USA: An Amtrak locomotive shortage forced several state-supported Midwest train cancellations in Illinois and Michigan during the first week of August, while earlier Illinois Zephyr disruptions also affected Chicago–Quincy passengers.

Amtrak Midwest SC-44 locomotive 4610 with the Illinois Zephyr at Naperville station
Amtrak Midwest SC-44 locomotive No. 4610 with the Illinois Zephyr at Naperville station. Illustrative photo. Photo: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Cancellations spread across Illinois and Michigan

The disruption first affected the Chicago–Quincy Illinois Zephyr. Round trips were canceled from Aug. 1 through the morning of Aug. 3 after train No. 383 underwent mechanical assessments at La Grange and Kewanee, Illinois, and reached Quincy about 2½ hours late.

After the trainset returned to Chicago without passengers, No. 383 operated Monday afternoon, but Tuesday morning’s No. 380 did not leave Quincy. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said that train was canceled and no substitute transportation was available.

Amtrak then attributed additional cancellations to a “lack of serviceable locomotives.” The affected trains included Pere Marquette Nos. 370 and 371 between Chicago and Grand Rapids, Lincoln Service Nos. 305 and 302 between Chicago and St. Louis, and Wolverine Nos. 352 and 351 between Chicago and Pontiac from Aug. 4 through Aug. 7.

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Buses covered several trains, but not every cancellation

Amtrak ordered substitute buses for those additional cancellations. Passengers already ticketed when the changes were finalized could be accommodated, while customers still trying to buy tickets could see the affected trains listed as “sold out” rather than canceled.

On the Michigan network, the Michigan Department of Transportation describes the Pere Marquette as one daily round trip and the Wolverine as three daily round trips. That schedule makes the loss of individual trains especially visible on the Grand Rapids route, where the canceled Nos. 370 and 371 normally form the only daily round trip.

Passengers also had a rail alternative in one case. With Chicago–Pontiac Wolverine No. 354 sold out between Chicago and New Buffalo on Aug. 6, Detroit-bound passengers could take the earlier Blue Water to Battle Creek and wait there for No. 354.

No broader restoration timetable was disclosed

The cancellation list in the supplied report ran through Aug. 7. Amtrak did not disclose a broader restoration timetable or the technical reason the locomotives were unavailable.

Several long-distance trains also left Chicago late during the same week, but the report cautioned that not all of those delays could be attributed to locomotive availability.

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