Best Location for a New Railfan?

[geoabb]

 

[CShaveRR]

If you want freights, you'd be welcome, and probably satisfied, at Elmhurst. My gut feeling is that Homewood wouldn't have quite as many freights.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

See also the link below at the bottom of this page - in the 3rd column under "Railroad Reference", 4th line down - to the article/ webpage here on "Chicago's 'Hot Spots' ", at -

 http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=514 

Elmhurst is the 2nd one listed, and Homewood is the 6th - I'm not sure what criteria was used for ranking/ listing them, though. 

- Paul North. 

[spbed]

 I'm not from the Chicago area but on my last visit I went to Blue Island & I think you can reach there from Metra & I saw like 25 trains in less then 2 hours. That was 2 years ago

[CShaveRR]

Paul, I'm thinking that with the CN system now including the EJ&E, the ex-IC line to and through Homewood isn't going to be what it used to be for freights (this hot-spot rating predates the EJ&E merger).

[geoabb]

 

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Carl - that's your 'home turf', and I freely admit that I have no knowledge of the area other than what's in that Guide, so I must defer to your insights and recommendations on this matter, which are surely as sound and solid as always. - Paul.

[geoabb]

 

[CShaveRR]

Again, my gut feeling is that Elmhurst has Brookfield beat for freights. I'd suggest moving a short distance west, to the LaGrange Road station, if you want to railfan BNSF. You then have the option of walking a few blocks east to where the Indiana Harbor Belt goes under BNSF, and you'll get quite a bit of variety there.

You can't top this BNSF line for Metra action, though--the rush-hour "Dinky Parade" has to be seen to be believed!

[Bob-Fryml]

Carl's right!  Weekday early evenings in downtown Elmhurst is a blast-and-a-half.  Express "scoots" for Wheaton, West Chicago and beyond, local scoots discharging lots of homebound commuters, and there's even a few passenger trains taking people back into the city.  Now mix all of that Metra varnish with a variety of double-stacks, coal buckets, grain haulers, auto racks and manifest freights moving into and out of nearby Proviso Yard and you'll see quite a show.

Of course the Q's "Aurora Raceway" ain't no slouch of an operation either.

[tree68]

geoabb - can't help you on Chicago - all I can say is that I've been there and I wasn't 'fanning at the time.

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