Eastern Railroad Discussion > Railfanning Blue Island Jct, IL

This clip features some afternoon action from the mega-junction at Blue Island, IL last Summer.

TRAIN 1: A CSX Bakken Crude oil train off the BNSF slowly rolls through the junction on CSX trackage.

TRAIN 2: Meanwhile, a UP coal train (with some CN power in the consist) rolls east on the IHB.

TRAINS 3+4: An eastbound CSX intermodal train making an IHB-CSX move passes through while an Iowa Interstate empty rock train rolls overhead on the Metra Rock Island District.

TRAIN 5: Eastbound lite IHB power.

TRAINS 6+7: IHB's auto rack transfer from Gibson, IN to BNSF's Cicero Yard passes through the junction. This day's version had a CWR train ahead of the racks. A Metra slowly passes by overhead.

Thanks for watching!

-Tom

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Nice.. always wanted to visit there.. Have film from the 70's there...That tower looks sad, I am surprised it is still standing.

Steve

first time i ever saw manifest cars in a consist with a rail train in 58 years of train watchinv

Posted from Android

Chicago is not only the windy city ,it's train town as well. Great video

Excellent video !!

Could you please provide those of us who aren't familiar with the abbreviated railroad terms you've used with a mini-glossary of what they mean?

Thanks,

Fritz in HSV (Huntsville), AL (Alabama)

Nice video!!!

Excellent video, and ditto on the comments about the CWR and auto racks.
I couldn't tell from the video, but I'm thinking those racks had to be
empties.

The power on the UP coal train surprised me. In Iowa, those trains get
two AC4400CW's on the point and another pushing as PDU. You never see
EMD power on coal anymore. Yet, this train had an ACe leading a 70M and
a 60. I'm thinking that power may have been changed out at Proviso, but
if it wasn't, I'm miffed at a, not knowing about it, and b, missing it!!

Thanks for posting.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

navy5717th Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Excellent video !!
>
> Could you please provide those of us who aren't
> familiar with the abbreviated railroad terms
> you've used with a mini-glossary of what they
> mean?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Fritz in HSV (Huntsville), AL (Alabama)

A couple you may not be familiar with:

IHB= Indiana Harbor Belt Railway

CWR= Continuous welded rail

Thanks for all of the comments, everyone!

Regarding the rail train with the auto racks:

The racks were indeed loaded. IHB's Gibson, IN yard is the primary sorting yard for finished automobiles in the Chicago area. NS, CSX, (and possibly CN) bring in loaded autos from assembly plants out east and they are sorted/switched into trains for the western carriers. In this train's case, the auto racks are heading to BNSF's Cicero yard so they are destined for locations up north along the former BN.

The morning prior to when this video was shot, I was driving west from Plymouth, IN along the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern, and spotted a CWR train (of BNSF cars) tied down in a siding. I believe the CWR train shown in this video to be the same set. CF&E probably delivered the rail train to Gibson or IHB's Blue Island Yard where this train, GA8, picked it up.

This of course begs the question, Is there a rail manufacturing plant located somewhere along the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern?

-Tom

Very nice stuff! I always like heading down there, and that catch with the IAIS was pretty cool.

- Jeff

A great montage of railroading action. Superb. Thanks very much.

Jim