If you’ve had to take a bus this week or last to Chicago thanks to Amtrak here in Galesburg, you’re not alone.
Amtrak has had a number of canceled routes on its Chicago to Quincy “Carl Sandburg” service. But they say things will return to normal starting Saturday, after the passenger railway had been using chartered buses since last week.
Amtrak claims the change in service had been occurring because of “a shortage of available state-owned locomotives,” as the route is operated by Amtrak under a deal with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The return to normal was urged to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), after he was made aware of the problems, and sent a letter to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner (seen below).
“We always appreciate the Senator’s strong interest in the performance of all our services in Illinois,” said Gardner, in a news release.
As Amtrak will be using other locomotives from its fleet instead, the railway says it will work with the state and manufacturers to streamline the repair-making process.
The Illinois Zephyr Amtrak route from Chicago to Quincy, which also stops in Galesburg, has not been impacted.
Sen. Durbin Letter to Gardner Re Quincy Service by WGIL Radio on Scribd
