"Special" Amtrak train to Minneapolis today (9/20/10)?

[fredevad]

Just (barely) overheard on the scanner the CP dispatcher for the Watertown sub in Wisconsin saying something about a "special" Amtrak train "running all the way to Minneapolis" today. The Empire Builder runs everyday to MSP, so I don't think that is it since there's nothing "special" about that (well, not in this context anyway).

Anyone have any ideas what this might be?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. Yes, I admit, I listen to the scanner even when I'm at work. I figure others listen to FM, internet, and even ... ahem... AM ... radio, so I can listen to "rail" radio.

 

[bretton88]

Would Amtrak be running a business trains, perhaps?

 

[BlakeTyner]

They had a stub train operating in Illinois on Friday for a public event at one of the stations (Joliet? Bloomington?) This could have been something similar to that--particularly if there's some important governor race or state congressional issue.

 

[rtabern]

Maybe I can solve part of the mystery.

I was inbound today (9/20) on #8/28 from MSP-CHI for my last Trails & Rails trip and near Watertown, WI we passed a train with a Genesis locomotive... a couple of Amfleet cars... and what looked like a track inspection car on the very back. We were zipping by at a pretty high rate of speed so that is all I could make out.

This was between CBS and MKE (maybe near Watertown ??) probably around 1:30PM CT.

Not sure what was going on with it though??

 

[Steve4031]

Maybe checking stuff out for the Madison service?

 

[Trogdor]

It's just an FRA inspection train. Amtrak runs these all the time, all over the place. Not really *that* special.

 

[Ispolkom]

Mrs. Ispolkom spotted the car (DOTX-216) on the back of #8 this morning heading back east.