CN Yards in Chicagoland

[schlimm]

Another creative solution to the Munger problem could be running trains up UP’s Belvidere Sub and building a connector where the Belvidere subs meets the Iowa Division. Perhaps the land acquisition for this situation would be easier. I wonder if CN has looked into it…

I think the tracks have a connection in Rockford, or at least used to.

[Sawtooth500]

Sawtooth500:

Another creative solution to the Munger problem could be running trains up UP’s Belvidere Sub and building a connector where the Belvidere subs meets the Iowa Division. Perhaps the land acquisition for this situation would be easier. I wonder if CN has looked into it…

I think the tracks have a connection in Rockford, or at least used to.

There is no connection in Rockford, and on top of that the UP Belvidere Sub terminates in Rockford and only has locals on it, so the track is not in as good of shape as the iowa division, and the belvidere sub is longer too, that’s why I’m guessing it would be best to build a connection on the Iowa Division just west of Munger. Shouldn’t be too hard actually, nor should it take a lot of land if you look at Google Earth the two lines meet each other at a very favorable angle. A connection would also have to be built as west chicago to take trains from the J onto the Belividere sub but that wouldn’t be a big deal either.

[schlimm]

True, the ex-CNW track is not as good, and the ex-IC track is getting upgraded to handle the silly Hawkeye service by 2014. But it would be pretty easy to install a crossover in Rockford, as the tracks are within feet of each other. The crossovers in West Chicago already exist.

[EJE818]

The wye will not interfere with Metra operations in any way, the only thing that will have to be reconfigured from Metra’s standpoint is the parking lot for the Matteson station. Here is a drawing of the area before the merger. http://www.ejearchive.com/images_maps/inter15matteson.gif

The new double wye will be east of the IC, I made a typo regarding that, my bad. The double wye will start near where the CN mainline goes over Main Street, and will come into the J mainline east of the Main Street crossing on that line. The present connection that allows trains going west onto the J to get onto the IC going south will remain in place.

Of interest in the new plans is that a railroad park is proposed to be built along the double wye about mid-way between the J and IC mainlines. That will provide a legal viewing area of trains going up and down the wye.

[MP173]

That makes more sense. That would have been quite the Y on the west side of the IC.

Ed

[Sawtooth500]

The wye will not interfere with Metra operations in any way, the only thing that will have to be reconfigured from Metra’s standpoint is the parking lot for the Matteson station. Here is a drawing of the area before the merger. http://www.ejearchive.com/images_maps/inter15matteson.gif

The new double wye will be east of the IC, I made a typo regarding that, my bad. The double wye will start near where the CN mainline goes over Main Street, and will come into the J mainline east of the Main Street crossing on that line. The present connection that allows trains going west onto the J to get onto the IC going south will remain in place.

Of interest in the new plans is that a railroad park is proposed to be built along the double wye about mid-way between the J and IC mainlines. That will provide a legal viewing area of trains going up and down the wye.

Wait so is this double wye going to be in the northeast or southeast quadrant of the J and IC intersection at Matteson?

[Sawtooth500]

Also does anyone know if CN has plans to double track the bridge over the IL River in Joliet? It was double track back in the day so the bridge is double wide, it’s just that the second track was removed who knows how long ago.