Southbound GTW freight train with caboose. Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. December 1988.

This is a rare photo I took at Hayford Junction back in December of 1988. The 1980's decade was a time when cabooses were being gradually "Phased Out", just like the steam locomotives were back in the 1950's. Railroad cabooses are still in use to some extant in 2007...but mainly for use on certain switching locals were many back up movements are made on the RR line.

By the time I had taken this photo on a mild Saturday afternoon in early December of 1988, The once familiar railroad caboose had all but completely disappeared from the rear of trains.

Your host and photographer on location at Brighton Junction. January 2007.

Hi everyone!
Welcome to Eddie's Railfan Page, from Chicago Illinois USA.
Here I am on location at Brighton Junction. This is a very busy location with transfer trains from many different Chicago area railroads, as well as Amtrak and Metra commuter trains. Brighton Junction has always been a favorite photo location for Me since the 1980's, when I actually began taking railfan photographs in Chicago IL.
Brighton Junction is located just west of the Intersection of Archer and Western Avenues on the southwest side of Chicago. This is on private property, so please be careful and responsible if You decide to visit. OK?

Thank You.
Eddie.

Southbound BNSF Railway unit coal train waiting for clearance. Brighton Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo of a BNSF Railway unit coal train, being held for an eastbound Amtrak passenger train heading to Chicago Union Station.
This cold wintery looking location is called Brighton Junction. It is located on Chicago's southwest side just west of the intersection of Archer and Western Avenues. The north -south tracks belong to CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railroads. The east -west tracks belong to the Canadian National RR, who prior to the 1999 merger, was the former Illinois Central ex Gulf Mobile and Ohio RR mainline.

Amtrak train being serviced. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

An Amtrak train in the phase IV Northeast Direct color scheme, is recieving some much needed attention and servicing at their coach yard and maintenance facility on west Roosevelt Road near south Canal Street, just south of Metropolitan downtown Chicago Illinois.

The Elmwood Park Illinois Metra commuter rail station at sunset. January 2007.

I took this photo in late January of 2007, in northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois. I was taking a late Sunday afternoon walk to west Grand Avenue, and was visually greeted by this quiet and serene winter sunset setting before Me.
Notice the approaching jet airplane and the exhaust vapor trails left by jets flying at higher altitudes overhead that evening. It was definately between train times but worth photographing on location nonetheless.

Eastbound Belt Railway of Chicago transfer train at Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. January 1987.

A heavy morning snow had just stopped falling approximately one hour before I had arrived at Hayford Junction, back in January of 1987. Hayford Junction is located at west 76th Street and south St.Louis Avenue on Chicago's southwest side. This is an example of Chicago winter railroading on location. The heavy snow accumulations and gray skies made for some excellent winter railfan photography that day.

The Stone Avenue station. La Grange Illinois USA. January 1987.

I took this photo facing south east, at the intersection of Hillgrove and Brainard Avenues in suburban La Grange Illinois in January of 1987.
The Christmas holiday was already two weeks past, and the festive lamp post decorations were yet to be taken down and put away for next year.

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

I took this photo looking west toward south St.Louis Avenue from west 80th place in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood. I had an Aunt and Uncle (now deceased.) living on this block.
I took this photograph while visiting them one Saturday in Febuary of 1986. I believe this photograph was taken just before Superbowl 20, in wich the Chicago Bears NFL Football team won against the New England Patriots that year.

Westbound Burlington Northern RR commuter train. La Grange Illinois USA. Febuary 1986.

Seen here on the bridge that crosses over the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad line, is a westbound Burlington Northern RR commuter train approaching suburban La Grange Illinois. Notice the commuter cars did not have Metra placards yet on the lower left side of the cars.
These elderly EMD E-9 Passenger diesels were used exclusively on the Burlington Northern commuter line to Aurora Illinois, until their retirement in September of 1992. It was a partly sunny day with a high in the low 30's, and it
actualy felt pretty mild outside with little or no breeze to be had. It was a nice day to go outside.

The GTW Elsdon roundhouse one year after abandonement. December 1984.

I took this lonely photo at west 49th Street and south Kedzie Avenue in December of 1984. This is a backside view of the abandoned Grand trunk Western Railroad Elsdon Roundhouse and turntable. I was taking a walk through the area on a cloudy Saturday afternoon in December of the year 1984, and was reminiscing about happier times when this was a busy facility.
I was lamenting the iminent loss.

Burlington Northern Railroad commuter service EMD E-9's. Chicago Illinois USA. January 1984.

Seen here in action during a behind the scenes terminal switching move, are a quartet of Burlington Northern Railroad 1953 vintage EMD E-9 passenger diesel locomotives. I was on location with a railfan acquaintance I knew from Curie High School, near south Canal Street. These locomotives were working their final years hauling Chicago commuter trains between Chicago and Aurora Illinois. These locomotives are seen backing up to the maintenance facility on south Canal Street near west Roosevelt Road.

The former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad headquarters building. Chicago Illinois USA. January 1984.

Seen alongside the Chicago river, is the former headquarters building for the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad. This was located near the west end ofdowntown Chicago IL.

Winter wonderland at the Stone Avenue station.La Grange Illinois USA. Febuary 1998.

An eastbound BNSF Railway freight train, is viewed from the west end of the Metra Stone Avenue station, in west suburban La Grange Illinois. The greater Chicagoland area had experienced a heavy snowstorm a week or so before I had taken this photograph on location
back in Febuary of the year 1998.

Looking back at January of 2007. A very active month for digital railfan photography.

Hello everyone!
Welcome to Eddie's Railfan Page. Todays edition
is dedicated to Chicago Winter Railroading, as it was in January of 2007. I had actually taken more winter railfan photos on location than I was actually aware of! Of all the scenes I had photographed back in January of 2007...
This one is My personal "Favorite" of all.
This is a "Rare" photograph of a very elusive and somewhat unknown industrial railroad. I took
this photo at the Belt Railway of Chicago's "Hawthorne Junction" at the Chicago city limits with nearby Cicero Illinois. The three car transfer was just picked up by the Manufacturers Junction RR interchange local, from the Canadian National RR Hawthorne Yard in Cicero IL.
Although I had to stand out in frigid sunshine with a very facially stinging windchill factor out of the west, this turned out to be one of My "Best" photographs ever. It was worth freezing for!

Inbound Metra train to Chicago approaching the River Forest Illinois depot. River Forest Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this winter morning photo, looking
west from the Metra River Forest Illinois
commuter rail station. I had beautiful -
Brilliant winter sunshine, but the outside
temperature and windchill factor were
very uncomfortable to work with. Still...
all hardships aside, winter railfan photos
can be some of the most picturesque to
be enjoyed at a later time. It was a day for
wool hats -gloves -scarves -and limited
exposure to the cold and elements outside.
I rewarded Myself with a hot cup of coffee.

Union Pacific RR switching local being flagged across north Kilbourn Avenue. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo looking north, on north Kilbourn Avenue. This is the Northwest Industrial Park located between west Lake Street, and west Chicago Avenue between north Pulaski Road on the east, and north Kenton Street on the west.
Seen here on a very bright, but still very cold winter morning , is a Union Pacific railroad late 1970's vintage EMD GP-15 light diesel roadswitcher leaving a railroad spur siding.
The locomotive crew has just dropped off two freight cars, and is being flagged across north Kilbourn Avenue by a member of a maintenance of way crew working nearby. Although this was at a quiet /less busy time of the day, north Kilbourn Avenue is normally very busy with both truck and automobile traffic frequently.

The Berwyn Illinois Metra commuter rail station at sunset. January 2007.

I took this photo looking west, from south Oak Park Avenue in the suburban village of Berwyn Illinois. Seen here in silhoutte against the fading daylight, is the Metra /BNSF Railway commuter station. Winter sunsets make for very spectaculair photographic subjects.

Eastbound Pace bus on west North Avenue. River Forest Illinois USA. January 2007.

Seen here passing Thatcher and North Avenues, is an eastbound Pace bus in the blue color scheme. The markings on the sides of these buses are actually reflective for safety reasons.
The sun had already set an hour ago, but the markings helped to make the transit coach stand out in the darkness.

Eastbound CTA Green Line train at sunset. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

Seen here on west Lake Street approaching north Kilbourn Avenue, is a Chicago Transit Authority rapid transit train heading toward downtown Chicago Illinois, as another working day is coming to an end in the windy city.

Digging out from a snowstorm. Tuesday night, Febuary 6th 2007. River Grove Illinois USA.

On the date of Tuesday, Febuary 6th 2007...The greater Chicagoland area experienced an all day snowstorm, that lasted well into the evening. I took this photograph around 6:30 PM that evening, in the parking lot of the River Grove Illinois USA Public Library. A local man with a snowplowing business is seen clearing the snow out of the libraries parking lot on west Grand Avenue. Snow was still falling at the time, and
the River Grove Public Library was a warm place to visit after work that day.