Amtrak Route - Midwest-WestAmtrak Midwest-WestAmtrak Route - Midwest-WestCurrent Amtrak Routes - Midwest-WestThis listing included current and discontinued routes operated by Amtrak since May 1, 1971. Some intercity trains were also operated after 1971 by the Alaska Railroad, Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, Georgia Railroad, Reading Company, and Southern Railway. The Southern Railway and D&RGW routes were taken over by Amtrak in 1979 and 1983 respectively. | Name | Indicates Amtrak's name for the train, or in some cases the pre-Amtrak name for trains operating prior to November 14, 1971 | | Route | The endpoints and major intermediate stops for the train. Changes to terminal stations within the same city, as well as route changes that did not modify the endpoint cities, are not shown. | Service
Began | The date Amtrak began operating the train | Service
Ended | The date Amtrak ceased operating the train | | Notes | Additional information concerning name changes and prior operators | | ‡ | Trains conveyed to Amtrak either on May 1, 1971, or afterward | | † | Trains that are currently operating | | †‡ | Trains conveyed to Amtrak that are currently operating | Current Amtrak Route - Midwest-West | Name | Route | Service
Began | Service
Ended | Notes | California Zephyr
(train) † | Chicago - Oakland | July 16, 1983 | October 26, 1997 | Replaced the San Francisco Zephyr. Temporarily cut to Emeryville from August 5, 1994 to May 12, 1995 | | Chicago - Emeryville | October 26, 1997 | present | | Chief
(train) | Chicago - Los Angeles | June 11, 1972 | September 10, 1972 | | City of San Francisco
(train) ‡ | Chicago - Oakland | May 1, 1971 | June 10, 1972 | Renamed San Francisco Zephyr | Denver Zephyr
(train) ‡ | Chicago - Denver | May 1, 1971 | June 10, 1973 | Inherited from Burlington Northern Railroad Denver Zephyr.
Replaced by increased service on the San Francisco Zephyr. | Empire Builder
(train) †‡ | Chicago - Seattle | May 1, 1971 | October 24, 1981 | Inherited from Burlington Northern Railroad Empire Builder | | Chicago - Portland/Seattle | October 25, 1981 | present | | National Chief
(Southwest Chief train) | Washington, D.C. - Los Angeles | | | Announced in 1996 as a through train combining the Southwest Chief and Capitol Limited, but never implemented | North Coast Hiawatha
(train) | Chicago - Seattle | June 5, 1971 | October 7, 1979 | Inherited from Burlington Northern Railroad North Coast Limited. Unnamed until November 14, 1971 | San Francisco Zephyr
(train) | Chicago - Oakland | June 11, 1972 | July 15, 1983 | Renamed from City of San Francisco.
Replaced by the California Zephyr | Southwest Chief
(train) † | Chicago - Los Angeles | October 28, 1984 | present | Renamed from Southwest Limited | Southwest Limited
(train) | Chicago - Los Angeles | May 19, 1974 | October 28, 1984 | Renamed from Super Chief. Renamed Southwest Chief | Sunset Limited
(train) †‡ | New Orleans - Los Angeles | May 1, 1971 | April 4, 1993 | Inherited from Southern Pacific Railroad Sunset Limited, extended to Miami | | Miami - Los Angeles | April 4, 1993 | November 10, 1996 | Truncated to Sanford | | Sanford - Los Angeles | November 10, 1996 | October 26, 1997 | Extended to Orlando | | Orlando - Los Angeles | October 26, 1997 | August 29, 2005 | Truncated to San Antonio due to Hurricane Katrina. | | San Antonio - Los Angeles | August 29, 2005 | October 26, 2005 | Extended to New Orleans | | New Orleans - Los Angeles | October 26, 2005 | present | Service east of New Orleans suspended after Hurricane Katrina. | Super Chief
(train) | Chicago - Los Angeles | April 19, 1973 | May 19, 1974 | Renamed from Super Chief / El Capitan. Renamed Southwest Limited | El Capitan
(Super Chief train) ‡ | Chicago - Los Angeles | May 1, 1971 | April 19, 1973 | Inherited from Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Super Chief / El Capitan (train). Renamed Super Chief | |
