Best Photo Locations in Illinois

[gabe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MP173

Gabe:

Several years ago in one of my Illinois sales travels, I was wandering south on Rt 4 between Carlinville and Gillespie. I crossed a set of railroad tracks, looked both ways and there was an NS train approaching.

So, I stopped, took the shot and watched a coal train head west. I always wondered what line that was and why NS was hauling coal out of Illinois. Any idea of where that coal train runs?

Also, have you ever been to Ramsey, Il? There the NKP and IC lines crossed, but no more. Fortunately the locals have preserved the tower and I believe a NKP caboose.

I always was interested in the BN's operations down there. The line from Beardstown south seems to run quite a bit of coal.

Centralia is an interesting railroad town, really neat how the lines all funnel thru town...CN (IC), NS (Southern), BNSF (CBQ) and years ago the old Missour - Illinois line, which became MP and was abandoned. I spent a great day there in 1976.

ed

Ed,

I know exactly where you are talking about. When I lived in Southern Illinios, I went to the gym in Carlinville probably 4-5 times a week and would cross that track every time.

It is a coal spur to the Montery Coal mine. It's etiology is actually pretty interesting. The mine was once served by the Illinois Terminal. CNW then built the coal spur you crossed over and used the existing IT road bed for much of the spur. UP then took over the CNW and served the mine and line for a while.

When UP decided to consolidate CNW's Springfield - St. Louis line with SP's (ex IC/GMO) Springfield-St. Louis line by eliminating the CNW line, NS bought the old CNW line from Stauton to the afore-discussed coal spur and currently serves the line by running coal (1) from the spur south to NS' old Wabash main at Stauton, (2) then North to BNSF's Beardstown line at Litchfield, (3) then South to NS' old Nickle Plate Clover Leaf line (the same one that goes through Ramsey) (4) then East to the power plant at Coffeen.

Yes, I am familiar with Ramsey. The last time I visited probably 6-7 years ago, the Nickle Plate line was still intact, and there was an NW cabose and box car at Ransey, as well as the restored depot--it had given me hope that the line still saw a trickle of traffic, but alas that was not the case.

About six years ago they tore the line out. I really wish I would have seen them do that, just to see one more train on the line. For Central Illinois, that line was really scenic and some of the bridges were spectacular.

The BNSF Beardstown line is BUSY. You get a coal train at least every two-to-three hours, one iron ore train a day, grain trains fairly often, IC grain trains out of Iowa that use it as trackage rights, several manifests, and even an occasional intermodal.

Gabe

[MP173]

Gabe:

Several years ago in one of my Illinois sales travels, I was wandering south on Rt 4 between Carlinville and Gillespie. I crossed a set of railroad tracks, looked both ways and there was an NS train approaching.

So, I stopped, took the shot and watched a coal train head west. I always wondered what line that was and why NS was hauling coal out of Illinois. Any idea of where that coal train runs?

Also, have you ever been to Ramsey, Il? There the NKP and IC lines crossed, but no more. Fortunately the locals have preserved the tower and I believe a NKP caboose.

I always was interested in the BN's operations down there. The line from Beardstown south seems to run quite a bit of coal.

Centralia is an interesting railroad town, really neat how the lines all funnel thru town...CN (IC), NS (Southern), BNSF (CBQ) and years ago the old Missour - Illinois line, which became MP and was abandoned. I spent a great day there in 1976.

ed

[gabe]

If traffic is not what you are looking for, but just a good shot here are the best two I am familiar with:

(1) On Route 4 between Stauton and Benld, the old CNW line is visible from the highway, and there is one of the larger trestles you will see in the State of Illinois. Beter yet, it is facing the West, and you can get a great sun set behind it. It is now run by NS, of all companies, and only sees about a train a day--coal out of Montery Mine.

(2) Nickle Plate's old Clover Leaf Frankfork, IN to St. Louis line, there were some very interesting trestles, but I don't think trains even run on this track any longer--assuming the track is still there.

Gabe

[Anonymous]

GET A SHOT OF THE IAIS CBBI EASTBOUND AT SPLIT ROCK, EX-RI CSX LINE BETWEEN UTICA AND LA SALLE. BEAUTIFUL IN FALL BUT ONE HAS TO GET UP EARLY TO CATCH IT. ELMIRA EDDIE

[DRBusse]

Chester, Ill...specifically from the walkway on the Mississippi River bridge. Dramatic view of the UP (ex-MoPac/Cotton Belt) main line, the Mississippi River and the Menard state pen (looking north--the great shot is of a southbound train).

Shot SSW 819 there about 14 years ago and there are plenty of shots from that location on various railfan videotapes of the St. Louis NRHS convention (1991?).

Look at the opening shot of the movie (not the TV series) "In The Heat Of The Night" for a great sequence on that bridge (and a cameo appearance of MoPac "screaming eagle" GP35s. Most fans remember the closing sequence of that movie (GM&O passenger train) but the opening shot is a wonderful scene on the Chester bridge.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by photogeek88

Wasn't it the 20'th Century Rail Club? Something like that. I remember hearing about them shutting down a few years ago. I was considering going in there, but then heard the place had already closed and been sold. Roosevelt Road still provides a great view of the yards south of Union Station.

Thanks for the update to the club shutting down i won't waste time looking for it glennbob[;)]

[Anonymous]

There's ton's of places that are great to choose in Illinois. almost anywhwre along the Rock River south of Rockford would be good. Between the Quad Cities and St. Louis is some very beautiful Terrain along the mighty miss.

The wonderful forests along the Kentucky boarders offer another great sight, DeKalb Illinois offers scenic Corn feilds and Rail traffic, not to mention the best Chinese Restaraunt to be found in Illinois (I have yet to find any better, even in Chicago). Galesburg itself isn't to bad of a scenic site, lot's of old historic buildings, as well as ton's of trains.

My best advice is if you want to photograph the best Illinois has to offer, is to get out and look and find what you think is the best. Just stay clear of Rockford, it's horribly boring looking [:P].

[photogeek88]

Wasn't it the 20'th Century Rail Club? Something like that. I remember hearing about them shutting down a few years ago. I was considering going in there, but then heard the place had already closed and been sold. Roosevelt Road still provides a great view of the yards south of Union Station.

[Anonymous]

I belive there is a location in a high rise building in chicago that looks down into the amtrack yards and is operated by a train club[:O][8)]>>>glennbob

[MP173]

One of my customers, Prairie Group in Chicago owned the plant. I was there once.

That is really a shame since that would be a good amount of traffic.

ed

[photogeek88]

No, everything from the downtown east got taken out, which leaves the cement plant as a bit of an Alco Island. UP wanted to build a new spur, because 50 car trains were talked about being shipped out of the facility, but the disapproval of local farmers and imminent domain laws, and the subsequent sale of the plant from CEMEX to St. Mary's were what I believed killed the ideas. This was about two years ago, if my memory serves correctly. That was the last time anything was mentioned in the City Council. I'll have to do some research though...

[MP173]

Does the cement plant still ship by rail? I cant remember there would be a spur to there except by Raynor. I sure wish I had my camera as the CNW unit was working by the river.

Maybe you guys ought to meet some Saturday morning at Fern's and then head out for a day of trains. Wish I could make it, but it would be about 3.5 hours drive.

ed

[Trailryder]

A Note about Dixon's little switching operation, I was informed by a UP Employee that the Sinow & Weinman scrapyard has purshased some property (40acres??) in the Sterling-Galt Illinois area and that they will be moving out of the Dixon site in the next 2 years. After that the city of Dixon will more that likley pull up all the spur thru town. So take your pictures while you can.

oddly enough I have never eaten at Ferns, I will have to try it.

Later Bill

[Trailryder]

Normandy is just west of Walnut, Illinois on route 92. if you are trying to get to the Truss bridge I would take the road south out of Normandy and when you come to the road bridge for Walnut creek, park and walk down the creek bank, it has a high bank that is easy walking, to the rr bridge.
if you live in Sterling or Dixon you can listen to your scanner and when the train crew starts calling for a track warrant you jump in your car and hurry out to this location you can get your shots without a long wait. both times i tryed this I was able to get photos with only about 5-10 minute wait. (and I was still out of breath!?!)

Good luck.
Later Bill

[photogeek88]

Dixon lost a great little switching operation. About two years ago they started removing the tracks by Raynor's and the cement plant. The cement plant planned to build an entirely new spur bypassing the town, but the plans fell through. They still own a small RS unit switcher engine. The city also took out all of the street-running track in the downtown along River Road after the Galena Avenue bridge was rebuilt. UP does still use part of that branch line switching the Sinow & Weinman scrapyard just west of downtown, and service has increased over the last year. A UP yard engine comes about once a week, and still puts up a great show on the hill climbing up towards the mainline ( it's no C&NW Fairbanks-Morse, but it will do!)

The coal tower in Dekalb is indeed still standing.

And, as a fellow railfan told me this afternoon while I was in Nelson, UP is planning to add at least two more sidings on the St. Louis branch, one 10,000, the other 12,000 feet, to accomodate intermodals heading to Global 3 from the BNSF, formerly SF interchange. Currently there are only two sidings for the entire 90 miles of single track. Supposedly eventually they want to make it double track, depending on how well running stack trains from the BNSF interchange works.

The most I have ever seen is coal trains and a few mixed freights running on that line, but there are at least always two trains, either stack trains or NORX or CWEX coal trains, without engines, sitting on the sidings next to the main line in Nelson. I presume they are trains brought off or heading down the southern branch.

And I will have a #4. That's the only thing I ever order!

[MP173]

Bill:

I really enjoyed your photos. From 1990 thru 2000 I spent considerable time in your neck of the woods. I was in (still am) sales and called on a number of customers in Western Illinois/Eastern Iowa. It was great going thru all those towns.

I always had the camera with me and if a train appeared...an added bonus. Some great memories are Rochelle (before the railfan park), discovering a wig-wag crossing signal in Galena (still there as of this summer), a meet of two Chicago Central trains at Warren, wondering what Savanna was like years ago, seeing a CNW geep switching the spur next to the river in Dixon (out by Raynor Garage Door), and the great drive along the Mississippi between Davenport and Muscatine, alongside the IMRL.

I had to go to Mendota this summer. That is really a great spot. Sure would like to crank up the time machine to go back there about 40 years ago! That is quite a shuttle elevator on the east side of town.

A couple of questions....it appears the coaling tower still stands at Nelson. Is that true? Is the one at Dekalb gone?

What is the level of traffic on the Nelson line south? I know they are considering using that line to access the Rochelle intermodal yard. How many trains are on that now and what are they...mostly coal?

Well, get down to Fern's sometime and have a number 4 special for me...2 eggs, hash browns, sausage, toast, and coffee. It used to be $3.50, but I am sure they have raised prices. Those painted plates on display are something.

ed

[photogeek88]

How far is Normandy from Nelson? I've never ventured any farther south than the Rock Island Blacktop as far as trainchasing is concerned...

[Trailryder]

I would also have to agree that the BNSF C&I line has some very nice photo locations, one of the best has got to be a west looking view of the Rock River bridge at Oregon, Illinois. also in Polo, Illinois where the line goes through the old Illinois Central overpass is Kind of nice.
Also in the area on the UP, Geneva sub, I like the Stouffer Rd crossing looking east you can catch westbounds coming out of the Nelson Bridge and around the curve into Sterling, Illinois. also in Sterling from the upper dam on the Rock river (behind the Dillon Home) you can get a distant shot of the trains running along the Sinnissippi Bayou (Rock River) but you need the proper zoom lens.
One last spot of mention is on the UP Peoria sub just south of Normandy, Illinois, the line runs thru a steel truss bridge over the Walnut Creek you have to walk a little ways but its a nice shot.

Some of these photos and others can be viewed at the link below.

http://www.pbase.com/trailryder/rail_photos
enjoy

Later Bill
Dixon, Illinois

http://www.pbase.com/trailryder

[photogeek88]

MP173, I must agree with you on Fern's. If I ever get a decent amount of time for lunch or wake up with enough time to go eat breakfast, that is the place to go.

blhanel, I reccomend driving from Morrison to Rochelle the next chance you get via the backroads. It follows the UP pretty much the whole way, as long as you go to Dixon through Rock Falls instead of Sterling.

I do have a question on Global 3, if any of you have seen this; I pulled into Rochelle the other day coming off of I-88 to stop at the Shell station, and just as you get off the tollway, there is a sign for Global 3 and a new road I haven't seen before heading towards the yard. Has anyone attempted to go down that road, and if so, is there anything to be seen?

[Anonymous]

Brian, it's a great spot but there is literally no timetable on the Peavine line. You might see 3 in an hour and then nothing for 2 hours. There is a morning local from Barstow to Savanna in AM and a return in afternoon. The upside is that due to leased power on any given day you can see IC, CN, CP, Conrail, and any color BN. Also many older EMD's , SD's and even an occasional high hood. It's like Forrest Gumps box of chocolates: You hear a horn, and you never know what you'll get. I live about three blocks from the line so it's much more fun than the UP mailine with all those yellow AC's. Bill

[cnw1995]

I think a great spot is of the UP northwest line to Janesville from the Metra parking lot next to the Crystal Lake yard. There's an old bridge over the Richmond track - the UP runs few freights but a long scoot pushed by double-headed F40s is quite a shot. Another would be of the bridge over the Fox River in Fox River Grove. There's also shots from outside the Blommer Chocolate factory looking south - you get the BNSF west lines, the UP North and Northwest lines and even the El...

[blhanel]

I've often wondered about that spot- how many trains a day run on the BNSF line?

[Anonymous]

There's a great spot just east of Clinton Ia on Route 30. BNSF Peavine line crosses over UP mainline on girder bridge with lots of trees for backdrop. Have tried several times to get a good shot with trains on both tracks but no luck yet. Willy

[MP173]

Photogeek:

Have you ever eaten at Fern's downtown Dixon?

Best breakfast in the state of Illinois, in my opinion.

That is a really country out there, Route 2 between Dixon and Rockford is a pretty drive.

ed

[blhanel]

Hey, [#welcome] photogeek88! I've been through Dixon a couple of times, although I must confess that I prefer to go around it on I-88, headed for Rochelle.

[photogeek88]

About anywhere within ten or twenty miles of Dixon are great spots to find trains. The most busy is along the former C&NW main line. Nelson, which is west of Dixon, still sees a lot of action around the mainline crossovers, and still has an intact coal silo from the steam days; perfect for framing a diesel, but especially great for the few steam trips that come through every couple years! The areas east of Dixon along Route 38 provide for great train chasing, especially now that most of the corn has been harvested and Global 3 is up and running in Rochelle. The local farm buildings and numerous grade crossings are great spots to get landscapes with trains.
About ten miles north of town is White Pines State Park, which the BNSF to Minneapolis goes through on single track. Less busy than the UP but a bit more scenic. About a ten or fifteen minute hike will get you near the tracks - a great cross of outdoors activity and railfanning.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by hrryw1

Try the little town of ameron, west of Galesburg...... you have many small gravel roads that criss-cross lots of tracks, and distant vistas of cornfields to put in front of lots of freights and amtraks...also elevators for more dramatic shots..

Harry

do ya mean Cameron? just jokin[:D] yeah, both BN and SF lines cross, over/under(SF-over BN) in cameron, and in town (galesburg, BN over SF) a few decent spots around town. i just happened to load some galesburg pics, to give a small idea
http://rrpicturearchives.net/archivethumbs.aspx?id=7525

[kooi2017]

Also, if you are looking for dramatic skyline shots in Chicago, the 16th St. Interlocking of Metra's Rock Island district and the CN is good, as is the 18th St or Roosevelt Rd. overpasses over Amtrak leading into Union station.

[kooi2017]

A little known spot is the bridge over the Fox River on the CN Freeport sub in South Elgin. A bike train parallels the river and you can get an excellent shot on the south side of the bridge. Only 2 trains a day though, but much more scenic than the UP bridge in Geneva over the Fox.