Passenger Trains > Chicago Question - Trackage

How and where does the route differ from the current Amtrak Train #49 from NYC days when trains went into LaSalle Street ?

In other words, where do you now leave that route and which routing do you take on Amtrak into Union Station ?

See the section on Englewood here:
http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/others-chiso.html

Short story is that the NYC curved north at Englewood an followed the Rock Island into LaSalle Street Station. Now trains follow the Pennsy alignment through Englewood and curve north a few blocks west to head north into Union Station.

Also during the early Penn Central years, a connection was built between the former NYC and former PRR at Buffington, IN (just east of Gary) to enable passenger trains to/from the former Central to access Union Station.  This basic route is still in place today (with some modifications made by Conrail in the early '80's).
Andy

So if riding AMtrak #49, whose drawbridges does the train run on over the Calumet River ?
Current owner / operator and historic

Just east of the HAMMOND Amtrak station there are reverse curves.
The reverse curve is what once was the connecting track between the PRR and NYC.
The west end of the curve (CP 506) is where the PRR at one time continued east in a straight line to Clark Jct.
The east end of the curve (CP 505) is now the western-most end of the ex-NYC main line.

At CP 513 and continuing to 63rd St. (Englewood) there are remnants of the NYC main lines that are now part of Park Manor intermodal yard.

BUFFINGTON (CP 501) swung the PRR over to the NYC.  Sort of a mirror image of CP 505-CP 506.
This was the result of a project in the late 1970's/early 80's that abandoned the PRR between just west of Clark Jct. and CP 506.
It also abandoned the ex B&O between HC and Pine Jct. 
CP 501 is also the west end of the (single track) connection between the NS and the ex-B&O line from Garrett.  The east end of the connection is Pine Jct.
CSX has trackage rights over NS between CP 501 and CP 509 to access the BRC.  
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/17 14:20 by Englewood.

train1275 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So if riding AMtrak #49, whose drawbridges does
> the train run on over the Calumet River ?
> Current owner / operator and historic

Current owner NS, current operator NS, historic PRR.
Known as CP 509.  Historically known as "River Branch" on PRR, "CR" on B&O and NYC
Poster child for Chicago railroads shooting themselves
in the foot to CREATE congestion.  At one time there were 5 bridges side by
side at that location.  From compass west to east: 2 PRR, 2 NYC, 1 B&O (all double track)
Now there is only one double track bridge in service.  1 PRR was removed in 1960's. B&O bridge
removed in 1980's after struck by ship. 2 NYC bridges in permanent up position.

Pictures of area and links to Barriger Library historic photos of area buried in this link
http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?2,3861036,3861927#msg-3861927

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/17 13:48 by Englewood.

Thanks to everyone for all the great info !

Having a dedicated Amtrak line thru this area would be a great, albeit expensive for a handful of trains, solution to freight train interference.

mp51w Wrote:
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> Having a dedicated Amtrak line thru this area
> would be a great, albeit expensive for a handful
> of trains, solution to freight train interference.

Lets not give NS and CSX ideas of having the taxpayer foot the 
bill to unravel the mess they made for themselves.

CP 506 was also referred to as Lake Jct.