Due to a coal train derailment near Naperville, Illinois, Amtrak No. 4, the Southwest Chief (Los Angeles CA to Chicago IL), and Amtrak No. 6, the California Zephyr (Emeryville CA to Chicago IL) were combined at Galesburg and detoured along the Chillicothe Subdivision at its namesake late-afternoon Wednesday, July 10, 2024. The ex-Santa Fe route was used by Amtrak's Southwest Chief regularly through July 1996. AMTK 147 and AMTK 199 led No. 4 while AMTK 72 and AMTK 29 were on No. 6, turned backwards when combined at the Amtrak depot in Galesburg.
I remember detours along this route in January and December 2009, May and October 2012, and January and November 2014, all but the last due to derailments on the usual route.
bn13814 : Love your videos. How did you know that was coming thru the area?
@kraziebill : Railfan Facebook groups gave frequent updates along the line, so I knew it was coming and where it was in several places only minutes after passage.