Rochelle, Illinois -- What's the best day or days of the week for railfanning?

[Anonymous]

Good morning!
Last month, my family visited relatives in Kingman, AZ and my kids (ages 7 & under) absolutely loved watching the constant parade of BNSF trains through Kingman Canyon. (every 10 - 15 minutes).

We live in the Chicago area. I would like to take my kids to the diamonds at Rochelle for a morning of railfanning sometine this summer. Which day or days of the week have the best action? or does it matter which day it is?

Thanks for your input!

John

[Anonymous]

Doesn't matter, always busy, and there's a nice park tnext to the rials with a playground for the kids as well, just in case you have to wait 15 minutes for a train, they'll have something to do [:p].

[Anonymous]

Thanks! Is there a particular time of day that's better than others? Or is it pretty much a contant "flow" of traffic?

[Willy2]

It's a pretty constant flow. There are some longer breaks, but they are few and far between.

Willy

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a lot of fun!

I have a company holiday on Monday -- and I'm considering taking the kids out there in the morning.

Do you think the train traffic will be affected Monday -- because it's a National Holiday? (I suspect not -- because those intermodal containers have to keep moving, and the coal has to get to the power plants....)

John

[CShaveRR]

UP is not shutting down for the holiday, so things should be close to our normal state of chaos.

The downside to going on a Monday or a Tuesday is that the shop at the park isn't open.

[Anonymous]

weve found usually fri,sat ,sun are best. 40-60 frts. up (ex cnw)...20- 40 bnsf line. the busiest time of the year there is month of oct and 1st part of nov. mostly cause added grain (corn and soybeans) plus junk from com. china comming in on containers for halloween(satans birthday) and xmas Christs birthday!!!! the park is a jewel. and dont forget largest intermodial yard in world there also!!!! some day metra will come to rochelle for commuters from rockford. big future for rochelle. GOD BLESS AMERICA land of the free

[eolafan]

Well, yesterday (Monday, July 5) was a wonderful day at Rochelle RR Park for me. Had a hard time finding a place to park as there were families with wives and kids all over the place. Saw lots of UP trains and a few BNSF sprinkled in. The UP traffic was going slowly in both directions for a while due to track work just east of Rochelle but later things sped up quite a bit. The highlites of the day were seeing one of the UP Olympic engines (painted in dark blue, did not get the number), as trailing unit, and a C60AC (one of only ten on the line).

[Anonymous]

late sept and through oct and nov is best time to see cho chos in rochell ill. and dont forget to see the worlds largest most modern pig/cont yard. covers close to 1000 acres. also check out the mendota ill depot musuem, 30 miles north. coal towers on uprr dekalb and nelson ill.

[tregurtha]

Another great spot that's similar to Rochelle if you find yourself in Ohio is Fostoria south of Toledo. Same deal: A diamond (actually 2) with near constant action -- NS and CSX. The Amtrak station is a great place to kick back and take it all in. I've not been to Rochelle but it looks nice from the web cam.

Ross R