Mudslide delaying passengers

[nijh]

Just on Grand Princess in Whittier.  Been told a mudslide has delayed some train passengers, presumably from Denali.

 

Passengers not now due until 11.30, ship is of course waiting but we will miss Hubbard tomorrow, disappointing for us onboard but a heck of a relief for the folks on that train who will no doubt be exhausted when they get here.

 

Presumably they will need someone operating the tunnel too, as the last passage through is 10.30.

[GTJ]

22 hours ago, nijh said:

Presumably they will need someone operating the tunnel too, as the last passage through is 10.30.

You may be confusing highway operating hours with railroad operating hours. The tunnel is, of course, owned by the Alaska Railroad Corporation, and the railroad can operate its own property. Highway usage is allowed to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities pursuant to a cooperative operating agreement signed by each of the two parties on September 25, 2014. Section 5 of the contractual agreement specifically states: "Except as provided below, ARRC may operate trains through the Tunnel at any time before the DOT&PF's hours of operation start and after they cease each day." During shared use hours there are specified windows for railroad operations, but subsection E requires cooperation between the parties, and "both parties are encouraged to regularly communicate and discuss the day to day operation of the Tunnel to reduce respective impacts to either mode and to operate the Tunnel cooperatively and optimally for the combined use." Of course, a passenger train has the highest priority of any tunnel use, but for emergency vehicles, and the cooperation required will permit the railroad to supersede any potential highway conflict. In short, the tunnel poses no significant impediment to the railroad's operations. At worst there will be disruption to highway traffic.

 

I do not see how the passengers will be exhausted. Perhaps hungry if not fed on the delayed train (the usual Amtrak response to extended delays and hungry passengers is to load up KFC meals and hand them out gratis to all of those inconvenienced), and maybe tired if their arrival is after their usual bedtime. But they certainly would not have been called upon to help shovel the mud. But there will be disappointment all around if the cruise line elects to omit passage near the Hubbard glacier as a result of the delay.

[nijh]

Exhausted as in they arrived 6 hours later than they expected, missing their first evening etc and allthe associated stress Never thought they’d be digging - unless Princess could monetise shovelling mud into a Railroad Experience 😊

 

I was under the impression the railroad was blocked and they were being bussed down, hence my thoughts on the tunnel.  I wasn’t aware the railroad owned the tunnel so thanks for that info 👍

 

 

[Glaciers]

Is there any news regarding this? I can find nothing about it.

[cruzrbachoua]

Any update did the passengers get bussed down or continue on train..we are flying out 9/11 and to be on the train 9/16....🤔

[GTJ]

11 hours ago, nijh said:

Exhausted as in they arrived 6 hours later than they expected, missing their first evening etc and all the associated stress Never thought they’d be digging - unless Princess could monetise shovelling mud into a Railroad Experience 😊

 

I was under the impression the railroad was blocked and they were being bussed down, hence my thoughts on the tunnel.  I wasn’t aware the railroad owned the tunnel so thanks for that info

The mud surrounding the Amazon in Brazil is notorious (generally the area south of Manaus to Porto Velho, as well as along the coast between Macapá and French Guiana). Travel here can truly be exhausting, and sometimes the passengers will help dig through the mud or push buses through the mud. I don't think that there is any monetization of those efforts. Most everyone is truly exhausted by the end of the trip! Fortunately, these railroad passengers in Alaska did not have to endure that!

 

The tunnel was built by the railroad during WWII for its own exclusive use. For many years any motorists desiring to travel to or from Whittier would have to have their vehicles placed on an Alaska Railroad flatcar to be transported through the tunnel. It was only at the turn of the century that the railroad agreed to allow its tunnel to be paved so that motorists could drive themselves through the tunnel. The railroad would not have ever agreed to the paving without reserving for itself continued access to its own tunnel, though given that the Alaska Railroad was acquired by the state from the USDOT in 1985, state politics may have affected the negotiations between the ARRC and the DOT&PF. But in this particular case, if the Alaska Railroad utilized buses to transport its passengers, then, the railroad would be allowed to use the tunnel it owns to transport its own passengers.

 

 

[Kat915]

Where exactly is the mudslide? Taking train to Whittier from Anchorage on Wednesday.  

[Northern Aurora]

3 hours ago, Kat915 said:

Where exactly is the mudslide? Taking train to Whittier from Anchorage on Wednesday.  

 

Our local newspaper (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner) had no information in yesterday's edition, and since today is a holiday, no paper was published.  We subscribe electronically to the Anchorage Daily News and there has been no information either yesterday or today there either.  South central Alaska, including Anchorage, experienced a large atmospheric river of moisture late last week.  Great amount of rain, and a number of rivers and streams in the Alaska Range are overflowing.  In the Interior, where we live, we also have a number of rivers at bankfull, including the Tanana and Nenana Rivers, with flooding in some low-lying areas.  My educated guess is that the mudslide occurred in the Alaska Range area.  For those fuzzy with Alaska geography that would be north of Anchorage in the Denali area.  This has happened a number of times, and repairs are made very quickly.

 

For those interested in the history of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel just goggle the Portage Glacier Highway.  Wikipedia has an excellent article.

[nijh]

As above, it was in Denali area, no info as to where.  Definitely not between Anchorage and Whittier.

 

 

[nijh]

Update (from Crooners 😊)

They left the lodge at 8.30am, expecting to be on the ship for around 6pm.  They got here at 1am (by replacement train) and by the time they were at their stateroom (security etc) it was about 2.45am. 
 

They were stationary at the mudslide for about 6 hours.

 

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by nijh

[cruzrbachoua]

5 hours ago, nijh said:

Update (from Crooners 😊)

They left the lodge at 8.30am, expecting to be on the ship for around 6pm.  They got here at 1am (by replacement train) and by the time they were at their stateroom (security etc) it was about 2.45am. 
 

They were stationary at the mudslide for about 6 hours.

 

 

ouch!..But glad they were all safe and did still get to experience the train and make it to the ship.

[ARRTrain]

12 hours ago, nijh said:

Update (from Crooners 😊)

They left the lodge at 8.30am, expecting to be on the ship for around 6pm.  They got here at 1am (by replacement train) and by the time they were at their stateroom (security etc) it was about 2.45am. 
 

They were stationary at the mudslide for about 6 hours.

 

 

Same train.  They did get a replacement crew though.

[GTJ]

18 hours ago, nijh said:

As above, it was in Denali area, no info as to where.  Definitely not between Anchorage and Whittier.

What is curious is that several passenger trains seemingly would have been affected, and therefore making for significant reportable news. The train from Denali to Whittier, the "Denali Express," is followed by the "McKinley Express" that operates between McKinley and Whittier, by the "Denali Star" (which is combined with the "Wilderness Express") that operates between Fairbanks and Anchorage, and by the Hurricane "turn" that operates between Hurricane and Talkeetna. That is to say, there is at least one, and possibly two, other passenger trains, depending on the exact place of the slide, that would have been caught up with the slide as well. The lack of news reports is surprising.

[ARRTrain]

18 hours ago, GTJ said:

What is curious is that several passenger trains seemingly would have been affected, and therefore making for significant reportable news. The train from Denali to Whittier, the "Denali Express," is followed by the "McKinley Express" that operates between McKinley and Whittier, by the "Denali Star" (which is combined with the "Wilderness Express") that operates between Fairbanks and Anchorage, and by the Hurricane "turn" that operates between Hurricane and Talkeetna. That is to say, there is at least one, and possibly two, other passenger trains, depending on the exact place of the slide, that would have been caught up with the slide as well. The lack of news reports is surprising.

The DEX was in a siding & got passed by the HEX & Denali Star.  They were waiting for a new crew to be delivered.

 

The MEX was south of the area & not affected.