Flying into Chicago tomorrow

I believe there are some UP tracks near westmont that are fairly busy, of course theres great train watching just about anywhere around Chicago.Berwyns trains, one of the best hobby shops in Chicago land for sure, not far from westmont either.http://www.berwynstoytrains.com/train-room-tour.html

The BNSF and Metra run right through downtown Westmont on their 3 track main. I recommend taking Metra for a ride into the city you can see some good interchange traffic along the way.

If your driving to Peoria you will be driving along I-55. The UP is doing a lot of track work that you can see from the road, a lot of work trains and equipment as of last week.

I second Berwyn trains.

Have fun!

 

franktrain 

Westmont itself is right on the BNSF mainline- the original CB& line. This weekend, they have Taste of Westmont just north of the tracks at Cass Ave, so if you like a crowd, amusement rides, and food with your railfanning, that would be the place. If the crowds not your pace, try either just west on the BNSF in Downtown Downers Grove. Lots of places to sit at and around the Metra station. Also places to get out of sudden downpours we have been having. 2 weeks ago, my 9 yo and I saw 5 trains in 30 minutes!- A local Metra communter, Amtrak California Zephyr, 2 intermodals and a coal train. DG also just completed an overpass further west, so now long trains can stop just west of town while waiting for traffic to clear. One of those trains was parked for 20 minutes waiting for the Califonia Zephyr to pass, and we got to see those ES44AC's go from dead stop to about 40 mph in 3 blocks. BNSF also has some warbonnet units (with more rust than silver these days) on their intermodal runs, giving some interesting colors. Also not unusual to see CSX or NS units going through chicago. 

 

UP runs through Elmhurst/Villa Park and Lombard a few miles north of Westmont on old C&NW route. There is the Illinois Prairie Path over the old Chicago Elgin and Aurora tracks that parallels the UP line. UP usually has some units parked just west of the I-355 overpass that you can get to easily from the Prairie Path at the west end of Lombard. (about 5 miles from Westmont).

 

Downtown Lemont is just a bit south, and has old Illinois Central and the original Santa Fe run into Chicago. I like to look at the Santa Fe line in the forest near Argonne Nat Labs, but you will get some exercize. I usually bike to this area. You can take Cass ave south out of Westmont until it ends at Bluff road. You can park there in Waterfall Glen Forest Perserve and take the Utility right of way about 3/4 mile walk to the BNSF (old Santa Fe). The tracks follow the Des Plaines river valley here on their way from Chicago to Joliet, so there is more elevation change from the parking area than you would usually expect for Chicago. There is an industrial siding at that location. Between trains, it is quite quiet and peaceful compared to the bustle of the Westmont BNSF mainline. Lots of intemodal on this 2 track line.

 

Elmhurst has Al's Hobbies, but they mainly showcase slotcar and RC. They have a separate train entrance, but do most train business by mail order.

 

Berwyn Hobbies is great, but about 25-30 minute drive.

 

Oak Ridge Hobbies in Darien (75th Main) is a couple of miles south. It is a big store that has a bit of everything, and the LGB train that rounds the ceiling is nice, but they keep mainly Lionel starter sets, and lionel freight cars.Probably worth a trip if you want to skip Berwyn.

 

America's Best Hobbies and Trains in Itasca off I-355 is about as far as Berwyn, but tons of selection and incredible amount of trains per square foot!

 

Enjoy your week.

Ron

That is a lot of good info. Thanks Ron. A little off the topic of trains... You mentioned Argonne Nat Lab. That reminds of a story I once heard about about a dump site somewhere outside of Chicago where the graphite bricks from Enrico Fermi's Chicago Pile (CP-1) were disposed of. Any ideas where that may be? I've done some google searches but so far haven't come up with anything.

Dave,

I also heard the story about that dump site and found this info about it. I did not realize that Redgate woods was the site of the early Argonne lab.

http://www.wikimapia.org/60627...e-Burial-Site-Plot-M

 

http://www.chicagoreader.com/c...e/Content?oid=870570 

Frank

Thanks Frank, I've been to Oak Ridge TN and Los Alamos NM. Now I have another historical site to scratch off my list. Looks like some RR tracks run near there. Should make for an exciting day.