I stood out in a bitterly cold wind coming out of the west to take this photograph on location.This is an eastbound BNSF Railway / UPS trailer train racing toward Chicago Illinois. The dispatcher has given this priority train a green signal, and it is seen racing past the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad's crosstracks at Mc Cook junction, near the village of Lyons Illinois. Prior to the year of 1995, this was the former Atchinson,Topeka & Santa Fe mainline.
2 comments:
This was a popular place but became off limits at least 5-6 years ago, supposedly due to railfan irresponsibility. I used to enjoy camping out there (so to speak) with a lawn chair or just sitting on the fender of my car with camera ready. Seemed like there was almost always more than one person there.
The rough stone and gravel road approaching this spot is about a quarter mile long and it was easy to see someone coming, but never a concern. It was always a fellow fan or even a McCook police officer just checking on things. One time, one of the visiting officers even took a little target practice with his service revolver, shooting into the embankment.
A couple years ago, several years after the spot was closed off, I parked my car at Snuffy's Diner nearby on Joliet Road and biked it back to this spot. Eddie, how often do you visit?
Hi Anthony!
Believe it or not, this year was actually the first time I have visited the place since 1993.
Yes, the place became off limits at some point in the mid 1980's.
I used to ride My bike to the crosstracks.
A Mc Cook police officer gave Me a warning and evicted Me off the property, and that was pretty much the last time I had ever gone there. The party was over
Things are a little different now. The old gravel road has been decomissioned and is being torn out.The old gate is gone, and a gravel road runs alongside the mainline. They are building a construction materials storage facility by the crosstracks.
(mostly concrete stone and sand storage bins for dump trucks)
Just like the old days, the railroad crews smiled and waved to me, and I wasn't approached. I took a few photos, and left respectfully.
Thank You.
Eddie.
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