This Christmas Eve, I found some time to do some (very cold!) railfanning, at Blue Island. Not expecting much freight traffic due to the holiday, I must say I was pleasantly surprised at the action and variety that I caught. Plus, a little Christmas snow!
Trains 1 and 2:
As Iowa Interstate ES44DC #504 pulls out across Broadway St for headroom in IAIS's small yard southwest of the crossing, an outbound Metra Rock Island District train passes on the overhead tracks, heading for Joliet.
Train 3:
CSX ES44DC #5329, ES44AH #765 and AC4400 #108 bring a stack train from the Bedford Park intermodal yard south and east on the joint IHB/B&OCT line.
Train 4:
A nine-car Metra inbound train crosses above the junction as the CSX stack train clears.
Train 5:
With a less-than-great horn, CN 2104 (a former ATSF/BNSF Dash-8), CN ES44DC #2289, CN SD75I #5691 and CSX SD70MAC #4821 lead a long, slow manifest from Clearing Yard via the IHB, onto the former Grand Trunk Western main line. I'm not sure of this train's destination or symbol... help?
Train 6:
A lengthy Indiana Harbor Belt transfer freight heads south on the joint line. GP40-2 #4012 and GP38-2 #3802 lead. The latter unit is one of just two GP38-2s on the IHB roster, and was formerly with Mexico's Altos Hornos Steel before coming to the IHB.
Train 7:
A rather fast CSX intermodal train heads south / east on the joint line. ES44DC #5312 leads, with AC4400s #376 and 292 second and third out.
Train 8:
What must be the northbound counterpart to the CN train seen earlier heads up the CN/GTW - IHB connector track. Ex-UP C40-8 #2134 and ex-Oakway SD60 #5412 lead. The train gathers some speed as snow begins blowing in.
Train 9:
The blowing snow was brief- we are now on the Rock Island District line above Broadway St, where an inbound Metra train from Joliet, pushed by F40PH #179, the 'City of Elgin', speeds by the old Rock Island signal gantry and searchlights.
Train 10:
At Western Avenue Junction, south of Vermont Street, an outbound express train on the Main Line arrives on its side of the Blue Island-Vermont Street station, while a local run from the Beverly Branch leaves the station to switch back to the northbound track for another run into the city. F40PH #181 leads the local, while MP36PH #412 heads the express, which departs for Joliet.
Sorry about the crazy zooming here- the zoom control on my camera was getting stuck!
Train 11:
A local train has finished its run and backs from the station into the coach yard for the night. F40PHM-2 #207 is the power.
Train 12:
The equipment seen alongside the express earlier has turned and departs northbound for La Salle Street Station. It's Christmas Eve, so the train is nearly empty.
~Thanks for watching!~