Western Railroad Discussion > Road Trip (IL/NE/WY/UT)

I recently flew to Chicago to pick up a car my parents sold me.  I spent a couple of days there then my dad and I drove the car back out to Needles, CA.  We couldn't dilly-dallie too much, but we did take the 'scenic' route via Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah and made a few short stops along the way for trains. 

While in Chicago, I stopped by the Highlands station along BNSF's "Racetrack" in Hinsdale, IL to see the area without an Oak Street Bridge over the tracks, as it is being replaced. 

1)  A westbound empty coal train approaches Highlands

2)  The coal train passing by where, from around 1899 until a few weeks ago, a bridge passed over the tracks.  You can see a pile driver there which was pounding in some beams for the new bridge going in.

3)  Westbound Portland Z train passing the depot at Highlands.

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4)  Amtrak #3, the westbound Southwest Chief, blasts west on Main 2 while in the background, a Metra makes a stop in Western Springs. 

5)  At Gibbon, NE at the east end of UP's famed Triple Track,  MKCNP heads westbound in the late evening.

6)  Early in the morning at Kearney, NE, MCHNPX rolls westbound.

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7)  UP and NS power team up on an MELNP as the train passes westbound by the large grain elevator in Gothenburg, NE.

8)  Just west of North Platte, empty soda ash train MNPTGS passes a stopped empty coal train in Hershey, NE.

9)  Driving westbound, we had a surprise encounter with UP 2001 trailing on a sand train, RM1UKS, seen east of Paxton, NE.

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10)  West of Sidney, NE, westbound auto train AGBRL is viewed rounding a curve.

11)  The UP depot/yard office in Green River, WY

12)  MHKNP pulls into town. 

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13)  The MHKNP had some pleasant surprises on the head end, including BNSF GP60M #130 and a CSX re-build SD40-whatever-these-are-now returning from Boise.

14)  CSXT 4077 which I believe is from their locomotive swap with NS.

15)  The MHKNP and a westbound intermodal changing crews at Green River.

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GOOD stuff...!! It looks like you had a good time.

Awesome photos on a great trip. BTW, the Green River Depot is now owned by the City and the Rock formation in the background of your photos is the famed "Castle Rock". A subject of many Green River photos over the centuries. Thanks for the posts.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

16)  The rear end of the MHKNP wasn't too shabby either as it had UP1983 shoving as the sole DP motor!

17)  Triple line-up.

18)  The westbound intermodal, INPBRX, gets underway. 

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Last post.

19)  At Castle Rock, UT, we intercepted the Ringling Bros. circus train, running as a SSCDV.

20)  Castle Rock, UT.

Thanks for looking!

-Tom

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Ahhh, Green River :-) 

Very nice series, Tom. I guess you may already know this but the white building in photo 15 is the new 'depot' in Green River. 

~Ryan

You ran across some very nice variety, neat series!

Really nice series of photos.

Ronda Thomas

Cajon92 Wrote:
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>
> Very nice series, Tom. I guess you may already
> know this but the white building in photo 15 is
> the new 'depot' in Green River. 
>
> ~Ryan

I was actually unaware of that until Bob mentioned it above.   I learned something today.  :)

Good Job!
CSX 4077 is the former CSX 8083.

You definitely got some good stuff on your travels. Great shots!

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