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BNSF, Metra to perform nighttime rail replacement
The bridge shown in the accompanying picture (Oak Street, Hinsdale) is being replaced. Rumor has it that the old bridge was taken out last night. The replacement will have two traffic lanes and sidewalks on both sides. Probably not directly related to any track work, but still, a lot’s happening along this line!
All this work in a “five minute construction schedule?” These dudes must be salaried rather than hourly workers.
I hope they will replace the 3 consecutive ties on the south track in front of the Naperville station that are seriously deteriorated. When they replaced ties on this track earlier this summer they neglected to replace these ties because a storm drain between this track and the adjacent center track was in the way. Considering the fact that they run loaded oil trains over this track they should have removed the drain long enough to do the job right. Maybe the standard that require every 5th tie to be serviceable is OK for yards and branch lines, but for a heavily traveled main line carrying loaded unit oil trains, this is totally unacceptable. I have reported this twice, several years ago and again after the recent tie replacement work.
I am quite surprised given the volume and intensity of railroad traffic on this corridor that consideration hasn’t been given to using concrete ties. I know this particular project is about rerailing, but the benefits of using concrete ties in railroad environments like this are well known especialy for improving overall track performance as well as a very high standard of ride quality.
I grew up in the Chicago area and still remember the trip from Aurora to Downtown. What a great treat for me to ride a train and experience the joy of Railroading! I have my Father, Irv Converse, to thank for that! He was my Father, Mentor, and the Greatest Person to this day I know. He ended his Tennis career with a National Championship in the 90 and over division of the USTA. He was ranked #1 in the World that same year.
I know I got way of base here, but he is turning 100 years young in June 2016. He was also a Railroad man with the old Canton, Akron & Youngstown RR before he went to the greatest school in the country, the Ohio State University! I still remember his stories what it was like to ride with his co-workers in the old bunk cars!
Roger Converse