Seaboard92
Engineer
The other day when I saw there was a avalanche on the HiLine I thought about what detours were available so I decided to to make a list of all the potential detours in the country. I'll try to add the distances when I figure them out at a later time.
California Zephyr
Chicago-Omaha via the EX Chicago & Northwestern
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Mississippi River Crossing at Clinton, IA
Fun Facts: A UP Engine with Cab Signals has to lead the train in CNW Territory for Cab Signals.
How Often: Usually in the early spring during the floods in the midwest
Denver-Salt Lake City
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Wyoming, Ruby Canyon
Fun Facts: The Only Time you can ride Amtrak in the state of Wyoming.
How Often: During Maintenance blitzes on the Moffet Line
Winnemucca-Sacramento
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Feather River Canyon
Fun Facts: The Original Route of the California Zephyr
How Often: Very rare. It has been done but not often
Capitol Limited/Lake Shore Limited
Chicago-South Bend Via CN
Host: Canadian National
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The original route of the International Limited
How Often: Very Rare. It has happened once this year in 2021 when a freight derailment blocked the NS Chicago Line.
Chicago-Cleveland via the EX B&O
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Urban Indiana, and Indiana and Ohio Farmland.
Fun Facts: EX Baltimore & Ohio to Greenwich, OH and EX New York Central to Cleveland, OH
How Often: It has happened once in the last five years.
Chicago-Toledo via Detroit
Host: Norfolk Southern and Amtrak
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Lake Erie between Toledo and Detroit
Fun Facts: All EX New York Central Right of Ways
How Often: It has happened more frequently than the other detours mentioned but nothing planned out far in advance.
Capitol Limited (Exclusive Routes)
Pittsburgh-Cleveland via Youngstown
Host: CSX Pittsburgh-Youngstown, NS Youngstown-Ashtabula, CSX Ashtabula-Cleveland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Lake Erie between Ashtabula and Cleveland
Fun Facts: Passenger trains haven't been scheduled between Youngstown and Ashtabula since the 1950s.
How Often: I don't think this has been operated before.
Pittsburgh-Chicago via the EX B&O
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Northern Indiana and farmland of Ohio and Indiana
Fun Facts: Amtrak operated this in the mid 2000s.
How Often: Very rare never planned if it is ran.
Lake Shore Limited
Cleveland-Buffalo via the Nickel Plate Road
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: You can see the parallel Water Level Route the whole way.
Fun Facts: Hasn't had passenger service since the 1960s
How Often: Very rare, never planned if it is ran.
Cardinal
Kenova, KY (Huntington, WV)-Charlottesville via N&W
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Appalachia, New River Valley in Virginia.
Fun Facts: Route of the Powhattan Arrow
How Often: I don't think I've ever heard of this but it is a doable detour.
City of New Orleans
Jackson-Meridian-New Orleans
Host: KCS Jackson-Meridian, NS Meridian-New Orleans
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The Kansas City Southern Speedway
How Often: Usually bus substituted however I have heard of it once or twice before
Coast Starlight
Los Angeles-Oakland via Tehachapi Loop
Host: Metrolink Los Angeles-Lancaster, UP Lancaster-Oakland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Altamont Pass, Tehachapi Loop, Central Valley, the Mojave Desert
Fun Facts: Instead of running the San Joachim Route on BNSF it runs on the EX Southern Pacific the whole length of the valley.
How Often: Usually once or twice a year. Usually planned in advance.
Davis-Los Molinos
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The original route of the SP Cascade
How Often: Very rare
Sacramento-Klamath Falls
Host UP Sacramento-Keddie, BNSF Keddie-Klamath Falls
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Feather River Canyon, Keddie Wye, Inside Gateway
Fun Facts: The fartherest south the Great Northern ever built was Keddie.
How Often: Very rare, I think it's been done once though.
Klamath Falls-Portland via Bend
Host: UP/BNSF: BNSF Klamath Falls-Columbia River Gorge, UP Columbia River Gorge-Portland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Deutsches River Valley, Columbia River Gorge, Multnonah Falls
Fun Facts: Amtrak sent their office cars this way when the Starlight route was blocked and they canceled the Starlight.
How Often: It's been done but very rare. Normally due to a blockage on the normal route.
Portland-Vancouver via Albina Yard
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Albina Yard, North Portland
Fun Facts: The route of the UP Pool Train into Portland from Seattle
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Olympia-Tacoma once the Bypass opens
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Tacoma Narrows, Point Defiance
Fun Facts: Still in use as an Amtrak route
How Often: Remains to be seen how often
Tacoma-Seattle
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Originally the Milwaukee Road
How Often: I haven't heard of it but it is possible.
Crescent
Alexandria-Danville
Host: CSX Alexandria-Richmond, NS Richmond-Danville
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Rare Milage on one of the original Southern Railway Lines
Fun Facts: Originally the Richmond and Danville
How Often: The Auto Train did this once.
Alexandria-Greensboro
Host: CSX Alexandria-Selma, NS Selma-Greensboro
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Richmond, and Raleigh skylines
Fun Facts: Part of the Amtrak Network
How Often: Never seen it happen.
Charlotte-Atlanta via Monroe
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights: SC Upstate, Athens, GA
Fun Facts: Route of the Silver Comet
How Often: It has been done a few times in 2013.
There are some routes between Atlanta and New Orleans but they don't do that on the yearly maintenance blitzes so I'm not listing them.
Empire Builder
Chicago-Milwaukee via C&NW
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Lake Michigan
Fun Facts: Route of the 400
How Often: I don't recall seeing it but it is doable.
Chicago-St. Paul via CB&Q
Host: BNSF
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Mississippi Valley for 300 miles.
Fun Facts: The original Empire Builder Route
How Often: Usually in the spring when the normal route is flooded.
St. Paul-Fargo
Host: BNSF
Distance: 262 Miles
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Route of the Empire Builder
How Often: Usually in the spring when the normal route floods.
Fargo-Sandpoint
Host: BNSF/ Montana Rail Link
Distance: 1,175
Scenic Highlights: Central Montana
Fun Facts: Route of the Mainstreeter and North Coast Limited
How Often: It's never been done.
Spokane-Seattle
Host: BNSF
Distance: 396
Scenic Highlights: Stampede Pass
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Spokane-Portland via UP
Host: UP
Distance: 400 or so Miles
Scenic Highlights: Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge
Fun Facts: Route of the City of Hinkle
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Wolverine/Blue Water
Chicago-Battle Creek
Host: CN
Distance: 170 Miles
Scenic Highlights: Northern Indiana, South Bend
Fun Facts: Original routing of the International Limited
How Often: Once in the last year during a NS Derailment I believe
Silver Star/Silver Meteor/Auto Train
Richmond-Columbia via Charlotte
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Charlotte skyline
Fun Facts: Runs on SC's Fall Line.
How Often: The Auto Train has used part of it once.
Charleston-Dillon
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Low Country SC
Fun Facts: Originally the Seaboard Airline
How Often: It might have been done once or twice this decade.
Dillon-Hamlet
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Originally the Seaboard Airline
How Often: It can occur whenever the A line is messed up between Dillon and Selma, or the S line is messed up between Hamlet and Savannah.
The Other route between Savannah-Selma has happened a few times with a SM Taking the S line or the SS taking the A Line
Jessup-Jacksonville via Waycross
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Atlantic Coastline
How Often: It happens occasionally when the Nahunta Cutoff is closed.
Jacksonville-Auburndale
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Central Florida
Fun Facts: Original Seaboard Airline
How Often: The Auto Train did it this year. Occasionally happens but never planned.
Southwest Chief/California Zephyr
Chicago-Galesburg via ATSF
Distance:
Scenic highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Santa Fe
How Often: Very Rare
Southwest Chief
Galesburg-Kansas City
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Quincy, IL
Fun Facts: Route of the American Royal Zephyr
How Often: Very Rare
Kansas City-Topeka
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic highlights:
Fun Facts: Route of the City of St. Louis
How Often: Usually in the spring during midwestern floods.
Kansas City-Albuquerque
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Texas Panhandle
Fun Facts: The Southern Transcon
How Often: It has Happened a few times.
Texas Eagle
Chicago-St. Louis via C&EI
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Eastern Illinois
Fun Facts: Route of the L&N Chicago Trains
How Often: Track Work on the Lincoln Corridor or derailments. Was operated in 2021.
St. Louis-Poplar Bluff via SSW
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic highlights: Illinois bank of the Mississippi
Fun Facts: Lost passenger service in the 1950s
How Often: In the spring when the regular route is flooded.
Longview-Taylor
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Texas
Fun Facts: Original route of the Texas Eagle
How Often: It has happened recently in 2017
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights: The Metroplex
Fun Facts: Route of the Amtrak Texas Eagle till recently.
How Often: Very rare.
California Zephyr
Chicago-Omaha via the EX Chicago & Northwestern
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Mississippi River Crossing at Clinton, IA
Fun Facts: A UP Engine with Cab Signals has to lead the train in CNW Territory for Cab Signals.
How Often: Usually in the early spring during the floods in the midwest
Denver-Salt Lake City
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Wyoming, Ruby Canyon
Fun Facts: The Only Time you can ride Amtrak in the state of Wyoming.
How Often: During Maintenance blitzes on the Moffet Line
Winnemucca-Sacramento
Host: Union Pacific
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Feather River Canyon
Fun Facts: The Original Route of the California Zephyr
How Often: Very rare. It has been done but not often
Capitol Limited/Lake Shore Limited
Chicago-South Bend Via CN
Host: Canadian National
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The original route of the International Limited
How Often: Very Rare. It has happened once this year in 2021 when a freight derailment blocked the NS Chicago Line.
Chicago-Cleveland via the EX B&O
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Urban Indiana, and Indiana and Ohio Farmland.
Fun Facts: EX Baltimore & Ohio to Greenwich, OH and EX New York Central to Cleveland, OH
How Often: It has happened once in the last five years.
Chicago-Toledo via Detroit
Host: Norfolk Southern and Amtrak
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Lake Erie between Toledo and Detroit
Fun Facts: All EX New York Central Right of Ways
How Often: It has happened more frequently than the other detours mentioned but nothing planned out far in advance.
Capitol Limited (Exclusive Routes)
Pittsburgh-Cleveland via Youngstown
Host: CSX Pittsburgh-Youngstown, NS Youngstown-Ashtabula, CSX Ashtabula-Cleveland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Lake Erie between Ashtabula and Cleveland
Fun Facts: Passenger trains haven't been scheduled between Youngstown and Ashtabula since the 1950s.
How Often: I don't think this has been operated before.
Pittsburgh-Chicago via the EX B&O
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Northern Indiana and farmland of Ohio and Indiana
Fun Facts: Amtrak operated this in the mid 2000s.
How Often: Very rare never planned if it is ran.
Lake Shore Limited
Cleveland-Buffalo via the Nickel Plate Road
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: You can see the parallel Water Level Route the whole way.
Fun Facts: Hasn't had passenger service since the 1960s
How Often: Very rare, never planned if it is ran.
Cardinal
Kenova, KY (Huntington, WV)-Charlottesville via N&W
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Appalachia, New River Valley in Virginia.
Fun Facts: Route of the Powhattan Arrow
How Often: I don't think I've ever heard of this but it is a doable detour.
City of New Orleans
Jackson-Meridian-New Orleans
Host: KCS Jackson-Meridian, NS Meridian-New Orleans
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The Kansas City Southern Speedway
How Often: Usually bus substituted however I have heard of it once or twice before
Coast Starlight
Los Angeles-Oakland via Tehachapi Loop
Host: Metrolink Los Angeles-Lancaster, UP Lancaster-Oakland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Altamont Pass, Tehachapi Loop, Central Valley, the Mojave Desert
Fun Facts: Instead of running the San Joachim Route on BNSF it runs on the EX Southern Pacific the whole length of the valley.
How Often: Usually once or twice a year. Usually planned in advance.
Davis-Los Molinos
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: The original route of the SP Cascade
How Often: Very rare
Sacramento-Klamath Falls
Host UP Sacramento-Keddie, BNSF Keddie-Klamath Falls
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Feather River Canyon, Keddie Wye, Inside Gateway
Fun Facts: The fartherest south the Great Northern ever built was Keddie.
How Often: Very rare, I think it's been done once though.
Klamath Falls-Portland via Bend
Host: UP/BNSF: BNSF Klamath Falls-Columbia River Gorge, UP Columbia River Gorge-Portland
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Deutsches River Valley, Columbia River Gorge, Multnonah Falls
Fun Facts: Amtrak sent their office cars this way when the Starlight route was blocked and they canceled the Starlight.
How Often: It's been done but very rare. Normally due to a blockage on the normal route.
Portland-Vancouver via Albina Yard
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Albina Yard, North Portland
Fun Facts: The route of the UP Pool Train into Portland from Seattle
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Olympia-Tacoma once the Bypass opens
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Tacoma Narrows, Point Defiance
Fun Facts: Still in use as an Amtrak route
How Often: Remains to be seen how often
Tacoma-Seattle
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Originally the Milwaukee Road
How Often: I haven't heard of it but it is possible.
Crescent
Alexandria-Danville
Host: CSX Alexandria-Richmond, NS Richmond-Danville
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Rare Milage on one of the original Southern Railway Lines
Fun Facts: Originally the Richmond and Danville
How Often: The Auto Train did this once.
Alexandria-Greensboro
Host: CSX Alexandria-Selma, NS Selma-Greensboro
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Richmond, and Raleigh skylines
Fun Facts: Part of the Amtrak Network
How Often: Never seen it happen.
Charlotte-Atlanta via Monroe
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights: SC Upstate, Athens, GA
Fun Facts: Route of the Silver Comet
How Often: It has been done a few times in 2013.
There are some routes between Atlanta and New Orleans but they don't do that on the yearly maintenance blitzes so I'm not listing them.
Empire Builder
Chicago-Milwaukee via C&NW
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Lake Michigan
Fun Facts: Route of the 400
How Often: I don't recall seeing it but it is doable.
Chicago-St. Paul via CB&Q
Host: BNSF
Distance
Scenic Highlights: Mississippi Valley for 300 miles.
Fun Facts: The original Empire Builder Route
How Often: Usually in the spring when the normal route is flooded.
St. Paul-Fargo
Host: BNSF
Distance: 262 Miles
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Route of the Empire Builder
How Often: Usually in the spring when the normal route floods.
Fargo-Sandpoint
Host: BNSF/ Montana Rail Link
Distance: 1,175
Scenic Highlights: Central Montana
Fun Facts: Route of the Mainstreeter and North Coast Limited
How Often: It's never been done.
Spokane-Seattle
Host: BNSF
Distance: 396
Scenic Highlights: Stampede Pass
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Spokane-Portland via UP
Host: UP
Distance: 400 or so Miles
Scenic Highlights: Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge
Fun Facts: Route of the City of Hinkle
How Often: I don't think it's been done.
Wolverine/Blue Water
Chicago-Battle Creek
Host: CN
Distance: 170 Miles
Scenic Highlights: Northern Indiana, South Bend
Fun Facts: Original routing of the International Limited
How Often: Once in the last year during a NS Derailment I believe
Silver Star/Silver Meteor/Auto Train
Richmond-Columbia via Charlotte
Host: NS
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Charlotte skyline
Fun Facts: Runs on SC's Fall Line.
How Often: The Auto Train has used part of it once.
Charleston-Dillon
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Low Country SC
Fun Facts: Originally the Seaboard Airline
How Often: It might have been done once or twice this decade.
Dillon-Hamlet
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Originally the Seaboard Airline
How Often: It can occur whenever the A line is messed up between Dillon and Selma, or the S line is messed up between Hamlet and Savannah.
The Other route between Savannah-Selma has happened a few times with a SM Taking the S line or the SS taking the A Line
Jessup-Jacksonville via Waycross
Host: CSX
Distance
Scenic Highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Atlantic Coastline
How Often: It happens occasionally when the Nahunta Cutoff is closed.
Jacksonville-Auburndale
Host: CSX
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Central Florida
Fun Facts: Original Seaboard Airline
How Often: The Auto Train did it this year. Occasionally happens but never planned.
Southwest Chief/California Zephyr
Chicago-Galesburg via ATSF
Distance:
Scenic highlights:
Fun Facts: Original Santa Fe
How Often: Very Rare
Southwest Chief
Galesburg-Kansas City
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Quincy, IL
Fun Facts: Route of the American Royal Zephyr
How Often: Very Rare
Kansas City-Topeka
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic highlights:
Fun Facts: Route of the City of St. Louis
How Often: Usually in the spring during midwestern floods.
Kansas City-Albuquerque
Host: BNSF
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Texas Panhandle
Fun Facts: The Southern Transcon
How Often: It has Happened a few times.
Texas Eagle
Chicago-St. Louis via C&EI
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Eastern Illinois
Fun Facts: Route of the L&N Chicago Trains
How Often: Track Work on the Lincoln Corridor or derailments. Was operated in 2021.
St. Louis-Poplar Bluff via SSW
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic highlights: Illinois bank of the Mississippi
Fun Facts: Lost passenger service in the 1950s
How Often: In the spring when the regular route is flooded.
Longview-Taylor
Host: UP
Distance:
Scenic Highlights: Texas
Fun Facts: Original route of the Texas Eagle
How Often: It has happened recently in 2017
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Host: UP
Distance
Scenic Highlights: The Metroplex
Fun Facts: Route of the Amtrak Texas Eagle till recently.
How Often: Very rare.