Western Railroad Discussion > Fresh EMD Rebuilds for CP

A couple of recently rebuilt standard cab EMD units worked across the CP Chicago-Savanna line this week. Looking more like an SD40 than CP's previous SD30 units, CP 5106 was on train 473 near Adeline, IL on 11/20/17. The unit was labeled an SD30C-ECO. Thanksgiving morning found CP 6303 (SD60-3) leading train 472 near Kirkland, IL.

Dave

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nice shoulda had a red barn goin by the red barn

There is actually a station named "Red Barn" that appears in decades of MILW, SOO and CP timetables. It is at the top of the hill climbing out of the Mississippi River valley eastward from Savanna. Many a train that stalled on the hill leaving town had to double to "Red Barn."

When the Milwaukee Road single-tracked the Bensenville-Savanna main west of Elgin in 1978, RED BARN became the east end of two-main territory leaving Savanna and eventually the local CTC in Savanna was extended from PLUM (east end of the former Savanna yards at the Plum River bridge) up to RED BARN to control the end of two main tracks.

Did you chase this guy west? Could this be THE Red Barn? Not sure if it is because it's been a while since I was there myself.

NZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/17 09:32 by NebraskaZephyr.

Nice shots!

- Jeff Carlson

How many trains a day run on the Bensenville-Savanna line every day? Does this line mainly handle Bensenville to Kansas City trains while the line through Milwaukee handles the Minneapolis and Vancouver trains?

Date: 11/23/17 09:30
Re: Fresh EMD Rebuilds for CP
Author: NebraskaZephyr


Did you chase this guy west? Could this be THE Red Barn? Not sure if it is because it's been a while since I was there myself.

NZ

Good thought, but this is not THE Red Barn as this picture was taken east of Kirkland, IL, guessing around MP 68. I believe Red Barn hill is in the vicinity of MP 130.



How many trains a day run on the Bensenville-Savanna line every day? Does this line mainly handle Bensenville to Kansas City trains while the line through Milwaukee handles the Minneapolis and Vancouver trains?

The only regular trains on the Bensenville-Savanna line are 472 and 473 which operate between Bensenville and Nahant Yard in Iowa. Generally, train 472 is eastbound through Davis Junction sometime between 6-10 am and train 473 is typically a night time operation. Exceptions to these times are not unusual. Both trains typically stop at Davis Junction to make set outs or pickups for the local from South Beloit, IL which comes down mid-morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. A few random extra trains each week include coal loads and empties for the power plant near Portage, WI as well as sand loads and empties from Wisconsin mines.

Dave