Bridgeport Jct, Ashland Ave Yard and the BRC at 63rd St, Chicago, 29.08.11

Some random wandering around in Chicago today, mostly along Ashland Avenue at Bridgeport Junction and NS's Ashland Ave Yard, yielded some interesting catches. Canadian National and Norfolk Southern trains are featured, as well as power from BNSF, UP and BC Rail. Train descriptions follow:

Train 1:
At Bridgeport Junction on CN's ex-Illinois Central, the Chicago Subdivision ends and splits into the Joliet and Freeport Subdivisions, respectively. The Joliet Sub heads southwest to its namesake city, and the Freeport Sub goes across northern Illinois to Iowa. Chicago Transit Authority's Orange Line, built on former Santa Fe right of way, parallels CN. SD75I #5769 leads a very long manifest solo onto the Freeport Sub.

Train 2:
Just as the end of the CN manifest comes into view, a four-car CTA Orange Line train arrives at the adjacent Ashland station, heading for Midway Airport.

Train 3:
Not really any one train, but rather a collection of power sits in Norfolk Southern's Ashland Avenue Yard. This yard is between Brighton Park and the Stockyards area, and was once the hub of the Chicago River & Indiana, New York Central's Chicago terminal subsidiary. BNSF GP39-2 #2956 and SD40-2 #1967, UP C40-8 #9317 (which is leased to NS), NS C40-9W #9672,
SD70M-2 #2694, SD60 #6685 and HLCX (ex-UP) SD60 #5978 all wait in the yard as a stack train leaves.

Train 4:
NS GP60 #7120 heads out of the yard long-hood-forward with some cars for local industries. A pair of UP SD70Ms and a GEVO sit further back in the yard. Check out the Seaboard Coast Line covered hopper in the train! NS ES44DC #7514 sits in front of the HLCX SD60.

Train 5:
Later in the day, I went down to 63rd Street on the east side of Midway Airport to see what kind of traffic there might be on the Belt Railway of Chicago. A Canadian National manifest (probably A446) heads north on the BRC, running left-handed until crossing over further north at 55th Street. Leading is ES44DC #2338 and BC Rail C40-8M #4619!

~Thanks for watching!~

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• CN
• Canadian National
• NS
• Norfolk Southern
• BNSF
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe
• UP
• Union Pacific
• BC Rail
• British Columbia Railway
• BCOL
• Chicago
• IL
• Illinois
• Bridgeport Junction
• Ashland Avenue Yard
• Belt Railway of Chicago
• Midway
• 63rd St
• train
• trains
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• freight
• manifest
• Orange Line
• CTA
• SD40-2
• GP39-2
• SD60
• SD70M-2
• ES44DC
• C40-8
• SD75I
• C40-8M
• cowl
• railfan
• railfanning