NS Chicago Line in Chicago

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MrAnderson
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NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by MrAnderson »

I was wondering how many trains the NS Chicago line gets, north of their large intermodal terminals. For example at 35th St.
According to an inventory report from 2019 there are about 90 trains a day but I haven't seen any apart from Amtrak. Do they even send any that far north?

Thank you!

GTW6401
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Re: NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by GTW6401 »

It depends on where the trains are going on the Chicago Line.

The furthest north is the NS to BNSF interchange at 16th and South Canal Street.

Some trains head over toward Ashland Avenue Yard. Thats at 40th Street and South Ashland.

The former Conrail intermodal yards on the southside are basically along 51st Street and down near 63rd and State Street.

I recommend staying north of Pershing Road (39th Street) if you are planning on railfanning it. Guaranteed Rate Field is along 35th Street and the Bridgeport neighborhood is okay, but south of there gets worse the further down you go.

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MrAnderson
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Re: NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by MrAnderson »

Alright thank you. I was thinking about the Guaranteed Rate Field parking lot but didn't see anything while I was there. I knew there were more yards to the south but didn't feel alright going that far south.

Any idea how many trains continue up the the BNSF interchange vs the Ashland yard?

GTW6401
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Re: NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by GTW6401 »

The area around 16th and Canal is a good spot. The Amtrak shop is right there and its an easy walk from the CTA and up to Roosevelt Road.

Ashland Avenue Yard has a lot of interchange traffic going to/from NS but is harder to railfan. Its in an industrial area near the stockyards, and is not very photogenic. Ive driven by there many times but hardly ever railfanned it.

If your interested in train counts stick to places in Indiana like Chesterton.

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Saturnalia
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Re: NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Chesterton to CP 485 has the highest train count. From there westward, it starts to drop off. You have trains into the Burns Harbor yard at 485, trains to the CSX at 497, trains to the IHB at 501, trains to the Belt at 508, then trains into Park Manor et al just past the lift bridges on the Calumet River. Thence it is only a trickle west of Homewood in terms of freight, with most of the rest peeling off towards Ashland. North of there it's just a handful to the BNSF, which is something like 4-6 per day, mostly coal. Amtrak is most of the traffic up that way, and you have four Michigan Services currently missing and the two long-distance trains going triweekly soon.

Happy hunting, but IMHO the Chicago Line really loses its luster beyond CP 508.
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MrAnderson
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Re: NS Chicago Line in Chicago

Unread post by MrAnderson »

Thanks for all the info GTW6401 and Saturnalia.

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