Hoosier State Rail Series: Calumet Tower, East Chicago, IN. 2-18-10.

8:06AM- Today started out like any usual morning at Pine Junction, until an NS special agent pulled up behind my car, red and blue lights flashing. He got out of his car and I immediately informed him I was a railfan. I was parked on Clark Rd so he had no problem with me being there since it was public property although, he told me I'd be wasting my time trying to catch anything on the NS main since there was a massive derailment that occured at 6AM out in Butler, Indiana, at CP360. All trains were either being rerouted or simply held. I waited around for the first regional of the day, Amtrak Wolverine 350 which had the same equipment as last night on 355.
P42DC #35
P42DC #36

9:16AM- I now ventured out to Calumet tower where I had been previously a few times but never really caught anything good. The CSX Barr Subdivision that also passes through Pine crosses the IHB Kankakee Subdivision here. A CN/EJ&E branch serving the local industries runs parellel to the IHB IHB's East Chicago and Michigan Avenue Yards lie just to the North. The first train to roll through was on the CSX, being Westbound Q167.
CSXT ES40DC #5428
CSXT ES40DC #5249

9:28AM- The Harbor now has control of the diamonds as they send UP coal loads with two Ex. SP units to boot.
UP AC4400CW #5881
UP AC4400CW #6174 (Ex. SP)
UP AC4000CW #6318 (Ex. SP DPU)

9:47AM- Preparing to get a shot of an IHB freight about to leave the yard, CSX sends a local East with a neat transfer caboose trailing.
CSXT GP15T #1509

9:55AM- More traffic is still on the move as UP coal loads rumble over the IHB junction.
UP AC4400CW #7172
UP AC4400CW #5906
UP AC4400CW #7126

10:04AM- The IHB freight waiting all morning finally gets a window across the CSX and slowly starts it's journey West.
IHB GP40-2 #4012
IHB GP40-2 #4011

10:49AM- The clouds overhead begin to break and the sunlight slines on the coil train known as BO9. The power now includes a hi-hood SD40-2.
NS SD70M-2 #2714
NS SD40-2 #3233

11:01AM- UP ethanol empties were next behind the B09. An old SP unit trailed out on this one too.
UP AC4400CW #7021
UP AC4400CW #6250

11:10AM- Here's one job I was hoping to catch today. The only job that uses the old EJ&E branch, the KSW2 Whiting Job or as CN now calls it, L51391 makes it's way over the diamonds with a cool post-merger consist.
EJ&E SW1200 #446
IC SW14 #1505.

11:18AM- The little local that came by on the CSX earlier now returns with the caboose in the lead. I noticed it had "Love Shack" stanciled on the ends too.

11:26AM- CSX now sends BNSF coal loads East at speed.
BNSF ES44AC #6236
BNSF SD70ACe #9221

11:35AM- BNSF taconite loads now bear down on the junction as they make they're way towards ArcelorMittal on the IHB. Also note the idiot in the truck driving around the gates right in front of me...
BNSF SD70ACe #9145
BNSF SD70ACe #9370
BNSF SD70MAC #9984

(c) 9th Street Productions.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• CSX
• CSXT
• IHB
• BNSF
• UP
• CN
• EJ&E
• Calumet
• Tower
• Interlocking
• Train
• Railroad
• ArcelorMittal
• Steel
• Mill
• East
• Chicago
• Gary
• Hammond
• Whiting

[SFLRailFan]

Hey look... Frank's got a new video up! Excellent. ;-)

[BoxcarFrank]

I got more on the way too :)

[JetMechMA]

IHB at 4:30 there. Good to see they are still around.

[MiNameIsNash]

Wow I really like the sound of these diamonds!!!! And about the ****** in the truck, you were in danger!!!! Fortunelly everything is OK...

[railfanstreator94]

Those Switcher engines on that train on the old EJ&E are cool

[chessie5882]

EJ&E 446 is an SW-1000 one of only two

the railroad had. The CN sold the 445.

Nice catch.

[CPManJoe]

Great video Frank!

[trainkid16]

Lets just say he likes little boys. He has a youtube.

[RCKTBOY7]

Just tell me this, how much of a ***** is he...

[thetrainman407]

Jesus! He cleared at 9:32, and the train was at the crossing at 9:36!

[cn78356]

wow what an asshole in the truck at the end i hope you got his lience plate number

[trainkid16]

Good!