General Discussion

I have heard that grading and underground utility work is done, but any above ground construction is on hold until econimic conditions improve. Can any Illinisoisians out there see what's going on?

Where abouts will the new facility be?  I'd heard inklings of it being in the Joliet area.

Thx

I have heard that it will be partially open by late summer 2010 . The UP plans to close Canal Street in Chicago and divert traffic from Global 2 and Global 3 . 

CShaveRR:

Yep...in Elwood, southwest of Joliet, not too far from BNSF's Logistics Park.

So if BNSF's is renamed to "Jake", and they're both assigned to be switched by former ConRail locomotives still in their original color, could we then call them . . .

"The Blues Brothers" ?   

Oh, never mind . . .

Paul_D_North_Jr:

CShaveRR:

Yep...in Elwood, southwest of Joliet, not too far from BNSF's Logistics Park.

So if BNSF's is renamed to "Jake", and they're both assigned to be switched by former ConRail locomotives still in their original color, could we then call them . . .

"The Blues Brothers" ?   

Oh, never mind . . .

I wasn't aware that the UP had any plans to close Canal St. When do they plan to close it? Canal St in Chicago is TOFC primarily for LCL shippers like UPS. I'm sure if the UP has any plans to close that yard I think they will first consult with UPS.

CC

The City of Chicago wants it closed for the Olympic village . Chicago also wants as many of the railroads out of downtown .

Global I is the (former Rockwell?) yard along the Air Line (CGW), 1600 S, from Halsted to Western and Rockwell Jct.  This yard has no impact on the Olympics and vice versa.  The advantage of the in-city yard is trucks can move in the off-peak direction on expressways

Global II is at Proviso Yard in Northlake, IL along the UP West and stations at Bellwood and Berkeley.

I'm guessing Global III is the Canal St Yard on the former MoPac/C&EI, so named after the acquisition of the C&NW that coined the "Global" name.

Global IV is west of Rochelle, IL and has been in limited operation for a few years with lots of room for expansion.

Logistics Park near Elwood may have completed the connection to an upgraded spur to the former Joliet Arsenal from the UP former Alton/GM&O line.  Logistics Park is a single facility serving a collection of member trucking companies.  UP could have used the BNSF connection on joint trackage from Joliet to Pequot and the now out of service connection to Mazonia northeast of Gardner, IL.

It surprises me that the UP would use Logistics Park unless a major shift or expansion in intermodal traffic lanes is contemplated.  This could severely impact the Amtrak-Illinois Saint Louis - Chicago Lincoln Service and increase the need for capacity improvements.  Most UP traffic from Mexico, Texas and the Gulf Coast to Chicago uses the MoPac Thebes, MO route to bypass Saint Louis and most of Chicago.

 Okay.

The UP has a track to the BNSF facility in Elwood but they don't use it . I am told that the new facility South of Joliet will take the place of Canal Street , plus take some of the traffic from Rochelle , never panned out as the Intermodal terminal the UP had hoped , plus this new facility will take some of the traffic from Global 1 as well . The UP has done extensive up grading to the track on the old Alton line .This new facilty Gloal 4 is expected to see limited service late 2010 , and Canal will close in mid to late 2011 .

carknocker1:

The UP has a track to the BNSF facility in Elwood but they don't use it . I am told that the new facility South of Joliet will take the place of Canal Street , plus take some of the traffic from Rochelle , never panned out as the Intermodal terminal the UP had hoped , plus this new facility will take some of the traffic from Global 1 as well . The UP has done extensive up grading to the track on the old Alton line .This new facilty Gloal 4 is expected to see limited service late 2010 , and Canal will close in mid to late 2011 .

Aerial photos indicate that, at least until the last update, a short gap existed where the tracks would connect in Logistics Park. 

Actually the State of Illinois has contributed substantially to the Alton's upgrade over the last decade for 110 mph passenger service in addition to work that UP may be doing. 

There is some sense to using Logistic Park instead of Canal St if traffic has, or is expected, to outgrow the latter.  Traffic from Mexico and the Gulf would move through East Saint Louis from Thebes.

Using Logistics Park for the UP Transcon is highly impractical.  I would be very surprised if UP would put such time-sensitive traffic through Chicago and back out, much less pay for trackage rights on CN.  The other alternative is to reroute traffic over the longer and lower-capacity route of the Marysville (KS) Sub through KC and STL.

It seems that inter-modals are broken down at Global III for roading trailers and containers over I-88 and I-39, and forwarding short blocks to eastern connections.  Maybe traffic didn't pan out as expected in its short life; but the recession hit pretty hard a year ago already. 

Maybe the relocation of customers out of the City coupled with inner city gentrification and high taxes are bigger factors in closing Canal St and Global I.

 I haven't read anything that said Global I would be closing...