ALBANY, N.Y. — Amtrak has resumed service through Albany, N.Y., as of Monday afternoon, ending a three-day suspension of service triggered by falling pieces from a building next to the tracks.
The trains will operate with a speed restriction past the Central Warehouse, a long-vacant cold storage facility. Pieces from the wall of the 12-story concrete structure fell near the tracks last week, disrupting service for the Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf, Ethan Allen Express, and two Empire Service round trips that extend beyond Albany.
With limited bus availability on short notice, Amtrak originally cancelled some trains or halted them at Schnectady, N.Y. It had gradually arranged bus bridges for all but the Empire Service trains.
I think it is a bit much to expect the passengers to have to get out and push the train past the warehouse ….
Remember the formula — KE= 1/2 M x V squared. So a train going 20 MPH instead of 10 MPH will exert vibrations 4 times greater. In fact I will guess that Amrak will pass by the building coasting with loco(s) idling to eliminate as much engine vibration as possible. That is if the grade by the building is relative flat.
I understand that vibrations from passing trains are generally the reason for speed restrictions, but I would think they’d want to get by the building as fast as possible so as to limit the amount of time they’re in the danger zone for falling chunks. Notch 8!