I will be in Chicago for about a week at Nov-Dec 2008.
This will be my fisrt time in US.
I’m thinking of visiting Rochell. Can I be there and back in Chicago in same day, if going with train?
Any other suggestions near Chicago? Can I take photos of trains in public areas as stations or there may be any problems?
And lastly any suggestions for model railroad hobby shops in Chicago? (interested in US HO rolling stock).
Thank you and greetings from Greece
Kiriakos
You can’t reach Rochelle by train, but it is only an about an hour and a half by car from Chicago.
Here are some suggestions.
Good train watching spots are:
Anywhere along the BNSF Aurora to Chicago main. There are stations in just about every town along the line, and it is perfectly safe, and legal to shoot photos from the platforms.
Anywhere along the Union Pacific Geneva Subdivision from Elmhurst west. Same thing, lots of Metra stations along the route, and plenty of places for photos that are in, or near the down town business districts of the town along the line, so there will be plenty of places to eat, and shop, if you wish.
In addition, there is the IHB (Indiana Harbor Belt) CP LaGrange, in the town of LaGrange is about the best place to watch the action on that line.
I can also suggest Union Station in Joliet Illinois for the BNSF (ex-Santa Fe) line.
Everyone else here will be able to suggest something of interest.
As far as Hobby Shops go, there is Al’s Hobby Shop in Elmhurst (about a 100 meters from the Union Pacific tracks in Elmhurst) LaGrange Hobby Center in LaGrange, IL. Off the top of my head, those are the only two I can think of, although I know there are many more.
My best suggestion would be to look at Google Earth, or Google Maps to get an idea of where everything is around here. There is lots to see and do around Chicago, so you won’t be disappointed.
When the time gets closer to your visit, let us know how you’re traveling, where you’re staying, etc., and we’ll be able to help you out more. For now, I’d say Tim’s suggestions are as good as anything I can come up with. A combination of the BNSF line and the UP West line will give you all of the trains you’d see at Rochelle, and then some, but if you decide you want to go anyway, we can help out with traveling directions, things to see along the way, etc.
Are you traveling alone? Friends or family? People who might be bored?
And if you go to Al’s Hobby Shop in Elmhurst, be sure and say hi to Charlie!
You can go online at metrarail dot com and learn about all the commuter-train services into Chicago except one (that goes to Indiana). - a.s.
For starters, visit http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/ for great information of the busiest spots in the Chicago area. The spots you can visit are not limited to just the locations on that site. There are dozens of locations not listed on there that you can visit. Any station from LaVergne to Aurora on the BNSF is a great place, and any station from Elmhurst to Elburn is good on the UP.
I don’t know how often you see Trains Magazine, but we published two relatively recent issues devoted exclusively to Chicago and its railroads: the July 1993 issue and the July 2003 issue.
On this Web site, in the Railroad Reference section, is an article on Chicago train-watching spots. (That story first appeared in 1993, but we updated it.) It might give you some ideas for places you’d like to see.
The suggestions posted here by our other forum members have been great, too! Thank you all!
And if you get homesick, Chicago’s Greektown is just four blocks west of Union Station on Halsted Street. There are some great restaurants. My mother’s family (I’m half-Greek myself) would heartily approve!
Matt (Kostanty) Van Hattem
Senior Editor
I really want to thank all of you for your help.
After reading your suggestions, looking at the very good http://www.dhke.com/CRJ/ and with the help of GoogleMap, this is what I’m thinking. I’ll start with LaVergne on BNSF line. It is near Chicago, can go by train and can walk near CN overpass. I continue to look for a place in UP line.
I will have only a few hours on 1 or 2 days to spent for trainspotting and photographing. I hope can have more time in a next trip (?).
I forgot to say that my interest is mainly if not at all, in freight trains.
@ TimChgo9 very useful info, I still study these.
@ CShaveRR I will come with my wife and a few friends, but I don’t think anyone of them is interested in trains.
@ al-in-chgo I hadn’t realize that Metra trains use the same tracks with other RRs, and thought that in these stations, I couldn’t see freight trains.
@ EJE818 fantastic site, suberb info
@ wpsf37 I am a subscriber in MR for some years, but i buy Trains from time to time from newspaper stores. I don’t have these issues of Trains but I think that I have to order them. Half-Greek? It was a surprise for me.
I continue to study all these info. And have to clarify some things about safety and about talking photos in public places like trackside and station platforms.
Again many thanks for your help!!
Kiriakos
Ok, with wife and family along, come out to Elmhurst on the UP West line. Get off at the Metra station, and you can watch and photograph trains (Metra passenger and UP freight) to your heart’s content. Meanwhile, there are a historical museum, an art museum, and plenty of restaurants (not to mention Al’s Hobby Shop), all within walking distance.
Kiriakos, take a winter coat along, just in case!! And extra thick shoes!!
So many spots for you in Chicago, dont let it overwhelm you.
The Metra system will get you out to great locations. I would agree with all the above suggestions. I was out to West Chicago last month (on the UP line, Metra services it) and it was very pleasant. Joliet is also a great location with BNSF, CN, Iowa Interstate, Metra.
Instead of Greektown, you have to try an Italian Beef and Chicago Hot dog.
Good luck.
ed
Dalton, great location, if not there Pine Junction in Northwest Indiana
Welcome! [#welcome] - Do you mean Dolton, pronounced “Dalton”? - a.s.
All the information you can use.
Also If you go to the, “contact us,” You can request a guide that will speak Greek.
From Chicago you can ride the only interurban in the U.S. The Chicago South Shore and South Bend RR known as “NITCD”. Randolph st Station (METRA Electric Station) there is a lot of trains from Chicago to Michigan City. There is a lot of places to eat in Town. It is a 1 hour 45 minute ride. Get off at the 11st station(middle of town)
From there you can also ride the METRA Electric - South.
On the week-end you can take the longer ride to South Bend Air port. There is really no place you can walk to there, But you can eat there. Catch the next train back in 2 hours. That is about a two hour ride.
Rochelle Il viewing platform is open and could be very cold and windy at the time you mentioned. There is a couple of places you can stop in to eat and warm up. It is a very friendly place.
As for color expect to see WHITE, White, and more White snow.
If freights are your interest and you want a easy location to get to by Metra a highly suggest LaGrange. At LaGrange, you have a choice of either staying at the station and watching the racetrack or going to the IHB which is a short walk away. Be aware, the IHB is very iffy at times through there. You can have 6 trains in a hour then go a hour or two with nothing, then see a bunch in a short amount of time again. Also, LaVergne is a good location that I highly agree is a great place to go. Lately I’ve been getting lucky catching trains on the CN there, and of course BNSF is busy.
As many have said, Metra is a great way to get from place to place and can get you to dozens of good locations. One I would also suggest is Joliet Union Station. Joliet Union Station is a long-time favorite of many people and provides Metra, Amtrak, 60+ freights a day on the BNSF, and of course the occasional Iowa Interstate or CSX train. You can also see foreign power and leasers on BNSF and UP coal trains on the Amtrak line.