The Transit Coalition - Surfliner Goes FUBAR

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Dec 10, 2009, 4:11pm

The Transit Coalition :: Rail Transit :: Amtrak California & LOSSAN - Statewide Intercity Rail :: Surfliner Goes FUBAR

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Topic: Surfliner Goes FUBAR (Read 124 times)

spokker
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Surfliner Goes FUBAR
« Thread Started on Oct 26, 2009, 9:50pm »

A trip between San Diego and Los Angeles went FUBAR last week. Passengers were stuck on the train for eight hours while several trains headed in the same direction passed them.

http://laist.com/2009/10/26/amtrak_leaves_passengers_stranded_o.php

Quote:

After 30 minutes stopped on the tracks, passengers were notified of the train's "problems" and most remained calm despite being provided little or no further information. At 2p.m, 45 minutes after the train was scheduled to arrive in LA, passengers were told they were still stuck but that a new train was coming.

That train blew right by Train 571 on the northbound tracks just as four others would (and another two heading south) over the course of the afternoon and evening.

Okay, it's one thing to be an hour or two late because of mechanical problems. That's bad enough, but it's not the end of the world. But eight hours? While being told that a new train was coming? While seeing those trains fly by in the same direction? Where was the rescue train? Where was the bus bridge?

As a Surfliner 10-trip passholder, I must say that this is despicable service. This incident needs to be reviewed so that proper steps can be taken to prevent it in the future. In any case, Amtrak just lost a train full of riders. Getting them back will be an insurmountable task.

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spokker
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Re: Surfliner Goes FUBAR
« Reply #1 on Oct 27, 2009, 9:12pm »

Update: Got this from Amtrak Unlimited.

Quote:

Here is some information from another web site:

Quote:

Surfliner 571 had something dragging, they stopped at Doheny after spotting smoke coming from one of the rear cars... Track inspector reported evidence of dragging equipment for upwards of five miles. The train was on single track and couldn't be moved until it was inspected by Metrolink. Surfliner 577, Metrolink 657, Surfliner 583, and Surfliner 785 plus Metrolink 858 and 860 were trapped south with Surfliners 578, 580 and 582 stuck on the north side. They combined 571 and 577 once they got permission to move, Surfliners 583 and 784 made the Metrolink Stops and 784 was delayed waiting to head south.

This from a trustworthy source. Since it was stated to be on a single track section, other trains passing in the same direction is simply not possible. How much else in the article is overdramatized whining?

Maybe it's not as cut and dry as LAist suggested.

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bobdavis
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Re: Surfliner Goes FUBAR
« Reply #2 on Oct 29, 2009, 1:42am »

Maybe this is the voice of nostalgia, but when Santa Fe was running the San Diegans, they probably would have handled this situation more expeditiously.

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