After I concluded my business a few days later, I had to wait in the Amtrak station about ten hours (no, I didn't mind. I always travel prepared) until the train arrived. Since the time slot had been missed, our train could only move in short runs while deferring to the oil traffic. To make a long ride short, We arrived back in Chicago about fourteen hours late. I had missed my connection so Amtrak put me up in a nice hotel for the day. It was soon after that Amtrak cancelled that route, losing money I am sure, until Washington stepped in and gave the passenger service a higher priority. The route resumed shortly after and has run closer to schedule ever since.
I just thought it was interesting how things went and the attitudes of different people I met on the trip. Some were disgusted with Amtrak and others understood it was not in their control. I like riding the train and will do it again at the next opportunity. Amtrak gets hammered a lot but it is the only service available of it's kind. The employees are friendly and helpful and the trip is usually relaxing. I don't care for driving on trips in the winter weather and felt really safe looking out the window at snow drifts towering above me as I passed through at eighty mph!
One thing I will mention is the appearance of the oil trains, either moving or at rest. They looked for all the world like a big black pipeline!
I've also been on Amtrak routes when all the important dispatching windows were missed, and the train was hopelessly late. The relationship between Amtrak and the Class I railroads has always been tenuous, although BNSF is better than the other railroads in servicing Amtrak.