Hey all, A Once-in-a-llifetime event is happening/has happened this weekend in Rochelle, IL. Global 3, the newest of the UP's growing intermodal yards, has had a open-house since Thursday, giving bus tours of the yard.
Today, (Saturday, Aug 30) at 10AM and 2(almost 3)PM they had train rides out past the G3 yard west to Sterling, IL. (30 miles) All for 5 bucks a head!!! Today was the ONLY day for the train rides, and we had a helluva trip!! It took us almost three hours, but it was WORTH it!!! The people on the train had fun, even with the delays. The Metra conductor assigned to the train said to us....and I quote..." This is the best crowd I have had in ten years. No one is complaining, even though were late, and everyone is having fun..I wish I had you every day...give yourselves a hand!!!" Kinda cool!! Suffice it to say, I always dreamed of getting on a CNW train at ROchelle, and today I did it!! All but three of the cars were former CNW bi-levels, and still said "LEased to Chicago and North Western Railway Company" on the side. One was a RI fluted side Budd built, and the other were Amerail Jap crap. (10 cars total) We had two F40PH's for power.
Who says you need a proper route to run pasenger trains? The last train to call on the CNW at Rochelle was the old Kate Shelley 400 (Trains 1 and 2 by 1971) on April 30, 1971. Believe me, the train today looked right at home at the Rochelle station. If 1 and 2 would have had that kind of buisness back then, they still would be there today! You could also fly over the yard as well, for 25 a head, but I just concentrated on the train ride. The traffic was EXTREMELY heavy, and we seen some rare, and BRAND NEW stuff. Highlights: FULLY LETTERED CNW AC4400CW, Four maiden run UP SD70M Flares with the newer grilles (3900 series)
and one ICG FULLY ORANGE and letered 86ft.high cube! I haven't seen one of those cars in YEARS!! downside: I had my cameras put away because we were boarding the train, so I didnt' get a shot of the new units or the ICG car....lesson learned...AGAIN!!! So...did anyone else go down there this weekend? Anyone intrested in a few shots? Ron Kiewel, I looked all over for ya!! Was gonna have you ride with us if I found you. (In reality, I didn't see too many familiar faces at all...but it was SOLD OUT.)After all of the deaths and gloom in my life this last month, this was at least ONE day of pure heaven!!! There is nothing better than overtaking the hotest pig train on the railroad on the opposite main, going the same direction, only to have it get to go first at the next interlocking!! Pigs get PRIORITY over people!! Let me know if anyone wants me to post some shots. Later!
Kelley D. Ellison
OK, CBPRA is gone...are you happy now?
CSX A-Line Chief lighting engineer
NALW Lighting engineer
Dekosoft Lighting engineer
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RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, Knarf, Aug-31-03, 03:00 AM, (1) RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, akajim, Aug-31-03, 10:27 AM, (2) RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, ace6879, Aug-31-03, 02:51 PM, (3) RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, GMOF3A, Aug-31-03, 03:03 PM, (4) RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, GMOF3A, Aug-31-03, 03:05 PM, (5) RE: Anyone here go to the Rochelle, IL train rides on S, akajim, Aug-31-03, 03:25 PM, (6)
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