Eastern Railroad Discussion > Northwestern Indiana and Chicagoland Excursion

I woke up at about 3:45 this morning for a 5:00 departure towards the Gary, Indiana area, for some railfanning in an area that was, until today, entirely new to me. While my father and I had passed through East Chicago several times over the last two summers, the only railfanning we did there was next to the Amtrak station in Whiting and a tiny bit of traffic along the IHB west of Gibson Yard. Aside from that, today was a journey into the relative unknown with only the information graciously provided to me by railfan friends, ATCS monitor, and my scanner to guide me along the way. While for Chicago standard the traffic levels were pretty abysmal, I still managed to scope out the area and definitely will be returning again! Despite appearances and from what other folks have told me, I didn't fell unsafe at any time in my trip despite being away from my car for a large portion of it, so I'm definitely looking forward to coming back. Anyways, on to the photos!

• I find it bitterly ironic that the reason I came to Gary in particular was for the CN, but the nicest train they fielded happened to come through before sunrise. A stellar consist of a Grand Trunk Western GP9R and an EJ&E SD38-2 switch out the Chicago South Shore and South Bend interchange track in Gary before departing for points east. At this point I saw a northbound lined up into Kirk Yard and hoped for the best; maybe even one of the Bessemer engines that CN has been keeping around the Gary area for the past year!
• Unfortunately enough my hopes were not founded and the eastbound/northbound had only a pair of CN GE's for power. Still, the train made for a nice sight as it curved around the new alignment that takes the Mattenson Subdivision around the extended portion of  Gary's airport.
• After waiting for another CN train that never came I realized that Amtrak 851, the northbound Hoosier State, was running on time and was about to get to Dyer, about 15 miles to the southwest. So I headed down towards Munster, where the CSX Monon Subdivision joins the ex Grand Trunk mainline. A few minutes after I showed up, Iowa Pacific's beautiful consist (disregarding of course the disco-ball silver GP40 second out) coasted towards the switch leading onto the CN main.

There's more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com
 

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• I then headed up to CP 502 on the NS Chicago Line to see if anything interesting was in the area. And nothing was. For almost an hour and a half nothing moved through the interlocking except for a westbound Wolverine Service train, and then, right when I was about to go grab an early lunch, a CP train got a lineup off of the Belt Railway of Chicago onto the Chicago Line! A pair of Candy Apple Red-ish units head a long manifest past Hick Tower at the west end of the control plant at CP502.
• A few miles to the southwest, a westbound CSX train on the Barr subdivision charges underneath the CSS&SB mainline, running wrong main. It had run around a highrailer a mile to the east of the crossing and would cross back over in order to allow a fleet of eastbounds to pass by.
• Of course I didn't know the latter would happen and instead headed down to Ivanhoe, on the ex EJ&E. A northbound manifest bangs across the diamonds behind a pair of CN motors. I also apparnetly missed the Central of Georgia heritage engine, which came west on the Porter Branch and into IHB's Gibson Yard a few minutes after I left.

There's more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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• A southbound CN with BNSF and CREX power heads towards the diamonds at Ivanhoe. Having just noticed the fleet of eastbounds coming on the CSX I raced up towards Calumet tower, only to be beaten by...
• The Chicago South Shore and South Bend transfer job behind their beautiful SD38-2. I couldn't get my video camera set up in time to catch this gorgeous unit but a photo's better than nothing.
• A mile to the east, an eastbound oil train behind a Kansas City Southern SD70ACe charges out underneath of Indiana State Road 912.

There's more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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• A few minutes later, the westbound Salad Shooter heads towards Hammond behind a pair of Union Pacific engines. I'd ditch the CSX at this point and head up to the IHB's line to the NS at CP 502.
• A northbound CSX coal train comes to a halt just south of CP 502 behind a pair of GE's. I really like the signal bridge here and had noted it on my way out from 502 earlier in the day; when I saw a northbound coming I just knew I had to get it here.
• After the CSX passed, the plant switcher at Arcelormittal's steel mill brings out a cut of cars from the facility.

There's more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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• After what seemed like an eternity, a northbound off of the IHB crosses onto main 2 behind a pair of admiral-cabbed SD40-2's, one, the 3215, being a special engine outfitted with a sticker for the NMRA convention in Cleveland a few years back.
• Shortly thereafter, an eastbound of the Belt Railway of Chicago passes by Hick Tower as it crosses over to track 3.
• Another eastbound off the Belt passes, this time an oil train with all NS power.

There's more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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• An Amtrak Wolverine Service train heads across the bridges at Hick Tower.
• As the Amtrak cleared CP 501, a westbound CSX freight which had crossed over onto the Chicago Line at Clarke Junction heads underneath the signal bridges at CP 502.
• Another eastbound NS train heads through the interlocking at CP 502.

One more...

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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• A freshly painted UP SD70ACe heads an eastbound freight at CP501 as the sun begins to set. I started heading home at this point, as I was exhasuted from an entire day's worth of railfanning amid new and exciting, if not challenging, territory. I definitely hope to come back to this area but I'm not sure when, as already the days are becoming too short to be productive with. We'll see though!

Have a great week!

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

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Nice pics!!

Just curious how you got so close to Hick Tower.  I would have thought that area was STRICTLY off limits.....

junctiontower Wrote:
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> Just curious how you got so close to Hick Tower. 
> I would have thought that area was STRICTLY off
> limits.....

I thought so too and asked on another forum about it but the area has a mixed history in terms of being on or off limits. I just drove right up to the tower and none of the trains that passed called me in. Also the private security guard for the mill that passed by didn't have an issue with me being there, so I'm not exactly sure where Hick stands in terms of being off limits. I've also heard of plant security chasing people off the property numerous times before so maybe the guards are just more lax on Sunday's.

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

This must be one of your best trips in order for you to have so many great images. My favorite two images are the Iowa Pacific passenger train photo and the steel mill switcher photo. Thanks for posting these.
Bob

That is a bunch of awesome photos.
JB

refarkas Wrote:
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> This must be one of your best trips in order for
> you to have so many great images. My favorite two
> images are the Iowa Pacific passenger train photo
> and the steel mill switcher photo. Thanks for
> posting these.
> Bob

I may just have exceptionally high standards but yesterday was honestly one of the least productive days railfanning wise I've had in an area as busy as Chicago in a while, and a lot of that had to do with mistakes on my part in terms of location scouting and interpreting ATCS monitor in an effective manner. But hey, I'm glad it seems like it was a great trip at least!

Thanks for all of the compliments guys, I'm glad y'all like my photos.

Zach
http://www.z-trains.com

z-trains Wrote:
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> refarkas Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This must be one of your best trips in order
> for
> > you to have so many great images. My favorite
> two
> > images are the Iowa Pacific passenger train
> photo
> > and the steel mill switcher photo. Thanks for
> > posting these.
> > Bob
>
> I may just have exceptionally high standards but
> yesterday was honestly one of the least productive
> days railfanning wise I've had in an area as busy
> as Chicago in a while, and a lot of that had to do
> with mistakes on my part in terms of location
> scouting and interpreting ATCS monitor in an
> effective manner. But hey, I'm glad it seems like
> it was a great trip at least!
>
> Thanks for all of the compliments guys, I'm glad
> y'all like my photos.
>
> Zach
> http://www.z-trains.com

I also enjoyed all the shots you posted. I think we have all had days like you describe where we kick ourselves for our own mistakes. But, hey, that's just part of railfanning. Now that you've been to the area, maybe you'll know better what to expect the next time.

Kim Heusel