While searching for the Norfolk Southern Pennsylvania heritage unit, I stumbled across this shot with the anticipation that the next train was it. After hearing the horn, my excitement grew as it ... (more)

Like clockwork, another Metra train stops to pick up a couple passengers and take them into the suburbs of Chicago, IL. On the head end of this train is one of Metra's cab cars which has a cont... (more)

As a westbound manifest waits for a parade of westbound to clear ahead, a westbound coal empty proceeds to get another load of coal. With track maintenance everywhere on the line due to the frigid... (more)

Unknown to me, lower priority trains have recently started running from Global 4 to west coast ports via Bloomington, Springfield, and St. Louis as coal traffic is down. Seen here is an example of... (more)

Passing underneath the giant grain elevator in Ransom, IL is CSXT 856 and another CSXT GE locomotive in charge of a long intermodal train (BNSF Q CXOLAC1 15L). This train originated in at the inte... (more)

Making a turn towards good light is train BNSF H MADGAL1 05A with BNSF 3776 in charge as it makes its way into Virden, IL. This train originated in the TRRA's Madison Yard down in Madison, IL and ... (more)

Waiting for clearance into Norfolk Southerns large Brush yard, located in Decatur, IL, NS W02 [extra section of manifest 302 (AO Smith yard in Granite City, IL to Brush yard in Decatur, IL)] final... (more)

With a short train in tow, NS 6929 and another NS GE locomotive does the job as it leads UP train MBNAS 23 southbound through the town of Plainview, IL. This train is bound for Alton & Southern's ... (more)

One of the trains to look out for on this line is the bi-daily Bloomington to East St. Louis manifest because it is the only train on the line that does not require a cab signal leader. This train... (more)

Finding out about the Lackawana heritage unit leading one of the two Norfolk Southern triple crown roadrailers left on the system the night before, I made the decision that it was totally worth dr... (more)

With a rural landscape on one side and a busy city landscape on the other, this location on the western suburb of Geneva, IL is a very interesting one. Here we see Union Pacific train MMTPR 01 wit... (more)

With power that would typically be found on the Q FTMNSA, NS 8117 leads the charge eastbound with a long stack train in tow. This train originated at the yard in Ft. Madison, IA and will interchan... (more)

Stopping to throw the switch behind them into the plant is BNSF 1520 on the train BNSF L SPR8381 20A. This train runs out of the BNSF yard in Keokuk, IL and heads north along the BNSF Hannibal sub... (more)

Leading the charge of early morning eastbounds on the BNSF Chillicothe subdivision, BNSF 4099 has no problem making the heavy grade into the Illinois River valley with train BNSF Z PHXWSP7 01L in ... (more)

After pulling up to the crossover at CP 1844 and a quick crew change, BNSF 6019 west departs and prepares to go through the Cameron connection and turn west towards Burlington, IA as it goes to ge... (more)