Passenger Trains > 381 and 382 How it started and how it ended

Came into Galesburg slowly this morning due to grade crossing renewal work...left with a BNSF tow out of Quincy.

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Thanks for the heads up! I went out and made some lemonade as the lemon passed the Westmont Metra Station on its way into Chicago. 

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Jeez! Another Charger goes down... and just a few hours outside of Chicago.... Did E9's run into this many issues within the first couple years of service back in the 1950's and 60's, right after they were built and delivered?

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

Interesting to see a Quincy train with an Amtrak Charger instead of an IDTX one.

Dave

OmahaTom Wrote:
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> Jeez! Another Charger goes down... and just a few
> hours outside of Chicago.... Did E9's run into
> this many issues within the first couple years of
> service back in the 1950's and 60's, right after
> they were built and delivered?

Kind of hard to operate from one when it has a shattered windshield....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/25 05:00 by HoggerMatt.

381 made it to Quincy with no apparent damage so where and when was it damaged?

AmtrakMidwest Wrote:
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> 381 made it to Quincy with no apparent damage so
> where and when was it damaged?

Turkey vulture shattered the windshield on 381. Freight motor was added at West Quincy.

That would make an interesting passenger delay notice, to be sure.

Today's 381(2), however, had real mechanical problems and had to return to Chicago for "further inspection" after the familiar "assessment".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/25 11:00 by illini73.

OmahaTom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jeez! Another Charger goes down... and just a few
> hours outside of Chicago.... Did E9's run into
> this many issues within the first couple years of
> service back in the 1950's and 60's, right after
> they were built and delivered?

Sad to see another quick-to-judge-without-knowing-facts presumptuous attitude post.

Is there a reason why this train operates with Superliners instead of Midwestern Venture Cars? Just asking! 

Many of the Midwest Venture cars have been around for a while now, and I read something recently about them being due for some required work.  That is raising the cars' bad-order rate some, hence the need for the Superliners.

jp1822 Wrote:
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> Is there a reason why this train operates with
> Superliners instead of Midwestern Venture Cars?
> Just asking! 

The Cal Zephyr lost its third coach in early September, so it seems likely that some have ended up subbing for Venture cars out of Chicago.

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
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> jp1822 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is there a reason why this train operates with
> > Superliners instead of Midwestern Venture Cars?
> > Just asking! 
>
> The Cal Zephyr lost its third coach in early
> September, so it seems likely that some have ended
> up subbing for Venture cars out of Chicago.
>
> Dave

Seems the CA Zephyr coaches went to the Coast Starlight. The Coast Starlight got a third coach added to its consists in September.