Railroad Siding....

[Anonymous]

I've noticed that UP is putting in another rail
road siding in Wheaton, IL. across County Farm
Rd. Is this true? What is the reason? And who
is funding this project? There are three sets of
tracks running thru Wheaton, why add another?

[Justicar]

Well, I have no idea where Wheaton, IL is or what line that its on but chances are that this "siding" isn't really a siding in railroad lingo. The generic use of "siding" to refer to any track besides a main track is fine but not helpful in answering your question.

Short of you getting lucky and someone knowing specifically what is being built there and why we'll just have to make some educated guesses. Is it single main track there or multiple? What are the other tracks used for? Are there any industries/shippers in the area? How long is the track? Is it stub or connect at both ends?
Are there power switches and signals being installed?

Chances are that UP is paying for it. Sometimes a customer will pay for a track to be built, however.
Sorry couldn't be of much help...hopefully someone will have more specific information.

73's

jc
CP

[alangj]

Vaguely recall reading somewhere (one of the Chicago newspapers?, Trains mag?) earlier this year that the UP was causing some controversy over plans to add some sort of "holding" tracks in the western suburbs of Chicago. Recall that this was in response to complaints about excessively long periods of freight trains being stopped (with idling locos for hours) right in the residential areas near Glen Ellyn and nearby suburbs, presumably waiting to get into Proviso Yard. Since it County Farm Road appears to be toward the far west end of the built-up residential areas of Wheaton, could this track be one of those "holding" tracks? Just a thought.