Amtrak's westbound 'Carl Sandburg' stops at Mendota, Ill. The railroad makes a broad S-curve through downtown, providing the first morning nose light for photography since Chicago. Photo by Brian Schmidt
Galesburg Railroad Days will mark its 39th anniversary this year with a bit of the past: former Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765! The high-speed service Berkshire will pull excursions Saturday and Sunday June 25-26 from Chicago Union Station to Galesburg in conjunction with the event.
The triple track BNSF Railway “Race Track” west from Chicago is a popular train-watching destination in its own right. Popular destinations include Berwyn, LaGrange, Hinsdale, Downers Grove, Lisle, and Naperville. The train will stop for passengers, in both directions, at Naperville both days. The Metra stations will be pretty desolate on the weekend – other than the railfans lusting for a glimpse of mainline steam! Just remember that, even on the weekends, the Race Track is a busy, working railroad. Always expect a train, on any track!
The Chicago suburbs are ever-growing, and to truly feel like you’ve gotten out in the country, you’ll need to trek west of Plano. U.S. Route 34 follows the main line, often within sight, from Plano to Mendota. Be sure to consider a photo stop in Earlville, with its former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy depot and diamond crossing with a Union Pacific branch.
Further west is Mendota, home to a small railroad museum and Amtrak stop. Mendota will, undoubtedly, be a popular photo location because the tracks turn south there, providing the first opportunity for morning nose light on the locomotive since Roosevelt Road in Chicago. The city is also located near Interstate 39, providing easy access for visiting railfans.
While I have spent more than a decade pursuing railroad photography in northern Illinois, I know my deficiencies. To cover the west end of the route, I’ll defer to area railfan Jeremy J. Schrader:
A westbound empty coal train slices through Onieda in a view that's easily had from the shoulder of U.S. Route 34. Photo by Jeremy J. Schrader“U.S. 34 loosely follows the BNSF main line through central Illinois. Small towns with low speed limits on U.S. 34 plague the chase route. BNSF freights move fairly fast, up to 60 mph, and Amtrak rolls at 79 mph. U.S. 34 moves at a slower pace of 55 mph and often cuts away from the tracks. Chasing trains from town to town is difficult at best, if not impossible. However, the countryside is nearly all farmland and, while the corn is growing already, it shouldn't hinder across-the-field shots this early in the summer.
“A former CB&Q brick depot remains trackside at Princeton as an Amtrak stop. The tracks curve through town, providing a sweeping view of longer trains. There’s a silver Burlington-painted steel caboose, No. 13593, in a park next to the brick station. Princeton is located along Interstate 80, providing easy access for visitors choosing this as their photo spot.
“U.S. 34 parallels the BNSF from Neponset to Kewanee before breaking away straight south before turning back west towards Galva. The BNSF cuts diagonally across the farm fields here. U.S. 34 again joins the BNSF at Altona and the highway parallels the BNSF through Altona. The tracks and U.S. 34 continue through Wataga and into the east side of Galesburg where surface streets pick up and guide you into the city. Remember, no searchlight signals remain on this line as they have all been removed in favor of modern color light signals.
“A modern Amtrak depot is trackside at Kewanee which calls on the four daily Quincy trains. (The bright building provides a nice, modern contrast to the dark and dirty steam locomotive. – Brian) The BNSF crosses over Union Pacific Peoria Subdivision just west of Buda on a fill and bridge, directly adjacent to county road 1140N.
A westbound excursion with the Illinois Railway Museum's 'Nebraska Zephyr' pulls into Galesburg in fall 2012. Note that the new signals above the train have already replaced the Burlington-era searchlights in the distance. Photo by Brian Schmidt“In Galesburg proper, the line crosses the former Santa Fe “Transcon” in Galesburg on a fill and bridge east of downtown. Peck Park sits at the end of Peck Street on the west side of the crossing, which Lincoln Street parallels the former Burlington main line and crosses the former Santa Fe to the east.”
South of the city, County Highway 10 crosses the BNSF yard on a wide overpass. Be warned, however, local law enforcement is known to encourage people to move along if they’re spotted on the bridge. A better option for photography is the Third Street bridge just south of the station, with a sidewalk along its north side. Just be sure to bring a lens small enough to shoot through chain link fencing!
If you make it all the way to Galesburg, be sure to check out the Railroad Days festivities. It’s a “weekend filled with activities for any and all ages,” according to Schrader. “Regular events include carnival, shopping, arts and crafts, antiques, rib cook-off, and antique tractor show, just to name a few. Most events take place downtown within walking distance to the Amtrak train station. Not to be missed is the Model Train Show at its new location at the Galesburg High School Field House.” For more information on Galesburg Railroad Days, go to www.galesburgrailroaddays.org.
Galesburg offers a number of fast food and convenience store options downtown along Main Street, and also along Henderson Street as it heads north from downtown to Interstate 74.
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