Passenger Trains > -20F on the BNSF Chicago Sub

The kids made me get dressed to go outside Wednesday afternoon to try that experiment where one throws a boiling cup of water into the air and watches it instantly freeze. I figured since I was dressed warmly enough, I would head over to the Clarendon Hills Metra station and see if I could get at least a Metra train on the BNSF Chicago Sub. The car thermometer held a steady -20F during the drive over and I was not surprised to find the parking lot nearly empty. 
First up was an inbound Metra train making its station stop. About 7 or 8 hardu individuals boarded for the trip downtown pushed by Metra 113. 
I was expecting the next train to be a westbound Metra since I could see the headlight way to the east. Instead, I got Amtrak 189 leading eastbound #4 at a good clip down Main 2. It seemed like it was doing every bit of the 60 mph speed limit (reduced from 70 mph because of the subzero weather)
After a longer than expected wait, the westbound Metra showed up pulled by METX 198. Only a couple of people got off the train and quickly scurried to their cars.

BTW, the windchills were in the neighborhood of -40F. Definitely a character builder and I'm grateful that technology exists that lets me get some work done from home



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/19 22:18 by kevink.

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And just for the fun of it, here is my daughter trying the boiling water trick.

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Thanks for the Chicago Winter scenes and extra video.

Brrrrr...thanks for braving the cold and posting these.  Despite the content in the other threads, trains are still almost-all-weather transportation

Thanks, it's cold here in sf... 60 degrees lol...

Posted from Android

Excellent pics!!  Braver than me. 

Nice set, can't bet those cold blue skies.

Bob

thanks for all the pix, and especially for the science experiement!!