Western Railroad Discussion > Thanksgiving Weekend Trains/Thursday

Figured I better get around to posting some of my photos from this past weekend before the calendar turns to December. Since the family decided to have dinner at a local restaurant there wasn't much to do around the house. I decided to head over to Western Springs, IL with my son for a morning walk. The BNSF Chicago Sub was very quiet and we got a good 45 minute walk in before an eastbound freight, RCHI450 showed up with warbonnet BNSF 785 leading.

After he passed, we headed over to La Grange to see if anyhting was happening on the Indiana Harbor Belt. We were rewarded with NS 9455 leading the eastbound ZEMCH.

That was it for the day as my son wanted to get home and start the Christmas decorations.

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On Black Friday, I again headed over the BNSF Chicago sub to see what was happening. It was pretty quiet and I found myself by the Indiana Harbor Belt in La Grange. I was pleasantly surprised to find an eastbound light engine move with IHB 2924 and IHB 3862. The 2924 is one of the last SD20's left on the roster.

Next up was the usual afternoon transfer of autoracks that comes west on the IHB and then heads east on the BNSF to Cicero. Today's train had a cut of welded rail cars ahead of the autoracks.

The welded rail cars are pretty sharp and built by Kasgro. The cars were loaded with new 136RE rail.

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As the transfer paused on its way up the connection to the BNSF, an eastbound freight led by UP 8574 arrived at the same time
the sun poked through the clouds. Trailing the 8574 were two IHB locomotives: 4010 (ex-SP GP40P) and 2923 another SD20 on borrowed time/

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Saturday was a bust as far as trains even though I tried. My Sunday morning only resulted in one train, the HGFDBRC lead by BNSF 8817 through La Grange, IL

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I got a bonus day this year courtesy of a rear end collision the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The lift gate on my minivan was pushed in about 8" while I was minding my own business stopped at a traffic light, but I digress. Around traveling to the body shop I like and the other driver's insurance adjuster, I had some time to kill so, once again, I headed over the BNSF Chicago sub. I started in Claremdon Hills with a plan to work east. First up was BNSF 7392 leading the HBRCKCK past the Clarendon Hills Metra station. Ten minutes later, BNSF 5506 lead a westbound Z train at West Hinsdale. I had just enough to relocate to downtown Hinsdale for another westbound freight, the HBRCNTW with BNSF 4837 leading.

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From Hinsdale, I headed over to La Grange, checked out the Indiana Harbor Belt with no luck and then headed back west for the first of my appointments. As I passed through Western Springs, the signals indicated a westbound train on Track 2. I almost expected it to be the 12:30 Metra train out of Chicago but it turned out the be the contaminated dirt train from New York, UCSXAVD led by BNSF 5804. After this train cleared, I could see the headlights of the westbound Metra. But I also saw another headlight and I relocated a bit east of downtown Western Springs. The second train was the local lead by BNSF 2654, note the second engine on the other end of the train. The Metra engine was blocked by the local but the last car sported a new advertising wrap.

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After my appointment with the body shop, I headed over to Downers Grove where the insurance adjuster was located. I had about 20 minutes to kill before the appointment and checked the new grade separation on the west side of town where Belmont Avenue now goes under the BNSF. The afternoon skies were really getting dark from the overcast but I did get a shot of NS 9338 leading a westbound empty crude oil train.

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