Passenger Trains > City of New Orleans w/ Tioga Pass

Here we see Norm Orfall's "Tioga Pass" on the rear of the southbound CNO heading to the big easy. Departed Chicago on-time, backed straight out to 21st street then went east towards McCormick Place. No St. Charles Airline on account of track work. Note the bridge is up. I also saw fellow TO member Mark Hinsdale getting his photos as well. 

Seth- 

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What do you mean “no St. Charles Air Line” ?

filmteknik Wrote:
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> What do you mean “no St. Charles Air Line” ?

It is out of service for repairs. Usually it will head towards the BNSF then head east up the airline. However since it's closed they go to 21st street in a single backup move. 

But isn’t the Air Line how they get to the lakefront by McCormick Place?

filmteknik Wrote:
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> But isn’t the Air Line how they get to the
> lakefront by McCormick Place?

Yes, but there are two ways to get to McCormick Place. 
 

Not aware of any that don’t involve the Air Line.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> Not aware of any that don’t involve the Air
> Line.

Me either. Scratching my head and digging out the map......

Nice images, good use of the dusk lighting. The car looks good, Norm. Hope you had a good trip south.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/20 05:33 by ironmtn.

ironmtn Wrote:
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> filmteknik Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Not aware of any that don’t involve the Air
> > Line.
>
> Me either. Scratching my head and digging out the
> map......
>
> Nice images, good use of the dusk lighting. The
> car looks good, Norm. Hope you had a good trip
> south.

Never mind. Got it. So used to the backup move past "MH Tower" that I forgot that the former IC's crossing at 21st St led right into the St. Charles Air Line (CN Freeport Sub today) led right into the Air Line at Clark St. and the now-Metra tower there at 16th & Clark. Duh.

Map below added later. Green line, usual City of New Orleans route to Mc Cormick Place and the lakefront, with move past "MH Tower". Orange line, route used by the train last evening with backup move to 21st St.

Not so much a second route to McCormick Place and the lakefront,  as it is a second way to get to the route to McCormick Place, the lakefront and the main line southward.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/20 06:09 by ironmtn.

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All of the Amtrak service to downstate has been running like that for several weeks, maybe months, and the St. Charles Air Line bridge has been in the open position. I wonder what the work is. CN is doing bridge replacement east of the 16th St. diamond where the two routes come together.

Yeah, I figured it was something like that.  Don't want to be a nit picker but the Air Line is definitely part of the route and I was confused. 

BTW, the November 1996 issue of Green Diamond, the ICHS magazine, has excellent coverage of the building of the SCAL.  As most know, the line formerly turned north at the lakefront, varnish from Iowa descending the "short hill" into Central Station, while freights went down the "long hill" to the yards leading all the way up to the river.  The connection to the south was opened in 1968 forming a wye which did occasionally get used to turn trains.  But the main point was to send trains to Markham instead of the yards to the north.  With the razing of Central and removal of the various freight yards only the south leg remains. 

Looks like they are putting money into it despite the single tracking.  I'm glad.  Mayor Daley II wanted to get rid of it entirely as do some activists and reroute Amtrak.  But that would be stupid.  Once infrastructure is gone you never get it back.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> Yeah, I figured it was something like that. 
> Don't want to be a nit picker but the Air Line is
> definitely part of the route and I was
> confused. 


Actually not. SCAL (The St. Charles and Mississippi Railroad) connects with IC at Clark Street (or 16th Street, depending upon which rialroad you're on) and the Q and CNW at Union Ave. The track east from the switch at Clark Street is IC.

TAW

Nice of Norm to have the track lights on for the Conductor who is protecting the back up move from the platform.

filmteknik Wrote:
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> Not aware of any that don’t involve the Air
> Line.

Back out across 21st Street, then take the New Connection onto the former IC Iowa Division.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

So that's why I haven't seen # 58 & #59 for quite a while !!! I was begining to wonder if Amtrak was running a "ghost train" ! :):):)
I have been watching for it on the "Rail Stream " webcam and was begining to wonder !!! :):):)
Thank you to everybody for explaining it on here and the map really helps !!! :):):)