I assume the currrent timetable is like that of 2011, and note that the Chief will carry passengers bettween Chicago and Gailsberg both westbound and eastbound, but the CZ only westbound ad not eastbound. Is this because of lack of on-time reliability for the CZ eastbound and Amtrak doesn't want people waiting for habitually late trains? Or is there another reason?
When was the Chief shifted from the SF line through Joliette to the CB&Q line? I rode the Chief out of and into Union Station under Amtrak during the time it still used the AT&SF line.
How does BNSF determine whcih route frieght trains use? Which route does the UP trackage righs trains use?
daveklepper I assume the currrent timetable is like that of 2011, and note that the Chief will carry passengers bettween Chicago and Gailsberg both westbound and eastbound, but the CZ only westbound ad not eastbound. Is this because of lack of on-time reliability for the CZ eastbound and Amtrak doesn't want people waiting for habitually late trains? Or is there another reason? When was the Chief shifted from the SF line through Joliette to the CB&Q line? I rode the Chief out of and into Union Station under Amtrak during the time it still used the AT&SF line. How does BNSF determine whcih route frieght trains use? Which route does the UP trackage righs trains use?
This is from memory that isn't so clear, but I grew up along the ATSF line in Illinois east of Galseburg that once had the SWC but no longer does. It definitely happened between 1990 and 1996, and there were several issues as I recall, though I don't remember the clincher: 1) ATSF no longer wanted to pay for maintenance for the end of its line past Corwith yard to CUSC and was asking Amtrak to pay for it all 2) with the BNSF merger, the old Santa Fe mainly handles fast trains whereas the old BN has many coal trains. The Santa Fe is in better condition, the BN has a lot of old rail from decades ago and the ties and ballast aren't in the best of shape and I think that BNSF was happier with AMtrak there. I also think the argument is that they wanted to put all of the passenger trains on one line for economies of scale (including the train to Quincy). I am not sure why Illinois agreed to it, it meant that people in Peoria cold no longer use the Chillicothe station to go right into downtown Chicago, plus Streator also lost rail service.
The switch over off the old Santa Fe took place in 1996, I think. There were other factors besides Amtrak no longer wanting to maintain the stretch of track from Corwith toward downtown Chicago. Amtrak would no longer have to maintain two stations in Galesburg and probably the most important was the construction of the Cameron Connection outside of Galesburg that permitted the trains to easily roll to and from the BN and the ATSF sides.
Another reason for just the one long-distance train carrying eastbound passengers from Galesburg to Chicago is probably that they are both scheduled to be through within 30 minutes or so of each other (if they are on time), so there wouldn't be a need to stop both of them.
I don't know if you would want to say that the old CB&Q is filled with "old rail and ties" though. The track crews maintain that route too--it is all welded rail with tie replacement crews working east of Mendota at the present time. They also just completed a new signal system changeover that saw ALL the old searchlight signals on the entire 130 mile route being replaced. Next step is the testing for the Positive Train Control, coming to the line in the future. I will admit that I haven't ridden the line recently, but good luck with keeping up and chasing any trains along the line--Amtrak runs at 79: the same speed they could run on the old ATSF.
As for which routes certain trains use, it has to do some with what they are carrying--as well as where they are going once they get to Chicago. Yes, all the coal loads and empties are on the old BN side, while the intermodals are on the old ATSF, but that is also where the intermodal yards have been consolidated since the BNSF merger. There is the container facility at Logistic Park outside of Joliet, the UPS facility at Willow Springs and then the old ATSF yard at Corwith--all these along the old Santa Fe. Trains getting interchanged to the IHB usually use the ATSF side, since the connection at McCook is in the right quadrant, where it is not at LaGrange. Trains going to the BRC usually use the old BN. Most of the boxcar traffic from Galesburg to and from Chicago will use the old BN side, but there are still manifest freights on the old Santa Fe. The GALCWY (Galesburg to Conway, PA) train uses the old Santa Fe and goes to the NS via the Streator Connection.
Lance
LWales I don't know if you would want to say that the old CB&Q is filled with "old rail and ties" though. The track crews maintain that route too--it is all welded rail with tie replacement crews working east of Mendota at the present time. They also just completed a new signal system changeover that saw ALL the old searchlight signals on the entire 130 mile route being replaced. Next step is the testing for the Positive Train Control, coming to the line in the future. I will admit that I haven't ridden the line recently, but good luck with keeping up and chasing any trains along the line--Amtrak runs at 79: the same speed they could run on the old ATSF.
I haven't seen the former BN line near Princeton (other than riding the CZ) in about 17 years, I am sure things have changed, but that was my impression at the time of the BNSF merger, that the ATSF was in better shape (and had many more trains).
My notes show the Southwest Chief was shifted to the former BN route between Chicago and Galesburg on Aug. 1, 1996. It did save money by having fewer stations, including two in Galesburg, but more people would be served by spreading out service over two routes, especially when the Chicago-Moline trains begin operation.
I do not have an Amtrak timetable available, but it may be that the timing of the Chicago-Quincy train is such that AMtrak prefers Chicago-Galesburg passengers take the Quincy train instead.
Johnny
I don't have any inside information about the changeover. But I note that the posts seem to discuss the reasons solely in terms of operational issues. Let me suggest that there may be a marketing reason as well. The change allowed the Southwest Chief to serve Naperville. For those not familiar with the Chicago area, Naperville is a pretty upscale suburb, and is part of a chain of similar suburbs that are on the former CB&Q line. For the clientele likely to use the Southwest Chief, I would think a Naperville stop would do much more for Amtrak than a stop at Joliet on the former ATSF line.
With respect to the comment about "spreading out" the service, concentrating traffic on a single route to provide multiple trains per day is generally a better strategy than providing token service on multiple routes. That's particularly true for regional services (like services between Illinois cities). One train pair a day isn't real useful for these services.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.