Happy Amtrak Day!
May 1st is known as the day Amtrak was created, way back in 1971. So when I learned from diligent observers about a 50th anniversary heritage unit leading an inbound Southwest Chief on Amtrak's 51st anniversary, of course I wanted to try to catch it. After running on time for most of it's run from Los Angeles, the Chief got held up just east of Neponset, IL for some unknown reason, sitting at a dead stop out in the country for nearly an hour. The best I can figure is freight train interference, as the Mendota Sub has been a complete mess since February 2022, with trains parked on the mains trying to get into both Eola and Galesburg at opposite ends of the Mendota Sub. I mention this only to enter it into the record for posterity, as the delay actually made it easier to catch the train. Here it sails past the grain elevators in Leland, on a very cold and windy May 1st.
Happy Amtrak Day!
May 1st is known as the day Amtrak was created, way back in 1971. So when I learned from diligent observers about a 50th anniversary heritage unit leading an inbound Southwest Chief on Amtrak's 51st anniversary, of course I wanted to try to catch it. After running on time for most of it's run from Los Angeles, the Chief got held up just east of Neponset, IL for some unknown reason, sitting at a dead stop out in the country for nearly an hour. The best I can figure is freight train interference, as the Mendota Sub has been a complete mess since February 2022, with trains parked on the mains trying to get into both Eola and Galesburg at opposite ends of the Mendota Sub. I mention this only to enter it into the record for posterity, as the delay actually made it easier to catch the train. Here it sails past the grain elevators in Leland, on a very cold and windy May 1st.