Railfanning La Grange, Illinois, 01.06.12: BNSF, NS, IHB, UP, CP, Metra & Amtrak
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- A great day, though a little slow for freight traffic, on the BNSF Chicago Sub "Racetrack" out of Chicago, at La Grange, Illinois. Freight traffic is seen not only on the Chicago Sub, but also on the Indiana Harbor Belt's main line, which crosses underneath here. Plenty (though not ALL!) of the Metra commuter rush is seen too, as well as a couple Amtrak trains. Enjoy!
Train 1:
The Amtrak 'Southwest Chief' flies through La Grange. P42s #197 and 97 lead.
Train 2:
Below the 'Racetrack', on the Indiana Harbor Belt, a Union Pacific manifest heads north toward Proviso. UP SD70Ms #5228 and 4510 are in charge.
Train 3:
P42s #114 and 119 lead the Chicago-bound 'California Zephyr' through La Grange.
Train 4:
The first outbound Metra BNSF Line express train of the day zips past on its way to Naperville. F40PHM-2 #193 leads 7 cars.
Train 5:
A BNSF Z-train heads west, up the slight grade from Brookfield. BNSF
C44-9Ws #4851, 4359 and 4452 lead.
Train 6:
BNSF Dash-9s #5270 & 4955 power an eastbound intermodal.
Train 7:
I missed the power on this one- an empty coal drag moves west on the 'Racetrack' above, seen from the IHB below.
Train 8:
Light Indiana Harbor Belt power moves south- IHB SW1500 #1520 and slug / booster PB1 (this was converted from original SW7 #8856).
"Train" 9:
A BNSF hi-rail truck heads east.
Train 10:
Another outbound Metra express run flies through, with F40PHM-2 #195.
Train 11:
The daily westbound Norfolk Southern run-through manifest train passes through on Main 2. SD60M #6767 and C40-8 #8828 lead.
Train 12:
Another one I missed the power on- a UP autorack heads down the IHB for Gibson Yard in Hammond, Indiana.
Train 13:
"Winnebago" #205 leads an 11-car express past the La Grange Road station.
Train 14:
Another outbound express train blasts through, blowing for the crossing.
Trains 15 & 16:
Two Metra local runs meet just beyond the La Grange station.
Train 17:
A Canadian Pacific manifest rolls north on the Indiana Harbor Belt, heading to Bensenville Yard. A CP GEVO and an IC&E SD40-2 provide the power. The third car in is a flatcar carrying an old heavyweight observation/office/lounge car of some kind. I have no idea about its history, where it's going or where it came from... Anyone?
Train 18:
An outbound Metra express train speeds through on Main 2, an MP36PH-3S in the lead with 7 cars.
Train 19:
An inbound empty equipment move of 5 cars and F40PHM-2 #194 zips by. This was the equipment from one of the rush-hour combination local/express "turns" that does not go all the way to Aurora.
Trains 20 & 21:
A long express and a shorter local meet each other near the station.
Trains 23 & 24:
The headlights of a "bulldozer" leading an outbound express surrealistically light up the thick exhaust of a departing inbound local run!
Train 25:
"Cabbage" unit #90224 leads Amtrak's westbound train #393, the 'Illinois Zephyr', to its first station stop at La Grange Road. P42DC #162 pushes.
~Thanks for watching!~
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Great Video, really nice work. Spent a very enjoyable sat afternoon in La Grange in 2011. Thanks for posting.
So Cool I took still photos of the IHB SW1500 and slug, also caught a CSX on the Racetrack at Western Springs on the same day! Great video!
Used to live in LaGrange and Brookfield. This video brought back wonderful memories. Thanks!
The "racetrack" begins at Union Tower 2 miles south of Union Station and ends in Aurora, 38 miles West southwest of the city. The line is signaled bi-directionally on all three tracks. The tracks are GENERALLY operated with the North track (track farthest north) being the westbound track. Also known as track 1. Track 2 is the middle track and is used in either direction, track 3 is the southern most track and GENERALLY used as the eastbound (or inbound) track.
The whole "racetrack" from Chicago to Aurora is a quiet zone, except in certain cases (when trains pass each other near grade crossings, etc).
Thanks for the video. I lived along CMStP&P line, and Dad worked for the line "a while" in 40s-80s. Dad took my brother & I along to view many of the local RR Trainman points of interest through those years.
What a Rare catch with that Union Pacific head unit SD70MAC with the flared radiators!
Union Pacific has SD70Ms not SD70MACs
Yes. They use it to get trains from the BRC's Clearing Yard, and from Yard Center on the Villa Grove Sub, to Proviso Yard on the Geneva Sub.
The term racetrack has been used for near 50 plus years, it extends from Union Tower in Chicago, 2 miles or so south of Union Station to Aurora a West Southwest Suburb 38 miles distant.
That is actually such a badass shot at 15:13
Jeeez thats so sick how the exhaust lights up...man.
This is how Metra operates, as for Amtrak and BNSF Freights as demonstrated so well in the video, that does not always apply as, all three entities have to manuver around each other. There are roughly 80 metra trains, 6 Amtrak, and 40-60 freights a day
I did hear the METRA blow a few times but that was it the slug on the IHB was wild looking l liked that.
its an extra unit used for yard switching with out a cab like a normal loco the reason to have more power for both yard crews and mainline crews(I think)
Actually might be one of a kind. Even cooler!
Well I wouldn't say that, but there are so many crossings and at 79 miles per hour that you couldn't get all the blows out before the next crossing. I lived in La Grange and I don't believe it was a quiet zone but I could be wrong.
That UP 5228 is rare (Notched nose without flag, but with "Building America" on it) Nice catches!
Nicely done!
so I live in Indiana this trip would be worth going I love trains
thumbs up if you hate quiet zones!
Cool, thanks for pointing that out :)
We have No Blow Zones here and people has lost their lives because of it. One would think they could have heard the train coming, I dont know if they had a radio going or what, but there has been two times by car, and one guy was on foot.
I wonder how quiet zones are allowed? I feel like 4 quadrant gates showed be required if no horns are blown
Great video. Is that your bike over there?
Good video.
VERY NICE VID
Nice videos
@RailfanningRulez I got there about 2:30 and left at about 6:30
I am not into Chicago railfanning and have heard the term "racetrack" used. Exactly where does it start and where does it end? I'd love to film it sometime!
Nice video. When and why did Amtrak convert the F-40 locomotive to cabbage
Around the early 2000s the F40s were replaced by General Electric P40s and P42s, a few shells became Cabbage cars mostly for use on Midwest Corridor services out of Chicago to Detroit, Carbondale and/or Milwaukee.
Does Union Pacific have trackage rights on the IHB Line?
what kind of car is the harbor pulling
Nope, I walked in :)
I saw gates and lights but no horns NO BLOW ZONE??
Good question, at 6:50 what kind of car is that locomotive pulling.
Gary Plastek SW1500
Sucks you missed the zephyr
What exactly is a slug,Ive seen them but never could figure it out,excuse my ignorance but had to ask
MrJerbrad no problem. A slug (or road slug) is a locomotive with no engine. It has the traction motors, but the engine leading it gives them the power.
what time where you there till when you left?
what was hooked up to the harbor belt locomotive never seen something like that before
That is a yard slug. They are used for traction proposes.
What a Rare catch with that Union Pacific head unit SD70MAC with the flared radiators!