Ringling Brothers Blue tour comes to Allstate Arena on Nov. 6th til Nov.16th when it move to United Center. They are coming from Cleveland and we’ve had several conversations here in the past that they still move by train. So my question is what would be likely palces to get out and photograph the train in the Chicago area? And when?
Obviously, Nov.17th is a likely travel day, and I know that the cars sometimes get parked near Wolf Rd north of I-90 when they are at Allstate Arena. I’d particularly like to get some shots of the train in motion, so if anyone has any suggestions I’d gladly hear them! Thanks!
The Ringling Bros train traditionally leaves Chicago the Monday after Thanksgiving and travels via the NS to Ft Wayne on the old NKP line. I have seen it for several years now and it always is my favorite train of the year.
I think it comes into Chicago on the CSX line, or at least it has in the past.
Mike, I’m not sure where they keep the train when they’re playing the United Center, but it would just about have to be on either the UP or CUSCo trackage between the terminals and Western Avenue (scratch UP, I guess–their track down into the hole from Noble Street isn’t there any more).
If it is moved somewhere close to United Center, it would probably go around the airport via Bryn Mawr, then around the west and south sides of Proviso, and use the Geneva Sub as far as Western Avenue. That’s a big “if”.
Thanks for the input everyone, especially Carl. I’ll keep my eyes open, and have to think about trying to catch it on the NS lines on its way out of town.[;)]
Thanks to you too, Ed. It was getting late when I posted.[zzz]
Do you have any suggestions of good (and safe) locations to good some pics of it on it’s way out of town? Preferably on the Illinois side of the line? Thanks again.
The Ringling Bros. Circus, with accompanying “blue tour” train, was in Salt Lake City the end of September. I saw it heading north on, or around, the first of October. I guess Denver was the next stop.
When the circus is in town, the railcars are parked a stone’s throw from SLC’s “Intermodal Hub” where the Front Runner commuter train, Trax, UTA bus, Amtrak, and Greyhound meet.