ICE 209 charges out of the Rock River Valley and into the town of Byron, doing track speed and making good time toward Savannah.
BNSF continued to provide good leaders throughout the day, this time on an unexpected rock train in the form of yet another good ol' BN SD40-2, and, of course, CB&Q signals.
The J's only GP38-2 idles while awaiting the arrival of a UP coal train. Once there, it will tie on and take the train to the Waukegan ComEd plant.
In what may be a never to be repeated scene, a WC SD45 leads a westbound under the EJ&E and CB&Q signals as it approaches Eola Yard.
A UP coal train lead by an SD90 and CSX run through power heads through the rolling hills of LaFox, somewhat resembling a steel snake.
Amtrak's Empire Builder races west toward Wisconsin Dells after stopping briefly in the city of Portage.
Illinois Railway's 105 job blasts through some drifts as they skirt the cornfields near the tiny country town of Serena, IL.
With a definite "thud", this ICE SD40-2 sends a drift at a rural crossing into the air.
One of three remaining CNW's leads a train past the last operating semaphores in Chicago, a scene that may never be repeated again.
Whoever designs the new signal bridges obviously has had no education in the aesthetics area of study. In fact, the only word that comes to mind when compared with the classic Q is monstrosity.
NS's Wabash heritage unit heads west through Wauseon, Ohio and into the setting sun.
You can see 1/3 of CNW's roster in this picture.
A pair of IHB's infamous orange and black SD20s make some smoke in typical 1st generation EMD fashion as they head south on the IHB.
On our final day at Elk Grove Village, our SW14 is ready to head back toward the yard. Engineer Pat McPhillips and switchman Noel Fuentes discuss the final spot at Vertis Communications.
As the sun sets, a stack train bound for Seattle crosses a picturesque little creek on its way into rural Illinois.
