This afternoon on UP's Geneva sub I spotted UP SD90MAC 8508 leading two Amtrak P42DC's 88 and 188 with a baggage car and seven Superliner cars in tow. Train was heading westbound, about 10 minutes behind Metra 39, came through Wheaton about 40pm. Just a guess, but it might have been a test train for the new Peck interlocking, but anyone who knows for sure what was going on please feel free to reply. Not surprisingly, I couldn't find my camera in time to get a shot of this rare event... damn!
This came off an email list today:
"From TO:
A BNSF freight derailment near Mount Pleasant, IA, has
#6 blocked and is causing #5 to detour from Chicago to
Omaha via the old C&NW. UP 4737 is leading Amtrak 188
and 88. As of this writing, 235pm, the train is being
wyed in Chicago so that it may head out of the north
side of CUS. I expect it to be approximately 60
minutes late departing Chicago. Watch for him at
Rochelle on the Trains webcam. "