Passenger Trains > 1st and 2nd #8 into Chicago Monday, 7/28

First, we have the much-delayed Empire Builder, #8/28 of the 25th, arriving Glenview, IL behind BNSF 6235 at 0547 CDT, seven minutes after sunrise and 13 hr 35 min late.  See the earlier thread "Itinerary Change" for 28(25) posted on the 26th for the initial cause of all the trouble.  Also yesterday's post by sethamtrak, Super Late 8 - with Extras, for video of this morning's arrival, which includes four private cars going to New Orleans tomorrow evening on the City of New Orleans.

Then, we have the second Empire Builder of the day, #8/28 of the 26th, approaching Morton Grove, IL 1 hr 7 mins late at 1724 CDT.  And we seem to have found the missing transition sleeper that was substituted into the Portland section by the Chicago Yards a while back in place of a bad order regular sleeper.  (Not!  See correction below.)

Bonus coverage:  Metra 2135 express with the Milwaukee Road heritage unit at Morton Grove, outbound to Fox Lake, IL a few minutes before #8(26) showed up.


p.s.  Chicago Yards turned #8(25) around as normal and today's westbound Empire Builder, 7(28), left on-time.

Correction:  The transition sleeper substituted into the Portland Section of the Empire Builder on one of the 5 trainsets is still there - it left on 7(29).  Reportedly, some bedroom passengers refused to accept roomettes and canceled their trips.


 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/25 22:48 by illini73.

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Seattle has to do a turn faster than today's one-time-only fast Chicago turn every day.

Chicago Yards only get around to the Empire Builder after they turn 22 Texas Eagle to 21, 6 California Zephyr to 5, and 4 Southwest Chief to 3.  That gives them about 4 hours before 7 has to go to the depot for boarding.  Of course they can usually pull any cars needing extra "out of consist" work upon arrival the previous day.  Yesterday, they had to drop the 4 private cars, remove the BNSF leader, and swap out the bad ALC42 plus doing the normal servicing all on the same day.

The fact is, whatever problems 7/8 has encountered on its round trip to the West Coast, the next 7 almost invariably departs Chicago on-time.