Ben Smyth Wrote:
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> The Empire Builder is scheduled to resume service
> monday after a weekend derailment at Essex and a
> "stranded freight train" east of Kalispell, any
> idea what the "stranded train" was and what the
> problem was, and why it took so long to resolve??
> thanks in advance to those who know and share!!
Here is a BNSF service Advisory:
Extreme Winter Weather on Montana Division
[
domino.bnsf.com]
There are 2 photos that are part of the service advisory:
If you have access (subscriber), Trains magazine has a story:
Here is a quote from that story:
Quote:Trains.comSevere weather on ‘High Line’ causes BNSF, Amtrak delays
ESSEX, Mont. — Wind gusts of 70 mph near Browning, Mont., and two freights stuck in snow drifts east of Essex have led to freight delays and played havoc with Amtrak’s Empire Builder schedule. The passenger railroad has canceled both the east- and westbound Chicago - Seattle/Portland train beginning this past Saturday, through at least today over the segment between Minneapolis and Spokane, Wash.
The trains that left Chicago and Seattle/Portland on Friday made it as far as Havre, Mont., and Whitefish, Mont., respectively, before they were terminated. However, because roads were also closed, bus substitutions were impossible. Saturday's westbound Empire Builder operated only as far as Minneapolis-St. Paul with only coaches and a lounge car, where it turned to become Sunday morning's eastbound train back to Chicago. The same plan was in effect yesterday and today.
[
trn.trains.com]