CHICAGO — In a change from recent operations, Amtrak was able to put together a makeup trainset to prevent cancellation of the westbound Empire Builder that departed Chicago on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Significant long-distance train delays have often resulted in cascading cancellations for lack of equipment since Amtrak lost nearly complete Superliner sets to devastating derailments in 2021 (the westbound Empire Builder at Joplin, Mont.) and 2022 (the eastbound Southwest Chief at Mendon, Mo.), while still attempting to return to service equipment sidelined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If the eastbound departure of either the Builder or Chief was dropped for some reason, the westbound train leaving Chicago three days later would usually be cancelled as well, because there were not enough Superliner coaches, diners, sleepers, and lounges in the Chicago coach yard to form a complete set without raiding stand-by substitutes for malfunctioning equipment or cars scheduled for overhauls.
Wednesday’s move indicates that scenario may finally have changed. The westbound Empire Builder that left Chicago on Sept. 26 arrived on time into Seattle two days later, but the Portland, Ore., section — splitting off at Spokane with a Sightseer lounge, two coaches, and a sleeping car — was badly delayed west of Pasco, Wash. It arrived in Portland more than 3 hours late on Sept. 28, only a few hours before the same equipment was to depart eastbound.
There may have been other reasons why the eastbound Builder of Sept. 28 was cancelled completely rather than depart hours late, as the train often does in such situations. “A cancellation is always the last choice,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari tells Trains.com., adding, “We try to manipulate the equipment assignments to support regular operations, if possible, in such cases.”
No Chicago arrival of multi-day trains like Empire Builder, Southwest Chief, or California Zephyr has generally meant the next day’s westbound departure shows “sold out” or “cancelled” on the Amtrak website ticketing system days in advance. That never happened this time.
So the westbound Empire Builder departed Oct. 1 on time with a make-up set, and as of 8 a.m. CT today (Oct. 3), is slated to arrive ahead of schedule in both Seattle and Portland. Amtrak’s once-a-day trains serving vast swaths of rural America need to operate every day to remain relevant as transportation options, so given the company’s constrained equipment situation, this is a long-overdue positive development.
— Updated at 12:35 p.m. CT to correct byline.
It was interesting to be reminded of the Pennsy’s ownership of the ROW west of CUS, thus the incongruous sight of Hiawathas, etc. passing under position light signals. Notice that the far right track is likely no longer usable due to encroachment. Canal st. remains a good place to watch.
The annulment of train 8/28-28 from Seattle/Portland was as a result of an extended MOW window. It was bridgework over the Spokane river in the last section of single track between Spokane and Sandpoint. The corresponding westward canceled train was 7/27-27.
Assuming that the inbound Empire Builder equipment at Chicago remained in Empire Builder service (and not stolen for another train in the interim, which would seem not to be the case, based on what I observe), this is how things should have shaken out:
Train 7/27-25 at Chicago would get the inbound equipment off train 8/28-22 arriving September 24.
Train 7/27-26 at Chicago would get the inbound equipment off train 8/28-23 arriving September 25.
Train 7/27-27 at Chicago was canceled, leaving the inbound equipment off train 8/28-24 September 26 an extra set.
Train 7/27-28 at Chicago would get the inbound equipment off train 8/28-25 arriving September 27 (but could also get the extra set off 8/28-24; either way, Chicago still has one extra set).
Train 7/27-29 at Chicago would get the inbound equipment off train 8/28-26 arriving September 28 (but could also get the extra set off 8/28-24; either way, Chicago still has one extra set).
Train 7/27-30 at Chicago would get the inbound equipment off train 8/28-27 arriving September 29 (but could also get the extra set off 8/28-24; either way, Chicago still has one extra set).
Train 7/27-1 (October 1) at Chicago would normally get the equipment off train 8/28-28 which would have arrived September 30, but 8/28-28 having been canceled at origins, no inbound equipment was available, and therefore the “extra” set (available since the September 27 westbound cancelation), would need to be used.
Train 7/27-2 at Chicago resumes regular rotation with equipment off train 8/28-29 which arrived on October 1.
So, as usual, no extra equipment at Amtrak. Just keeping an extra set at Chicago from an earlier outbound cancelation in anticipation of its corresponding inbound cancelation….in this case three or four days, depending on how you count.
No, things are NOT getting better at Amtrak. The California Zephyr lost a sleeper and coach since the summer is over. The Coast Starlight still has only two coaches. The Seattle section of the Empire Builder just one coach. Just three cars on Amtrak Cascades trains severely limiting any potential growth.
Clearly, some long-distance routes will need to be discontinued before/if any new equipment is available, and none is even yet on order.