Railfanning Blue Island, Illinois, 10.06.12: CSX, CN, UP, IAIS, Metra

Train 1:
CSX ES40DCs 5482 and 5426 bring an eastbound intermodal through Blue Island Junction.
Train 2:
CSX ES40DC #5227 and AC4400 #289 lead a westbound stack train to the joint IHB/B&OCT main line that will bring it to the Bedford Park Intermodal Terminal.
Train 3:
Canadian National C44-9W #2717, (actually an Illinois Central unit, but delivered in CN paint, as CN's takeover of the IC was happening), repainted ex-Oakway SD60 #5407, and C40-8 #2128, which wears the "CN 15 Years" logo, all pull a southbound (railroad eastbound) manifest on the Grand Trunk Western. With the EJ&E taking most traffic away from Chicago, moves on the GTW this far in are getting rare.
Train 4:
Sneaking up behind the CN train on the CSX main, a Union Pacific freight heads south (east), with an SD70M and brand-new GEVO #8006 leading.
Train 5:
Iowa Interstate ES44DCs come to a stop on the Metra Rock Island District bridge over the CSX/IHB/CN lines at the junction. IAIS #513, the Rock Island heritage unit, sits pretty on the bridge.
Train 6:
IAIS ES44DC #512 and SD38-2 #155, along with the Rock Island unit, idle in Burr Oak Yard at Vermont Street in Blue Island. Number 155 comes out across Vermont St for headroom in the yard.
Train 7:
At the border of Blue Island and Chicago at 119th Street on the Beverly Branch of Metra's Rock Island District, an outbound train makes its station stop here, sitting across the oblique crossing of Vincennes Road. F40PHM-2 #202, the 'Village of Orland Hills' leads 6 bilevels. The Electric District's Blue Island Branch terminal and the diesel line's coach yard can be seen in the distance, but this local train will make two more stops- 123rd St and Prairie St- before arriving there.
~Thanks for watching!~

[@tigerphid9677]

Imagine living next to those tracks. Between trains hitting the diamonds and blowing their horns, and the general noise, it must be a railfan's dream and a homeowner's nightmare...

[@RailTime1786]

One of these days I will visit this place. It’s on my bucket list under Folkston GA

[@roberthassan4411]

Really miss the Grand Trunk Western coming through this crossing! It's a shame the CN decided to close the GT down. I remember the GT had a small transfer yard just south of here back in the 1980's, miss them days!

[@PodmixtureAgain]

Looks different from when i rode the IC central train from Halsted st. To the blue island vermont st stop. I remember falling down on black ice,an old men tryed to help me up, he also fell down,then a whole crowed of nice people helped us up. I was on my way to Woolworths to buy records. 1979

[@anthonymcmillan5881]

Thanks for showing IAIS engines. They just fly past me. Keep showing your great work.

[@Andrewsaxamophone]

Looks like the signal had a small trip up right at 5:00. Great catches!

[@dwkcamman611]

GREAT catches!!!

[@1BlubeTube]

Indiana Harbor Belt is favorite Train Co.

[@1BlubeTube]

At least 20 trains, not counting Metra pass by on these tracks each day. And there are a lot of other tracks close by. At 171st St and Ashland Ave, are where they detach the cars and they roll down hill onto different tracks. I've seen it dozens of times. It's nice to look at.

[@NickThatRailfan]

Blue Island see's 100+ trains a day what are you talking about?

[@RailfanningRulez]

Epic lash-up at 5:54!!

[@coreypeters4170]

8:02, A depressed center flat car!

[@danielcarter5973]

Love good trains on social media,in real life I go into railroad yards,its not so much fun when a freight train blocks my only entrance into the rail yard,and I'm not sure how long before they bring up the green signal for train to depart,I've waited as long as an hour plus,still love my trains .

[@charlestillman8350]

smoke was coming from the tracktion engine

[@MBJLMJ]

the locomotive in second out of the first train was smoking at the coupler

[@michaelglass4701]

COOL

[@claydog1299]

How many trains go by blue island each day

[@johnnybukenasjr.9911]

2:34 wow a rare k line rail bridge wellcar

[@Timrathmore]

i could spend all day in that location > God Bless the American Railroader and Conductor. They move Americas Economy. We rave about muscle cars and horsepower. Clearly most of those people haven't got a clue about train horsepower

[@cnrailfan8000]

so train 3 locos were all special

[@lawrencekeesler7369]

Great video! What used to run on the unused single-track span over the Cal Sag Channel?

[@sodatran3538]

Lawrence Keesler h.

[@allgr8429]

I think you are talking about where the 2 Metra lines come back together on the south end. It is past the last station stop on the more western line.

[@RailfanningRulez]

The CSX Is buying the CN Elsdon Sub, so that GT Signal and the CN trains through Blue Island are going to be gone soon

[@larry84988]

The CN trains aren't going anywhere, CN will have trackage rights after CSX buys the line out in 2013.

[@willwozniak2826]

Iowa Interstate Es44s are AC, not DC.

[@anderlander3848]

CSX = Crash, Sue, Xplode.

[@MrImpossiblyBlack]

IAIS is trolling the railroad crossing :P

[@MASTERSTUDENT1]

***** *****

[@roberthassan4411]

Really miss the Grand Trunk Western coming through this crossing! It's a shame the CN decided to close the GT down. I remember the GT had a small transfer yard just south of here back in the 1980's, miss them days!