Western Railroad Discussion > CPKC Chicago Sub Questions

With the recent release of information regarding CPKC's Final Spike Tour with CP 2816, I'm starting to finalize plans to go see the tour with at least one and possibly 2 or 3 other fans from Ohio. I was hoping to catch the arrival into Chicago/Bensenville on May 6, but it looks like I'm only going to have the 8th to see it on display in Franklin Park and the 9th to catch it between Chicago and Davenport.

The ex-Milwaukee Road main west to Kansas City has, of course, taken on slightly higher importance for the merged railroad in the form of hosting the new Chicago-Mexico City MMX trains, CPKC 180 and 181, and I know already hosted a pair of daily manifests between Bensenville and Davenport's Nahant Yard (252/253??). My understanding is aside from those 4 freights it's a pretty lightly trafficked railroad. It also looks hard to chase on...

To that end I had some questions for catching 2816 out on the line.
1. What is the maximum authorized speed? Some streetviewing gives the impression the track is good for between 40-60.
2. Is the traffic limited to the 4 main freights cited above? Is there a local running it anywhere? Extras that are common? What timeframe should you expect to see regular traffic? It sounds like midday you'd only see 1 of the Bensenville-Nahant jobs with the MMX trains running at night.
3. Radio Frequency (or frequencies)?
4. If we watched 2816 pull out of the yard at Bensenville, is it possible to get ahead of a passenger special by Byron, IL? If not Byron, any other locations further towards Savannah? I'm hoping for at least one shot between Bensenville and Savannah and one somewhere in Iowa (maybe Clinton?)
5. Who controls the BNSF junction at Savannah? Likewise, which railroad has control of the brief dual trackage at Clinton?

I realize this is a lot of questions. I appreciate any information that can be provided. Even if chasing is 100% impossible, I'm very much looking forward to seeing 2816 at Franklin Park and Bensenville. The one time 2816 passed through the lower Midwest during its first round of excursion service, in 2004, I was too young to travel from Michigan to Ohio to see it. I do not want to miss it this time.

I looked into chasing that day. (Also from Ohio). It’s not a super fast railroad and you can count on delays at Savannah. Likely a service stop there as well. Depending on traffic you could likely get it 2-3 times in IL and at least twice in IA. If traffic is bad just jump ahead on other routes.

GP40 Wrote:
See below will try and help you out 

> To that end I had some questions for catching 2816
> out on the line.
> 1. What is the maximum authorized speed? Some
> streetviewing gives the impression the track is
> good for between 40-60.

Max timetable speed is 40. In SOO and IMRL days it was 50. 

> 2. Is the traffic limited to the 4 main freights
> cited above? Is there a local running it anywhere?
> Extras that are common? What timeframe should you
> expect to see regular traffic? It sounds like
> midday you'd only see 1 of the Bensenville-Nahant
> jobs with the MMX trains running at night.

Regular scheduled trains are the 180/181 and 252/253. However there are extras like ethanol and sand trains. Some of these use the Chicago Sub if there are no crews available at Portage WI since thats where most of the traffic goes via La Crosse. South of Sabula to Davenport you will get 260/261 250/251 and oil trains 576/577 and coal load empties 853/852 that come to the UPRR at Clinton. There is a Savanna local that goes east K68. K67 is the Savanna local that can work down to Clinton and interchanges with Clinton Local  K60. 




> 3. Radio Frequency (or frequencies)?
On Metra they use channel 94. From Elgin to Savanna Channel 65. Savanna to Deer Creek Channel 84, and Deer Creek to Davenport channel 44. 

> 4. If we watched 2816 pull out of the yard at
> Bensenville, is it possible to get ahead of a
> passenger special by Byron, IL? If not Byron, any
> other locations further towards Savannah? I'm
> hoping for at least one shot between Bensenville
> and Savannah and one somewhere in Iowa (maybe
> Clinton?)
IL Route 72 stays pretty close to the tracks or within distance til about Forreston, then US 52 stays within distance from Lanark to Savanna. Ive been told the local county mounties have been told about this move so watch your speed. 


> 5. Who controls the BNSF junction at Savannah?
> Likewise, which railroad has control of the brief
> dual trackage at Clinton?

The diamond at Savanna with the BNSF is an automatic interlocker so first come first serve.  Clinton is controlled by UP Desk 12 in Omaha. 
>
> I realize this is a lot of questions. I appreciate
> any information that can be provided. Even if
> chasing is 100% impossible, I'm very much looking
> forward to seeing 2816 at Franklin Park and
> Bensenville. The one time 2816 passed through the
> lower Midwest during its first round of excursion
> service, in 2004, I was too young to travel from
> Michigan to Ohio to see it. I do not want to miss
> it this time.

Glad to help PM Me if you need more information.

MILW86A 

There is a Northern Illinois Radio feed, one side of feed is CP and CN(google that).  (Covers Elgin to Svanna).  Also they have activated their online tracker.   And there is a group dedicated to that line.

Chase road west of Elgin is 2 lane and not very fast, add in traffic and probably will not be a good experience even if knew you  locations so as noted above you will need to use potential stops to get ahead, you will never get ahead chasing.
 
If you have a chance maybe get out ahead and scout around and find a good place and then wait for everyone else to show up.

Bob

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/24 07:59 by robj.

I think you'll be able to get ahead of it but I would use bypass detours to get around the chasing crowd.  I think trying to chase on adjacent/close highways will be pretty tough.  I'm guessing the DS will have everything out of the way for the steam train but on the Iowa side, CP Ottumwa sub. normal operations are SLOW.

Andy

I have my locations preplanned and routes mapped out of how to get there.  I won't be chasing per se.  I have done plenty of chases and watched many more.  I'm happy to get my two or three pictures and then head home.