NS 7637 (ES44AC) leads a combined westbound manifest / empty coal train under the former C&NW coaling tower in Nelson, IL.

A brand new Via Rail Siemens trainset is towed by Union Pacific through Nelson, IL, on its way from the Siemens manufacturing plant in Sacramento, CA to interchange with CN at Homewood, IL for the... (more)

UP 1111, Union Pacific's SD70ACe locomotive honoring its employees, thunders underneath the former C&NW coaling tower in Nelson, IL with manifest train MCHNP.

CNW caboose 11043 trails an eastbound freight under the old coaling tower at Nelson, IL. on frigid day in January of 1985.

This is a UP passenger special turning on the wye. Photo by Mike Dolenski, from my collection.

Swung by Nelson and all the signals in this area were changed out at the end of October 2022. Lots of shiny silver signals now direct train movements ending a cool era of CNW style signals that we... (more)

CSX's Law Enforcement unit leads a empty ethenol train West under the new signals at Nelson.

CSX 9014 (C40-9W), still in YN2 paint, is wasting no time as it speeds through Nelson, IL with a westbound ethanol train, as the first hints of sunlight start to peak out on the horizon on this co... (more)

UP 4404 (SD70M) leads a three-car special business train, PSPCB, from St. Paul to Council Bluffs, seen here traversing the Geneva Subdivision and passing under the C&NW coaling tower in Nelson, IL... (more)

ZG1SC, a high-priority Z-train from Global 2 in Chicago to Salt Lake City, UT, blasts underneath the former C&NW coaling tower in Nelson, IL with UP 1988 in charge.

Even though the temperature started this morning below zero, the railroads in the Midwest are still in full PSR mode...well the best they can. Doesn't take long being around these railroads to hea... (more)

UP 6615 leads the PRNP West under soon to fall CNW searchlights in Nelson. The replacement bridge is in place waiting to be cut in.

Nelson remains as the last town in west of Proviso with CNW searchlight signals still active. And with replacements laying all over town, the future for these historic signals is very grim. Noneth... (more)

Union Pacific 4014 leads a passenger train west through Nelson, Illinois under the old coaling tower. The CNW signals were standing at this time, although they may be gone within a few months.

A westbound auto train out of Gibson yard in Chicago, IL, slows up at Nelson to meet an eastbound ethanol train. The overnight low was around -4, and traffic is moving slow this morning with the c... (more)