I am wondering anyone heard of a blockage on the Old CB&Q into Chicago. Why am I asking I just saw and heard via my scanner the Southwest Chief come thru Streator and the California Zeypher is supposed to be making the same run also. What is going on any info.
Nothing heard here in Aurora so far…I am heading over to Eola yard in a few minutes and I will keep my ears on the scanner for any news and if any is heard I will report it back to all of you later this afternoon.
M-GALBRC put 7 cars on the ground just east of Wyanet, IL. Amtrak is detouring over the Chillicothe Subdivision.
They are detouring more than Amtrak it seems. I am seeing about anything and Everything that can come this way.
Yep, the only trains that are running in either direction on the “racetrack” (other than Metra) are either coming or going via the C&I line…nothing at all coming or going via the Galesburg main line.
Yep Westbound CZ just came thru with 4 Private Varnish on the back end and was needing 3 P42’s to pull it.
Are the eb Amtrak trains backing from Galesburg to Cameron and then running into Chicago, and the wb trains backing from Cameron to Galesburg and then proceeding west?
Johnny
From what I heard, Johnny, they’re stopping at the site of the old Santa Fe station, with buses for local passengers. No backup moves involved.
Seems like that would be a long back-up move. If the plan would be to handle passengers at the current Galesburg station (the ex-Burlington), then I think the train would head in from Cameron and be turned on the wye just to the south of the station.
I didn’t know if it was possible, but as reported by Carl, loading at the ex-Santa Fe station makes the most sense. Making any extra move between Cameron and the Galesburg station would be quite time consuming.
Problem is there is no station on the Santa Fe anymore. Backing around from the connection would be a PITA.Maybe a bus from the depot on over?
Wonder what derailed them there.
Thanks, Carl. I just found a map of Cameron which shows that either your or Jeaton’s suggestion would work; it shows what could be (perhaps) described as a wye on each route, with the tail of one wye connected to the tail of the other wye. Is there a better description?
Edit; add: From a map of Galesburg that I found, Jeaton’s suggestion would involve the eb trains backing to the wye, turning, and backing to the main, heading west, and then turning east at Cameron.
Johnny
There is a ‘double wye’ just east from Cameron which allows eastward or westward trains to switch over to the other route and, in fact, can change directions if necessary.
The EB Zephyr could cross over at this location and arrive in Galesburg at a location on the former Santa Fe route to Joliet which would allow passengers to be bussed or taxied to and from the Amtrak depot. Likely few passengers would be getting on or off at Galesburg. WB would be the reverse if coming from Joilet.
The EB or WB SWC could come in on the route to Joliet and the same passenger transfers could be made.
Actually wouldnt have to back to Cameron. Could flip them on the coachyard wye or the Peoria wye.Bring them in main 2 and then back into the north end on the scale.Migh have to have a U man come over but then they wouldnt have to back so far and over so many crossings.
With the double wye there would be no backup moves or extra switchman. Just run through with the DS controling the switches.
Look at this on Google satelite maps and you can visualize it. Very inovative!!!
With the double wye’s, for instance, an eastward train from Ft. Madison could be sent to Burlinfton as a run through, or vice-versa.
The double wye set up allows some interesting moves. While down for Galesburg Railroad Days, I saw a train of auto racks coming off the Burlington line running north of Galesburg high ball through the station and take the line toward Cameron. I was told by someone in the know that the train would turn back east over the Cameron double wye, go through Galesburg again on the Ex-Santa Fe for a destination to the east.
From the Galesburg Review Atlas:
By JOHN R. PULLIAM
The Register-Mail
Posted Dec 21, 2009 @ 09:58 AM
GALESBURG —
The Saturday night derailment in Bureau County of 19 cars of a 92-car BNSF freight train will continue to affect Amtrak service to and from Galesburg today.
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said this morning all trains were detoured Sunday, as well. He said the California Zephyr and the Southwest Chief are not taking the crossover near Cameron to Galesburg, but instead are staying on the old Santa Fe tracks, traveling to Chicago via Joliet, rather than Naperville. This allows Amtrak to bypass the derailment site, which is on the former BN tracks.
The crossover near Cameron was built when the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe merged in the mid-1990s. The Southwest Chief was then able to switch onto the former BN tracks and only one Amtrak station was needed in Galesburg. That move eliminated Amtrak service to Chillicothe and Streator, which are on the former Santa Fe tracks.
Passengers on those trains with tickets to regular stops between Galesburg and Chicago are being let out near the former Broad Street Amtrak depot and taken by shuttle to the Seminary Street Amtrak depot for charter bus service to their destinations.
The state-subsidized Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr “are operating only between Galesburg and Quincy,” Magliari said, with motor coach service to Chicago from Galesburg “with some delays.”
BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg told The Associated Press that plastic pellets spilled out of one car. No one was injured.
Forsberg tol