Terre Haute IN 9-29 and Eastern IL 9-30

[CSX_CO]

After watching Penn State pummel a really bad looking Illinois Team, I headed towards Terre Haute, IN for trains, slides, and beers. Met up with ~Derecho~ and Scott Withrow at Belt Jct on the INRD. The INRD had two trains in play, the "Baker Turn" readying to return south from CSX's Baker Yard with the nightly interchange, and the "XL" coming back from Cayuga, IN with empty Hoppers.

First to arrive was the "Baker Turn" with a monster cut:



CSX then proceeded to run several trains. Q597 came south to work Baker behind an ethanol train (missed the symbol), then X100 north, Q124 north, and another NB train. We headed to catch the "XL" (a play on the 'hot' symbol used on the MILW a long time ago) coming south towards Belt Jct with 85 empty hoppers from the power plant at Cayuga, IN.



Then proceeded to eat great pizza at Maurizo's in Terre Haute (highly recommend if you find yourself in town), and then spent probably 3 hrs watching slides from the mid 90's on. Next morning blessed us with cloudless skies. While checking the AEI readers for anything 'interesting' UP 1983 showed as leading a train into Yard Center about an hour before. With the die cast for the day, we headed towards the UP to intercept. There was a southbound in the siding at Block, but it would have been a record for the 1983 to make it from Yard Center to Block in that amount of time. Followed a NB stack train from Glover to St Anne. A broken rail the previous night near Sauk Trail had the joint track plugged up, and a SB UP was waiting at Woodland Jct for the NB stack train we'd been following.

Using a "Steel Roads" trace, we finally learned that UP 1983 on MPRPB had left Yard Center at approximately 0945. Being 1030 now, we camped at St. Anne to await his arrival.



St. Anne is where the UP (nee C&EI) crosses the KB&S (need NYC). To the north it sounded like bumper to bumper trains into Chicago. We gave chase to the 1983 and leap frogged ahead to Watseka, IL



My railfanning circle refers to this location as the 'plop spot'. The UP signals used to be constant lit, and would give an indication of imending movements. "Ben" is immediately to the north, and is the start of 251 territory. Pending NB moves would show a 'green' signal if they were lined up at Ben, and any SB moves would show the signals at 'red' for the track they were lined up on. In the 12 years I've been visiting this spot, UP has since turned these into approach lit signals, which now give you no warning of pending movements.

It was during our trip south that we learned the CSX OCS was coming behind the UP 1983. We hoped, against hope, that the UP would see fit to hold UP 1983 at Woodland to let the P952 with CSXT 9992 pass it. Alas, 1983 continued onto the UP unabated, and we were left with a choice. Continue to chase 1983, or go after the OCS and hope we could catch either one again. Conversation between the UP Dispatcher and the MPRPB indicated a meet at Goodwine with a NB oil train, so we had our cake and were going to eat it too.

We beat feet for Milford, IL with the OCS hot on our tail. The engineer must have been going for a personal best between Chicago and Danville, because despite our 6 mile head start, we arrived in Milford, IL with only a minute to spare.



Milford has a nicely restored C&EI depot that they use as a town hall. Unfortunately, a single power pole obstructs any morning SB shot with its ugliness. There was no way in hell we were catching that train again, they were GONE.

The scanner told us that the meet at Goodwine was going on, and we had a chance to once again get ahead of the 1983. The dispatcher told the crew they'd be going in at Ellis for a SB Z to go around, and a NB train to come north. While I debated the merits of dispatching like this, we grabbed a shot at Reilly, IL as the train prepared to go into the siding at Ellis.



We then headed to Ellis to wait for 1983 to get moving south again. As is normal, the 1 train turned into two, as a loaded coal train followed the stack train north. Nice clean SD70M-2 on the point of the coal train, and a patched former SP in trail. DP engine on the rear was a nice touch too.

Finally, 1983 gets headed south at Ellis, IL



The afternoon 'skuzz' was starting to develop to the south, and with a prior commitment myself, we broke off the chase. All as well, as by the time we reached I-74 it was getting to the point of full blown cloud cover. All in all, went a lot further north than we intended, but the results were worth it. I doubt that many fans can say they shot a UP heritage unit on one frame, and a CSX OCS on the next only 20 minutes apart. Was somewhat surprised Mr. Tops didn't show up. Actually, I don't think we saw another buff at all at the locations we were at. Extremely surprised at that because of the amount of time they spent at Ellis, IL.

Practice Safe CSX

[Mr. Tops]

If I had not been on vacation, I would have been your shots as my turn caught that MPRPB. I was shooting Warbonnets on the C&I at Chadwick around this time with a few others from here. We'd seen the 1983 a few nights before, getting night shots of a meet as he was stopped at Ashton, IL on KLBG2 waiting to get into Global 3. Then caught him again at Rochelle. He was followed closely behind by IG3CH with CNW 8701 leading. Ironically, UP 8701 was leading QNPEL right behind him.

Typical dispatching on the Villa Grove Sub. Northbound pileup into Chicago because they aparently don't realize there are TWO tracks with crossovers connecting them. Morning finds every southbound mainfest on the sub seemingly in the same spot at the same time. MCHPB, AGBSM, ZYCMQ, MYCAS, MPRPB all run in the same window in the morning - then nothing the rest of the day until late-afternoon when the ZYCMX runs. I've been in the same boat as these guys plenty of times. Have a great trip until we get within a stones throw from home when the leash runs out. They run one around you, not necessarily a Z train, either, then you see a few north.

Makes my head spin when I see how fluidly things run on other single track lines. I can't complain though, money trees grow freely along the sidings. As adamant as railroads are about saving money and being efficient, I'm surprised UP hasn't steamrolled through the Chicago dispatching center.

[CSX_CO]

Typical dispatching on the Villa Grove Sub. Northbound pileup into Chicago because they aparently don't realize there are TWO tracks with crossovers connecting them. Morning finds every southbound mainfest on the sub seemingly in the same spot at the same time. MCHPB, AGBSM, ZYCMQ, MYCAS, MPRPB all run in the same window in the morning - then nothing the rest of the day until late-afternoon when the ZYCMX runs. I've been in the same boat as these guys plenty of times. Have a great trip until we get within a stones throw from home when the leash runs out. They run one around you, not necessarily a Z train, either, then you see a few north.

I think the 251 'scares' them. Quite honestly, surprised both railroads have let it remain 251 from Ben to Beecher (?) this long. Just pony up, act like adults, and split the cost of 261 and some X-overs in there somewhere. Both sides would benefit. If nothing else, split the cost of some controlled sidings on #2 track if you don't want the expense of reverse signaling the entire thing. Amazing how pig headed two corporations can be at times.

In the dispatcher's defense, I see the point of running the SB Z around the MPRPB. What I didn't see at the time was the logic of then holding the SB at Ellis for the NB at Glover. Especially since the NB didn't clear the S/E Glover by the time the SB got there. So, you had 2 trains sitting. NB Z for 25 to 30 minutes for the SB, and then the SB MPRPB for 45 to wait on *one* NB, and a hour plus for the 2nd train. Run the MPRPB behing the SB Z and you would have had the NB sit for 35 to 40, and everyone moving, instead of the delays incurred.

But...then again...UP doesn't stand for "Under Performing" for nothing.....

Practice Safe CSX

[AARR]

I know the WP heritage unit chase was the highlite of your day but I actually enjoyed the pics and desription of INRD

[bctrainfan]

Yeah,those INRD units are pretty sharp looking!