The rear SC-44 Charger locomotive on Amtrak’s westbound Blue Water passes a colorful stand of trees in Porter, Indiana, On Oct. 23. The train is on Amtrak’s Michigan District but is in the process of getting onto Norfolk Southern’s Chicago Line. It operates with a locomotive on each end to avoid having the turn the the consist in Port Huron, Michigan, the eastern terminus.
Amtrak’s Chicago-bound Blue Water is entering the connection that links Amtrak-owned track with the Chicago Line of Norfolk Southern at Porter, Indiana. The route between Porter and Kalamazoo is the longest stretch of Amtrak-owned rails outside the Northeast Corridor.
The Blue Water originates in Port Huron, Michigan, and is funded largely by the Michigan Department of Transportation. The image was made on Oct. 2, 2022.
The last I knew, the new Venture passengers cars built by Siemens for corridor services in the Midwest and on the West Coast had been sidelined due to various mechanical issues.
The cars had begun revenue service in February in the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, but that assignment proved to be brief.
It didn’t take long to discover that some tray table magnets were too strong, that trap-door handles were falling off, that bathroom doors were malfunctioning, and that sliding step extenders were getting jammed with snow.
But last Sunday in Porter, Indiana, I saw evidence that these issues apparently have been resolved and the Venture coaches are back in service.
Shown is above is a three-car Chicago-bound Pere Marquette, which originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The consist includes two Venture coaches and an Amfleet food service car. Eventually Venture cafe cars with a business class section are expected to join the fleet.
The train shown above is entering the Chicago Line of Norfolk Southern from the CSX Grands Rapids Subdivision. On the point is an SC-44 Charger locomotive, also built by Siemens.
The Chargers are now the standard motive power for Midwest corridor trains. Note how the Venture coaches have a higher profile than Amfleet equipment.
Amtrak in the Heartland 