Eastern Railroad Discussion > Around Chicago - June 2021

This past spring, my wife took the kids for a girls' weekend, and so it was suggested I take a solo trip somewhere fun... I decided to spend the long weekend in Chicago to catch up with some friends and take in some "easy" railfanning in a variety of Chicago suburbs.  I started out the morning of June 25 in Hinsdale along the BNSF "Racetrack" in the pouring rain, so I started out at the Starbuck instead, enjoying the view of Metra commuters rushing by from the comfort of the indoors.  After grabbing a bite I ventured out for a few intermodal trains.
1. Eastbound intermodal at Hinsdale on an obviously wet morning
2. Another a bit later, with an NS leader.

I decided I'd had enough and made my way north to Elmhurst on the UP main line just west of Proviso, where I found a nice spot for lunch.  I milled around the METRA station here for a few hours.
3. A veteran F40PH - what a neat sight!

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The next day, I met a friend at Franklin Park with a large coffee in hand.  Another rainy, grubby morning...
4. The first move lensed was the UP local G42 with a pair of NexsysIII-equipped SD40's.
5. CP sent a few trains through the area, here is a westbound passing an eastbound still doubling up at Bensenville.
6. A nice GP22ECO with a SOO caboose, looking good at Bensenville, Ill.

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7. We ventured west of Bensenville Yard to check out Tower B-17.  A westbound METRA passes through after a terrible rainstorm blew through here.

We parted ways and I made my way back to the hotel for lunch and to buy my own raincoat... which (of course) I ended up not needing as the weather started to clear out.  I met up with another friend up in Downers Grove and ended up at the Lisle station parking lot for a few trains on the Racetrack here.

8. Westbound doublestacks round the curve at Lisle behind a ubiquitous row of GE's.

The next day, I decided to head down to Dolton Jct as it would get me "sorta" nearer to the airport... I enjoyed seeing an IHB local work steel coils on a stub of ex-PRR track that branches northwest there.
9. IHB 1515, I believe this was recently done at Metro East Ind. hustling steel coils

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10. The same IHB local makes a reverse move with the conductor protecting the shove, with the image balanced out by colorful containers on a CSXT intermodal train.
11. Q016 delighted area railfans with the CSXT Spirit of Law Enforcement unit.  Lensed here with my drone, it seemed that every cloud in Illinois conspired to find me.
12. I found a late lunch at a great taco joint in Blue Island Jct area, and captured this NS autorack train crossing the Calumet.
At this point it was time to get myself to Midway to return the rental car and fly home.

I hope you enjoyed!
-Alex

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FANTASTIC !!
 

Excellent photo series!

Outstanding bunch.
JB

Really covered some ground.  thanks.

Bob

Looks like a fun weekend despite the rain!

Dan

Posted from iPhone

Great stuff..!!  Thanks for posting.

Very nice!  The neighborhoods around Dolton and Blue Island Junctions can be rather questionable so usually the earlier the better.  Chicago Ridge is safe location to get shots of IHB, NS, Metra, and some random transfers too, just don't wait too long for the Bluebird or Cannonball to come past ;)

Very nice series. I particularly like the photos around Dolton. Looking quite green and the IHB industry job is a good catch. Is Dolton Tower still standing since it has been closed? Kind of a plain looking building, but it was a neat place to be.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/21 09:29 by King_Coal.

King_Coal Wrote:
 Is Dolton Tower
> still standing since it has been closed?

Nope, it was razed a few years ago.

Thanks for sharing the great photos, In the last photo, note the tower... (out of service?).

Victor