September 10, 2019 - Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210 approaches heads toward the crossing at 1st Street at Terre Haute, Indiana as it heads onto the Danville Secondary Subdivision with a mixed freight. According to Wikipedia: The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco Companies operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana. In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018. The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Secondary Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad.The railroad is headquartered in Paris, Illinois.

Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210…

September 10, 2019 – Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad 3896 and 4210 approaches heads toward the crossing at 1st Street at Terre Haute, Indiana as it heads onto the Danville Secondary Subdivision with a mixed freight.

According to Wikipedia: The Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad (reporting mark DREI) is an American regional railroad that is a subsidiary of Watco Companies operating in eastern Illinois and western Indiana.

In January 2018, CSX Transportation announced that it was seeking offers to buy the Decatur Subdivision and the Danville Secondary Subdivision as part of a system-wide sale of low-traffic routes, and in July, Watco, via the DREI, was identified as the winning bidder. Following regulatory approval from the Surface Transportation Board, The DREI began operations on September 9, 2018.

The DREI operates two intersecting routes totaling 126.7 miles (203.9 km)—the former Decatur Subdivision between Montezuma, Indiana and Decatur, Illinois, and the former Danville Secondary Subdivision between Terre Haute, Indiana and Olivet, Illinois. It interchanges traffic with CSX, the Eastern Illinois Railroad, the Norfolk Southern Railway, the Canadian National Railway, and the Union Pacific Railroad.The railroad is headquartered in Paris, Illinois.

September 9, 2019 - Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight over the BNSF Aurora Subdivision, at the diamond, as a track inspector watches from the side as it heads westbound on the the UP Geneva Subdivision at Rochelle, Illinois.

Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight…

September 9, 2019 – Union Pacific 6013 leads a mixed freight over the BNSF Aurora Subdivision, at the diamond, as a track inspector watches from the side as it heads westbound on the the UP Geneva Subdivision at Rochelle, Illinois.

September 9, 2019 - Lights reflect off the side of refrigerated reefers as Burlington Northern Railway 1517 works on picking up and dropping off cars at the Americold plant in Rochelle, Illinois on the City of Rochelle Railroad. According to Wikipedia: "The Burlington Junction Railway (reporting mark BJRY) is a Class III short line railroad which was chartered in 1985. Originally operating on the southernmost 3 miles (4.8 km) of the former Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway mainline in Burlington, Iowa after abandonment by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it provides short freight hauling, switching operations, locomotive repair, and transloading services, the latter currently handling over 3,000 carloads a year. Typical commodity types transported include chemicals and fertilizer." The BJRY operation in Rochelle is more sophisticated than most. First of all, the track is owned by the City of Rochelle Railroad. Second of all, it interchanges with UP as well as BNSF. It has enough track capacity to handle unit trains. It does not provide intermodal service because UP has its Global 3 intermodal yard on the other side of town.

Burlington Junction Railway 1517…

September 9, 2019 – Lights reflect off the side of refrigerated reefers as Burlington Junction Railway 1517 works on picking up and dropping off cars at the Americold plant in Rochelle, Illinois on the City of Rochelle Railroad.

According to Wikipedia: “The Burlington Junction Railway (reporting mark BJRY) is a Class III short line railroad which was chartered in 1985. Originally operating on the southernmost 3 miles (4.8 km) of the former Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway mainline in Burlington, Iowa after abandonment by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it provides short freight hauling, switching operations, locomotive repair, and transloading services, the latter currently handling over 3,000 carloads a year. Typical commodity types transported include chemicals and fertilizer.”

The BJRY operation in Rochelle is more sophisticated than most. First of all, the track is owned by the City of Rochelle Railroad. Second of all, it interchanges with UP as well as BNSF. It has enough track capacity to handle unit trains. It does not provide intermodal service because UP has its Global 3 intermodal yard on the other side of town.

September 9, 2019 - A Union Pacific intermodal passes under the former Chicago and North Western Railway coaling tower, as it heads westbound on the Geneva Subdivision with UP 4729 leading at DeKalb, Illinois.

Union Pacific intermodal passes under…

September 9, 2019 – A Union Pacific intermodal passes under the former Chicago and North Western Railway coaling tower, as it heads westbound on the Geneva Subdivision with UP 4729 leading at DeKalb, Illinois.

September 8, 2019 - CTA Blue Line train 105 heads downhill as it approaches the Damen Station, bound for Forest Park, after passing a O'Hare bound train in Chicago, Illinois.

CTA Blue Line train 105 heads downhill…

September 8, 2019 – CTA Blue Line train 105 heads downhill as it approaches the Damen Station, bound for Forest Park, after passing a O’Hare bound train in Chicago, Illinois.

WEB-05.10.19 UP 5455 SB Loaded Coal Crossing the Diamond at Marion, IL

A loaded Union Pacific coal train…

May 10, 2019 – A loaded Union Pacific coal train with UP 5455 and 4311 leading, crosses over the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railway (COER) and UP diamond as it heads south on UP’s Marion Subdivision at Marion, Illinois.

According to Wikipedia: The Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railway (reporting mark COER) (formerly American Rail Heritage, Ltd. d/b/a Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railroad Company) is a Class III common carrier shortline railroad that operates in the cities of Marion and Herrin in the Southern Illinois region. It is most historically recognized by the FRA for being the last U.S. railroad of any kind to use steam locomotives exclusively in regular revenue freight service up until 1986.

The present-day shortline currently operates a total of 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of track across the industrial centers of Williamson County in two separate railroad districts with a fleet of two diesel switcher engines. One line being known as the “Marion District”, which is the railroad’s main working division with roughly 8.5 miles (13.7 km) of track; and the other division being the “Herrin District”, which mostly serves the city’s manufacturing industries along a 5-mile (8.0 km) stretch of track.

I tried without success to find their units on this trip, but, like Arnold, “I’ll be back!”

WEB-04.27.19 BNSF 9123 SB Coal Train crosses EVWRR at Ashley, IL

BNSF 9123 and 8831 lead a loaded coal train…

April 27, 2019 – BNSF 9123 and 8831 lead a loaded coal train over the CN/Evansville Western Railway Diamond as they head south on CN’s Centrailia Subdivision at Ashley, Illinois. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #bnsf #bnsfrailway

WEB-04.27.19 NS 4129 Coal Train SB at Centraila, IL

Norfolk Southern 4129 leads a coal train…

April 27, 2019 – Norfolk Southern 4129 leads a coal train as it enters the CN-IC Junction at Centralia, Illinois as it makes its way along the NS Southern West District. – #jimstrainphotos #indianarailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #ns #nsrailway

WEB-04.27.19 Amtrak 391 Departs Centraila, IL

Amtrak 390 departs Centralia, Illinois…

April 27, 2019 – Amtrak 390 departs Centralia, Illinois with engine 4615 leading the way as it heads south on CN’s Centralia Subdivision to its final destination of Carbondale. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #amtrak #passengertrain #commutertrain

WEB-04.27.19 CN SB freight arrives at Centraila, IL

CN 8874 leads a mixed freight south…

April 27, 2019 – CN 8874 leads a mixed freight south on the Centralia Subdivision through downtown Centralia, Illinois. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cn #cnrailway

April 6, 2019 - Union Pacific 7743 heads up a southbound intermodal, as it passes UP 8652 and 6849 on a waiting northbound loaded coal train at Gorham, Illinois as, it heads southbound on UP's Chester Subdivision. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #uprailroad #unionpacific

Union Pacific 7743 heads up a southbound intermodal…

April 6, 2019 – Union Pacific 7743 heads up a southbound intermodal, as it passes UP 8652 and 6849 on a waiting northbound loaded coal train at Gorham, Illinois as, it heads southbound on UP’s Chester Subdivision. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #uprailroad #unionpacific

April 6, 2019 - Union Pacific 678, GP38-2, heads up YDU21 (Y-Yard DU-Dupo 2-2nd Shift 1-Ramp Job) uses the Material Track at the UP yard in Dupo, Illinois as it passes the tower while building an intermodal train. YDU21 pulls and spots intermodal cars on the ramp and builds two outbound trains, one for North Platte, NE (IDUNP) and points beyond and second train is UPS for Mesquite, TX (ZDUMQ). - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #unionpacific #dupoillinois #uptrain

Union Pacific 678, GP38-2, heads up YDU21…

April 6, 2019 – Union Pacific 678, GP38-2, heads up YDU21 (Y-Yard DU-Dupo 2-2nd Shift 1-Ramp Job) uses the Material Track at the UP yard in Dupo, Illinois as it passes the tower while building an intermodal train. YDU21 pulls and spots intermodal cars on the ramp and builds two outbound trains, one for North Platte, NE (IDUNP) and points beyond and second train is UPS for Mesquite, TX (ZDUMQ). – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #unionpacific #dupoillinois #uptrain

April 6, 2019 - BNSF DPU 9849 brings up the rear of a loaded coal train after skirting the Alton & Southern Railroad yards as it heads southbound on the UP/KCS #2 track in East St. Louis, IL. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #uprailroad #unionpacific

BNSF DPU 9849 brings up the rear…

April 6, 2019 – BNSF DPU 9849 brings up the rear of a loaded coal train after skirting the Alton & Southern Railroad yards as it heads southbound on the UP/KCS #2 track in East St. Louis, IL. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #uprailroad #unionpacific

April 6, 2019 - Union Pacific 8161 leads a mixed freight over the Mississippi River on the Thebes Bridge at Thebes, Illinois as it makes its way south on UP's Chester Subdivision. According to Wikipedia: The Thebes Bridge is a truss bridge carrying the Union Pacific Railroad (previously carried the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific, in a joint operation) across the Mississippi River between Illmo, Missouri and Thebes, Illinois. It is owned by the Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company, now a UP subsidiary. The Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company was incorporated in Illinois on December 28, 1900 to own the bridge and 4.64 miles (7.47 km) of connecting rail line. It was initially owned equally by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad, Illinois Central Railroad, Missouri Pacific Railway, St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, and St. Louis Southwestern Railway. The designer of the bridge was Polish-American engineer Ralph Modjeski. The Missouri Pacific and SLIM&S merged in 1917, and in 1945 the C&EI sold its 1/5 share to the Missouri Pacific, giving the latter company, since merged into the UP, a majority interest. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #uprailroad #unionpacific

Union Pacific 8161 leads a mixed freight…

April 6, 2019 – Union Pacific 8161 leads a mixed freight over the Mississippi River on the Thebes Bridge at Thebes, Illinois as it makes its way south on UP’s Chester Subdivision.

The Rider - Clark/Lake Street CTA Station, Chicago, Illinois.

The Rider

The Rider – Clark/Lake Street CTA Station, Chicago, Illinois.

March 23, 2019 - A CTA Brown Line train to Kimball heads over Randolph Street after passing through the Tower 18 interlocking on the way out of downtown Chicago, Illinois. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 – A CTA Brown Line train

March 23, 2019 – A CTA Brown Line train to Kimball heads over Randolph Street after passing through the Tower 18 interlocking on the way out of downtown Chicago, Illinois.

March 23, 2019 – A Chicago Transit Authority Rapid transit “L” train rounds the tower 18 interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois as it heads for the Clark/Lake Street Station. For decades, the Tower 18 junction at Lake & Wells has been billed as one of the busiest railroad junctions in the world. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 – A Chicago Transit Authority…

March 23, 2019 – A Chicago Transit Authority Rapid transit “L” train rounds the tower 18 interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois as it heads for the Clark/Lake Street Station. For decades, the Tower 18 junction at Lake & Wells has been billed as one of the busiest railroad junctions in the world.

March 23, 2019 - A Chicago Transit Authority Rapid transit “L” train passes through the tower 18 interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For decades, the Tower 18 junction at Lake & Wells has been billed as one of the busiest railroad junctions in the world. According to Wikipedia, The Chicago “L” (short for “elevated”) is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). It is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of total route length, at 102.8 miles (165.4 km) long, and the second-busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, after the New York City Subway. Chicago’s “L” provides 24-hour service on some portions of its network, being one of only six rapid transit systems in the United States to do so. The oldest sections of the Chicago “L” started operations in 1892, making it the second-oldest rapid transit system in the Americas, after New York City’s elevated lines. The “L” has been credited with fostering the growth of Chicago’s dense city core that is one of the city’s distinguishing features. The “L” consists of eight rapid transit lines laid out in a spoke-hub distribution paradigm focusing transit towards the Loop. Although the “L” gained its name because large parts of the system are elevated, portions of the network are also in subway tunnels, at grade level, or open cut. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 – A Chicago Transit Authority Rapid transit “L” train…

March 23, 2019 – A Chicago Transit Authority Rapid transit “L” train passes through the tower 18 interlocking in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For decades, the Tower 18 junction at Lake & Wells has been billed as one of the busiest railroad junctions in the world.

According to Wikipedia, The Chicago “L” (short for “elevated”) is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). It is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of total route length, at 224.1 miles long, and the second-busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, after the New York City Subway.

Chicago’s “L” provides 24-hour service on some portions of its network, being one of only six rapid transit systems in the United States to do so. The oldest sections of the Chicago “L” started operations in 1892, making it the second-oldest rapid transit system in the Americas, after New York City’s elevated lines.

The “L” has been credited with fostering the growth of Chicago’s dense city core that is one of the city’s distinguishing features. The “L” consists of eight rapid transit lines laid out in a spoke-hub distribution paradigm focusing transit towards the Loop. Although the “L” gained its name because large parts of the system are elevated, portions of the network are also in subway tunnels, at grade level, or open cut. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 - Riders on a Forest Park bound Blue Line Train wait at the Damien Station for a O'Hare bound train to enter the station in Chicago, Illinois. Service was down to one track ahead due to track work, so the wait at the station was longer than usual. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 – Riders on a Forest Park bound Blue Line…

March 23, 2019 – Riders on a Forest Park bound Blue Line Train wait at the Damen Station for a O’Hare bound train to enter the station in Chicago, Illinois. Service was down to one track ahead due to track work, so the wait at the station was longer than usual.

March 23, 2019 - CTA 412 Brown Line commuter train to Kimbal, Illinois, makes its way through the downtown Chicago canyons as it arrives at the LaSalle/Van Buren station on the elevated loop. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 – CTA 412 Brown Line commuter train…

March 23, 2019 – CTA 412 Brown Line commuter train to Kimbal, Illinois, makes its way through the downtown Chicago canyons as it arrives at the LaSalle/Van Buren station on the elevated loop. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago

March 23, 2019 - "This Beautiful Moment is Ours" - CTA 213 toward Forest Park meets an O'Hare bound train at the east end of the station platform at Damien Station at Chicago, Illinois. - #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago #11mmirixlens

March 23, 2019 – “This Beautiful Moment is Ours”

March 23, 2019 – “This Beautiful Moment is Ours” – CTA 213 toward Forest Park meets an O’Hare bound train at the east end of the station platform at Damien Station at Chicago, Illinois. – #jimstrainphotos #illinoisrailroads #trains #nikond800 #railroad #railroads #train #railways #railway #cta #thechicagol #chicago #11mmirixlens