CHICAGO — Amtrak will restore the second train on its state-supported Chicago-Quincy, Ill., route as of this Saturday, Aug. 10, the company announced this evening (Thursday, Aug. 8).
Trains Nos. 381 and 382, the Carl Sandburg, had been suspended since July 30 because of a “high shop count,” according to an Amtrak spokesman [see “Amtrak abruptly cancels Chicago-Quincy round trip …,” Trains New Wire, July 30, 2024]. Originally to have been canceled through at least Aug. 7, the company had announced yesterday on its Amtrak Alerts feed that the cancellation would be extended through Aug. 14, although it was offering a bus substitution.
In a press release, Amtrak said that “a transfer of locomotives within the Amtrak network” allowed restoration of the trains, and that the suspension had resulted from a shortage of available state-owned locomotives. Amtrak said it was working with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the manufacturer “to encourage streamlining of the process for making repairs to bring more of that fleet back into service.”
Amtrak Midwest service is powered by a set of 33 Siemens Charger SC44 locomotives, using a 16-cylinder, 4,400-hp Cummins diesel engine, that began entering service in 2017 [see “Siemens’ Chargers grand entrance to Chicago,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 28, 2017].
Amtrak’s release also said that U.S. Sen Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) had contacted the company to press for faster restoration of service.
“While ensuring locomotives can receive proper, routine maintenance is essential, I’m relieved that Amtrak answered my call and is swiftly restoring full service for the Quincy-Chicago corridor,” Durbin said. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said, “We always appreciate the Senator’s strong interest in the performance of all our services in Illinois. Amtrak will augment the locomotive pool for this service from our fleet to supplement the state-owned locomotives usually assigned to this route.”
The restored trains are a 7:40 a.m. departure from Chicago and a 5:30 p.m. departure from Quincy, joining the already operating Illinois Zephyr service, which includes a 6:12 a.m. departure from Quincy and a 5:55 p.m. departure from Chicago.
— Updated at 9:12 p.m. with photo of locomotives being transferred to Chicago.
Are the chargers having issues?
A Charger is a rolling 4K hp computer. It is NOT idiot proof. Add the wrong oil to the crankcase or tap water to the radiator it WILL self destruct. Believe that.