A pair of SD40s hooks up to a string of stack cars.

A string of el cars snakes around the loop at the CTA's Des Plaines yard. At one time, this facility was shared with the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin interurban railroad.

Metra 155 cruises past the Oak Park CTA station and an eastbound el train.

an outbound Metra train departs Marion Street. The brown platform shelter to the left is the only structure surviving from the original CNW station, aside from the embankment the station sets on.

A veteran ex-CNW SD40 leads a stack train west on track 1, an unusual move at this time on a weekday since this track is normally reserved for eastbound commuter trains.

A rare inbound Metra move on track 2 due to freight traffic on the normally eastbound track 1 pulls into Marion st station. Note the CTA yard to the right of the engine.

a set of light power backs into the yard after coming out as far as the IC bridge.

Double header Metra highballs under the IC flyover.

A stack transfer heads into the setting sun, its strong industrial styling matching up with the strong vertical and horizontal lines of the urban landscape.

A typically busy day at Marion street. An west bound Metra passes the tail end of an east bound stack train. To the right, a CTA train runs towards its final stop.

My new Nikkor 55-200 VR lens proves its worth getting this shot of a CSX manifest passing by the search lights at Hodgkins.

A well timed Clyde to Clearing transfer arrives at Central ave just as the sun does.

One of the two CIRY switchers stationed at Cermak ave sits shut down in the yard.

A Southwest service train comes off the bridge and heads for the diamonds over the IC/CN.

Under the last lights of day, a CTA train leaves the Western ave stop, bound for its final destination of Kimbell.