RFW on BNSF from Route 59 to Chicago. This time no sun or rain to affect us. 7/16/22

I mention interlocking locations where known. Fast and bouncy ride. This is clearly my favorite Metra line. (FYI- the signal indications I am stating are not correct. I am basing those aspects from what I see on my home railroad, the LIRR. They are not the same in the Midwest. My apologies.)

[@MIkeCoffey5117]

Metra considers the Racetrack to be the quintessential commuter line -- three tracks the whole way with full high-speed crossovers every three to four miles

[@stfanboy]

@34:52 Sorry for the correction but It's the Sears Tower. 😁

[@railfanpickett4645]

The engines on the left were Ex BN SD60M’s

[@gerardmoran9560]

I thought you just covered LIRR trains. You're having a rich retirement!

[@3985uprr]

I’m not narrow minded 😀😀😀

[@Phib521]

BNSF signals are different than east coast, fyi. Double yellow=flashing yellow=approach medium. Red over green=diverging clear. There are plenty of BNSF signal charts on the internet… Over on the UP, double yellow=approach diverging. Flashing yellow=advance approach

[@3985uprr]

Admittedly I went by signal indications I see back east. The meanings of each are pretty much the same but different wording

[@c.j.tonnes7648]

21:06 typical big city interaction. In Seattle, our commuter rail is tap in tap out mostly, there are tickets but they're rarely checked

[@winstonpx]

22:50 poor bird :(

[@jayo_z]

This station is... 1:58 - Naperville 8:17 - Lisle 13:31 - Belmont 16:56 - Downers Grove Main Street 40:30 - Union Station This is the train to... Union Station!

[@deontaewaters438]

Was this on a Weekday or a Saturday?

[@3985uprr]

Saturday

[@natertaterz335]

Just found your channel! I already love your channel haha. I've been binge watching your videos for the last 2 hours! Lol

[@zephyrstrains2842]

This intro is much better on the ears! Good uploads as always!

[@drbob3]

When I was a teenager, I took my brother on this train line to Chicago to see the Cubs and Sox games. We grew up in Naperville.

[@firesquad0155]

Have you done a video of the southwest line Joliet to Lasalle street station the wife rode that lone for 25 yrs

[@3985uprr]

That’s the Rock Island from Joliet. I wanted to but they always kept the first car closed. I did however get the heritage corridor from Joliet to Chicago Union station upfront

[@firesquad0155]

@@3985uprr Yes I watched that one but rode the southwest line for a very long time keep up the good work you know the conductors a bunch of nice guys I wonder if they would let you forward if they knew what you doing on the train.

[@3985uprr]

@@firesquad0155That conductor wasn’t going to let me up there at first but I think he sensed what I wanted to do and he let me up there. He probably figured that because of my New York accent. He was thinking “I will give this visitor a break” 😂😂

[@williamralph5442]

Fun ride. All those switches, wow. How did you get a great seat? Thanks

[@thephantomeagle2]

So what's going to happen with the wider area over the Tri-State. I've gone underneath that very viaduct and over it countless times on the Tri State and on Metra. It was always a very tight fit for both trains and cars. Will that trackage to the right of the train in this trip be an extra track so that the "Racetrack" can keep in full swing if one of the tracks is being repaired, or will there be Mow equipment there.

[@3985uprr]

I was wondering what they were up to there.

[@thephantomeagle2]

@@3985uprr Up till this work The Tristate was a very narrow 3 lanes with no shoulder on either side. So they built a shoefly south of the tracks, so the three track mainline could keep going through with only minor delays. Now the underpass for the Tristate is much wider with a higher clearance, shoulders and I believe 4 lanes. I figured that they were just gonna remove the shoefly but it seems to be staying up. I suspect that it could be used as a back-up, and have a lane for MOW equipment to move from one side of the Tristate to the other without delaying traffic on the "Race Track" That way they could work on the track as needed for emergency repairs while the trains are still running at full speed with minor delays instead of a full closure do to work on the track.