The BNSF triple track main known as the BN "racetrack" to Aurora is always a good line to railfan on for decent action. BNSF Cicero yard in Cicero, IL can also be busy with switching and more, Cicero Metra station is on the East end of the yard, where locomotives frequently pull out and in building trains for the mainline. Meanwhile, BRC (Belt Railway of Chicago) North end mainline is nearby going over the racetrack, so trains passing by there is a bonus.
After riding the CTA Pink line with taylorveldman3832, we walked over to the Metra station to railfan for a bit, and this video shows what we saw. As we got there, Burlington Northern signs over Cicero Ave. are surprisingly still intact, 20 years after the merger.
Immediately after walking up to the platform, a trio of BNSF GEs, 2 Dash9-44CWs and a ES44DC crawl past with a short manifest, not sure if this was part of a longer manifest and the cars were taken off to be moved elsewhere, or if it was simply an overpowered train.
Meeting that train was a BNSF ES44AC and Ex BN executive SD70mac hauling a Westbound coal train.
An Ex Conrail NS C40-8W was pushing back into Cicero yard shoving empty well cars.
BNSF 2756, a GP39E pulls out and shoves back in building a piggy train on one of the yard leads.
Before the merger, BN had many of their GP30s and GP35s (with turbocharged 567s) rebuilt to GP39-2s internally with a 12-645E3. These rebuilds were done by EMD, VMV Paducahbilt (owned by NRE), and Morrison Knudsen. BN had original EMD built GP39-2s, so as not to be confused with the locomotive types, the rebuilds were given the designation, GP39E (for EMD rebuild), GP39V (for VMV rebuild), and GP39M (for MK rebuild). BNSF 2756 was a GP30 rebuilt into a GP39E.
Not seen in the video since I didn't notice it pass till the last second, but I did note what power it had, an oil train heads South on the BRC with a CP AC44 and CSX gevo. At the same time, a Metra outbound arrives with a F40PHM-2 leading, also with its stratolight (beacon) flashing.
In the same shot, a pair of CSX Gevos sits in the distance waiting for a crew, it sat there the whole time and passed just as I left on the inbound Metra shown at the end of the video.
Then BNSF 2295 (in H1 paint) and BNSF 2117 (in BN paint) a pair of GP38-2s pulls out for head room as they build a stack train. BNSF 2295 had its class lights on both the long hood and nose turned on, and BNSF 2117 had its ditch lights on the whole time too. When engineers use lights that aren't normally used, that's burl.
BNSF 2756 pulls out again, and by chance when recording, a CP ES44AC, CP GP38-2 rebuilt from a GP40X, and NS C40-9W head North on the BRC leading a 33 car manifest.
After pushing back, BNSF 2756 uncouples from the piggy train, and to my surprise, it started rolling away. Another locomotive, or the consist to take the train onto the mainline coupled on the other end was the reason, and shortly after 2756 went back into Cicero yard.
My inbound Metra arrived shortly after, and I went back home. Please check out Taylorveldman3832s channel, hes got some good stuff and his channel needs some love. ;)
/ taylorveldman3832
Thanks for watching!
Негізгі бет Railfanning Cicero on the BN racetrack, sweet switching action! -on 9/12/15
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