Columbus update: Trains now using both tracks

The Amtrak station in Columbus, Wisconsin. From Wikimedia user Downspec, CC-BY-SA

We have a welcome update to my previous article about train conflicts around the Columbus, Wisconsin station. Over the weekend, photos and videos were captured of an eastbound Borealis train at Columbus station at the same time as a westbound Empire Builder, meaning that construction of new ADA-compliant platforms has progressed far enough for both tracks to be usable there. This is good news, as the two trains are scheduled to meet each other at or very close to the Columbus station.

Time vs. distance plot of trains in the corridor, showing the eastbound Empire Builder (first long line angling down and to the right) and westbound Borealis (first long line angling upward) cross each other near "CBS," the station in Columbus, WI.

The Borealis (no. 1333) is intended to depart Columbus at 1:41 pm, while the Empire Builder (no. 8) is scheduled for 1:47 pm. Ideally, they would pass each other slightly west of the station, but due to the track layout in the area, if only one set of rails is usable, the nearest point to the west where trains can pass is about 18 miles away in Wyocena, WI. In practice, it looks like it's been more common for the Borealis to wait at the nearest crossover point east of Columbus, which is about 6 miles away from the station.

I haven't been able to do enough analysis of train positions over time to say exactly how much this will improve on-time performance of the Borealis, since freight traffic west of Milwaukee station often adds delays as well, but if the Empire Builder was running on time, it could cause delays of 15 to 20 minutes for the other train.

Hopefully we'll start seeing better reliability for the westbound train soon, at least as long as they can depart Chicago and Milwaukee in a timely manner (yesterday's train had mechanical trouble meaning it left Chicago three hours late, which is the third time since service began that train 1333 had a delay of over two hours leaving Chicago).

Post from Bruce Schwierske in the "Amtrak's Borealis Train" Facebook group showing the two trains at Columbus station (link)