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The apparent awkward Amtrak California Zephyr Detour
Author: Coleman Randall
Date: 03-17-2007 - 07:04
Detouring the Amtrak California Zephyr via the East Valley line from Rosevile Junction to Binney Junction in Marysville and then back to Sacramento to Haggin Junction seems very awkward.
Why not just send the train on its ways through the Feather River Route and bus the passengers from Reno and back to Portola (and vice versa) and maybe consider operating the Reno Fun and Snow Trains on the same route.
Maybe this arrangement is just a tactic by the UP to send the California Zephyr on its regular route almost alone and devert most of the frieght traffic on the Feather River Route at its own convienience despite the delays it might cause for passengers.
Apparently Binney Junction is not designed conviniently for a southbound turn from the East Valley line to the Feather River Line (or vice versa) which would only allow for a back up move which is quite awkward as well as I observed when I was there last year. Although it does appear a new connecting track was added a few years ago between the East Valley line and the Feather River Line for north and south bound trains only.
It dosen't surprise me that UP is dealing with the situation in this manner in regard to Amtrak about all the negative experiances that many of the attendees at Winterail were complaining about concerning the UP like at the ATSF 3751 Society booth that praise the BNSF for allowing their excursions on their railines but not the UP for its apparent anti-excursion policy for outside groups or the Engineer that drives the freights as an engineer for the UP between Portland and Seattle has virtually no use for working for the UP but the thrill of driving the trains and collecting a paycheck who would prefer to work for the BNSF but feels he must remain with the UP for job security.
I wonder whats going to happen with the BNSF trackage rights frieght trains on the UP tracks will they be awkwardly detoured or siding ridden as well due to this situation.
Of course Amtrak isn't popular with most railroads but the BNSF apparently deals with such Amtrak movements appropriately and properly in general compared with the UP which apparently dosen't.
Why not just send the train on its ways through the Feather River Route and bus the passengers from Reno and back to Portola (and vice versa) and maybe consider operating the Reno Fun and Snow Trains on the same route.
Maybe this arrangement is just a tactic by the UP to send the California Zephyr on its regular route almost alone and devert most of the frieght traffic on the Feather River Route at its own convienience despite the delays it might cause for passengers.
Apparently Binney Junction is not designed conviniently for a southbound turn from the East Valley line to the Feather River Line (or vice versa) which would only allow for a back up move which is quite awkward as well as I observed when I was there last year. Although it does appear a new connecting track was added a few years ago between the East Valley line and the Feather River Line for north and south bound trains only.
It dosen't surprise me that UP is dealing with the situation in this manner in regard to Amtrak about all the negative experiances that many of the attendees at Winterail were complaining about concerning the UP like at the ATSF 3751 Society booth that praise the BNSF for allowing their excursions on their railines but not the UP for its apparent anti-excursion policy for outside groups or the Engineer that drives the freights as an engineer for the UP between Portland and Seattle has virtually no use for working for the UP but the thrill of driving the trains and collecting a paycheck who would prefer to work for the BNSF but feels he must remain with the UP for job security.
I wonder whats going to happen with the BNSF trackage rights frieght trains on the UP tracks will they be awkwardly detoured or siding ridden as well due to this situation.
Of course Amtrak isn't popular with most railroads but the BNSF apparently deals with such Amtrak movements appropriately and properly in general compared with the UP which apparently dosen't.
The apparent awkward Amtrak California Zephyr Detour