busiest freight route into chicago

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GreatLakesRailfan
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

Proviso makes sense. The Elmhurst facility is more west of Elmhurst. It's not a yard, it's where they park the trains between trips/weekends and such. There's one at the end of all the major Metra lines- the Milwaukee District NW is in Elgin, there's a small one in Harvard, and I believe there's one in/near Crystal Lake (UP NW). It's not a yard per say, but there are a lot of tracks next to the main line, like a yard would have...but different.
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SD80MAC
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by SD80MAC »

Are you sure you're not thinking of Elburn?
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GreatLakesRailfan
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by GreatLakesRailfan »

SD80MAC wrote:Are you sure you're not thinking of Elburn?
Elmhurst, Elburn, El Paso...lots of places start with 'El'.

When I moved back to Michigan apparently my brain turned to mush. :oops:
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Toppysager
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Toppysager »

I would go with NS Chicago Line. Close to 90 movements when you add CP and IHB trains, add another 16 for Amtraks. I can't account for UP or BNSF as my experience is minimal
I'll take a hotstot intermodal over a manifest any day

heypal6878
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by heypal6878 »

I've been watching live rail cams and looks like Coal City is has an active rail line. 60 to 80 trains a day and they move going though there. Mostly intermodal some mixed but rather active. Check it out on You tube.

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Toppysager
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Toppysager »

heypal6878 wrote:I've been watching live rail cams and looks like Coal City is has an active rail line. 60 to 80 trains a day and they move going though there. Mostly intermodal some mixed but rather active. Check it out on You tube.
Yeah that's the BNSF Southern Transcon if I'm not mistaken
I'll take a hotstot intermodal over a manifest any day

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cbehr91
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by cbehr91 »

heypal6878 wrote:I've been watching live rail cams and looks like Coal City is has an active rail line. 60 to 80 trains a day and they move going though there. Mostly intermodal some mixed but rather active. Check it out on You tube.
Yes. Chillicothe Sub, former ATSF Transcon. It's busier now than it ever was during Santa Fe.

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Tier4GEVO
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Tier4GEVO »

And if anything, the NS Chicago Line is the busiest it's been in years. I'm averaging around 70 + or - a few a day EAST of Butler.

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Toppysager
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Toppysager »

Tier4GEVO wrote:And if anything, the NS Chicago Line is the busiest it's been in years. I'm averaging around 70 + or - a few a day EAST of Butler.
Yeah my friend got 82 in 24 hours in Wauseon a few months back. It's hoppin
I'll take a hotstot intermodal over a manifest any day

Tsidephotos476
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Tsidephotos476 »

GreatLakesRailfan wrote:
Tsidephotos476 wrote: UP's Geneva sub. Real good, every time I've went there has been lots of UP freights mainly I'd guess because of the intermodal terminal out in Rochelle and the yard in Elmhurst.
Yard in Elmhurst? Is there something near Elmhurst besides Metra's yard/facility?
Yeah, UP has a small yard as the Milwaukee sub and the Geneva meet there in Elmhurst I believe. If you look from the station, you can see into the yard. I also found out the subdivisions name for CN. the Liethon sub.

Tsidephotos476
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Re: busiest freight route into chicago

Unread post by Tsidephotos476 »

Sorry my bad, the jurisdiction of Elmhurst ends and the yard is technically in Berkeley, though you can still see it from Elmhurst station.

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