I understand the CZ will be rerouting over the (ex CNW) overland route out of Chicago for a few days due to washouts in IA. Does anybody know anything about the CZ schedule on U.P. today? I’d like to go trackside to see her come through West Chicago or Geneva. Thanks!
I checked the Amtrak website for more info. Nothing under service alerts. I checked the status for #6 into Chicago and received the following message, “Status currently unavailable due to service disruption”. I also checked for a departure time from Omaha this morning and I got the same message.
The departure status for #5 is still listed for 2pm today but that could change. If #5 leaves Chicago Union Station on the advertised, switching to the Geneva Sub at Western Ave, then I would guess W. Chicago @2:40p and Geneva @2:50p. (Could get stuck behind Metra #35 scheduled stop at Geneva is 2:47p.) The only guess I can for eastbound #6 is late afternoon - 4p?
CC
I don’t have an answer for you, but just out of curiosity I checked the status of CZ #5 into Denver this morning and it is running over 8 hours late. It apparently loses most of the time on the UP(CNW) tracks across Illinois and Iowa as I believe it goes back onto BNSF tracks at Omaha. It could lose time across Nebraska just as well. I am speaking from experience as I have been bused to Omaha on another occasion when the CZ was detoured.
I just found a helpful website to track Amtrak status:
http://dixielandsoftware.net/Amtrak/status/StatusMaps/
According to the map the CZ #5 that left Chicago yesterday departed Lincoln, NE at 9:30 this morning. Only 9 hours late! The site only tracks Amtrak trains on their normal routes and not on detours. I don’t see CZ #6 so I would assume it’s already on the UP somewhere in Iowa.
CC
http://www.amtrak.com/train-routes (click on the Track your Train/Check Train Status banner) at 12:15pm shows CalZ 6 on its way to Denison, IA. No status given.
As of now, No. 6 is in Boone.
Train 5 appears to be on its regular BNSF route.
We might have a new record… The CZ #5 that left Chicago on 6/26 using the normal BNSF route instead of the UP detour in Iowa is now 34 hours 45 minutes late at its last stop in Salt Lake City!! Yikes! This train lost @21 hours in the Ottumwa & Osceola Iowa area where the washouts on the BNSF had occurred. It was supposed to be in Emeryville, CA @4:10pm PT yesterday.
CZ #5 departing Chicago on 6/27 was last reported at Holdrege, NE at 11:21 am yesterday - only an hour behind #5 6/26 - and there’s no other information. Also, there’s no listing for CZ #5 that should have departed Chicago on 6/28. (Equipment shortage?)
In hindsight, detouring over the UP between Chicago and Omaha on Friday would have been the better option.
CC