Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg

<h2 id="history">History</h2>

The initial train route between Quincy and Chicago first opened as a part of three independent railroads in 1855. The portion of track between Quincy and Galesburg was owned by the <a href="/facts/Northern_Cross_Railroad/TXMYmt3J">Northern Cross Railroad</a>, led by <a href="/facts/Nehemiah_Bushnell/9mxvrVWo">Nehemiah Bushnell</a>, and was completed in 1854. This connected with the Central Military Tract Road between Galesburg and <a href="/facts/Mendota%2c_Illinois/Qov7IIBV">Mendota, Illinois</a>. At Mendota, it connected with the <a href="/facts/Chicago_and_Aurora_Railroad/JtnCsy1f">Chicago and Aurora Railroad</a> to complete the route to Chicago.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> These three railroads eventually merged into the <a href="/facts/Chicago%2c_Burlington_and_Quincy_Railroad/9NmAud4K">Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad</a>.
The Illinois Zephyr is a descendant of the <a href="/facts/Kansas_City_Zephyr/FojhyAtP">Kansas City Zephyr</a> and <a href="/facts/American_Royal_Zephyr/Hev4KHG4">American Royal Zephyr</a> passenger train routes operated by the <a href="/facts/Chicago%2c_Burlington_and_Quincy_Railroad/9NmAud4K">Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad</a> from 1953 until 1968 and 1971, respectively. The state of Illinois intervened in 1971 at the request of Quincy College (now <a href="/facts/Quincy_University/mRN4apmv">Quincy University</a>), <a href="/facts/Western_Illinois_University/kU6lDhUT">Western Illinois University</a>, and residents of western Illinois. This became part of the "<a href="/facts/Illinois_Service/9yNpg0Ic">Illinois Service</a>" initiative in 1971 and is partially funded by the <a href="/facts/Illinois_Department_of_Transportation/ayIpktMt">Illinois Department of Transportation</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a>: 242  Service on the Illinois Zephyr began on November 14, 1971, between <a href="/facts/Chicago/yPMokrXH">Chicago</a> and <a href="/facts/West_Quincy%2c_Missouri/smIHvvpA">West Quincy, Missouri</a>. The name "<a href="/facts/Zephyr_(train)/jRHvmNKp">Zephyr</a>" is preserved in the current name of the line.
Service to <a href="/facts/Plano%2c_Illinois/YUXqRD3Y">Plano</a> began on April 30, 1972. Service to Quincy proper began on April 24, 1983, in response to the West Quincy station being frequently cut off by flooding. The suburban stop at <a href="/facts/Aurora%2c_Illinois/otl87X6r">Aurora</a>, was discontinued on April 28, 1985, in favor of <a href="/facts/Naperville%2c_Illinois/V77ce9m4">Naperville</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a>: 251–252  Passenger service was cut back to Quincy on May 1, 1994, after a <a href="/facts/Great_Flood_of_1993/7JD2I30b">major flood in 1993</a> destroyed the original station at West Quincy. The Illinois Zephyr and the Carl Sandburg trainsets continue to cross the <a href="/facts/Mississippi_River/RduarPzj">Mississippi River</a> to <a href="/facts/Layover/bA24lXAp">layover</a> at the BNSF West Quincy railyard for servicing between runs.
On October 30, 2006, a second round trip, the Carl Sandburg was added as part of the <a href="/facts/Midwest_Regional_Rail_Initiative/dyudD7uD">Midwest Regional Rail Initiative</a>. The train's name honors the famed and <a href="/facts/Pulitzer_Prize/wD4PN6Xs">Pulitzer</a>-winning writer <a href="/facts/Carl_Sandburg/omVNmNDe">Carl Sandburg</a>, whose <a href="/facts/Carl_Sandburg_State_Historic_Site/XIM2hlBe">birthplace</a> in <a href="/facts/Galesburg%2c_Illinois/hnAIsd96">Galesburg, Illinois</a> lies just a few hundred feet from this train's route. The morning westbound/evening eastbound schedule complements the opposite morning eastbound/evening westbound schedule of the Illinois Zephyr.
Starting November 16, 2022, Amtrak began substituting the morning runs of the Illinois Zephyr (train 380) and Carl Sandburg (train 381) with <a href="/facts/Amtrak_Thruway/lNg9tSHh">Amtrak Thruway</a> buses due to staffing shortages at Amtrak's Quincy crew base. The suspension lasted until January 17, 2023.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>

<h3>Proposed extension</h3>
During 2010, Amtrak contacted officials from communities in northeastern Missouri and western Illinois regarding the feasibility of extending the routes from Quincy to the Missouri cities of <a href="/facts/Hannibal%2c_Missouri/4NITdwyW">Hannibal</a> and <a href="/facts/St._Louis/22beLecX">St. Louis</a>. Without any funding, though, no formal planning or studies were done for the extension.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a>
Plans for a Hannibal extension were revived in late 2021, when a coalition of political, business, and transportation leaders was formed. A committee will investigate potential station locations in downtown Hannibal (including the Y Men’s Pavilion), discuss surrounding mobility issues (including parking, walkability, and flooding), and work to find funding for planning and studies. The committee, which will be soliciting input from the public, held its first meeting January 2022.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a>
The Quincy–Hannibal route appeared in the 2022 Missouri State Freight and Rail Plan as a potential long-term passenger corridor.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a> In 2023 the <a href="/facts/Missouri_Department_of_Transportation/AyeB0dL3">Missouri Department of Transportation</a> applied for federal funding to study the route under the <a href="/facts/Infrastructure_Investment_and_Jobs_Act/T64dfk69">Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a>

<h2 id="stations">Stations</h2>
The entire route is located in the <a href="/facts/U.S._state/PFwcRIYQ">U.S. state</a> of <a href="/facts/Illinois/MuPb1Ctn">Illinois</a>.
<table><tbody><tr><th>Town/City</th><th>Station</th><th>Connections</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Chicago/yPMokrXH">Chicago</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Chicago_Union_Station/LHngXjRT">ChicagoUnion Station</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3">Amtrak</a> (long-distance): <a href="/facts/California_Zephyr/EcY3NLJC">California Zephyr</a>, <a href="/facts/Cardinal_(train)/VRa1hB7P">Cardinal</a>, <a href="/facts/City_of_New_Orleans_(train)/bm1eyN3w">City of New Orleans</a>, <a href="/facts/Empire_Builder/oKbNDYhr">Empire Builder</a>, <a href="/facts/Floridian_(train)/uTPdzlSB">Floridian</a>, <a href="/facts/Lake_Shore_Limited/PnUblC0c">Lake Shore Limited</a>, <a href="/facts/Southwest_Chief/0EYleY2t">Southwest Chief</a>, <a href="/facts/Texas_Eagle/YyU14dpB">Texas Eagle</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> Amtrak (intercity): <a href="/facts/Blue_Water_(train)/mdPJXvn4">Blue Water</a>, <a href="/facts/Borealis_(train)/7IkrAndL">Borealis</a>, <a href="/facts/Hiawatha_(Amtrak_train)/qruV2k64">Hiawatha</a>, <a href="/facts/Illini_and_Saluki/h11BxUYL">Illini and Saluki</a>, <a href="/facts/Lincoln_Service/0JhqRhsL">Lincoln Service</a>, <a href="/facts/Pere_Marquette_(Amtrak_train)/qrs8eRy2">Pere Marquette</a>, <a href="/facts/Wolverine_(train)/sFASBBQc">Wolverine</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4"></a> <a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4">Metra</a>: ■ <a href="/facts/BNSF_Line/JEyqNxbo">BNSF</a>, ■ <a href="/facts/Milwaukee_District_North_Line/IyxfyCDq">Milwaukee District North</a>, ■ <a href="/facts/Milwaukee_District_West_Line/A98Db3Cr">Milwaukee District West</a>, ■ <a href="/facts/North_Central_Service/391Eq8Hp">North Central Service</a>, ■ <a href="/facts/Heritage_Corridor/8Vxf41wh">Heritage Corridor</a>, ■ <a href="/facts/SouthWest_Service/BnE1E1pc">SouthWest Service</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Chicago_%2522L%2522/wNUsQHDm"></a> <a href="/facts/Chicago_%2522L%2522/wNUsQHDm">Chicago "L"</a>: <a href="/facts/Blue_Line_(CTA)/V6nq3v38">Blue</a> (at <a href="/facts/Clinton_station_(CTA_Blue_Line)/PNENSNJs">Clinton</a>) <a href="/facts/Brown_Line_(CTA)/mVne2x2w">Brown</a> <a href="/facts/Orange_Line_(CTA)/wCPSbBnf">Orange</a> <a href="/facts/Pink_Line_(CTA)/zFPIzFXm">Pink</a> <a href="/facts/Purple_Line_(CTA)/eHewIQWI">Purple</a> (at <a href="/facts/Quincy_station_(CTA)/ENANbU1W">Quincy</a>)</li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> Local buses: <a href="/facts/List_of_Chicago_Transit_Authority_bus_routes/NQjzdMUR">CTA</a>, <a href="/facts/Pace_(transit)/IdRlv24K">Pace</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> Intercity buses: <a href="/facts/Amtrak_Thruway/lNg9tSHh"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak_Thruway/lNg9tSHh">Amtrak Thruway</a>, <a href="/facts/Greyhound_Lines/J9cK6T5E"></a> <a href="/facts/Greyhound_Lines/J9cK6T5E">Greyhound</a>, <a href="/facts/Megabus_(North_America)/kocuQSGf"></a> <a href="/facts/Megabus_(North_America)/kocuQSGf">Megabus</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/La_Grange%2c_Illinois/eVoqUy0d">La Grange</a></td><td><a href="/facts/La_Grange_Road_station/rFuczy6w">La Grange Road</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4"></a> <a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4">Metra</a>: ■ <a href="/facts/BNSF_Line/JEyqNxbo">BNSF</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> <a href="/facts/Pace_(transit)/IdRlv24K">Pace</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Naperville%2c_Illinois/V77ce9m4">Naperville</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Naperville_station/EtHR222r">Naperville</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3">Amtrak</a>: <a href="/facts/California_Zephyr/EcY3NLJC">California Zephyr</a>, <a href="/facts/Southwest_Chief/0EYleY2t">Southwest Chief</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4"></a> <a href="/facts/Metra/hV0mWWu4">Metra</a>: ■ <a href="/facts/BNSF_Line/JEyqNxbo">BNSF</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> <a href="/facts/Pace_(transit)/IdRlv24K">Pace</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Plano%2c_Illinois/YUXqRD3Y">Plano</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Plano_station_(Illinois)/1L45dJMD">Plano</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> KAT (<a href="/facts/Dial-a-ride/8UjWXzyd">dial-a-ride</a>)</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Mendota%2c_Illinois/Qov7IIBV">Mendota</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mendota_station/y1Gj7gvM">Mendota</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3">Amtrak</a>: <a href="/facts/Southwest_Chief/0EYleY2t">Southwest Chief</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> NCAT (<a href="/facts/Dial-a-ride/8UjWXzyd">dial-a-ride</a>)</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Princeton%2c_Illinois/AJkFRqlm">Princeton</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Princeton_station_(Illinois)/59BwXwcE">Princeton</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3">Amtrak</a>: <a href="/facts/California_Zephyr/EcY3NLJC">California Zephyr</a>, <a href="/facts/Southwest_Chief/0EYleY2t">Southwest Chief</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> BPART (<a href="/facts/Dial-a-ride/8UjWXzyd">dial-a-ride</a>)</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Kewanee%2c_Illinois/bFGIwhCN">Kewanee</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Kewanee_station/Db8RIXdp">Kewanee</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> Henry County Public Transportation (<a href="/facts/Dial-a-ride/8UjWXzyd">dial-a-ride</a>)</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Galesburg%2c_Illinois/hnAIsd96">Galesburg</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Galesburg_station_(Amtrak)/XLqEYrCG">Galesburg</a></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3"></a> <a href="/facts/Amtrak/cHtG5Ub3">Amtrak</a>: <a href="/facts/California_Zephyr/EcY3NLJC">California Zephyr</a>, <a href="/facts/Southwest_Chief/0EYleY2t">Southwest Chief</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> <a href="/facts/Galesburg_Transit/8WN9p7Tj">Galesburg Transit</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Macomb%2c_Illinois/QBlvNGrh">Macomb</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Macomb_station/clL7TBwU">Macomb</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> <a href="/facts/Go_West_Transit/4yhvjKnP">Go West Transit</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Quincy%2c_Illinois/P6f8HUWu">Quincy</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Quincy_station_(Amtrak)/nF2gVUpy">Quincy</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Bus/CuEPrMhW"></a> <a href="/facts/Quincy_Transit_Lines/dkKFBpDk">Quincy Transit Lines</a></td></tr></tbody></table>
<h2 id="rolling-stock">Rolling stock</h2>

A normal Amtrak Illinois Zephyr or Carl Sandburg consists of:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a>

<ul><li>One <a href="/facts/Siemens_Charger/H5461szy">Siemens SC-44 Charger</a> locomotive</li>
<li>Two to Three <a href="/facts/Amtrak_Midwest/tE8mKh8u">Amtrak Midwest</a> <a href="/facts/Siemens_Venture/qb297Acp">Siemens Venture</a> coaches</li>
<li>One Amfleet I or Horizon fleet Cafe/Business class car</li></ul>

<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
Template:Attached KML/Illinois ZephyrKML is from Wikidata
Template:Attached KML/Carl Sandburg (train)KML is not from Wikidata
 Media related to Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg at Wikimedia Commons

<ul><li><a href="https://www.amtrak.com/routes/illinois-services-train.html">Illinois Services – Amtrak</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3. <a href="978-0-253-34705-3" target="_blank">978-0-253-34705-3</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"Amtrak FY24 Ridership" (PDF). <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FY24-Year-End-Ridership-Fact-Sheet.pdf" target="_blank">https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FY24-Year-End-Ridership-Fact-Sheet.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Amtrak FY23 Ridership" (PDF). \. Retrieved January 14, 2024. <a href="https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Amtrak-Fiscal-Year-2023-Ridership.pdf" target="_blank">https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Amtrak-Fiscal-Year-2023-Ridership.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Plank Road Meeting at Clayton". The Quincy Whig. January 23, 1854. p. 1. <a href="https://quincypublicil.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1854&bdd=1850&bm=1&bd=23&d=01231854-01231854&fn=quincy_weekly_whig_usa_illinois_quincy_18540123_english_1&df=1&dt=10" target="_blank">https://quincypublicil.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?i=f&by=1854&bdd=1850&bm=1&bd=23&d=01231854-01231854&fn=quincy_weekly_whig_usa_illinois_quincy_18540123_english_1&df=1&dt=10</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3. <a href="978-0-253-34705-3" target="_blank">978-0-253-34705-3</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34705-3. <a href="978-0-253-34705-3" target="_blank">978-0-253-34705-3</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">"Amtrak cancels 2 Quincy trains". KHQA. November 16, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022. <a href="https://khqa.com/news/local/amtrak-cancels-2-quincy-trains" target="_blank">https://khqa.com/news/local/amtrak-cancels-2-quincy-trains</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">"Amtrak cancels morning Illinois Zephyr, Carl Sandburg". Trains. November 17, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022. <a href="https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-cancels-morning-illinois-zephyr-carl-sandburg/" target="_blank">https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/amtrak-cancels-morning-illinois-zephyr-carl-sandburg/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">"Hannibal rails for Amtrak". ConnectTristates.com. October 18, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2010. <a href="http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=527762" target="_blank">http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=527762</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">Edlund, Clare (January 4, 2022). "Hannibal coalition works to attract downtown Amtrak station". WGEM. Retrieved January 24, 2022. <a href="https://www.wgem.com/2022/01/05/hannibal-coalition-works-attract-downtown-amtrak-station/" target="_blank">https://www.wgem.com/2022/01/05/hannibal-coalition-works-attract-downtown-amtrak-station/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">"2022 Missouri State Freight and Rail Plan" (PDF). Missouri Department of Transportation. p. 58. Retrieved September 19, 2023. <a href="https://www.modot.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022%20State%20Freight%20and%20Rail%20Plan.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.modot.org/sites/default/files/documents/2022%20State%20Freight%20and%20Rail%20Plan.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Collison, Kevin (September 18, 2023). "MoDOT Seeks New Amtrak Service from KC to Springfield, St. Joe, STL". CitySceneKC. Retrieved September 19, 2023. <a href="https://cityscenekc.com/modot-seeks-new-amtrak-service-from-kc-to-springfield-st-joe-stl/" target="_blank">https://cityscenekc.com/modot-seeks-new-amtrak-service-from-kc-to-springfield-st-joe-stl/</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">"ILLINOIS ZEPHYR CARL SANDBURG". TrainWeb. Retrieved October 19, 2010. <a href="http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/illinoiszephyr.htm" target="_blank">http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/illinoiszephyr.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">"Amtrak touts new locomotives for local passengers". The Whig. November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017. <a href="http://www.whig.com/20171114/amtrak-touts-new-locomotives-for-local-passengers#" target="_blank">http://www.whig.com/20171114/amtrak-touts-new-locomotives-for-local-passengers#</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg open-in-new

Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg