Union Pacific will be installing concrete ties through DeKalb at the beginning of June and will close down most of the crossings through town for about a week. Instead of the downtown merchants complaining and moaning they are making the best of it and doing a bit of a block party with train related items thrown in for good measure, including an area to view the work going on at the crossings.
A more indepth explanation is here http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2007/05/07/neighbors/neighbors01.txt
I have to give them praise for making the best of the situation instead of complaining.
Kudos to DeKalb on this effort… instead of telling people to AVOID the downtown area, they’re doing everything possible to ATTRACT them during the construction.
Story in today’s paper (your link) says June 1 to June 7… But I note on the map linked below that the dates are May15-24…? Which is it?
Just might have to make time to go myself…
Click here for a map of the construction on the UP
Yeah–you have to give them top marks for trying.
Downtown DeKalb doesn’t look like much as we’ve psssed through it (we’ve been to the museum to the west and the McDonald’s by the tracks).
I would think that the observation point would be thrilling for part of one day, if it’s tie changeout you’re interested in. But if they use one of the concrete tie machines (I’ve forgotten what the successor to the P-811 is called), it could be very interesting.
And if the event is a success, they’ll be able to repeat it–whenever UP decides to lay concrete ties for the other track. Only Track 1 is being done at this time.
We’re already having trackwork-related detours because of this project. That’s why the MPRPB, with its power consist of three Heritage units, went via the old C&EI last weekend, instead of its usual route via Nelson.
As has been mentioned on other Forum threads, concrete ties will be laid underneath Track 1 from DeKalb west to somewhere around Nelson (not including Rochelle, I’ve been told–probably Global 3 construction renewed the tracks in that area). Track 1 east of DeKalb (to the start of the third track at Elburn) is already concrete-tied.