Lincoln service

[AKA]

I see in the in the Amtrak system estmate guide,[ Also known as the system time table.] that train # 303 Chicago - St. Louis arives in STL at 3:00 PM. I also see that train # 304 leaves STL. at 3:00 PM. for CHI. Is it posable to do a turn around in STL ? A sort of cross platform type thing to go back to CHI immediately on # 304. Just a thought. Anyone tried it? Anyone want to try it and let me know? Thanks in advance.

 

[whistler]

I see in the in the Amtrak system estmate guide,[ Also known as the system time table.] that train # 303 Chicago - St. Louis arives in STL at 3:00 PM. I also see that train # 304 leaves STL. at 3:00 PM. for CHI. Is it posable to do a turn around in STL ? A sort of cross platform type thing to go back to CHI immediately on # 304. Just a thought. Anyone tried it? Anyone want to try it and let me know? Thanks in advance.

I think you missed the one key factor in that scheme. How often is the #303 on time and does the #304 leave on time.

http://www.amtrakdelays.com/ is a good tool for charting the comings and goings of on time performance.

From my scan while the #303 is good for close to on time performance even early the #304 is out of there at 3pm.

 

[AmtrakFan]

304's equipment comes from KC. It could be tried, but would I? No.

 

[Mark]

I haven't tried that one but as was previously posted you have to take into account the fact that your southbound could be significantly late.

I tried the Wolverine 350 to Detroit and the 355 Wolverine back- I failed and spent the night in Windsor ON gambling, (with my wife's sarcastic approval- "I told you so...."). Turns out they are the same train: 350 turns in Pontiac for 355. I didn't realize this at the time but we were 15 minutes ahead, yes ahead, into Kalamazoo. A freight derailed ahead of us so they terminated the train Dearborn and bussed us to Detroit. When I tried to get a refund the agent told me that the bus could take me right back to Dearborn where 355 would start that day back to Chicago. In the end he took pity on me and changed me to 351 the AM Wolverine for the next day.

For my next trick: I took the, (reasonably), new 381 Carl Sandburg to Galesburg. It was late about 35 minutes. Inbound #4 the Southwest Chief, was not. I ended up with about 30 minutes to spend in Galesburg. That was a good day! (smirk)

Oh yea, I actually tried this one twice. The first time our P42 #128 died near Aurora, (BNSF/Metra). We sat for about 30 minutes until a yard job pushed us in to the Metra station. Fortunately I was able to secure a full refund and buy a Metra ticket home.

Keep researching- I do it all the time and bring a credit card, just in case.

 

[bmichel5581]

304's equipment comes from KC. It could be tried, but would I? No.

sorta

305's equipment leaves chicago on, say, a friday....goes to KC (but i don't know as what train), then returns to STL Saturday night to become 300 sunday morning

 

[AmtrakFan]

304's equipment comes from KC. It could be tried, but would I? No.

sorta

305's equipment leaves chicago on, say, a friday....goes to KC (but i don't know as what train), then returns to STL Saturday night to become 300 sunday morning

Thanks for that, also does 303's set still become the next day 304 in KC?

 

[Steve4031]

304's equipment comes from KC. It could be tried, but would I? No.

sorta

305's equipment leaves chicago on, say, a friday....goes to KC (but i don't know as what train), then returns to STL Saturday night to become 300 sunday morning

Thanks for that, also does 303's set still become the next day 304 in KC?

It would be better to leave on the 7 a.m from Chicago and arrive St. louis at noon. Take the train back that leaves around 5. This leaves time for a ride on Metrolink, and lunch at Landrys which is in the Union Station complex. That is a nice day of railraoding. I did this trip twice. Once with my girlfriend. We were coming back on that 3 p.m train, but the train from Chicago was delayed by a freight near summit. We changed our reservaton to the 5 pm so we would have time to eat lunch with a frined. The second time, I just planned on returning on the 5 pm. I did the ride on the new metrolink line as eating lunch at Landrys.

 

[rtabern]

One of my favorite things to do is to take the 7AM Lincoln Service from CHI-SPI

and then catch the Texas Eagle (22) back north.

You're usually pretty safe doing that --- even though there is only 15 minutes between trains in the schedule, 22 is almost never on-time into SPI. (and if you miss it, there is atleast another train to catch)

I dunno -- it's more fun riding Horizon one-way and Superliner back.

Too much on the single-level trains get to me. Hahaha.

 

[frj1983]

Oh yea, I actually tried this one twice. The first time our P42 #128 died near Aurora, (BNSF/Metra). We sat for about 30 minutes until a yard job pushed us in to the Metra station. Fortunately I was able to secure a full refund and buy a Metra ticket home.

Mark,

The Metra yard engine pushed you into the stub-end Aurora Station???

I find that hard to believe as there are multiple Metra trains backing in and pulling out all day. An Amtrak train would really be in the way and gum up the works! But then, stranger things have happened!

 

[Mark]

Oh yea, I actually tried this one twice. The first time our P42 #128 died near Aurora, (BNSF/Metra). We sat for about 30 minutes until a yard job pushed us in to the Metra station. Fortunately I was able to secure a full refund and buy a Metra ticket home.

Mark,

The Metra yard engine pushed you into the stub-end Aurora Station???

I find that hard to believe as there are multiple Metra trains backing in and pulling out all day. An Amtrak train would really be in the way and gum up the works! But then, stranger things have happened!

Oh its true. It was actually a BNSF crew that pushed us in. We were pretty close because once we got moving, it only took about 10-15 minutes to spot us up. I could overhear the Conductor's radio as I was in business class and right next to the locomotive, (it was actually #126), as he passed back and forth. We had HEP but the unit would not load. The BNSF mechanical guys came aboard and scratched their heads for awhile then it was decided to push us in. This was 2/9/06. I was able to walk right into the metra station and purchase a ticket. Within about 15 minutes the Metra was spotted up right next to my Amtrak. I have a few pics and some video but I'm having trouble figuring out how to post them in here. The video is probably too big as I have a dial up modem.

 

[frj1983]

Oh yea, I actually tried this one twice. The first time our P42 #128 died near Aurora, (BNSF/Metra). We sat for about 30 minutes until a yard job pushed us in to the Metra station. Fortunately I was able to secure a full refund and buy a Metra ticket home.

Mark,

The Metra yard engine pushed you into the stub-end Aurora Station???

I find that hard to believe as there are multiple Metra trains backing in and pulling out all day. An Amtrak train would really be in the way and gum up the works! But then, stranger things have happened!

Oh its true. It was actually a BNSF crew that pushed us in. We were pretty close because once we got moving, it only took about 10-15 minutes to spot us up. I could overhear the Conductor's radio as I was in business class and right next to the locomotive, (it was actually #126), as he passed back and forth. We had HEP but the unit would not load. The BNSF mechanical guys came aboard and scratched their heads for awhile then it was decided to push us in. This was 2/9/06. I was able to walk right into the metra station and purchase a ticket. Within about 15 minutes the Metra was spotted up right next to my Amtrak. I have a few pics and some video but I'm having trouble figuring out how to post them in here. The video is probably too big as I have a dial up modem.

That's interesting,

It must have been a slow time of day at the Aurora Metra Station! I wonder how long it took them to move the trainset out? I do recall a trip home last year when my Metra Train rolled slowly through Eola yard where about 6 Supperliners were sitting with people in them and no engine attached. After passing them and rolling into the Aurora Station, I noticed an Amtrak P42 parked close to the Metra yard office.

As we were detraining, the P42 trundled backwards toward Eola and then 20 minutes later the whole stalled trainset came shooting past Aurora Station with that P42 on the front.

I heard a Metra Conductor say something about fuses in regards to the Amtrak unit. I thought: "they don't carry any spares with them?"