THE ALL-WEATHER MODE ... ISN'T.

Yes, there's a fair amount of snow at Cold Spring Shops headquarters.

Northern Illinois University have already cancelled classes and rescheduled basketball games this week in anticipation of the snow, and a cold snap that is due midweek.

Amtrak, perhaps in recognition of the difficulties winter throws at railroads, and perhaps acknowledging the parlous state of its rolling stock, has reduced its schedules for the Chicago-area regional trains.

Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha route: Four round trips are scheduled to operate: trains 330, 331, 334, 335, 338, 339, and 341, 342. Three round trips (trains 329 and 332, 333 and 336, 337 and 340) are cancelled Jan. 29-31.

That's the Chicago-originating train, with 329 offering the early-morning trip to Milwaukee, turning as 332, then becoming the midday 333-336 turn and the early evening 337-340 turn that ties up in Chicago. If the one rake that lays over in Milwaukee overnight breaks down, they have a problem.

Chicago-Carbondale route: Chicago to Carbondale Illini No. 393 is cancelled Jan. 28-30; Carbondale-Chicago Saluki No. 390 is cancelled Jan. 29-31. Both directions of the City of New Orleans are scheduled to operate, as are corridor trains 391 and 392.

The City runs a few hours ahead of the cancelled trains, and the 391-392 pair is the morning departure for Carbondale, turning to return to Chicago the same day.  The January 31 departure of 393 from Chicago will become the February 1 consist of 390.

Chicago-Detroit/Pontiac Wolverine route: Trains 351, 352, 353 and 354 are scheduled to operate; trains 350 and 355 are cancelled on Jan. 29-31.

The cancelled train is the morning turn out of Chicago that returns the same day. The other two consists stay in Pontiac overnight, and if those are delayed heading to Chicago, there should be spare consists available in Chicago to protect the outbound schedules.

Chicago-St. Louis corridor: Trains 301 and 304 are cancelled Jan. 29-31. All others, including the north and southbound Texas Eagle, are scheduled to operate.

All trains are scheduled to operate on the Chicago-Quincy Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr route; the Chicago-Port Huron Blue Water route, and the Chicago-Grand Rapids Pere Marquette route.

In like manner to the Michigan service, 301 is the first departure for St. Louis, returning that day as 304. It appears that Amtrak are hoping for 303 to get to St. Louis in time to return as 306.