JAMIE'S RANDOM AMERICAN RAILWAY PHOTOS.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning again from the Charente, where it's sunny. 3 days on the road from Leeds and various other tasks stopped me posting .  It was still quite pleasant in Chicago on 21st August 2005. I was headed for Jolliet on the Rock Island Line on a Metra.  Interesting stock, the so called gallery cars.

Not true double deckers but good use of space and the conductor can check all the tickets from the lower level. En route we passed an El train.

At Jolliet we crossed the BNSF main and I got a shot of the Cab Control car.

The view from the opposite direction looking across the BNSF  diamonds.

Before long a long intermodal headed in from the west, with 5227, 4116, 2916 and one other.

That carried on east.

Hopefully more tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.   However the Tardis is still in Jolliet, IL on 21st August 2005.  Only 6 minutes after the intermodal a local appeared, also heading east,

2514 and 2866 wer.e doing the business in the older SF livery 

Then it was time to board my train for the return trip to Chicago.  The engineer was kind enough to invite me to sit aongside him and this was my view looking forward at the diamonds.

Not long after we set off the Metra yards came into view on the left.

An the next southboud was hauled by one of the new series of locos.  F59's I think.

Near Blue Island We passed a pair of Iowa Interstate locos, 717 and 602.  Looking rather nice and clean.

The glass was rather thick in the windscreen so apologies for the quality.   The cab ride was much appreciated and gave a fabulous view.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente where it's still sunny.  It was also sunny in Chicago on 21st August 2005. We headed back towards La Salle Street with great views of the city.

At La Salle Street, I said goodbye to my host, Engineer Bob and thanked him for the trip.

Then a quick walk over to Union Station with a view of part of the El en route.

There was also a view of the only through track at Union Station.  I believe that it's track 21 but now connects the north and south parts of the station.

I then boarded a BN Metra unit for a trip out to Aorora.  Just a pity that the old E units weren't still running.

The various MU cables fascinated me.

More tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Bonjour de La Charente.   The Tardis is still in Aurora, IL, and it's still the 21st August 2005. The old roundhouse at Aurora has been converted into a community and retail centre.

Whilst I was waiting for my train back the eastbound California Zephyr headed in on the main line. Early for once.

The Metra stock seemed to have several different owners .

It was also interesting to see the bell below the cab car.

Then it was back to Union Station though rather delayed at Western Avenue due to a communication problem between the loco at the rear and the cab.   After a lot of discussion they eventually set off, with a conductor plus radio standing in the front cab car, relaying signal aspects to the engineer who drove the loco. Quite impressive to watch.  At Union Station I walked across to the north concourse and caught a UP operated rain to one of the north western suburbs.

I rode out to Edison Park where there was some sort of food festival taking place at the station.  I was quite impressed with a beer van with taps on the side.   Though the beer wasn't of the best.

Then it was back into town for the evening.  Not a bad day for $5.  Metra do a weekend runabout ticket.

 

 

Jamie

1

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[Johann Marsbar]

There used to be a brewpub/restaurant in the roundhouse at Aurora - Billed as "Walter Paytons Roundhouse", it seems to have changed its name to Two Brothers Roundhouse nowadays, though I haven't been in the place since 2003 !

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

I'm not sure what's going on with that UP train... it looks like a GP15-1 with a Y number and chevrons on the hood indicating a dedicated yard switcher.  It seems to be next to a Metra F40PH.  

[jamie92208]

9 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

I'm not sure what's going on with that UP train... it looks like a GP15-1 with a Y number and chevrons on the hood indicating a dedicated yard switcher.  It seems to be next to a Metra F40PH.  

I think it was taken as we came into the south west side of Union and it was on the east side near the river. It might have been bringing an F40 back from maintenance.

 

Jamie

[roundhouse]

20 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

 

I rode out to Edison Park where there was some sort of food festival taking place at the station.  I was quite impressed with a beer van with taps on the side.   Though the beer wasn't of the best.

 

 

Theres a fair few similar to that one but with much better brews.

Victory Brewing used to have a trailer with taps on the side parked in Battery Park in NYC in the Summer.

 

Central Coast Brewing in San Luis Obispo, CA had one although it wasn't in use when I saw it as was parked up at the brewery on our visit back in 2010.

 

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny Charente.  The Tardis has moved on a day to the 22nd August but is still in Chicago.   I was p bright and early and made my way to the North Western Station now known as the Ogilivie Transportation Centre.   There I bought a return to Geneva that goes out along the C&NW , now UP tracks. Here a 'scoot' departs north but will turn west shortly.

I got on the 08.40 departure that even included a Club car.  This turned left and shortly afterwards passed the Metra loco facility at what I think is Oak park.  Steam era coaling towers still dominate.

There was another UP switcher working in the yard.  I think that UP, rather than Metra crews still operate this line which may account for the presence of UP switchers.

Then out past Proviso yard and Elmwood to Geneva, which was the terminus of the Metra service.  An eastbound mixed freight behind UP 4711  went by at 10.14, with NS 9113.

There was a lot of other traffic, with two coal trains and several locals. Then at 11.26, this intermodal working came by with 3068 and 2997 on the front.

Nice to see an SD40-2. The sun was in the right place to get a shot on the crossing.

A cracking place to stand and trainspot.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[The Lurker]

7 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Theres a fair few similar to that one but with much better brews.

Victory Brewing used to have a trailer with taps on the side parked in Battery Park in NYC in the Summer.

 

Central Coast Brewing in San Luis Obispo, CA had one although it wasn't in use when I saw it as was parked up at the brewery on our visit back in 2010.

 

Tactical Thirst Response Unit sounds such more classy than "Beer Truck"

[cnw6847]

There used to be a good model shop in the Geneva station building, the name escapes me at the moment.

My brother and I visited in 1997 and possibly in 1999 (my memory is not working well today!!)

The dilemma was browsing in there or waiting for the next freight to come through. We missed a couple of trains.

 

Thank you Jamie for posting your photos, been very enjoyable looking at them.

Edited September 2, 2021 by cnw6847

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, cnw6847 said:

There used to be a good model shop in the Geneva station building, the name escapes me at the moment.

My brother and I visited in 1997 and possibly in 1999 (my memory is not working well today!!)

The dilemma was browsing in there or waiting for the next freight to come through. We missed a couple of trains.

 

Thank you Jamie for posting your photos, been very enjoyable looking at them.

There wasn't a model shop there in 2005 but there is a good one at Elmwood which I visited in 2012.  Thanks for the kind comments.

 

Jamie

Edited September 2, 2021 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good moaning, just, from a rapidly warming Charente.  I've done my lumberjack and hedge trimming tasks so am now relaxing over a cuppertea.  The Tardis though is still west of Chicago n the former C&NW route and it's still 22nd August 2005.  For some reason the station agent at Geneva took exception to me standing around trainspotting and taking photos so I caught the next train in towards the city.  Here my train arrives.

My next point was West Chicago where I saw 4064 shunting autoracks.

Then at 15.40 I caught another eastbound and got some more shots at the depot that i think is called oak Park. Here a UP switcher, UPY 1488

And a rather better shot of the two coaling towers.

Then from the back of the train a shot of Kedzie Interlocking  where the line from Wood Street Yard joins the main line.  I think that Wood Street is now called Global 1. I was interested in this area after reading a fabulous article in Trains from, IIRC early 1979 called, "The Flight of the Falcon" . This describes a cab ride on a C&NW Class 1 intermodal from Wood Street to a junction with the UP at Fremont NE.  Well worth a read.

 

Then as we swung south to enter the terminus another raised lift bridge on the spur that used to take newsprint to The Chicago Sun Times.

A good day was still being had.

 

Jamie

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[Johann Marsbar]

That lift bridge in Chicago is a regular feature in photos of the north end of Union Station...

 

 

 

[Wendell1976]

8 hours ago, Johann Marsbar said:

That lift bridge in Chicago is a regular feature in photos of the north end of Union Station...

 

 

 

 

This lift bridge is easily visible along Metra's Union Pacific North Line. The Metra trains along the UP North Line run from Downtown Chicago to Kenosha, Wisconsin. At least two decades ago, I had ridden trains along this route when I was in the United States Navy.

 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

[cnw6847]

15 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

There wasn't a model shop there in 2005 but there is a good one at Elmwood which I visited in 2012.  Thanks for the kind comments.

 

Jamie

Not that it matters that much but i've asked my brother and he says the model shop on Geneva station was called Cardiff Brother's Trains.

He went in there in 1998 but we think it had closed in 1999 when we went.

They had said they were planning to retire when we were in there in 1997.

 

We didn't go to the one at Elmwood.

[jamie92208]

8 hours ago, cnw6847 said:

Not that it matters that much but i've asked my brother and he says the model shop on Geneva station was called Cardiff Brother's Trains.

He went in there in 1998 but we think it had closed in 1999 when we went.

They had said they were planning to retire when we were in there in 1997.

 

We didn't go to the one at Elmwood.

There was definitely  nothing there in 2005.  In 2012 my mate and I found the one at Elmwood.  Out of the station towards the tracks, turn right then take the first left and it was about 50 yards up the street on the right,   Nice hosptable people running it.  

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Good morning from the Charente.  It's still 22nd August 2005 in Tardis land though. After my ride out to Geneva I caught a bus down to Roosevelt Road that spans the southern exit from Union Station.  An Amtrak switcher 791 working in the Amtrak yard on the east side.

A constant stream of Metra trains headed south.

And a quick dash across the road to get another shot. The Amtrak depot is on the left and the ex BN depot on the right. This train is heading south on one of the other routes.

An Aorora trsin is headed south here just about to turn sharp right where the inbound working can be seen.

An Amtrak working headed south with the St Charles bridge in the background.

And almost immediately another train arrived from the south.  

Roosevelt Road is really a fantastic place to trainspot as the exit from La Salle Street is only a short walk east. Though there is little pedestrian traffic and it isn't in the best part of town, I felt safe and no one questioned my presence even though I had binos nd cameras round my neck.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good afternoon from a warm and muggy Charente.  Fortunately the Tardis is still in Chicago From Roosevelt Road I rode the El round to my hotel.  It's well worth doing and is an amazing ride.

Running between the buildings with impossibly tight curves to turn through right angles at junctions it's a great system.

The next morning the 23rd I walked over to Randolph Street Station as I wanted to ample the fabled South Shore line.   In the platform was one of the ex IC units that I'd photographed in 1978 on my first visit.  Now in Metre red white and blue rather than Orange and black.

However this is what I was waiting for a South Shore line train.

They are in trains of up to 10 coaches made up of 2 car units each with a pantograph.

And the South Shore line logo on the side.

I believe that the official title is something like the Northern Indiana commuter transportation district but it's known as the South Shore Line after the Chicago, South shore and South Bend. It shares tracks with the ex IC lines for the last few miles into Chicago from IIRC, Kensington.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Gotta love the South Shore...  just unique

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

[tetsudofan]

I visited the South Shore Line just as they were getting rid of the old rolling stock and introducing the new "silver" trains. Got chatting with the motorman and went down the street and into the countryside in the drivers cab but can't remember if it was in one of the old or new coaches,

 

At that time I was living and working in Tokyo and when I came home on annual leave I always bought a "round-the-world" ticket leaving Tokyo at 8:00pm on a Friday night arriving in Hawaii at 8:00am on the same Friday morning. After winding down over the weekend I would then head off for the mainland and each year stopping off at one or two towns that had trams and/or interurbans before hitting the east coast and heading home, Over a period of 10 years visited most of these towns.

 

Somewhere I must have some pictures but where I don't know........

 

Keith

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

Gotta love the South Shore...  just unique

 

 

 

 

I finally got to see the street runnng in 2012.  It is unique.

 

Jamie

[Johann Marsbar]

It's now being converted to double track through Michigan City and will end up running on its own private reservation through the place, either by property demolition, or converting some of the streets to one-way road traffic only. The downtown station in MC closed earlier this year and trains now pass through without stopping, Carrol Ave now being the MC station for the time being. Work is supposed to be completed within the next 2 years, though it has been talked about for literally decades.

 

I never managed to get a freight running through town, but did get some light locomotives, which will have to do...

 

 

Got plenty of the units though...

 

 

The odd place in MC is this compound at the west end of Town that contains a former Toledo Edison electric loco and litterally piles of the Insull style catenary masts....

 

 

 

There may be other items in the sheds there as well. It's some sort of preservation site, but I've never really been able to find out much about it and it doesn't appear to have progressed very far either.

 

The Insull catenary structures look like this, and are quite distinctive...(though these at IRM are between wooden poles rather than lattice masts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a sunny Charente.  The Tardis still in the southern suburbs of Chicago on the 23rd August 2005. I rode out to South Chicago then back to Kensington and got off. My train headed north but a CN freight was waiting to head south 

CN 5835 and Grand Trunk painted 5814

Then an ex IC unit back to randolph Street.

On the way in you pass the South Shore stabling yards.

Then a trip up the Sears Tower, as it then was with fantastic views in all directions. Here a view north with the lines out of Ogilvie and the north side of Union.

 

There was just enough time for a short trip out to Western Avenue where BNSF showed up with this road railer.

Then a short walk round the loop area and a shot of the Chicago river.  Shades of ER but no sign of George Clooney.

Then it was time to load my bike onto the Blue Line and to head out to O'Hare for my flight home.   Lots of time for reflections on a fantastic trip.   I'd achieved everything that I set out to do plus seeing lots of UP and other locos.  

 

Never fear my travels will continue tomorrow.

 

Jamie

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Good morning from a sunny place.  The Tardis has been refuelled and we have now moved on the very early 2007. We had booked a cruise over the new year period and set off from Acapulco, after a 13 hour flight from Manchester with a refuelling stop in Cuba at 03.00.  Unfortunately no trains were seen in Cuba, Mexico or Nicaragua.  However on the evening of the 1st January we docked at Balboa for a transit of the Panama Canal.  We spent two nights moored there and had a day for sightseeing.  My good lady went for the trip to a jungle village.  For some peculiar reason I opted for the trip to Colon and back via the Panama Railway. Much to the disgust of the Union Pacific, this was actually the first Transcontinental railway built by the French and opened in IIRC, 1855.  It was built to 5' gauge for some reason.  The railway was extensively used in the construction of both the initial French and the later American built canal.  In the 1990's, I think, it was bought by Kansas City Southern who converted it to standard gauge and who built a business taking containers from Balboa to Colon or the other way to allow heavily loaded vessels to transit the canal.  They also started a passenger operation using ex US coaching stock, catering primarily to cruise passengers. Here we are boarding the train at Balboa.

Soon after setting off we passed the terminal of the container operation.  The locos are all e Amtrak F40's and the Head End Power to supply power to refrigerated containers .  The sets of container cars are all through wired.

In the centre of the train was a full length dome lounge, I think of ex Milwaukee heritage. Here is our host and his two "neices".

1

At the first set of locks, We were able to see the remains of the connection that used to exist from the internal system at the locks to the main line.  Of course the change of gauge has made this redundant.

The canal is being dredged constantly.

And at the Atlantic end of the Culebra cut, where the Chagres river enters the canal there is a huge maintenance yard, that has a large 5' gauge system and two floating cranes that are used to lift lock gates and such things.

 

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by jamie92208