What a fascinating and detailed explanation. Your maps and diagrams really help someone like me who has no idea about the rail layout in Chicago, but understands it's the most important hub on Amtrak transcontinental routes. I especially appreciated the notes on who owns/operates the specific tracks and how that relates to iconic names from the past. The only place in Europe I have experienced this kind of maneuver was in France at Nimes where the daily loco hauled train from Paris via Clermont-Ferrand had to reverse into the station. A new curve avoids that need now, and I'm not even sure the train runs - DMUs rule.
And you know what’s better than DMUs? EMUs! Haha I once flew out of Nîmes to London Stansted. The flight was the only one to depart out of Nîmes that day, and it cost me a total of €4.99. I am still financially recovering 😂
I live in Chicago now, but my first visit was on the City of New Orleans. The nighttime views of the city falling away as the train heads south still reads as peaceful closure, a sort of punctuation on a visit to the Windy City. A lot of cities care about saying hello, but this is a lovely way for Chicago to say goodbye.
Travelled on the City of New Orleans almost 20yrs ago, we had a 2 berth cabin with steward, restaurant car with silver service, observation car with videos - all to ourselves. We met a couple from Memphis with whom we made friends, visited their home as we drove back through the South and met them when they visited England. We hope to see them again next year in Scotland. I always wondered about the to-ing and fro- ing as we left Chicago Union, we did more than shown here before we set off South.
I ride the Illini for every UIUC break, and it's a fun to ride and fascinating train line. Another problem is loss of shunt on Canadian National tracks, where the the train doesn't trigger rail crossings. To run passenger service, Amtrak has had to steal some Superliners from long distance services, as CN requires a certain weight and axle count to counteract the problem; single-level cars (including the new Ventures just waiting for service) don't count. Apparently they're holding meetings with everyone involved to try and fix it. I think it would make for a great video if you could find some people on the committee to interview!
Yeah them using the extra superliners is super annoying. A great example of freight railroads just bullying Amtrak around just because they can. Glad to head something is being done. Will follow it closely.
They're a great deal. I hope you get on some long-distance routes. I've had a room or roomette on a lot of the network, and they're an awesome way to see the country (even with the delays caused by the freight train priority in our country). See you on the rails!
Ping Tom Memorial Park is named after Ping Tom, who after fighting for decades for the construction of a new park in Chicago's Chinatown, formed the real-estate firm Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC) in 1984. The firm purchased a Santa Fe railyard in 1989 and built Chinatown Square, a residential and commercial development. But some of the land (6 acres) was left untouched, and it was decided to turn this piece into a public park. The Chicago Park District would end up purchasing the 6 acres for it in 1991. Originally it was gonna be designed based off the walled plazas of Suzhou, but it was scrapped for security and vandalism risks. Instead, it was decided to make a system of pathways meant to mimic Chinese courtyards. Ping Tom would end up dying of pancreatic cancer in 1995, three years before the park was complete. So it was suggested to name the park in honor of him, the driving force behind its creation. The park was dedicated in October 1999.
@@Thom-TRA A lot of cities desperately need more parks and green space in general. Compared to other cities, Chicago has quite a good amount (but that doesn't mean they don't need more, rather that they're closer to the desired goal compared to others). At least, that's what Google Maps tells me.
@@GeneralLiuofBoston1911 Chicago’s green space is all on the waterfront, or in far western neighborhoods. Only tourists go to the waterfront parks. There are whole green deserts, both in very wealthy areas as well as less affluent neighborhoods.
I want to thank you for the report you posted showing the old Metropolitan Lounge in Union Station Chicago. I remember it from being there numerous times.and wondered what happened to it, in winter the fireplace was in use. So now it's for Hiawatha Monthly pass holders. Thanx to your video I know what happened to a favorite place of mine.
If you think the P42's or Chargers are loud be very thankful you weren't riding Amtrak during the F40 era. The F40's HEP was feed off of the main generator which means the units basically ran at notch 8 even when standing still. This gave them the nickname "Screamers". The P42's and Chargers have a separate small HEP generator which doesn't require the engine to run at full throttle. I believe METRA still has some F40's on it's roster so you might be familiar with the term Screamer.
The majority of the Metra fleet is still F40s, like the locomotive I showed when I talk about their loud noise. I did notice the new chargers are very quiet when idling.
Actually, the P42's and Chargers HEP alternators are still driven by the main diesel prime mover (as the F40's are) and still must run at a constant RPM while supplying power. The primary difference between them and the F40's is that the EMD units are 2-stroke diesels and have to remain at the top RPM when providing HEP. Also, their electronic technology is older. The newer units have 4-stroke diesels and incorporate newer inverter technologies that can still generate HEP at lower idle speeds when not supplying power to the traction motors (i.e., parked at the station.) They still run at 900 rpm when providing both HEP and traction current, but they just don't sound like they're screaming. Many roads that continue to use F40's added a separate diesel HEP generator, allowing the main diesel to vary in speed like a standard locomotive.
So Illini is where the name Illinois comes from. Illinois is the name that French Catholic missionaries gave to the Illini/Illiniwe Confederation, a group of thirteen tribes who originally lived in the Mississippi Valley before settling in area stretching up to Iowa and Lake Michigan. Illini is also for the Fighting Illini of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While Saluki was named in 2006 after the mascot of Southern Illinois University (both of these universities are near stations along the route). They're a breed of sighthound originally bred in the Fertile Crescent. Salukis are swift and agile sprinters, capable of sprinting as fast as 42 miles per hour, so you could say the name also fits to show how fast trains are, and didn't choose Greyhound, another sighthound because well...that name was taken. 😂
@@alexandertebo4011 1. Their name can be several things from Illini, Illiniwek, or Ilinwe 2. Nope, the official name of the university is "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
@@lalakerspro That's the station name, not the university's. "Since its founding in 1867, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement." this is right from the university's website.
I have to say I find the prospect of Amtrak using the South Shore line Tracks to be quite exciting! That's a marriage made in heaven. Amtrak can keep a schedule, and the South Shore Line will have more income.
@@Thom-TRA Well the South Shore and Amtrak run parallel within 20 feet of each other for several miles just east of Gary alongside US HWY 12 . (Norfolk Southern former Penn Central/ New York Central mainline)
This is such a bizarre operation it could rival what they do in Tampa, Florida with the Silver Star and Silver Meteor. I also noticed that one of the crossings (at 17:54) had Safetran e-bells, which are used at a few crossings in New Zealand as well.
I enjoyed this video. I am 63 years old and have been riding the City of New Orleans back and forth from Champaign to New Orleans for most of my life. Since I've always arrived and departed from Champaign, I like seeing videos of the portion of the train route from Champaign to Chicago.
what an awesome video! I've taken the CNW several times, and always wondered about the serpentine route to get out of the city (I know the city pretty well, but I would see places "I have no idea where we are!" .I have to recommend the original version of the song by ita writer, a Chicago Folk Music Giant -- Steve Goodman (long deceased, RIP) Also check out how the auto CC mangles that text at 21:05 ... "onc conductor zero Saxon male" LOL (it should be "Sacks of Mail"). Cheers, what a great video!
Lo, how the mighty have fallen. When I was in college in Chicago I several times rode the Panama Limited, which was the real night train, not the City of New Orleans--which I guess sounds better in the song. (My family lived near Memphis.) It was a great train, with Pullman Cars and a real dining car, and it used the old IC station at the end of 12th Street. I lived in Hyde Park and attended Roosevelt University, so the IC was also my daily ride. Thanks for your channel. This video makes me want to return to Chicago if for no other reason, just to try the trains again. When I first moved to Chicago I lived on North Dearborn Parkplace, and if I didn't ride my bike into town, I could take the subway, with the old green cars.
I rode the City of New Orleans into Chicago back in 2011, and it used the St Charles Air Line back then. Interesting riding through there in the morning. My friend and I were in the rear sleeper so I spent most of the ride over the air line looking out the back window, until it came time for the backup move at Halstead and the conductor kicked me out of his spot!
Chicago had a number of train stations in late 19th and early 20th century. The B&O station (on east side of Chicago river) was one of favorites, demolished in 1970s. Like Penn Station in NYC in 1960s the head houses were demolished or remodeled. Union Station’s recent ceiling restoration was long overdue … and looks beautiful.
Visited Chicago for the first time in November. Took the Saluki from Carbondale. It was my first time on an Amtrak. Love the footage, thanks for reminding me of an awesome trip!
In the Spring of 64', our 6th grade classes from the Moline School District, boarded the train at the Moline Station for day trip to Chicago. The cars were definitely NOT Super Liners, but the old passenger cars you might see as a toy train set. We transferred to buses at Union Station for rides to the museums. For me, being 11 years old at the time, it was a trip of a life time. I didn't realize it at the time, but later in life, it spurred me on to motorcycle travel around North America. I eventually rode in every State, and every Province of Canada, except for Nunavutt (no road to it). For the people who never got to ride the train, I feel sorry, but lucky that I got the chance. Thanks for the renewed memories.
Interestingly, there's a similar (though reversed) maneuver at the other end of the City of New Orleans line. The train pulls beyond the station in New Orleans and then backs up to reach the platform at New Orleans Union Terminal.
@@Thom-TRA Maybe that the Sunset Limited do not back-up into the New Orleans. I came by the SL once in the 90s, continued towards Jacksonville, FL. But that is a long time ago..
@@Greybone62 All trains into New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal must wye and reverse into the station. It is a stub-end terminal, meaning that all the tracks along the platforms dead-end at the terminal building.
Thank you for this fascinating video ! I was aware the Chicago and North Western Railway built the route initially as a single track, and as you say it is surprising that when the route was doubled running has not been reversed so that inbound trains use the southernmost track. It was also amusing and somewhat ironic that the slow moving UP freight train was running westbound on the northernmost track ! Perhaps it was just leaving Proviso yard ? Many thanks .
So from my understanding Amtrak is generally given priority into the blocks provided the fact they make it into certain blocks at certain times. When Amtrak doesnt meet those times freight dispatchers give priority to their own trains. Which makes causes Amtrak to incur length delays waiting on a siding.
Amtrak used to use "option 1" until only a few years ago! Also, the Air Line tracks that were ripped out were only taken up to add a bridge for the new "78" development and a single main has been put back in place. Nothing currently goes over it, but hopefully Amtrak gets their new direct access ramp!
Yes, I remember going by those condos by the Halsted St. station when they were under construction when I had to take the train down to my dad's for visitation. The Metra BNSF line and the Illini/Saluki/CoNO all use the South Concourse @ Union Station, so while time-consuming, it made sense to use that option. The current option takes even longer.
Thank you for your amazing videos. I’m from the UK and feel inspired to visit the places you have. Helps me understand US train travel as it’s much different to the UK, especially as I’m from London!
Thanks for another fine video. I am encouraged by proposed ramp from the St. Charles Air Line to Union Station. I'm less enthusiastic about switching St. Louis service to the Rock Island. The existing routing is reasonably quick, and the reroute, particularly because of the jog necessary to get from the Rock Island tracks into Union Station.
I think it’s just getting rid of delays and moving it onto tracks that are dispatched by a passenger railroad. I remember taking the heritage corridor and being delayed on that line.
@@odiecalodie The current routing from LaSalle to Joliet via the Rock Island is three miles longer than the Heritage Corridore routing, even before adding in the additional distance via the St. Charles Air Line. The route from Union Station to the ex-Rock Island tracks will have to be lower speed, as will the connection between ex-RI and Union Pacific in Joliet (although perhaps that won't matter, because all Amtrak trains will continue to stop in Joliet.) The plan to add a connection from Union Station directly to the Air Line is not contingent on routing Amtrak via ex-RI, but a new connection between the Air Line and ex-RI, and a new Amtrak platform (along with ADA vertical access) and probably all other Amtrak facilities at Joliet, at a far enough distance from Metra and Pace operations to make transfers more difficult. I'd rather see money put into the stalled CREATE P5 project to grade separate the Brighton crossing to address congestion between Joliet and Chicago via the existing Amtrak route.
I am taking this train in August. I am stoked that I can take pictures of the loco without having to run to the end of the train. Hopefully it's an ALC-42!
Also, Amtrak back up into Denver station and some more. I've travelling on Amtrak train even before Amtrak became nationwide (formerly individual railroad passengers companies became no longer confused with many transfers) for over 54 years. I hopped once or twice a year acrossing any part of USA as I love it and no matter if the train is delays or on time because train travellings are blasting with wonderful socially different people from all over the places and a beauty by looking views passing different areas too. And I'm using mostly sleeper car that is including no extra cost eating in dining car is the best! And their real foods are great! Able to walk entire each cars or standing out of train car on platform if stop for 10 or more minutes (don't wonder away from platform then the train will left by catch up on schedule or be on-time a minute or two before). While monitoring the completely refueling in locomotives, done by exchanging suitcases in baggage car, finishing filling up water each car and less passengers hopping in or hopping out will be leaving early as a schedule. I used took Southern Pacific (SP) Peninsula Commuter trains for years. SP ran between San Francisco and San Jose, now called Caltrain extended to Gilroy (south of San Jose). Once pandemic will be over and I will resume traveling again plus, dining car foods will resume standard real good food. For you guys are taking a short trip on any long distance Amtrak to see if you like the train before taking longer trip. Also, check train status (keeping repeating if a train is catch up) for the arrival to save your waiting. Enjoy!
@2:27 you have a clip of the Dutch railway company NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) as an example of two locomotives. You are right, but in this specific situation the train is prepared with a cab-car. However, it turned out that the locomotive used for this train wasn't able to communicate with the cab-car in push-direction. Hence the two locomotives and making the cab-car "useless". The previous type of locomotives used for this train type was able to be used in push-configuration. But that type of locomotive wasn't able to run on this specific stretch between Rotterdam and Amsterdam (NL) if I remember this correctly.
Yes, I know, I was living in the Netherlands when they were in the process of those tests and the eventual decision to use 2 locomotives. I actually have a separate video all about it, you should watch it.
Ridden these many times, including backups onto the BNSF wye. Chicago railroad history is fascinating. All of Ping Tom Park and several blocks east were SO much railyard when I was born; just as Amtrak was consolidating. Great vid.
Fun Fact: 0.1 km North of the canal street railway crossing there are these abandoned CNW railway tracks that lead up to a track connection to the UP north and northwest lines, these tracks could potentially be used for RER service and would also open up opportunities for Amtrak to make a second route to Milwaukee using the Metra UP-N line tracks and would benefit the people in the communities along the Metra UP-N line for proper access to Milwaukee, especially in places like Kenosha
I'll say I think the biggest potential for growth is constructing a dedicated pedestrian access way between OTC and CUS. Trackage from there means better service to Milwaukee and Madison and could even stop at O'Hare along the way.
Amtrak CONO really is a relaxing way i actually have rode it a few times in 2019 from Chicago to Newbern and in 2022 Newbern to Brookhaven just missing mcomb hammond and NOL While its roughly the same time to get to memphis from the house as driving i plan on doing a chicago run soon on it this summer
@@saangtoaikaa9211 it actually used to be a day time train but when amtrak took it over they mixed and matched the IC passenger services into one route and thats the CONO we have today
Stumbled across this video after watching my weekly dose of DownieLive. My curiousity was aroused by the title as I'm aware of Amtrak's reversal moves. I visited Chicago about 28 years ago from Australia as part of a 6 week adventure taking in Western Canada, Colorado narrow gauge and the Eastern USA not previously visited. Great to see railfanning is still well and truly alive with your generation and I notice you have a young lady accompany you on some of your adventures. Thanks for your comprehensive and informative commentary with this video. I recognise several places I have been to or passed. I had to chuckle when I saw the rabbit on Halsted Street Station Platform - that was a real surprise - somebody's pet must have escaped home as I doubt a rabbit could normally be found there. Must get around to checking out more of your videos when time allows. Cheers from Michael in Melbourne, Australia.🙂
I've been lucky enough to be able to ride on my friends private rail car, The Babbling Brook, a Budd observation car out of Chicago a couple times, it's so cool to have the view of the engineer for a bit before the switch.
That was a great detailed explanation and now I know where the change in direction takes place! Also good to know about the future plans to speed up the trip out of Union Station. Thanks!
3:02 Wooooo! Boston represent! Yes, this is why I am used to seeing trains "moving backwards". Either I'm foaming as they pass, see them at stations, or literally riding. Once I understood the concept, it was honestly such an interesting feature that is absolutely fascinating, even more when in action. It gets better the more you realize you can't get jaded by it after 2 years.
The Milwaukee Road backed the entire Olympian Hiawatha ten miles into Seattle’s Union Station from Black River Junction. There were no turning facilities for the single-ended EP-2 locomotives they used. It must have been a pretty weird feeling looking forwards while moving back for that long.
Back in the 80s, when I took the Broadway Ltd. from Newark, NJ to Chicago, as I recall we backed into Union Station which oriented the train for the trip back east. There was also a turn around operation in Philadelphia with a locomotive switch.
There have also been a few times when I rode the Wolverine out of Chicago where it backed out of Union Station as well, and then continued onto Michigan. Funny enough, both times I used points for business class upgrades so the conductor was in our car (the last car of the train) on the radio with the engineer. It was cool, figurately and literally because it was January so our car was a little cold until the turn was complete and they could close the door 😅🥶
@@Thom-TRA My guess is there was a short turnaround time. Maybe took a train that already arrived, cleaned and serviced it while parked in the station instead of setting one up in the yard.
I lived in Monee Illinois.. it's my home town. Monee has the Cut, which was made for the old steam engines. Because Monee is the highest part of the ICG line. I really miss my old house. It is on Chestnut Rd. If you ever get to go to Monee, stand on one of the bridges directly over the tracks facing the train. It gives you the most thrilling experience. When did ICG line get bought out?.
Amazing to see some love to my home city Champaign-Urbana! I’ve taken this route numerous times and sometimes don’t appreciate the uniqueness of the trains (mainly thanks to CN).
Good video and very educational. I'd love to take the City of New Orleans from start to finish. When you were riding backwards at the beginning it reminded me of a comment one of my aunts made when she rode the rails many years ago. She said that she always got a face forward seat because "I want to know where I'm going not where I've been." Funny lady she was.
I heard that LA Union Station will soon have Run-through tracks (like NYC Penn Station) to replace the Stub-Ended ones. That will probably reduce turning Amtrak Long Distance Trains like Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, and it's possible they might also extend the Coast Starlight to San Diego if that track conversion at LAUPT happens.
Being from LA originally, (I live in the Bay Area now) I was curious what they would have to bulldoze to pull that off. A new crossing over 101 is the easy part. I’m looking at the area on Google Earth. Maybe they could elevate the line through the bus and DWP yards and then have the tracks meet back at the tracks that run along the LA River. Interesting rumor, Dennis. Thanks for sharing.
This is the only train route I’ve both rode and slept on. I took it from Chicago to Memphis about a year ago when they were not yet using alc-42s at the time. My lead locomotive was Amtrak 160, the one in the Pepsi can paint scheme, which was also my lead locomotive from Atlanta to Birmingham, AL on the Crescent a few months ago.
@@Thom-TRA Oh yeah cool! I wish I’ve seen it at other times when not riding it but I only have those two times when I was on those two routes I mentioned.
Great research on this, Thom! If I recall, they stopped using the SCAL for the backup maneuver because the bridge needed repairs that cost more than just keeping the IC connector at 21st Street crossing in decent condition. I miss it when taking the Illini/Saluki though. So now the bridge sits permanently up, like its sister bridge, the old B&OCT bridge to no where, now CSX. That one has been derelict since the closure of B&O Grand Central Station and removal of their tracks and yards after Amtrak took over and moved everything to Union Station. BTW, the B&OCT, especially the evolution of the B&O's downtown access overall, is a great story if you haven't already researched it. Not a typical topic for your channel, since it's pure historical research, but unique tory nevertheless.
@@Thom-TRA Great idea. In that case, consider including the NW Metropolitan L bridge to no where over the CNW/UP and the Goose Island Cherry Avenue bridge.
@@Thom-TRA Long before a NW subway (Blue Line) was there. the Metropolitan L westside L (now CTA Green) branched south at Paulina (now CTA Pink) and north to Damen. It was demo'd but the CNW used the bridge for signals so it was left alone and UP uses it to this day for signals.
I remember seeing the train do this for the first time years ago and it wasn't until that one episode of Mighty Machines where they talked about transit vehicles that I found out about the cab car. That's actually kinda cool. Its kinda like the autocoaches they've got in the UK.
Probably quicker and cheaper to reverse like that than to run the locomotive around.Some use remote driving cars but you need something called timer division to sync the locomotive and the driving cab and timer division is generally used on more local trains although French TGV 's , English HST's and the Australian APT must use it.
Thank you for the explanation regarding the Chicago reverse-moves. A similar situation (but on a smaller scale) occurs at San Antonio. The northbound Texas Eagle departs from the San Antonio station in "reverse mode" for about one and one-third miles. Reaching the site of former interlocking Tower 112, the Texas Eagle backs just beyond the switch to the former Katy Railroad (all Union Pacific now) then switches to the former Katy line to leave town.
At Fort Worth, the Texas Eagle formerly backed up from the station to Tower 55 to access the ex-T&P line for Dallas. Now it uses the TRE (ex-Rock Island), eliminating this move. The Heartland Flyer makes a short backup when departing to access the BNSF line to Oklahoma City.
The thing that infuriates me about the Ilini and Saluki is that they are mandated by CN to use Superliner's and they have to use more than the route requires (by capacity). It's aggravating considering they have such an equipment shortage issue. I wish that Amtrak could make the modifications needed to the section of trackage that the use in this territory so that they could get away with using the single level equipment instead. I've heard that on top of the requirement of a certain number of axles to activate crossing gates, they also have to be a certain weight, which is why they are being told to use Superliners. This is insane since Amtrak is in such a tight spot with their long distance fleet and have had to cut the second full sleeper and sightseer from The Capitol Limited and Auto Train. I want to say that they also cut it from The Texas Eagle but I'm not sure about that one.
Specifically, CN apparently has so little confidence in their automatic grade crossing gates on their north-south main line in Illinois that trains must have at least 32 axles and meet a minimum weight requirement that can't be reached by single-level coaches, for fear their gates might not activate with a shorter and lighter train. It is utterly absurd and speaks to a failure of regulation in the US. If CN's grade crossings work that poorly, perhaps they shouldn't be running trains on this line at all until they are fixed.
@@dblissmn I agree. What if local freight trains ran on this line with the frequency that Amtrak services do? You can be damn sure they would make sure that their crossings worked properly then!
Very interesting. I'm from Australia, and in 2014 we visited Canada, and rode the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff. The Rocky backed up out of their station at Vancouver. Not sure how far they had to do that.
The City of New Orleans did actually go west to about Halsted street before starting it's journey to New Orleans. The last time I was on the train in 2018 that was how our journey started.
Indeed-the St. Charles Air Line was used for many years. Now the question-why was the Air Line originally built by the IC? Because the IC went westward to Sioux City and Council Bluffs
I have taken both routes in and out of Chicago on the City of New Orleans, admittedly about 10 years ago. I believe there is a third route where they go south first and take a different siding to the air line. If you look near Cermak road to the south they can go straight south and the NE on a siding, or take the SW path then straight to the air line connector.
They stopped doing it when the south span of the St. Charles Air Line bridge broke a couple years ago. The bridge has been in trouble for 50 years -- for a long time, to keep the south span down, the north span had to be up, and yet we went a half century and never fixed or reconfigured this. This whole mess should have been replaced in the early 1970s, but we're kind of strange in this country about infrastructure.
As someone who rides this line often, I would offer a few thoughts to add to this great video. 1st - the City of New Orleans was a 2nd class train on the IC. The Panama Limited was the 1st class all-Pulman service whose on-time performance was the President of the railroad pet peeve. It was a firing offense to delay the Panama. He checked the OT performance when he arrived at work every morning and if the Panama was late that was the first order of business for the day. The City got the song so it was the retained train name. As to backing out, until the construction started on removing the tower on the Metra line that controls traffic into LaSalle street station and the St. Charles Air Line; the Airline was the much-preferred route and it was a couple of miles shorter and had fewer sharp curves. It would suspect that when the tower has been replaced with automatic block signals and CIC that they will go back to the Airline. I hope that the curve into the station comes sooner than later. One further point on the delay that NS imposes on the Capitol and Lake Shore. The dozen or more times I have ridden that route we were never delayed on the part of the route you describe basically highball from Whiting to the station and out to Whiting. The delays and you are correct the NS is as notorious as the UP on the Sunset route for delaying Amtrak but in my experience much more often outside this corridor. Thank you for your effort on this one.
If only we could relive the glory days of the Panama Limited! I guess that commitment to on time performance has a new name these days, it’s called Japan or Switzerland. Thanks for the comment!
The airline bridge has been out for many years & will remain out for the foreseeable future. There are actually two routes to take these trains out of Chicago. You took the more favorable route to the NS and thru the new connection across to Metra 16th St. The other route takes you out the CN to Cermak, then cross Amtrak at 21st St and on past Metra 16th.
I hope you got to spend some time in Champaign-Urbana! The bus system there is quite excellent for a city that size in North America and they even have some unique hydrogen bi-articulated busses too.
At a terminal you need an extra road and a switch to allow the engine to do a run around and go to the rear of the car set. At some point you also need a turn table if your engine is not suited to running in reverse. Here in Sydney Australia engines have to drive light for several miles so that sometime later they could re appear pointed in the right direction for the next trip. Passenger cars have reversible seats so that passengers can face forward for the long journey.. Stavros
If you're ever in Springfield, Mass, the north-south trains have to do a similar, if much smaller maneuver. The platforms are on the east-west route over the river, so Amtraks Vermonter and the CTRail commuter trains turn into the station and have to back out onto the n/s main before they can continue.
Having made the journey along the NS Chicago - South Bend line many times since the 1980s (starting with the long-defunct “International” out of Toronto) I have always wondered why Amtrak wouldn’t use the South Shore trackage. Then I remind myself, “Oh yeah. It’s Amtrak.”
That bunny rabbit on Halsted St. platform at 8:10 is at the right place. It can ride rabbit transit.
Yesssss
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE
If the rabbit got lost in transit, would he become some bunny that I used to know.
I hope it found its way home safely.
@@alanindarwin8394 Siwwy wabbit. 🐰😆
The way the trains leave Chicago is so weird and confusing, I’m glad to know how it all works.
Glad this could help!
They always used to use the St. Charles Air Line bridge. IDK they stopped .
What a fascinating and detailed explanation. Your maps and diagrams really help someone like me who has no idea about the rail layout in Chicago, but understands it's the most important hub on Amtrak transcontinental routes. I especially appreciated the notes on who owns/operates the specific tracks and how that relates to iconic names from the past. The only place in Europe I have experienced this kind of maneuver was in France at Nimes where the daily loco hauled train from Paris via Clermont-Ferrand had to reverse into the station. A new curve avoids that need now, and I'm not even sure the train runs - DMUs rule.
And you know what’s better than DMUs? EMUs! Haha
I once flew out of Nîmes to London Stansted. The flight was the only one to depart out of Nîmes that day, and it cost me a total of €4.99. I am still financially recovering 😂
I live in Chicago now, but my first visit was on the City of New Orleans. The nighttime views of the city falling away as the train heads south still reads as peaceful closure, a sort of punctuation on a visit to the Windy City. A lot of cities care about saying hello, but this is a lovely way for Chicago to say goodbye.
Travelled on the City of New Orleans almost 20yrs ago, we had a 2 berth cabin with steward, restaurant car with silver service, observation car with videos - all to ourselves. We met a couple from Memphis with whom we made friends, visited their home as we drove back through the South and met them when they visited England. We hope to see them again next year in Scotland.
I always wondered about the to-ing and fro- ing as we left Chicago Union, we did more than shown here before we set off South.
I ride the Illini for every UIUC break, and it's a fun to ride and fascinating train line.
Another problem is loss of shunt on Canadian National tracks, where the the train doesn't trigger rail crossings. To run passenger service, Amtrak has had to steal some Superliners from long distance services, as CN requires a certain weight and axle count to counteract the problem; single-level cars (including the new Ventures just waiting for service) don't count.
Apparently they're holding meetings with everyone involved to try and fix it. I think it would make for a great video if you could find some people on the committee to interview!
Yeah them using the extra superliners is super annoying. A great example of freight railroads just bullying Amtrak around just because they can. Glad to head something is being done. Will follow it closely.
As an Amtrak fan since its inception in the 1970s, nice work, fellow railfan. Hope you have a lot more chances to ride the rails.
Thank you! I bought a rail pass for the spring so the future is bright :)
They're a great deal. I hope you get on some long-distance routes. I've had a room or roomette on a lot of the network, and they're an awesome way to see the country (even with the delays caused by the freight train priority in our country). See you on the rails!
@@SteveInNEPA1 At least, in Australia, passenger has priority over freight unlike USA & Canada.
@Hawthorn Valley Sadly, many years ago, the US let its rail passenger service atrophy. It's never fully recovered.
Ping Tom Memorial Park is named after Ping Tom, who after fighting for decades for the construction of a new park in Chicago's Chinatown, formed the real-estate firm Chinese American Development Corporation (CADC) in 1984. The firm purchased a Santa Fe railyard in 1989 and built Chinatown Square, a residential and commercial development. But some of the land (6 acres) was left untouched, and it was decided to turn this piece into a public park. The Chicago Park District would end up purchasing the 6 acres for it in 1991. Originally it was gonna be designed based off the walled plazas of Suzhou, but it was scrapped for security and vandalism risks. Instead, it was decided to make a system of pathways meant to mimic Chinese courtyards.
Ping Tom would end up dying of pancreatic cancer in 1995, three years before the park was complete. So it was suggested to name the park in honor of him, the driving force behind its creation. The park was dedicated in October 1999.
Wow, thanks for sharing the history behind that! Chicago desperately needs more parks.
@@Thom-TRA A lot of cities desperately need more parks and green space in general. Compared to other cities, Chicago has quite a good amount (but that doesn't mean they don't need more, rather that they're closer to the desired goal compared to others). At least, that's what Google Maps tells me.
@@GeneralLiuofBoston1911 Chicago’s green space is all on the waterfront, or in far western neighborhoods. Only tourists go to the waterfront parks. There are whole green deserts, both in very wealthy areas as well as less affluent neighborhoods.
I want to thank you for the report you posted showing the old Metropolitan Lounge in Union Station Chicago. I remember it from being there numerous times.and wondered what happened to it, in winter the fireplace was in use. So now it's for Hiawatha Monthly pass holders. Thanx to your video I know what happened to a favorite place of mine.
If you think the P42's or Chargers are loud be very thankful you weren't riding Amtrak during the F40 era. The F40's HEP was feed off of the main generator which means the units basically ran at notch 8 even when standing still. This gave them the nickname "Screamers". The P42's and Chargers have a separate small HEP generator which doesn't require the engine to run at full throttle. I believe METRA still has some F40's on it's roster so you might be familiar with the term Screamer.
The majority of the Metra fleet is still F40s, like the locomotive I showed when I talk about their loud noise.
I did notice the new chargers are very quiet when idling.
Seriously, I remember when Amtrak switched from F40s and Dash 8s to P42s and then P59s on the San Diegan/Surfliner. It was night and day
F40s run at constant speed with variable throttle load for hep.
Actually, the P42's and Chargers HEP alternators are still driven by the main diesel prime mover (as the F40's are) and still must run at a constant RPM while supplying power. The primary difference between them and the F40's is that the EMD units are 2-stroke diesels and have to remain at the top RPM when providing HEP. Also, their electronic technology is older. The newer units have 4-stroke diesels and incorporate newer inverter technologies that can still generate HEP at lower idle speeds when not supplying power to the traction motors (i.e., parked at the station.) They still run at 900 rpm when providing both HEP and traction current, but they just don't sound like they're screaming. Many roads that continue to use F40's added a separate diesel HEP generator, allowing the main diesel to vary in speed like a standard locomotive.
So Illini is where the name Illinois comes from. Illinois is the name that French Catholic missionaries gave to the Illini/Illiniwe Confederation, a group of thirteen tribes who originally lived in the Mississippi Valley before settling in area stretching up to Iowa and Lake Michigan. Illini is also for the Fighting Illini of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While Saluki was named in 2006 after the mascot of Southern Illinois University (both of these universities are near stations along the route). They're a breed of sighthound originally bred in the Fertile Crescent. Salukis are swift and agile sprinters, capable of sprinting as fast as 42 miles per hour, so you could say the name also fits to show how fast trains are, and didn't choose Greyhound, another sighthound because well...that name was taken. 😂
You learn something new every day
I think you mean the Illiniwek, not Illiniwe. Also, it’s Champaign-Urbana, not Urbana-Champaign 😉
@@alexandertebo4011
1. Their name can be several things from Illini, Illiniwek, or Ilinwe
2. Nope, the official name of the university is "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
@@lalakerspro That's the station name, not the university's.
"Since its founding in 1867, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has earned a reputation as a world-class leader in research, teaching, and public engagement." this is right from the university's website.
Great videos!!! I was the train operator on the Crenshaw K Line when you did the video. Thanks for your appreciation and love for trains!!!
Thank you for providing great transit access!
I have to say I find the prospect of Amtrak using the South Shore line Tracks to be quite exciting! That's a marriage made in heaven. Amtrak can keep a schedule, and the South Shore Line will have more income.
I would love to get a picture of an Amtrak train next to a south shore line
I was on a metra train on the electric line a day ago and a Amtrak came rushing past us. this was the first time I seen it on that rail
@@Thom-TRA Well the South Shore and Amtrak run parallel within 20 feet of each other for several miles just east of Gary alongside US HWY 12 . (Norfolk Southern former Penn Central/ New York Central mainline)
CSS is longer and has curve restrictions, but does not have Calumet R and Indiana Harbor ship crossings beside NS congestion.
Nice to see a young person interested in trains and so knowledgeable. Nice video.
Thank you!
This is such a bizarre operation it could rival what they do in Tampa, Florida with the Silver Star and Silver Meteor. I also noticed that one of the crossings (at 17:54) had Safetran e-bells, which are used at a few crossings in New Zealand as well.
It’s quite similar to the Tampa operation! And Grand Rapids in Michigan does this too!
Yes. We've experienced this maneuver when arriving/departing from Tampa Union Station on Amtrak's Silver Star.
I’ve taken this train many times and always wondered why it does the back up move. I’m watching from the Saluki. Great video!
I love when people watch videos while on the train!
I enjoyed this video. I am 63 years old and have been riding the City of New Orleans back and forth from Champaign to New Orleans for most of my life. Since I've always arrived and departed from Champaign, I like seeing videos of the portion of the train route from Champaign to Chicago.
Glad to highlight your favorite section!
what an awesome video! I've taken the CNW several times, and always wondered about the serpentine route to get out of the city (I know the city pretty well, but I would see places "I have no idea where we are!" .I have to recommend the original version of the song by ita writer, a Chicago Folk Music Giant -- Steve Goodman (long deceased, RIP) Also check out how the auto CC mangles that text at 21:05 ... "onc conductor zero Saxon male" LOL (it should be "Sacks of Mail"). Cheers, what a great video!
I am a train lover and your videos are wonderful / we live in Sacramwnto Ca and this is a great train area / keep up the good work / love them GK
Lo, how the mighty have fallen. When I was in college in Chicago I several times rode the Panama Limited, which was the real night train, not the City of New Orleans--which I guess sounds better in the song. (My family lived near Memphis.) It was a great train, with Pullman Cars and a real dining car, and it used the old IC station at the end of 12th Street. I lived in Hyde Park and attended Roosevelt University, so the IC was also my daily ride. Thanks for your channel. This video makes me want to return to Chicago if for no other reason, just to try the trains again. When I first moved to Chicago I lived on North Dearborn Parkplace, and if I didn't ride my bike into town, I could take the subway, with the old green cars.
Definitely go back!
@Thom-TRA Now I live in the Pacific Northwest, so, Empire Builder is a thing.
I rode the City of New Orleans into Chicago back in 2011, and it used the St Charles Air Line back then. Interesting riding through there in the morning. My friend and I were in the rear sleeper so I spent most of the ride over the air line looking out the back window, until it came time for the backup move at Halstead and the conductor kicked me out of his spot!
As a biased New Orleans resident I highly recommend taking it all the way down sometime. Awesome video as usual Thom!
That’s definitely the plan someday!!
2 years old, but a great video. Great explanation of Chicago rail operations. Enjoyable, as always.
Chicago had a number of train stations in late 19th and early 20th century.
The B&O station (on east side of Chicago river) was one of favorites, demolished in 1970s.
Like Penn Station in NYC in 1960s the head houses were demolished or remodeled.
Union Station’s recent ceiling restoration was long overdue … and looks beautiful.
Visited Chicago for the first time in November. Took the Saluki from Carbondale. It was my first time on an Amtrak. Love the footage, thanks for reminding me of an awesome trip!
In the Spring of 64', our 6th grade classes from the Moline School District, boarded the train at the Moline Station for day trip to Chicago. The cars were definitely NOT Super Liners, but the old passenger cars you might see as a toy train set. We transferred to buses at Union Station for rides to the museums. For me, being 11 years old at the time, it was a trip of a life time. I didn't realize it at the time, but later in life, it spurred me on to motorcycle travel around North America. I eventually rode in every State, and every Province of Canada, except for Nunavutt (no road to it). For the people who never got to ride the train, I feel sorry, but lucky that I got the chance. Thanks for the renewed memories.
Interestingly, there's a similar (though reversed) maneuver at the other end of the City of New Orleans line. The train pulls beyond the station in New Orleans and then backs up to reach the platform at New Orleans Union Terminal.
Crazy, I actually had no idea it did this at both ends. Do all trains do this in NO or just the CONO?
@@Thom-TRA Maybe that the Sunset Limited do not back-up into the New Orleans. I came by the SL once in the 90s, continued towards Jacksonville, FL. But that is a long time ago..
@@Greybone62 All trains into New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal must wye and reverse into the station. It is a stub-end terminal, meaning that all the tracks along the platforms dead-end at the terminal building.
Excellent Video!!! The City of New Orleans are one of my favorite Amtrak Trains. Very informative and educational video♥️💯🤞🏾
Love this type of content! You explained very well for someone like me who don't know much about rail but love learning about it.
This is the biggest compliment to me! Thank you!!
Also, fun side note: one of the lyrics in the City of New Orleans song is “passing trains that have no name” just like your handle
Really interresting video. I have never seen such a thing. Also the train seems really a great experience to ride. Thanks for the video.
Highly recommend Amtrak! Very different from train travel in the rest of the world
Excellent video. Obviously a career awaits. Well done.
Shout out from Homewood IL!
Thank you for this fascinating video ! I was aware the Chicago and North Western Railway built the route initially as a single track, and as you say it is surprising that when the route was doubled running has not been reversed so that inbound trains use the southernmost track. It was also amusing and somewhat ironic that the slow moving UP freight train was running westbound on the northernmost track !
Perhaps it was just leaving Proviso yard ? Many thanks .
Yes, the freight train just left the yard!
Thanks for sharing, looking forward to more videos.
Every week!
So from my understanding Amtrak is generally given priority into the blocks provided the fact they make it into certain blocks at certain times. When Amtrak doesnt meet those times freight dispatchers give priority to their own trains. Which makes causes Amtrak to incur length delays waiting on a siding.
Amtrak used to use "option 1" until only a few years ago! Also, the Air Line tracks that were ripped out were only taken up to add a bridge for the new "78" development and a single main has been put back in place. Nothing currently goes over it, but hopefully Amtrak gets their new direct access ramp!
Yes, I remember going by those condos by the Halsted St. station when they were under construction when I had to take the train down to my dad's for visitation. The Metra BNSF line and the Illini/Saluki/CoNO all use the South Concourse @ Union Station, so while time-consuming, it made sense to use that option. The current option takes even longer.
Thank you for your amazing videos. I’m from the UK and feel inspired to visit the places you have. Helps me understand US train travel as it’s much different to the UK, especially as I’m from London!
I’m so glad to hear this!
Thanks for another fine video. I am encouraged by proposed ramp from the St. Charles Air Line to Union Station. I'm less enthusiastic about switching St. Louis service to the Rock Island. The existing routing is reasonably quick, and the reroute, particularly because of the jog necessary to get from the Rock Island tracks into Union Station.
I think it’s just getting rid of delays and moving it onto tracks that are dispatched by a passenger railroad. I remember taking the heritage corridor and being delayed on that line.
Since Amtrak is experiencing delays on its existing Joliet-Chicago Route, Iam 100% in favor of the Ex Rock Island Reroute.
@@odiecalodie The current routing from LaSalle to Joliet via the Rock Island is three miles longer than the Heritage Corridore routing, even before adding in the additional distance via the St. Charles Air Line. The route from Union Station to the ex-Rock Island tracks will have to be lower speed, as will the connection between ex-RI and Union Pacific in Joliet (although perhaps that won't matter, because all Amtrak trains will continue to stop in Joliet.)
The plan to add a connection from Union Station directly to the Air Line is not contingent on routing Amtrak via ex-RI, but a new connection between the Air Line and ex-RI, and a new Amtrak platform (along with ADA vertical access) and probably all other Amtrak facilities at Joliet, at a far enough distance from Metra and Pace operations to make transfers more difficult. I'd rather see money put into the stalled CREATE P5 project to grade separate the Brighton crossing to address congestion between Joliet and Chicago via the existing Amtrak route.
Very cool video. Much love from North Carolina. You just got another sub. 🤙
I am taking this train in August. I am stoked that I can take pictures of the loco without having to run to the end of the train. Hopefully it's an ALC-42!
It is definitely an advantage for train lovers like ourselves!
So this is where Garfield was filmed? They have a train scene that shows the Amtrak leaving backwards too
Lol I never thought of that
Also, Amtrak back up into Denver station and some more.
I've travelling on Amtrak train even before Amtrak became nationwide (formerly individual railroad passengers companies became no longer confused with many transfers) for over 54 years. I hopped once or twice a year acrossing any part of USA as I love it and no matter if the train is delays or on time because train travellings are blasting with wonderful socially different people from all over the places and a beauty by looking views passing different areas too. And I'm using mostly sleeper car that is including no extra cost eating in dining car is the best! And their real foods are great! Able to walk entire each cars or standing out of train car on platform if stop for 10 or more minutes (don't wonder away from platform then the train will left by catch up on schedule or be on-time a minute or two before). While monitoring the completely refueling in locomotives, done by exchanging suitcases in baggage car, finishing filling up water each car and less passengers hopping in or hopping out will be leaving early as a schedule.
I used took Southern Pacific (SP) Peninsula Commuter trains for years. SP ran between San Francisco and San Jose, now called Caltrain extended to Gilroy (south of San Jose).
Once pandemic will be over and I will resume traveling again plus, dining car foods will resume standard real good food.
For you guys are taking a short trip on any long distance Amtrak to see if you like the train before taking longer trip. Also, check train status (keeping repeating if a train is catch up) for the arrival to save your waiting. Enjoy!
@2:27 you have a clip of the Dutch railway company NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) as an example of two locomotives. You are right, but in this specific situation the train is prepared with a cab-car. However, it turned out that the locomotive used for this train wasn't able to communicate with the cab-car in push-direction. Hence the two locomotives and making the cab-car "useless". The previous type of locomotives used for this train type was able to be used in push-configuration. But that type of locomotive wasn't able to run on this specific stretch between Rotterdam and Amsterdam (NL) if I remember this correctly.
Yes, I know, I was living in the Netherlands when they were in the process of those tests and the eventual decision to use 2 locomotives. I actually have a separate video all about it, you should watch it.
Ridden these many times, including backups onto the BNSF wye. Chicago railroad history is fascinating. All of Ping Tom Park and several blocks east were SO much railyard when I was born; just as Amtrak was consolidating.
Great vid.
Thanks for sharing your experience and memories!
Fun Fact: 0.1 km North of the canal street railway crossing there are these abandoned CNW railway tracks that lead up to a track connection to the UP north and northwest lines, these tracks could potentially be used for RER service and would also open up opportunities for Amtrak to make a second route to Milwaukee using the Metra UP-N line tracks and would benefit the people in the communities along the Metra UP-N line for proper access to Milwaukee, especially in places like Kenosha
I'll say I think the biggest potential for growth is constructing a dedicated pedestrian access way between OTC and CUS. Trackage from there means better service to Milwaukee and Madison and could even stop at O'Hare along the way.
Amtrak CONO really is a relaxing way i actually have rode it a few times in 2019 from Chicago to Newbern and in 2022 Newbern to Brookhaven just missing mcomb hammond and NOL
While its roughly the same time to get to memphis from the house as driving i plan on doing a chicago run soon on it this summer
A 2nd CONO should be a daytime train
@@saangtoaikaa9211 it actually used to be a day time train but when amtrak took it over they mixed and matched the IC passenger services into one route and thats the CONO we have today
Stumbled across this video after watching my weekly dose of DownieLive. My curiousity was aroused by the title as I'm aware of Amtrak's reversal moves. I visited Chicago about 28 years ago from Australia as part of a 6 week adventure taking in Western Canada, Colorado narrow gauge and the Eastern USA not previously visited. Great to see railfanning is still well and truly alive with your generation and I notice you have a young lady accompany you on some of your adventures. Thanks for your comprehensive and informative commentary with this video. I recognise several places I have been to or passed. I had to chuckle when I saw the rabbit on Halsted Street Station Platform - that was a real surprise - somebody's pet must have escaped home as I doubt a rabbit could normally be found there. Must get around to checking out more of your videos when time allows. Cheers from Michael in Melbourne, Australia.🙂
You should do a video about how Amtrak utilizes dead end stations. How interesting it is to see them arrive in reverse and pull out forward.
Great video. Thank you!
Thanks for the sweet ride
I've been lucky enough to be able to ride on my friends private rail car, The Babbling Brook, a Budd observation car out of Chicago a couple times, it's so cool to have the view of the engineer for a bit before the switch.
That sounds awesome
Fascinating 🚂🚃🚋🚞
Nice video ! Thank you !!
That was a great detailed explanation and now I know where the change in direction takes place! Also good to know about the future plans to speed up the trip out of Union Station. Thanks!
Very informative! Thx!
Hoping to ride the New Orleans to Chicago run in late 2023 or in 2024. Thanks for sharing this, we are new subscribers. Stay connected!
Thanks for subscribing! I’m sure you’ll enjoy your trip!
@@Thom-TRA Yes, can't wait!
@@Thom-TRA Stay in touch
Excellent video. Valuable explanations! 😁
Thank you!!
3:02
Wooooo! Boston represent!
Yes, this is why I am used to seeing trains "moving backwards". Either I'm foaming as they pass, see them at stations, or literally riding. Once I understood the concept, it was honestly such an interesting feature that is absolutely fascinating, even more when in action. It gets better the more you realize you can't get jaded by it after 2 years.
The Milwaukee Road backed the entire Olympian Hiawatha ten miles into Seattle’s Union Station from Black River Junction. There were no turning facilities for the single-ended EP-2 locomotives they used. It must have been a pretty weird feeling looking forwards while moving back for that long.
Wow, 10 miles! That’s super long
Back in the 80s, when I took the Broadway Ltd. from Newark, NJ to Chicago, as I recall we backed into Union Station which oriented the train for the trip back east. There was also a turn around operation in Philadelphia with a locomotive switch.
Nice work man. Made me miss Chicago.
Thank you!
I used to take the Metra to Union Station everyday to work. I miss the city.
Come back!
Nice video and vlog!
There have also been a few times when I rode the Wolverine out of Chicago where it backed out of Union Station as well, and then continued onto Michigan. Funny enough, both times I used points for business class upgrades so the conductor was in our car (the last car of the train) on the radio with the engineer. It was cool, figurately and literally because it was January so our car was a little cold until the turn was complete and they could close the door 😅🥶
I wonder why they did that on the Wolverine? Never heard of that before. I can imagine it got cold. Especially the horizon cars let so much snow in.
@@Thom-TRA My guess is there was a short turnaround time. Maybe took a train that already arrived, cleaned and serviced it while parked in the station instead of setting one up in the yard.
thank you for posting - your videos are always excellent and enjoyable to watch
Thank you!
i enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing. 🚂🚃🚃🏝
So glad you enjoyed!
There's some really beautiful shots in here! Keep up the good work
Thank you! I actually spent a lot of effort on this video
@@Thom-TRA It shows! Keep up the great work!
I applaud your determination. This was very well researched and presented. Subscribed
My determination appreciates the applause!
I now live in Joliet Illinois. And Metra stops at Tinley Park. And Amtrak stops at Joliet.
Well done video!
Thanks for the video
I lived in Monee Illinois.. it's my home town. Monee has the Cut, which was made for the old steam engines. Because Monee is the highest part of the ICG line. I really miss my old house. It is on Chestnut Rd.
If you ever get to go to Monee, stand on one of the bridges directly over the tracks facing the train. It gives you the most thrilling experience.
When did ICG line get bought out?.
Sleeping on a train (or trying to) is the best part of the adventure.
Amazing to see some love to my home city Champaign-Urbana! I’ve taken this route numerous times and sometimes don’t appreciate the uniqueness of the trains (mainly thanks to CN).
Good video and very educational. I'd love to take the City of New Orleans from start to finish.
When you were riding backwards at the beginning it reminded me of a comment one of my aunts made when she rode the rails many years ago. She said that she always got a face forward seat because "I want to know where I'm going not where I've been." Funny lady she was.
That is funny!
Thanks again John in in Chicago
Restoration of the St Charles Airline would also open RER opportunities for the Metra
I heard that LA Union Station will soon have Run-through tracks (like NYC Penn Station) to replace the Stub-Ended ones. That will probably reduce turning Amtrak Long Distance Trains like Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, and it's possible they might also extend the Coast Starlight to San Diego if that track conversion at LAUPT happens.
I don’t know about soon but I have heard they’re planning to do that as well. It will be good for the region for sure!
Being from LA originally, (I live in the Bay Area now) I was curious what they would have to bulldoze to pull that off. A new crossing over 101 is the easy part. I’m looking at the area on Google Earth. Maybe they could elevate the line through the bus and DWP yards and then have the tracks meet back at the tracks that run along the LA River.
Interesting rumor, Dennis. Thanks for sharing.
I live in Wisconsin. I miss a warm July Night.
Great narration.
10:49 I love how they almost ALWAYS wave.
The wave is so nice
Amtrak City of New Orleans route one of my favorite Amtrak routes. 😊
This is the only train route I’ve both rode and slept on. I took it from Chicago to Memphis about a year ago when they were not yet using alc-42s at the time. My lead locomotive was Amtrak 160, the one in the Pepsi can paint scheme, which was also my lead locomotive from Atlanta to Birmingham, AL on the Crescent a few months ago.
The Pepsi van locomotive looks really cool! I’ve seen it a few times on the Southwest Chief
@@Thom-TRA Oh yeah cool! I wish I’ve seen it at other times when not riding it but I only have those two times when I was on those two routes I mentioned.
Great research on this, Thom! If I recall, they stopped using the SCAL for the backup maneuver because the bridge needed repairs that cost more than just keeping the IC connector at 21st Street crossing in decent condition. I miss it when taking the Illini/Saluki though. So now the bridge sits permanently up, like its sister bridge, the old B&OCT bridge to no where, now CSX. That one has been derelict since the closure of B&O Grand Central Station and removal of their tracks and yards after Amtrak took over and moved everything to Union Station. BTW, the B&OCT, especially the evolution of the B&O's downtown access overall, is a great story if you haven't already researched it. Not a typical topic for your channel, since it's pure historical research, but unique tory nevertheless.
Thanks for the suggestion! There are a bunch of abandoned railroad bridges in Chicago, I think you just sparked an idea…
@@Thom-TRA Great idea. In that case, consider including the NW Metropolitan L bridge to no where over the CNW/UP and the Goose Island Cherry Avenue bridge.
@@thickernell what’s that first bridge?
@@Thom-TRA Long before a NW subway (Blue Line) was there. the Metropolitan L westside L (now CTA Green) branched south at Paulina (now CTA Pink) and north to Damen. It was demo'd but the CNW used the bridge for signals so it was left alone and UP uses it to this day for signals.
HI , I"ve seen it mentioned earlier, where was the B&O Central Station?
Very good job explaining and showing how it works. 👌
I remember seeing the train do this for the first time years ago and it wasn't until that one episode of Mighty Machines where they talked about transit vehicles that I found out about the cab car. That's actually kinda cool. Its kinda like the autocoaches they've got in the UK.
Probably quicker and cheaper to reverse like that than to run the locomotive around.Some use remote driving cars but you need something called timer division to sync the locomotive and the driving cab and timer division is generally used on more local trains although French TGV 's , English HST's and the Australian APT must use it.
Thank you for the explanation regarding the Chicago reverse-moves. A similar situation (but on a smaller scale) occurs at San Antonio. The northbound Texas Eagle departs from the San Antonio station in "reverse mode" for about one and one-third miles. Reaching the site of former interlocking Tower 112, the Texas Eagle backs just beyond the switch to the former Katy Railroad (all Union Pacific now) then switches to the former Katy line to leave town.
I didn’t realize the TE did this as well!
At Fort Worth, the Texas Eagle formerly backed up from the station to Tower 55 to access the ex-T&P line for Dallas. Now it uses the TRE (ex-Rock Island), eliminating this move. The Heartland Flyer makes a short backup when departing to access the BNSF line to Oklahoma City.
Neat. Didn't realize the Heartland Flyer made a short back-up move prior to leaving Ft. Worth.@@gregsells8549
Are you any relation to Albern Sells?@@gregsells8549
The thing that infuriates me about the Ilini and Saluki is that they are mandated by CN to use Superliner's and they have to use more than the route requires (by capacity). It's aggravating considering they have such an equipment shortage issue. I wish that Amtrak could make the modifications needed to the section of trackage that the use in this territory so that they could get away with using the single level equipment instead. I've heard that on top of the requirement of a certain number of axles to activate crossing gates, they also have to be a certain weight, which is why they are being told to use Superliners. This is insane since Amtrak is in such a tight spot with their long distance fleet and have had to cut the second full sleeper and sightseer from The Capitol Limited and Auto Train. I want to say that they also cut it from The Texas Eagle but I'm not sure about that one.
Texas eagle doesn’t have a sightseer either. I think the requirements are dumb, and they’re not consistent across the entire CN network either.
Specifically, CN apparently has so little confidence in their automatic grade crossing gates on their north-south main line in Illinois that trains must have at least 32 axles and meet a minimum weight requirement that can't be reached by single-level coaches, for fear their gates might not activate with a shorter and lighter train. It is utterly absurd and speaks to a failure of regulation in the US. If CN's grade crossings work that poorly, perhaps they shouldn't be running trains on this line at all until they are fixed.
@@dblissmn I agree. What if local freight trains ran on this line with the frequency that Amtrak services do? You can be damn sure they would make sure that their crossings worked properly then!
Very interesting. I'm from Australia, and in 2014 we visited Canada, and rode the Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff. The Rocky backed up out of their station at Vancouver. Not sure how far they had to do that.
I don't know why Amtrak isn't taking advantage of the Metra Electric and South Shore ROW to use electric trains on it similar to the NEC.
The San Joaquin valley train do the same thing leave Bakersfield forward locomotive and comes back tails in
The City of New Orleans did actually go west to about Halsted street before starting it's journey to New Orleans. The last time I was on the train in 2018 that was how our journey started.
See, I knew there had to be a reason why the maps showed it that way!
@@Thom-TRA yes it did then went up this tall long bridge afterwards
Indeed-the St. Charles Air Line was used for many years. Now the question-why was the Air Line originally built by the IC?
Because the IC went westward to Sioux City and Council Bluffs
I have taken both routes in and out of Chicago on the City of New Orleans, admittedly about 10 years ago. I believe there is a third route where they go south first and take a different siding to the air line. If you look near Cermak road to the south they can go straight south and the NE on a siding, or take the SW path then straight to the air line connector.
They stopped doing it when the south span of the St. Charles Air Line bridge broke a couple years ago. The bridge has been in trouble for 50 years -- for a long time, to keep the south span down, the north span had to be up, and yet we went a half century and never fixed or reconfigured this. This whole mess should have been replaced in the early 1970s, but we're kind of strange in this country about infrastructure.
As someone who rides this line often, I would offer a few thoughts to add to this great video. 1st - the City of New Orleans was a 2nd class train on the IC. The Panama Limited was the 1st class all-Pulman service whose on-time performance was the President of the railroad pet peeve. It was a firing offense to delay the Panama. He checked the OT performance when he arrived at work every morning and if the Panama was late that was the first order of business for the day. The City got the song so it was the retained train name. As to backing out, until the construction started on removing the tower on the Metra line that controls traffic into LaSalle street station and the St. Charles Air Line; the Airline was the much-preferred route and it was a couple of miles shorter and had fewer sharp curves. It would suspect that when the tower has been replaced with automatic block signals and CIC that they will go back to the Airline. I hope that the curve into the station comes sooner than later. One further point on the delay that NS imposes on the Capitol and Lake Shore. The dozen or more times I have ridden that route we were never delayed on the part of the route you describe basically highball from Whiting to the station and out to Whiting. The delays and you are correct the NS is as notorious as the UP on the Sunset route for delaying Amtrak but in my experience much more often outside this corridor. Thank you for your effort on this one.
If only we could relive the glory days of the Panama Limited! I guess that commitment to on time performance has a new name these days, it’s called Japan or Switzerland. Thanks for the comment!
The airline bridge has been out for many years & will remain out for the foreseeable future. There are actually two routes to take these trains out of Chicago. You took the more favorable route to the NS and thru the new connection across to Metra 16th St. The other route takes you out the CN to Cermak, then cross Amtrak at 21st St and on past Metra 16th.
I hope you got to spend some time in Champaign-Urbana! The bus system there is quite excellent for a city that size in North America and they even have some unique hydrogen bi-articulated busses too.
At a terminal you need an extra road and a switch to allow the engine to do a run around and go to the rear of the car set. At some point you also need a turn table if your engine is not suited to running in reverse.
Here in Sydney Australia engines have to drive light for several miles so that sometime later they could re appear pointed in the right direction for the next trip.
Passenger cars have reversible seats so that passengers can face forward for the long journey..
Stavros
If you're ever in Springfield, Mass, the north-south trains have to do a similar, if much smaller maneuver. The platforms are on the east-west route over the river, so Amtraks Vermonter and the CTRail commuter trains turn into the station and have to back out onto the n/s main before they can continue.
Cool! Didn’t know that
Having made the journey along the NS Chicago - South Bend line many times since the 1980s (starting with the long-defunct “International” out of Toronto) I have always wondered why Amtrak wouldn’t use the South Shore trackage.
Then I remind myself, “Oh yeah. It’s Amtrak.”
You nailed the part where you said its a stressful drive. The highways to urbana have almost no lights.
I’ve done it a few times myself. The railroad viaducts are so low in Champaign I get nervous with the company vans I drive.