Most weeks I can find little or no time Monday through Friday to railfan but this week I have been able to do more than normal. Today I found myself in the vicinity of Roundout, IL at lunch time so I ate my Big-Mac while parked at Roundout tower for about thirty minutes. No action on CP but did see EJ&E switching and then headed West (East on the compass) with six cars and one unit. What I am wondering is whether I was taking a big chance parking next to the tower or is there a better place to park at Roundout (the tower operator came down from his tower and to his car and he saw me but said nothing at all and I could hear him on my scanner and I am sure he did not report me via radio). Any comments?[:I]
I like the bike path bridge (former North Shore Line right of way) which is just a bit north of the crossing. I got there by parking on a side street west of the CP (it leads to an industry) and then walking the bike path to the bridge. Other than having to dodge bike riders (I was there in nice weather) it is a nice spot to watch trains - lots of Metra. Did not see any EJ&E and the sun angle probably would not be great for EF&E.
On the main street that runs east/west there is a memorial to the big train robbery that took place there decades ago. Worth checking out.
Dave Nelson
For my next Chicago trip is this on the North or South side of Chicago? [:D]
spbed, it is on the North Shore of Chicago metro not far inland from Lake Michigan. Easiest way to get there is to take Rt. 294 north and exit at Rt. 137 (Buckley Road) and take that East to Telegraph Road (Rt. 43) South a little bit to Rockalnd Road (Rt. 176) East to the tracks. The first tracks you will cross are of the EJ&E and the second shortly afterwards will be the CP/Metra/Amtrak main line from Chicago to Milwaukee. Just after crossing the EJ&E track you will want to take a quick left turn and throught the little tunnel (that actually used to take traffic under the North Shore interurban line) and then a really quick right into the tower area and small yard. When departing you can take Rockland Road west to a Southbound entrance to Rt. 294 South or go back the way you came to Rt.137 to take Rt. 294 North (there is no northbound exit from 294 to 176 and no northbound entrance from 176 onto northound 294…hope this is not too confusing to you). Hope this helps.
spbed,
Rondout is north of Chicago, just east of interstate 94 on hwy 176.
So nearer to O’ Hare then say theSears tower just so I have my bearing correct? Thanks also for the reply. I have put in on my hotspot list[8D]
O’Hare is on the northwest quadrant of Chicago. Rondout is about 35 miles straight north of the loop.
Mitch
Thanks I printed it & put in my Chicago file for my next venture to the Windy City. [:o)]
Thanks one more time [8D]
Rondout is the place made famous for the instructions to the steam powered Milwaukee Road Hiawatha train of the 1930s. For Roundout the instructions were “reduce to 90” That’s reduce speed to 90 mph. Otherwise is was going 100 mph plus.
Dave Nelson
Interesting & thanks. [:D]
[:0] Dave, for what it’s worth the speed sign posts now say 79 mph for passenger and 40 mph for freight…still pretty darned fast.
40 to me is a bit slow as I have seen them in other places going far faster. I fact once between Needles & Barstow I was pacing a WB BNSF & I was doing 80 & he was pulling away. I finally caught him when he slowed for a yellow signal. I also paced a UPRR EB on the Sunset route & finally caught him when I hit 71 or so. [:o)][:o)]
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Originally posted by eolafan
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Originally posted by dknelson
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QUOTE: Originally posted by spbed
40 to me is a bit slow as I have seen them in other places going far faster. I fact once between Needles & Barstow I was pacing a WB BNSF & I was doing 80 & he was pulling away. I finally caught him when he slowed for a yellow signal. I also paced a UPRR EB on the Sunset route & finally caught him when I hit 71 or so. [:o)][:o)]
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Originally posted by eolafan
Yes spbed, I agree, 40 is not terribly fast but you need to consider that Roundout was not in a really super built up area of metro Chicago when the Milwaukee Road steamers used to do 100 through there but now the area is really built up with residential and light commercial real estate and so the speeds are somewhat lower, and remember only the passenger trains did 100, not the freights. Passenger now does a max of 79…still very fast!
Yes I did see a A/trak scooting thru Daggett going pretty quickly. I do not think though it was 79. I do understand that urban sprawl will slow things down as well. You know you can see a EBer A/trak every day on the Ft. Madison cam between 10AM & 2PM usually FM time? [:D]
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Originally posted by eolafan
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Originally posted by spbed
Nice I will have to take a road trip just as soon as the weather breaks here in Southern WI.
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QUOTE: Originally posted by spbed
Yes I did see a A/trak scooting thru Daggett going pretty quickly. I do not think though it was 79. I do understand that urban sprawl will slow things down as well. You know you can see a EBer A/trak every day on the Ft. Madison cam between 10AM & 2PM usually FM time? [:D]
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Originally posted by eolafan
[8D] Yes indeed, we usually see both EB Amtrak trains (the Chief and the Cal Zephyr) through here in the mid afternoon between 2 and 4 p.m. (normally) every day of the week. I saw a picture this morning on www.railpictures.net of the EB Zephyr leaving CA two days ago with a neat private car on the rear. We may just see that same car going through here today (sound about right?).
Wow I hope I do not miss it as I will shortly be departing for a while for lunch. The time line to me sounds also OK. [:D][:D][:D][:o)][:o)]
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Originally posted by eolafan
Let me guess… Was it #703? 
Dave
-DPD Productions - Home of the TrainTenna RR Monitoring Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/
[:0] Wow, I’m impressed! Yes it was the 703, how did you know, are you the tower operator as I did not see anybody else hanging around there that day?