Recent Digital Photos
by Mike Condren

I began my time in the Chicago area trackside at Elmhurst, IL which is near the end of one of O'Hare's runways. Thus I got both plane and rail action.

The first rail action along this former C&NW Overland Route line was this westbound Metra running C&NW style, left hand running. Note in the distance an eastbound.

We first see the eastbound Metra with the westbound still in sight. Then we see it rounding the curve towards the Elmhurst depot.

After about 30 minutes this westbound freight came around the curve.

Moving up to the Elmhurst station, I caught this westbound coal train.

The next freight is westbound on the middle track with Proviso Yard in the distance.

Then came another interesting plane on a final for O'Hare.

Next comes a stack train with the headlight of yet another train on the center track in the distance.

Before the stack train is out of the scene, the coal train is coming on hard.

The next train is an eastbound general freight.

Then a couple of Boeing 777 fly by.

Since I arrived, this equipment has made a round trip to the Chicago and back.

As luck would have it, the first west bound has now returned.

Notice the trees? The scene has shifted to Hinsdale on the BNSF triple track. Notice that the new signal bridge is in place, but the old one is still standing.

The first freight is a west bound general merchandize. In the going away, notice that there is a maintenance window on the center track while some new thermite welds are being made at West Hinsdale.

Next is this east bound unit coal train.

New signal bridges are replacing old, looking east and then west from just west of the Hinsdale station.

This Metra had one of the new MP36 units as power. Notice the large number of passengers for a Saturday.

The Metra commuters then got close enough together that a new one appears before the last disappeared.

This was the last freight that I shot at Hinsdale before moving west.

Looking east from Clarendon Hills through the maintenance window on the center track at West Hinsdale, we see an approaching stack train.

After moving to West Hinsdale, this coal train passed the sight of thermite welding on the center track. For more picture of this operation, click Thermite.

Another Metra heads west.

Amtrak #5, the California Zephyr, is seen west bound at Hinsdale, IL.

Next is this west bound BNSF intermodal.

Metra 186 and train are returning from a trip to Aurora.

A couple of Metras meet at Hinsdale.

An east bound stack train passes the Hinsdale station.

A west bound Metra stops at Hinsdale.

The last train I saw in Hinsdale was the west bound Amtrak #3, the Southwest Chief.

Metra's LaGrange Road Station.

This west bound Metra has just made a stop at the LaGrange Road station.

The Metra met this east bound BNSF intermodal just west of the station.

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This page was designed and is maintained by Mike Condren. If you have materials
that you would like to contribute, contact me at mcondren@cbu.edu