Around- Not Thru- Chicago: CN M340 Blows by JB Tower, West Chicago, IL

~This is an excerpt from my next most recent video, for the CN and EJ&E fans out there who'd rather not watch endless UP and Metra :P ~

Seeing this train slam the UP (ex-C&NW) Geneva Subdivision diamonds at JB Tower in West Chicago, seemed symbolic to me of the grand (if ruthless and poorly-planned) dreams Canadian National management has of routing all its trains to the Chicago area around the city via the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. It's interesting to note here that an early slogan of the EJ&E's was "Around- Not Thru- Chicago"- so in one sense at least, under CN, the 'J' is being used exactly in that way.




M340 is the Winnipeg, MB to Chicago, IL manifest, and used to use the former Wisconsin Central / Soo Line from Leithton Junction south into the city. Now this train and many others are being rerouted onto the 'J'. M340 uses the 'J' as far as Munger, (officially renamed North Iowa by CN, for some strange reason) where it gets on the ex-IC Freeport Sub and ends its run (usually) at Hawthorne Yard. In addition to the standard Dash-9 leading this train, there is a C44-9WL "Canadian Cab" unit, wearing the "CN North America" paint scheme. CN ordered its first Dash-9s with the unique "safety cab", a design which can also be seen on some of its now-retired MLW / ALCo units, as well as on its older EMD / GMD SD40-2LWs and GP40-2LWs.

~Thanks for watching!~

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[dwkcamman611]

SWEET!!!

[Andrewsaxamophone]

That is a classic sound, haven't heard it in quite a while.