I'll have to check the videos out Tyler!
Well I finished processing my shots from Rochelle. Most of the pictures are BNSF, infact all of the pictures are BNSF, except for three. UP didn't have much to offer that day. I hope the photobucket compression isn't bad. Enjoy my trip report, although it gets kind of boring towards the end.
My Oct 29th-30th Rochelle trip was probably by far one of my most interesting trips I have taken. Great catches, cold, rain, car break downs, and even straying off what I had originally intended this trip for.
I wish I could call this ICE Chicago Sub Trip Oct 29th-Oct30th, as that’s what this whole trip was planned for. Robby and Nick were to meet up with me in Rochelle, and once we heard that an ICE train was leaving we were going to give that a chase. Well it didn't exactly work out like that.
On Thursday my father and I had left around 1-2pm. I wanted to stop into Stevens Point as I had heard that 3 EJ&E units were there earlier. We drove around Point and found nothing. Although a Missabe assigned IC SD40-2 was down there. Our next stop was Portage. On arrival we found a welded rail train sitting in the yard. We stuck around a bit and watched the crew lay down some rail. On the lead was CP 6010, and SOO 4444 was trailing. Bringing up the rear was a MOW SOO caboose number 900016. No pictures to post of this one.
We arrived in Rochelle pretty late, and it was dark. We drove over to the park anyway to get some night shots. The rain was really pouring now as a UP local came by with two GP15-1s. Looks like I should have did a longer exposure...
Not too long afterwards the UP signal turned yellow as a west bound approached Rochelle.
Slowly the west bound crossed over the diamonds at Rochelle.
The next day we woke up to gray skies. At least it wasn't raining...yet. On arrival to the railroad park we noticed that a BNSF local tucking its' self away at the Delmonte Plant. I decided to wait as I knew they'd be back out.
The first real train came by on the UP. Not much to look at, just two flared SD70Ms, but what really peaked my interest was the trailer. This may be a crappy shot, but SD40-2s are getting harder to find on Class Ones, so I'll shoot what I can get.
Next the BNSF local made its' way out and headed back to the yard with BNSF 2807. On the scanner they where talking about a car they needed to pick up from the Savanna-Eola local. They would run that car out to Flagg Center. No picture to post.
Next to come was the Savanna-Eola local. The horn on this train was a little different, and I could immediately tell this was a former ATSF unit. As it rounded the bend the Blue Bonnet scheme lead me to think this was a standard cab GP60. Once it got closer I couldn't believe my eyes, it was a SD40-2 leading on the BNSF. This was by far the catch of the day.
Next up was a loaded coal train lead by UP 7272. Not much to look at.
BNSF 2807 cut its' car off the Savanna-Eola Local and headed out to Flagg center. The dispatcher gave him an hour to finish his work. Apparently a BNSF west bound was suppose to follow him. No picture.
Next a UP stack train made its' way out of the yard and headed east to Chicago. This train had two Mids/DPUs.
The next train through the Interlocking was BNSF 4436. Although the nose is semi-blurred, and the sky is gray, this is probably one of my favorite images of the trip.
Slowly UP 3946 lead a short auto rack train through Rochelle after the BNSF east bound had past. No Picture.
Around this time Robby had called and said he was leaving Chicago. He would be in Rochelle around noon.
Finally that BNSF west bound showed up. A nice War Bonnet was leading.
Another great trailer. A re-numbed former BN SD40-2, 1937. This was great to see, but also very sad. Only a year ago I saw one trailing on a stack train still in its' original BN number. It's too bad to see these classics being demoted to yard jobs.
BNSF 2807 finally came back just in time. He was held up though by an empty UP coal train. Trailing on the coal train was a former SP unit, UP 6164. No Picture.
After the coal train cleared BNSF 2807 got the ok to move through the interlocking. The former CB&Q signal bridge is a favorite of mine to add into compositions. Who knows how long this will be up.
Up next was UP 7769 leading a east bound stack train. This train had a DPU, UP 7390. No Picture.
BNSF sent out a work train, it appeared as though they were going to replace a crossing. I figured we wouldn't be seeing a BNSF train anytime soon. No Picture.
UP 6447 lead an empty coal train back west. No picture.
UP 5521 lead the next stack train. This train had two SD9043MACs trailing and had two DPUs. No picture.
Next UP 6637 lead an ethanol train east. No picture.
The rain really started to pour down now, as apparent in this picture. UP 4763 lead a mixed train through Rochelle a with former SP unit trailing, UP 6402. .
I decided to brave the weather and make my way into the gift shop. On the ATS I saw that two BNSF trains were sitting out east and west of Rochelle. Around this time Robby called and said that his car had broke down 10 miles from Rochelle.
UP 7207 lead an East Bound coal train through Rochelle. UP 5714 was the DPU. No Picture.
Next UP 3859 did a one unit wonder and lead an East Bound stack train. No picture.
The rain started to pick up again, and I hunkered down in the gift shop watching the ATS monitoring. Robby had called and said that they were getting towed into Rochelle. It would be about 2 o’clock when they finally arrived in.
On the ATS a BNSF had popped up and got the clear to head through the interlocking. A pair of GEVOs lead this train.
Two or three UP east bounds made their way through Rochelle. I didn't even bother to take pictures now as the weather was really getting crappy.
Back to the gift shop I went. Not to long afterwards another BNSF popped up on the ATS. What do you know, another pair of GEVOs.
Robby had called and asked if we could pick him up at the repair shop. While waiting, a BNSF east bound blasted through. Not much was on this train either, just a trio of Dash 9s.
While unloading Robby and Nick at their Hotel, a UP West Bound came with UP 4796 leading. No picture.
Right away when Nick turned on his scanner we heard an ICE West Bound get a warrant from Davis Junction to Kittridge. A bad day just got worse for Robby.
After that my father and I left. I thought it was a pretty good day for me. I got some nice catches and was well satisfied. Although I didn't get the ICE, I caught two SD40-2s on the BNSF in a day. Too me, that's was worth sitting in the rain and watching a sea of yellow pass by.