Now on the Former CB&Q "Centennial Cutoff", Amtrak Train #952 is showing Maxwell the markers as it blasts east on the freight only BNSF Brookfield Sub. The 1953-built "Kansas City Cutoff" was built for the purpose of taking 2 hours running time off the "American Royal Zephyr" and "Kansas City Zephyr", bypassing the original 1859 curvy, hilly, Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad main via Cameron.
Today the route only hosts BNSF freight trains between Chicago and Kansas City, but today the passenger special uses the line for its original purpose--moving people.
The Iowa Pacific Holdings High Iron Travel rare mileage special is in day 4, and the final leg of its journey. The special started out in St. Louis the preceding Friday morning, and operated into Memphis, Springfield, MO, and Kansas City on the past three evenings, almost exclusively on the former Frisco Railway. Today is the last day of the trip, and the train will take former CB&Q trackage to West Quincy, MO.
