What is UP doing at Rochelle. I don’t have a decent picture, but it looks like the entire main 1 is gone. Does anybody have any info?
Well, as of 10:47 a.m. CST this morning they were running trains on main #1 according to the still shots from the Rochelle web cam…however, there is definitely some big work going on there now…looks like a total tie replacement but the big crane might indicate a change-out of the diamonds or perhaps a replacement of the signal bridge(s). Perhaps our friend Carl can shed some light on this issue?
I’m in here at about 2:00 p.m. I haven’t seen anything (official or scuttlebutt) on major work going on at Rochelle, so I couldn’t say exactly what is happening. As I look at the active webcam, the track equipment is on Track 2, the near (south) track.
Tom, Track 1 has the tendency to appear gone in some instances, as it has concrete ties. I think I saw what you were referring to in some of the still shots. I know that Track 2 is supposed to get these ties eventually, but the concrete tie gang is working on the main line in Nebraska at present. (There are also five single tie gangs and four double tie gangs at work on various parts of the railroad this week.)
Closer in to Chicago, there’s work going on as well. Here in Lombard, a bunch of trucks were on Track 3 by the station, presumably welding the rail on the fresh section of track installed a couple of weeks ago. Further west, in Glen Ellyn, a surfacing gang was at work, also on Track 3, in front of their station and occasionally blocking Main Street. Between Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, it appears that foundations have been laid for a new signal bridge, probably in connection with the crossovers that will eventually be installed at Wheaton. Next station west is Winfield, and there was parking-lot construction going on by their station. (Winfield is as far west as we got today; that’s where my cardiology test was.)
Right now, at 2:23, all tracks are visible at Rochelle, with trucks by the diamonds, but nothing directly on the tracks.
At 3:40, EDT…the number 1 track of UP, this side of the diamond…is hiding quite well.