Flooding on Christmas Day-December 25, 2009-across Arkansas caused Amtrak's Texas Eagle #21 to be stopped at Bald Knob, Arkansas due to flooding of UP's tracks south of there between Bald Knob (45 miles north of Little Rock on UP's main-north line to St Louis) and Little Rock. Passengers were bused between Bald Knob and points south to Texas. I spent a few hours going up to Bald Knob to get a photo of the stopped Eagle at Bald Knob. Four-lane Highway 67/167 was under water just north of Little Rock and I had to detour, going east to Lonoke then north to Cabot then use old secondary roads to Bald Knob. But I got my pictures!!
   The Amtrak agent at Little Rock told me that the northbound Texas Eagle, #22, had left Little Rock on time about 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve and had been walked through the flooded track south of Bald Knob (I don't know if water was over the track or just up to it). It was decided at that point (about midnight) that the southbound Eagle #21, would NOT be walked through the flooded track since it was getting worse, so the train was stopped at Bald Knob and everybody taken off and bussed south. He said that it being Christmas, it was very difficult to get buses. The one shown in the photo is from  a company called Memphis Trailways. I assume the train will be turned at Bald Knob and become the northbound #22 tonight and that #22 will be turned at Little Rock and become the southbound #21. I can't confirm that. That would mean buses will take passengers off #22 and bus them to Bald Knob.

Here's my photos:


Here's one of the buses that was chartered to get the passengers from the Eagle at Bald Knob and pick up waiting passengers in Little Rock, then take them west. Time was 11:25 a.m.


Here's the flooding across US Highway 67/167 as I headed north to Bald Knob. It's now 11:53 a.m. Christmas Day.


At 1:25 p.m., I finally made it to Bald Knob, AR. Here's the Texas Eagle sitting vacant on a siding south of the Bald Knob depot, (Incidentally, Bald Knob is where UP's tracks head off to the east toward Wynne and Memphis as well as north to St. Louis).


This was the Texas Eagle with the Los Angeles connection coach and sleeper, which occurs 3 times a week. The consist was: Amtrak Locomotive 83, Superliners 39018, 32088, 37015, Lounge 33007, 31000, 34027, 34079.




Taken from the Bald Knob depot, which is now a model train hobby shop.


Some of the many houses and areas flooded along the roads.

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