. A year to reopen the railroad would not be out of the question. I suspect at this point they do not even have a good idea of how to do it. Very, very ugly and getting uglier!

Edited by BillMagee, 20 August 2004 - 07:04 AM.

[ICGsteve]

You gotta wonder how this went down; how many train crews passed through the tunnel but did not report that there may be a problem? How long did it take for dispatchers to send the report up the chain of command? How many hours or days did it take for senior managment to understand that this fire could become a major problem, that the fire needed every available resource to combat it? I don't see how this situation gets this bad without being aided by a systemic breakdown at the railroad. It's not like we never heard of tunnel fires before. Back in the steam era they were a constant problem. A railraod man would be instantly alarmed upon hearing of a major fire in a very important tunnel. Are there no railroad men remaining at the UP?

[NickG]

From Amtrak's website, 8/20/04:

AMTRAK PROVIDES ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION DURING TUNNEL FIRE IN OREGON

OAKLAND, Calif. — A fire causing extensive damage to a Union Pacific Railroad tunnel near Eugene, Ore. has required temporary suspension of train operations between Eugene and Klamath Falls, Ore.                                                             

Starting today, Friday, August 20, and projected through August 31, Amtrak’s Coast Starlight trains will operate only between Seattle and Eugene, Ore. and between Klamath Falls, Ore. and Los Angeles.  Coast Starlight passengers whose travel route includes the closed segment between Eugene and Klamath Falls will be provided alternative transportation via motorcoach between those cities, including an intermediate stop in Chemult, Ore.                     

Amtrak regrets any inconvenience this may cause passengers. For more information, passengers may call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL.