Both Amtrak's Southwest Chief and California Zephyr ply the same route from Chicago to Galesburg, IL, but where do the two routes split west of Galesburg?
What other Amtrak trains run between Chicago and Galesburg?
RJ Emery near Santa Fe, NM
I believe that the split happens right in Galesburg, IIRC.
"Lincoln Service" trains run Chicago-Galesburg.
Still in training.
rjemery Both Amtrak's Southwest Chief and California Zephyr ply the same route from Chicago to Galesburg, IL, but where do the two routes split west of Galesburg? What other Amtrak trains run between Chicago and Galesburg?
1a) ?At the BNSF "Cameron Connector", just east of Cameron, IL? A very nice pair of wyes..... otherwise
1b) In Galesburg, on a routing that looks like an industrial lead...
2) Only those two LD trains, plus two State of Illinois sponsered: Carl Sandburg (381/382) & Illinois Zephyr (380/383)... both Chicago to Quincy IL.
from the Far East of the Sunset Route
(In the shadow of the Huey P Long bridge)
The site is just East of where the former AT&SF crossed the CB&Q. The Illinois trains to Quincy separate from the old CB&Q at the depot, while both the L.A. & Oakland trains continue on the Q. East of Cameron, both train turn west on and the L.A. train turns NW on to the connector and then turns SW onto the AT&SF and crosses over the Q. Of course its all BNSF track now.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Galesburg/@40.8953134,-90.49442,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x87e1be11c5bc087d:0xe196ac76ab389022!8m2!3d40.9446769!4d-90.3639867
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Galesburg/@40.8953134,-90.49442,3008m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87e1be11c5bc087d:0xe196ac76ab389022!8m2!3d40.9446769!4d-90.3639867
Interstingly (or not), the online site that shows the status of various Amtrak trains, (asm.transitdocs.com) shows this diversion as occurring, at exactly the location you mentioned, at the grade separated crossing of the former ATSF & the the former CB&Q, where there is NO CONNECTION between the two!
I thought the trains left Gburg on different generally westward routes, with the CZ initially going the more southerly route, but then shortly turning more northerly and CROSSING the SWC route.
Lithonia OperatorI thought the trains left Gburg on different generally westward routes, with the CZ initially going the more southerly route, but then shortly turning more northerly and CROSSING the SWC route.
Amtrak (probably with BNSF) chose to migrate the SW Chief to the Burlington East of Galesburg. It was then able to close the former SF stations at Streator & ?. The Cameron connector made the switch very easy. The AT&SF route leaving Chicago heads SW through Joliet then after geting to Streater, it turns west and crosses over the CB&Q east of Galesburg, then after leaving the north side of Galesburg, it turns SW to head for Ft Madison crossing over the Q again at . Meanwhile the CB&Q leaves Chicago on a WestSouthwest direction headed straight for Galesburg. After it gets to Galesburg, it turns SW past the yard then turns west to Burlington Iowa. See the google maps previously posted. Burlington goes to Omaha, SF to KC but they somehow chose to cross each other twice in Galesburg.
Thanks for that explanation, Electro.
For some reason I still can't seem to visualize how the Southwest Chief and the California Zephyr travel through the Cameron Connector. For example, how would westbound #3 - Southwest Chief - do it from right to left on the Google map cited above?
Charles, A WB Southwest Chief leaves Galesburg on the Burlington track in a SW heading passing the yard, it then turns west toward Cameron. At Cameron it diverges right onto the connector and at the next switch, turns left to take the leg to the former Samta Fe route and proceeds SW under the Q line. CZ does not use the connector.
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