Railroaders' Nostalgia > Coal for Chamois, Mo

Working the Jefferson City Sub around 2003 or so, we left Jefferson City on the CNAAE (North Antelope, Wyoming to Ameren Power in New Madrid, Mo). We would have to stop off in Chamois to drop off 14 loads of coal for the local plant there. Got on our train in Jeff City and was informed that there was a worktrain that had #2 Main blocked from Ames (M102) to Berger (M073) for Gasconade River Bridge doubletracking project. We were told told to cut off our cars just west of the main crossing, do our work in Chamois then head on east. To make a long story short, We left Jeff City about 30 minutes ahead of Amtrak and they got stuck behind us at Chamois while we did our work. Guess the dispatcher didn't think that a 70MPH train would catch up with a 50MPH that had to stop and do work. By the time we switched and got back together Amtrak finally got around us at Pace (M058) where we provided "protection" for passengers in Washington. Amtrak did let the dispatcher know that the "Natives were getting restless!" All the dispatcher had to do was let us cut off BEHIND the crossovers at Ames and hold us there till Amtrak went by, but I guess we didn't see "THE BIG PICTURE"!