Happy Halloween everybody!
A Canadian National freight train heading northbound on Belt Railway of Chicago trackage, is passing the location where the old brick interlocking tower stood untill 1990,and is proceeding onward to Cragin Junction and points west.
I took this photo looking north from Canalport Street near west Cermak Road in Chicago's old Pilsen neighborhood. This industrial branchline was formerly owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad, and after the 1995 merger with the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe, was sold to shortline railroad operator DRS Rail Services, who services it.
I took this photo after work one evening, in early October of 2007. We are looking west from Thatcher Avenue into the setting sun, as a small group of passengers await for their commuter trains to arrive booth inbound and outbound.
I took this photo on an overcast October morning in 2006. This is the Metra commuter rail depot in Summit Illinois, wich is also shared by Amtrak regional trains.
I took this photo after work one day, in October of 2006. An eastbound Union Pacific Railroad unit coal train, is seen entering the city of Chicago , as it passes through the Northwest Industrial Park on North Kilbourn Avenue between Lake Street and Chicago Avenue.
Hello everyone!
I was working in northwest suburban Schiller Park Illinois one day last week, and spotted this CN transfer train waiting for clearance to enter the former Wisconsin Central yard. The bright morning sun highlights the details on the Canadian National GM /EMD diesel locomotives.
My Brother in Law Ralph, took this photo for Me at the Rock River Thresheree in Edgarton Wisconsin on labor day weekend of 2007.
I took this photo on an overcast afternoon in early April of 2007. Two diesel locomotives acquired by the Canadian National from the former Grand Trunk Western, and the Illinois Central, are seen switching and assembling a solid cut of tank cars, at Crawford Yard in Chicago Illinois. Crawford Yard is located at approximately West 33rd Street between South Pulaski Road and South Kostner Avenue, and is one of the former Illinois Central terminal facilities on what was the Iowa Division Mainline.
In May of 1990, I rode on this all day excursion with the Central Electric Railfans Association, over the three former Illinois Central electric commuter lines on the south and southeast sides of Chicago Illinois. One of the many railfans onboard the excursion, is seen snapping this photo at one of the runby locations. It was a beatifull Spring day with plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures.
I took this photo one morning at the Metra commuter rail station in Roselle Illinois. Seen here passing through the station enroute to Chicago, is an eastbound Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad unit grain train. The train is traveling eastbound on the Canadian Pacific ex Milwaukee Road mainline. Word has it that the Canadian Pacific is acquiring the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern, and affiliate railroad Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern through a merger in the fall of 2007.
The last three former Union Pacific / Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad early 1950's vintage EMD E-8's owned by Chicago's Metra commuter rail agency, are seen backing up after the first photo runby at the 2nd runby location in Richfield Illinois. The train will back up approximately one mile, and come back charging by at speed for all the railfan photographers aboard this one day last run fantrip special. This chartered excursion train operated between Chicago and Harvard Illinois over the Chicago & NorthWestern / Metra Northwest line in Mc Henry county. It was a fitting farewell charter.
I took this photo near the northwest corner of the BNSF Railway's Corwith Yard in Chicago IL.
A two unit set of Indiana Harbor Belt locomotives in the New Image 2005 Orange color scheme, are seen backing into a siding to retrieve a cut of covered hopper cars. I took this photo on an overcast winter morning, in January of 2007.
You know that the year of 2007 will soon be coming to a close, when You start seeing billboard advertisements like this one.
I took this photo one day after work, in early October of 2007. A set of BNSF Railway EMD roadswitchers are returning from the Belt Railway of Chicago's Clearing Yard in southwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois, and will soon be back home at the nearby BNSF Railway Clyde Yard in west suburban Cicero Illinois, just north of the Hawthorne Junction location at the Chicago city limits.
This northbound Canadian National Railroad transfer / Unit grain train, was passing through west suburban La Grange Park Illinois over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad line enroute to the former Wisconsin Central yard in northwest suburban Schiller Park Illinois. This was a lenghty and slow moving freight train, and would soon bring all traffic on West 31st Street to a complete and very time consuming stop.
I took this photo one morning in May of 2007. The Chicago bound Metra commuter local train seen here, has just departed the nearby Congress Park flagstop depot on the Border of Brookfield and La Grange Park Illinois, as is approaching the railroad crossing on Maple Avenue in west suburban Brookfield Illinois. This action was photographed on the Metra / BNSF Railway Chicago to Aurora 3 track mainline.
I took this photo of a one car intermodal special movement on Chicago's southwest side. A BNSF Railway former Burlington Northern 1970's era EMD SD 40-2 roadswitcher, has just left the BNSF Corwith Yard, and is proceeding westbound on the Belt Railway of Chicago trackage just west of South Lawndale Avenue near West 50th Street. The embankment to the right of the train, is the Chicago Transit Authority's Orange line to Midway Airport.
Sometimes after work when I actually have the energy or ambition to do it occasionally, I enjoy bringing out My portable 40" X 48" H.O scale model railroad that is currently under construction, or in limbo. I model a shortline/ industrial branchline style of railroading, as I enjoy spotting cars on industrial spur sidings. The older model Athearn EMD SW 1500 yard switcher doesn't have handrails, but it will take a lot more than that to stop Me from having fun operating My H.O model railroad.
I took this photo last year, in the suburban village of Bensenville Illinois near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The rustic style street lamps and gold seasonal Autum foliage, add a very pleasant feel to this annual scene repeated every year in the greater Chicagoland area. Autum is a very lovely time of the year to visit the shopping district near the Metra station.
Yes it's true folks.....Chicago's Brookfield Zoo once had a genuine 2 foot narrow guage operating steam train many years ago.
I took this photo one evening after work, in October of 2006. A Westbound Metra express commuter train, is seen speeding past the Metra Hollywood depot on the east side of west suburban Brookfield Illinois. Another work day has come to a close for these Chicago area rail commuters, as this train is racing westbound on the three track Chicago to Aurora "Racetrack", as this busy mainline is nicknamed so today.
Looking for a simple and yet prototypically correct modeling project for Your model train layout? How about this one on West Cermak Rd in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood?
I took this unusual photo during a heavy snowstorm in Febuary of 2007. Seen here just east of York Street near Valette, is this old early 1900's era depot from the Chicago Great Western Railroad. This depot is preserved in a city park in the village of Elmhurst Illinois. The greater Chicagoland area was hit with an all day snowstorm on Febuary 6th 2007, and the photographic effect is much like a Holiday Christmas card scene.
I took this photo one sunny afternoon in Chicago, during early September of 2007. A Union Pacific late 1970's era EMD GP-15 light roadswitcher, is seen backing a small cut of flatcars up the interchange curve leading to the Belt Railway of Chicago embankment. This photo is looking northwest from West Kinzie Street just west of North Kostner Avenue, along the Metra / Union Pacific West line to Elburn Illinois. The tall abandoned building to the left, is the old Brach's Candy factory. In September of 2007, The former Brach's employee parking deck garage, was destroyed with explosives by a hollywood movie studio crew, for a scene in an upcoming Batman movie in 2008. The parking deck garage was made over with signs that read Gotham Hospital. The smoke, explosions, and sirens alarmed numerous local citizens in this neighborhood that day, and the Chicago Police and Fire Depts were flooded with 911 calls.
I took this rare photo of the GTW Elsdon roundhouse and turnatable, in October of 1983 during the last week of GTW operation before abandonement. This is a rare view facing east looking at the rear of the building and turntable.
Hi everyone!
The loud and distinct sounds of a heavy freight train starting up under load conditions, was heard in the distance on a lovely September afternoon in 2007. I was at the Metra Schiller Park commuter rail station in Chicago's northwest suburbs, when I spotted this heavy southbound CN Transfer train leaving the former Wisconsin central yard. Notice the unique wedge shaped waiting shelter design on the northbound commuter rail platform. The Metra "Mars" depot on Oak Park Avenue in Chicago also has this architectural feature.
A northbound Canadian Pacific double stack container train, is slowly creeping northbound and will soon be near the former Illinois Central crosstracks at Hawthorne Junction near the Chicago city limits. Once the dispatcher gives the O'K, the locomotives bright headlight will kick on, and the train will throttle up under load conditions and proceed to Cragin Junction and points west. The straw brown winter scenery, will soon be giving way to bright green in approximately two weeks from the time of this photograph, as Chicago enters springtime.
I took this photo on a vacation I had taken to Strasburg Pennsylvania in August of 1990.
I took this photo last year looking south from the West Roosevelt Road bridge near South Canal Street. Looking down from the bridge, we see Amtrak equipment being serviced between departures. To the right is the adjacent Metra commuter rail coachyard, that services commuter rail equipmeny assigned to the BNSF Railway Chicago to Aurora 3 track mainline. This was a sunny and surprisingly mild morning in Chicago considering that it was December 2006.
I took this photo on an overcast but mild December afternoon in 2006. An eastbound CP Rail transfer train is seen departing the former Milwaukee Road Bensenville Yard, and is passing the Franklin Park Metra commuter rail station.
Hello everybody!
An era in Chicago commuter train locomotive power, had came to an official close on Saturday, October 28th 1989. The Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad, and Chicago's Metra commuter rail agency...operated this last run fantrip charter from Chicago to Harvard Illinois on the C&NW Northwest line. Metra's last three early 1950's vintage EMD E-8 passenger cab unit diesels were used on this one day retirement charter. The train had just arrived in harvard Illinois after performing a series of photo runbys in Palatine and Richfield Illinois respectively.
This photo of Me, was taken on a July 1976 family visit to the Illinois Railway Museum located in Union Illinois. Here I am at age 14, standing beside an old electric trolley bus from Dayton Ohio. The city of Chicago had electric trolley buses from 1930 to 1973. The Chicago Transit Authority ran their last trolleybuses on the weekend of March 24th 1973, but the city of Dayton Ohio was still running theirs.
I took this photo in early September of 2007. Seen here on Chicago's northside, in the Goose Island industrial district just west of North Elston Avenue, is a Union Pacific Railroad late 1970's vintage EMD GP 15 light roadswitcher with a small cut of boxcars. The train was assembled before I had arrived, and the locomotive was just idling away on a siding lead. The billboard in the background is advertising local Chicago television stations to consider watching. This little yard is located between North Elston Avenue and the I-90 Kennedy expressway just northwest of downtown Chicago. It is shared by both the Union Pacific, and the Chicago Terminal RR.
What could be better than spending an unseasonably warm afternoon in late October, than being on location railfanning with a camera in Your hands. I took this photo in late October way back in the year of 1990, while I was out riding My bicycle.
I took this photo on a beautifull Sunday afternoon in late October of 1989. A westbound Burlington Northern unit coal train, has a green block signal, and is seen gaining speed as it passes through west suburban Hindsdale Illinois.
I took this photo last year, in near northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois. This pumpkin was carved by My Brother in Law Chris, and is seen on his Family's front porch.
I took this photo on the last operating day of the season, way back in October of the year 1991.
The late day sun is heading toward the horizon, as an eastbound Union Pacific Railroad unit coal train enters the city of Chicago Illinois. The train is carrying a large shipment of coal from Wyoming's Powder River Basin. The train is running along the north side of west Kinzie Street just east of North Kilbourn Avenue. This is the former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad line.
A freshly painted bright red Canadian Pacific EMD roadswitcher, leads a westbound Canadian Pacific transfer train past the Metra commuter rail station on Thatcher Avenue, in near northwest suburban River grove Illinois.
I took this photo on a sunny and very blustery cold morning, in January of 2007. A northbound Canadian National transfer train on the Belt Railway of Chicago tracks, had to wait for clearance from the dispatcher to proceed north. While the transfer freight train was stopped, I spotted a former Grand Trunk Western blue and red EMD roadswitcher waiting for clearance to proceed eastbound on the former Illinois Central Iowa Division Mainline.
I took this photo on an overcast winter morning, back in January of 2007. A Chicago Transit Authority Orange line rapid transit train, has just passed South Kostner Avenue, and is approaching the curve to enter the end of the line terminal at Midway Station. The CTA Orange line opened for service in 1993, and provides frequent trains between Midway Airport and downtown Chicago Illinois.
I took this photo on a beautifull summer morning, in August of 2007. This is the outdoor water fountain and flower garden on the east side of Saint Celastine's Catholic Church in northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois. I have enjoyed many a pleasant Mass or Church Service here, as well as My own wedding that took place here on June 24th 2006. The beautifull water fountain and adjoining well landscaped flower garden, highlights the beauty of a sunny Chicagoland day.
An eastbound Union Pacific freight train was seen speeding through west suburban Brookfield illinois over the BNSF Railway mainline. The train is passing through the Metra Brookfield commuter rail station near Prairie Avenue.
I took this photo looking west from the intersection of South Michigan Avenue and West Roosevelt Road. An inbound Chicago Transit Authority Orange line train, has just come to a stop at the West Roosevelt Road rapid transit station located just south of downtown Chicago.
Remnants from former railroads show up occasionally in the windy city. I spotted this pre 1982 Southern Railroad covered hopper traveling on a northbound Belt Railway of Chicago transfer train near West Lake Street. The Norfolk & Western and the Southern Railroad merged and became todays Norfolk Southern Railroad in the year of 1982. The best thing of all, was that this car was relatively grafitti free after all of these years as well.
