Passenger Trains > Morning in Hinsdale

Last Friday morning was pleasant and busy at Hinsdale, IL on the CB&Q (BNSF) three-track mainline. Hinsdale is a major stop and plenty of commuters were ready to scoot to downtown Chicago and earn their living. With flower baskets, benches, a clock, and a nearby corner cafe, it is a easy location to watch commuter trains, which are interspersed with BNSF freight action.

Earl Grey Tea, and a banana muffin plus the newspaper let me enjoy the remainder of warm Fall days.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/14 06:15 by MEKoch.

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What a beautiful single-panel shot. Hinsdale looks like a nice place to hang out. How does the 3-track arrangement work? I can see how a 4-track arrangement works but I'm not sure about 3 tracks.

Tor in Eugene

Gotta love all those classic, well served communities.

Torisgod Wrote:
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> .... How does the
> 3-track arrangement work? I can see how a 4-track
> arrangement works but I'm not sure about 3
> tracks.
>
> Tor in Eugene

I've been in the area several times but never long enough to really rail fan. I was there for 2 weeks in a company school in Lisle, just down the road from Hinsdale. Basically they run the commuter and Amtrak trains on the outside tracks. They slip some freights in there also. The center track is sort of a passing track or maybe a "get passed" track. Metra trains need the outside tracks so they can stop at each station. Amtrak trains stop at Naperville only. Amtrak will often use the center track if Metra trains are along the route. When you mix commuter, LD passenger, long freights, and the occasional switching job, for the dispatcher it's got to be about like juggling chainsaws.

I'm sure that some others can give a better and more detailed description. Some of the Eastern railroad used to run 3 track mains. I think it was the B&O or C&O, maybe WM that had a 3 track main through the mountains in the steam era. The center track was for the faster trains to pass long slow drags. They were also running passenger trains on that route and passengers probably spent time on the center tracks when they were not doing station work or passing an opposing train.

John

All three tracks through Hinsdale are considered Main Tracks and are signaled for operation in both directions.

Metra trains operated by BNSF use all three tracks. In general, Main 1 (north track) is for westbound (outbound) trains and Main 3 (south track) is used for eastbound (inbound) trains. Metra express trains will use the Main 2 (center track) primarily during peak hours.

BNSF freights will use any track in either direction. Westbounds primarily use Mains 1 and 2 while eastbounds use Main 2 and 3. However, there have been plenty of occasions where westbounds have been on Main 3 and eastbounds on Main 1

Amtrak trains 3/4 and 5/6 are generally Main 1 or 2 westbound and Main 2 or 3 eastbound. The Illinois trains are generally Main 1 westbound and Main 3 eastbound but I've seen eastbounds using Main 1 many times.

Like the rule says, expect a train on any track in either direction.

Returning from the AAPRCO convention train, 3 LA Rail cars (TIOGA PASS, Pacific Sands, and Salisbury Beach) moved Chicago to LA on train 3 from Chicago Sunday, Sept. 28th. Between MH Tower in Chicago and Aurora, we met or passed 9 trains - two loaded and one empty oil trains, two loaded coal train and one empty, one string of grain mtys and two manifest trains. We also met or passed two Metra trains while dancing from track 1 to track 2 and making our station stop at Naperville. Leaving Aurora, the railroad got busier, as we met and passed too many trains to count. This was magnificent dispatching as we only stopped once, for a minute or two.

The next evening, leaving Albuquerque, the every-trip contest to guess how many trains we would meet and pass between Dalies and Winslow, 276 miles, was won by Dennis Ray who guessed correctly
the 22 trains in 5 hours 10 minutes. Again, this was accomplished by dodging back and forth between the two main tracks, and running at up to 90 MPH mile after mile. A trip like this renews your faith in the strength and health of our rail industry.

TIOGA PASS

Norman Orfall
Helendale, CA
TIOGA PASS, a private railcar

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Kudos to a "real" train dispatcher for your moves. A "real" train dispatcher is getting harder and harder to find. The way you describe your trip, BNSF must have most of them!