Cab Ride from Kansas City to Chicago- Mendota to Chicago

Ride on-board the cab of Amtrak's Train #4, the "Southwest Chief" from Kansas City to Chicago.
This is a 5-part series. This is part five, Mendota to Chicago Illinois.
You'll see the view as we fly down the former CB&Q "racetrack" into Chicago.
This was only five years after the merger , so their is still a lot of Burlington Northern flavor along the line.

[@dianneklemmer9381]

Taking the train is the best way to go. It takes longer, but I wouldn’t travel any other way 👏👏👏

[@Annieh-ii5jx]

Wish we could've seen the entire route, but I'm glad we have what we have!

[@RailwayProductions]

I'll eventually get the Southern California series of Southwest Chief cab rides streaming.

[@CubsFanJohn]

Great video. I lived in Downers Grove for many years and spent many hours photographing trains there.

[@w9gb]

Amtrak Southwest Chief uses the Old CB&Q mainline between Galesburg to Chicago, after Cameron Wye was installed (1996) west of Galesburg. Mendota was RR crossroads (Illinois Central, Milwaukee Road), 1850s to 1980. Milwaukee Road ended service ~1980. Illinois Central abandoned Mendota line in 1985. 10:45 Earlville CB&Q had a former branch to Sterling. C&NW (Troy Grove branch) now UP has a crossing with BN (just before elevators)

[@jacobdolman3831]

Very nice to ride on a train

[@J3scribe]

A fascinating journey overall. Too bad it wasn't filmed a few months later when the Illinois countryside didn't appear so insufferably bleak. I especially liked the radio chatter and the in-cab conversations. Certainly a well-rounded cab experience. I'm a big fan of the channel as a result, and look forward to exploring more of your content!

[@RailwayProductions]

Unfortunately I had to shoot it when they said I could…

[@J3scribe]

@@RailwayProductions I understand that, and an amazing job you did. I wish I could have been along for the ride. Dave was an absolute gem!

[@RailwayProductions]

@@J3scribe I will have more cab rides for you. Yes, Dave is a real historian, but the crews on the other ones also do a good job. Thanks for your compliments.

[@MJMYouTuber]

like Southern California cab ride@@RailwayProductions

[@BNSFfan1848]

Nice video!

[@TrainRail_01]

Great video

[@skimastersam]

thanks for posting!

[@drewhuff3457]

Les it would be cool if you could do an interview with engineer Dave one day. If he would be up for it. It would make for a great watch. He knew a lot of history of the railroad. And had a lot of interesting stories.

[@terrywebb8636]

Fantastic video!😊

[@RailwayProductions]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@vicsaul5459]

Love it, is there a Chicago to Seattle cab ride? Beautiful landscape changes, I did road trip mostly on highway 2 about as north as can be. From nth Dakota across to Rockies and cascades was fantastic 👌

[@MJMYouTuber]

Jerry Miller and Ken Smith are today’s Engineers

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

Railway would you do Cavalcade of Steam.

[@Brianrockrailfan]

great video 🚅🚅🚃

[@devernepersonal3636]

i was surprised how this Amtrak train seemed to wake up before the BNSF, as i somehow thought there would be more meets. This is a great trip though and well shot. although coming out of KC i wish there had been more clouds in the sky for your sake with how the lighting was, but nothing could be done about that obviously. Amtrak is an early bird.

[@trucksntrainsfan7559]

BNSF trains run on the Mendota mostly in the morning or evening. The afternoon is the Amtrak rush our. So they clear for them.

[@Dan-uv5lw]

I did an Amtrak trip from Richmond, VA to Worecester, MA in 1997. Thinking about going from Massachusetts to North Carolina via Amtrak sometime.

[@brendanwilliams7291]

Could you do Cab Ride Through the Rockies please?

[@MJMYouTuber]

0:20 this is the final video series for about that! From Kansas City to Chicago.

[@Robbi496]

if I am not mistaken, if you ride this line today, the signals are most tri lights and the old signal bridges have either been replaced or converted to line side?

[@CubsFanJohn]

Correct.

[@JR-playlists]

Would have been nice to see the entire trainset in the beginning.... "Their" sure is a lot of BN flavor along the line.

[@whereisthedollar]

When Amtrak had an express package service.

[@Edward2Fan47]

It be nice to see America by Rails: The Heartland on youtube. I did enjoy the traveling tunes. Would be nice if there was a soundtrack playlist which would go well with traveling on Amtrak.

[@JCZ2601NL]

🇳🇱SUPER VIDEO 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💯🍀

[@coleallen3895]

21:32 Metra should extend the BNSF line all the way out to here - Somonauk. Seeing as how it says “59.2 MP”, does that mean that Somonauk is 59 miles away from Chicago?

[@RailwayProductions]

Yes, that is the distance from Union Station. Who knows, Illinois is paying Metra to extend to Rockford, maybe someday BNSF commuters will come this far.

[@andrewdiesel487]

Final Destination to Chicago!

[@MJMYouTuber]

That’s correct!

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

Andrew are you exited for Cavalcade of Steam.

[@andrewdiesel487]

@@maxwellwalcher6420 I’m so excited

[@MJMYouTuber]

@@andrewdiesel487 Me too!

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

@@andrewdiesel487 What Steam Locomotives are we gonna see Strasburg Railroad #90 : Emily N&W #475 : Frank and CNTS 484 : Mikey and #488 : Margo.

[@michaelskidmore5086]

Les Jarrett, I like the videos your posting. Are you going to upload “Narrow gauge combo”? I like that show. Can you upload that show please? Thank you.

[@RailwayProductions]

Will get to it!

[@michaelskidmore5086]

@@RailwayProductions thank you.

[@brendanwilliams7291]

Great job, which cab ride can you do next please?

[@MJMYouTuber]

Like, Cab ride from the great southwest

[@Robbi496]

The crossing outside of Earlville is the ex C & NW line to Troy Grove, I do not know if it still goes to Spring Valley, but at least it used to?

[@MJMYouTuber]

1:19:16 same footage from the trailer

[@MJMYouTuber]

1:16:02 Final Miles to Chicago

[@rustyc521]

What year was this taken?

[@tyhik9338]

Nice

[@MJMYouTuber]

This will be the last video of this series!!!

[@andrewdiesel487]

Yes sir!, Chicago is the end of the line for the Southwest Chief

[@MJMYouTuber]

@@andrewdiesel487you got it.

[@jeffjay2323]

the video looked older, but was not sure until it got close to downtown chicago. wow, what a difference.

[@RailwayProductions]

Things have changed a wee bit…

[@tyhik9338]

Can you upload Chicago's Metra on KZbin?

[@larryandersen681]

Why were they running on the opposite track the entire way?

[@brandonsanmann3931]

Any Idea What Year was That?

[@Robbi496]

It ia interesting that the Burlington nvere had a Zephyr to Lo Angeles, but di have one to San Francisco

[@paul.-jj6yh]

scenic ride but its d view from d view screen .... pls show driver performing lever action and brakes

[@Dan-uv5lw]

02/06/2024