Northbound Grand Trunk Western freight train. Chicago Illinois USA. Febuary 1986.

I tookthis photo on an overcast Sunday afternoon way back in Febuary of 1986. We are looking west on West 80th Place toward South St. Louis Avenue in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood. I was visiting two now deceased relatives that were living on this block back then. South St. Louis Avenue runs paralel to the GTW mainline on the east side of the tracks through here. I am glad that I had taken this photo, as the Grand trunk Western Railroad erected a tall fence along the mainline for safety and sound abatement reasons during the 1990's, and this once taken for granted view is no longer available.

Christmas in Elmwood Park Illinois.

I took this photo one morning in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois, back in December of 2006. Festive Holiday Disney Decorations adorn a front lawn on a cold but sunny morning in December of 2006.

Happy Holidays from Chicago Everybody!

Thank You.
Eddie K.

Eastbound Canadian National transfer train. North Riverside Illinois USA. December 2007.

A slow moving Canadian National transfer train, is proceeding eastbound on the former Illinois Central Iowa Division Mainline in the village of North Riverside Illinois. The train is passing along the north side of Commons Park in freshly fallen December 2007 Chicagoland snow.

Winter at the Fox River Trolley Museum. South Elgin Illinois USA. December 2007.

The air is cold, The ground is covered in snow and ice, and the Fox River Trolley Museum is closed to the public. The former Chicago Transit Authority rapid Transit equipment, and the quaint Castlemuir depot and gift shop made for quiete a Christmas Holiday image in the Fox River Valley.

Canadian National ex GTW EMD roadswitcher working on a switching local. Crawford Yard. Chicago Illinois USA. Febuary 2007.

I took this photograph on a Febuary 2007 evening after work, during that Infamous Chicago Deep Freeze. The outside Temperature was 8 Above Zero Farenheight and quickly falling as night time was approaching. The sideways smoke exhaust from the nearby Commonwealth Edison Crawford Generating Station indicates a sharp wind blowing in from the west. Nasty cold conditions and all, these covered hopper cars are being spotted on an industrial spur siding.

Working in some of the Worst conditions known to mankind. The Indiana Harbor Belt RR Argo Yard. Summit Illinois USA. Febuary 2007.

It was a nasty face freezing 6 degrees above zero Farenheight with a sharp wind blowing out of the west when I took this photograph in Febuary of 2007. Cold, Snow, Wind, Rain or Whatever...Life goes on at the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad's Argo Yard located in southwest suburban Summit Illinois. The greater Chicagoland Area was experiencing a Dangerous deep freeze Condition in Febuary of 2007, with many city of Chicago water main pipes bursting below street leval.

Westbound Atchinson,Topeka & Santa Fe piggyback train. Forest View Illinois USA. December 1990.

I took this photo on top of the former A,T & S,F mainline embankment in west suburban Forest View Illinois near the village of Stickney. A freshly painted lash up of Santa Fe locmotives in the Super Chief passenger revival scheme introduced in 1989, are speeding westbound with an Intermodal or "Piggyback" train. In 1995, the Burlington Northern, and the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe would merge and become todays BNSF Railway.

Westbound Norfolk Southern Railroad Auto Rack transfer train. Elmwood Park Illinois USA. December 2006.

A westbound Norfolk Southern Railroad transfer train has been dispatched to proceed westbound on the wrong, or normally eastbound Canadian Pacific ex Milwaukee Road mainline, and is passing through the Metra Elmwood Park Illinois commuter rail station near West Grand Avenue.

Going home on a winters evening.The Metra Hanson Park commuter rail flagstop depot. Chicago Illinois USA. December 2006.

A westbound Metra commuter rail local to Elgin Illinois, is seen preparing to depart from the Metra Hanson Park commuter rail flagstop depot near Central and Grand Avenues on Chicago's northside. Another Christmas time December workday was coming to an end, as many Chicagoland commuters will soon be arriving to their homes for the night. In a matter of a few weeks, another year will be coming to an end.

It's snowing in Elmwood Park. Elmwood Park Illinois USA. December 4th 2007.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Seasons greetings and good cheer to all!
I took this photo in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois. This image was captured during the Chicagoland snowstorm of December 4th , 2007 looking north on 74th Court near Wellington street. It takes more than a heavy snowfall to stop this local Chicagoland photographer, and His desire to capture local Chicago area lighted outdoor Holiday decorations.

Wintertime at the Berwyn Public Libraries Parking lot. Berwyn Illinois USA. December 2007.

I took this photo looking east from the stairway of the Berwyn Public Library, located on Riverside Drive between West 26th Street and South Harlem Avenue. In the distance can be seen a Canadian National transfer train waiting on a hold order, while in the foreground, a snowplow equipped pick up truck has just finished plowing a driveway somewhere, as the driver takes a break at the Library.

Winter images from the Fox River Trolley Museum. South Elgin Illinois USA. December 2007.

What does an operating railroad museum look like during the off season when it is closed to the public? Answer...Like This!
Sitting in the museum yard under clear skies and cold temperatures, is this collection of vintage Chicago Transit Authority Rapid Transit equipment that dates from the 1920's to the 1950's. Conditions were very slippery and treacherous, and I respect their No Trespassing policy during the off season for obvious safety reasons. Still, this is a lovely winter scene.

Eastbound Burlington Northern / Metra commuter train departing La Grange Illinois. Febuary 1986.

An eastbound Burlington Northern RR / Metra commuter rail local, has just departed from the La Grange Road commuter rail station, and will soon arrive at the Brookfield commuter rail station on Prairie Avenue. This train is powered by an EMD 1st Generation 1953 vintage E-9 Passenger Cab Unit Diesel locomotive. The locomotivve was built by the Electro Motive Corporation of General Motors of La Grange / Mc Cook Illinois in 1953 as a passenger model
E-8. During the 1970's, these locomotives were rebuilt by the Morrison Knudson Corporation located in Boise Idaho, to the Newer EMD E-9 Standards. These antique locomotives were in their final years of operation on the Burlington Northern Railroad's Chicago to Aurora Illinois 3 track mainline nicknamed The Racetrack. These locomotives were retired from service in September of 1992, with a last run fantrip.

Model Railroad Memorys. 1986.

This is a photo taken on My first H.O Scale Model Railroad back in Febuary and March of 1986. It was a small layout -only 4' x 4' on a board made of pressed wood. ( A big mistake.)
Pressed wood had a tendency to fall apart. The locomotive, is an undecorated Model Die Casting / Roundhouse 0-6-0 of Southern Pacific Prototype, that I had painted and decorated for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. I was a big fan of the Burlington since childhood, and I couldn't afford those expensive imported prototype specific Brass Models. Not much was really available commercially for the C,B & ,Q, so I did My own paint job, and easilly felt that the real steam era Burlington bought this 2nd hand.

Winter railroading activity at the BNSF Railway's Clyde Yard. Cicero Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo on a very bitterly cold January morning in 2007. With brilliant sunshine and sub zero windchill factors in the air, it's all just business as usual for the BNSF Railway at their Chicagoland -Clyde Yard -railroad hub terminal in west suburban Cicero illinois. The overpass bridge in the background, is Laramie Avenue.

Eastbound BNSF Railway intermodal train. Mc Cook junction. Mc Cook Illinois USA. January 2007.

A speeding eastbound BNSF Railway intermodal train is seen racing across the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad crosstracks at Mc Cook Junction.
This was a very bitterly cold morning with a sharp windchill factor blowing in out of the west. The brillaiant sunshine just couldn't be beat!

Northbound Union Pacific Auto Rack train. Mc Cook Junction. Mc Cook Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo one bitterly cold but crystal clear morning, in January of 2007. A Union Pacific auto rack transfer train traveling north over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, is passing over the BNSF Railway ex A,T & S,F crosstracks at Mc Cook Illinois near the village of Lyons IL.

Southbound Belt Railway of Chicago track inspectors truck approaching 55th Street Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo near Chicago's midway Airport at 55th Street Junction, on a cloudy January afternoon in 2007. There was no train activity at the time of My visit, but this Hi Rail equipped Ford pick up from the Belt Railway of Chicago -Maintenance of Way Department was a decent stand in. 55th Street Junction is located between South Archer Avenue and West 55th Street, and South Cicero and Kostner Avenues. Many transfer freight trains pass through here over the Belt Railway of Chicago trackage.

Eastbound Norfolk Southern train on the Union Pacific West line. Chicago Illinois USA. December 2006.

I took this photo after work one evening, in late December of 2006. An eastbound Morfolk Southern Run Through / Transfer freight train is seen waiting on a hold order. This train is on the Union Pacific Railroad's former Chicago & NorthWesrtern Railroad -West Line just two blocks west of North kilbourn Avenue along West Kinzie Street. Day would soon make way for night time in Chicago on a cloudy December evening.

Eastbound BNSF Railway unit coal train. Brookfield Illinois USA. December 2006.

I took this photo one morning in late December of 2006 , on location in west suburban Brookfield Illinois. An eastbound BNSF Railway unit coal train with former Burlington Northern EMD diesel locomotives on the front end, are seen approaching the railroad crossing on Prairie Avenue. A lovely and somewhat mild morning in the early wintertime season, as seen in the greater Chicagoland area in 2006.