| In the summer of 1993, the great flood of the Mississippi River resulted in the closure of all railway bridges between St. Louis and Clinton, Iowa. Amtraks "California Zephyr", which normally crosses the river at Burlington, Iowa was rerouted over the main line of the Chicago & North Western Railroad between Omaha and Chicago. Movement over the C&NW required the use of cab signals, for which Amtraks own locomotives were not equipped. Chicagos Metra commuter agency, however, had some ex-C&NW E-units which did have the necessary equipment, so these were borrowed and placed into service leading Amtraks trains. |