The web-cam at Rochelle caught what LOOKS like an AMTRAK train tonight (May 29) at about 8:20 PM -
take a look !!! Good view of an AMTRAK baggage car (I just bought one from Walthers), and what looks like superliner cars in the distance.
Was this really an AMTRAK, and if so why is it there?
If is isn’t what is it ???
OOPS - I meant “box car”, not baggage - the backorder from Walthers must be on my mind !!!
Still … what IS this train ???
Yep, looks like an Amtrak train to me, on the BNSF line. Does Amtrak ever do charter trains?
Among the recent images from this morning (5/30) is one from about 5:45am showing a manifest train with a CSX loco behind three Santa Fe/BNSF units (on that side of course). Curioser and curioser…
Joe
I have seen Amtrak charter trains come through there on 2 occasions. (One was during the Trains magazine 50th anniversary party.) But both times were on weekends when, presumably, they have equipment that would otherwise be idle. I think they were both fall color tours–not too likely this time of year. Also, neither of those trains had any mail/express box cars on them. Probably a detour, but the most likely detour through there would be the Empire Builder and I haven’t heard of any problems on CP that would cause a detour.
I just read todays news wire - seems that AMTRAK’s Texas Eagle has been re-routed due to track work in Illinois - I’m glad I caught the photo !
The Texas Eagle detour has the trains taking a more southern route, first to Joliet (south of Chicago), then following the CN/IC line through Gibson City, Clinton (IL), and on to Springfield where it returns to its usual route. The BNSF line through Rochelle is almost due west of Chicago and continues northwest, eventually to Minneapolis/St. Paul. So I doubt it that’s what you were seeing.
Which brings us back to the original question - just what was an Amtrak train doing on that line?
This isn’t the first time Amtrak has been on the BNSF in Rochelle. Caught a couple of them out there last year when they were being detoured due to a bridge problem in Nebraska. Havn’t seen or heard anything about the one you saw this week.
LIONEL also makes a very good baggage/freight AMTRAK, CAR I HAVE ONE TOGO WITH MY DASH-9 AMTRAK ENGINE
very odd indeed. the mystery train i guess. i just wish my connection wasnt so slow so i could watch the webcam more. (24.0 or 26.4 dosent work very well 
)