Chicago Rail. Meeting our subscribers 

[@ccjbmjo]

NICD (Northern Indiana Commuter District) 1000 is a GP38-2. The part on top maybe an ice breaker for the catenary.

[@Whipple1]

Chewing soap at 1:30 in the morning!?!?!? That was priceless! Cheers! Whipple

[@jimikrentkowski4073]

Yay!! Welcome back ETRX!! Was really great meeting you Brian and Graham! Really awesome guys!

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

Same here!

[@rebeltag]

I would also like to echo the sentiment. It was great to meet members of the board!

[@rebeltag]

Nice catch at @41:15!! The new Siemens Charger Locomotive for Amtrak Usage. I didn't know that any were in service around the Midwest!

[@georgemccoy5028]

Awesome video as always!! I am learning a ton about all of the intricacies of railroad work from your channel. You provide a nice mix between your own project as well as your road trips. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Sorry I had to call you out for blowing the stop sign @ 19:10 (in humor...I'm not a hater!!!). Keep up the great work.

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

Thank you very much!

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Awesome vid right in my backyard of northwest Indiana the refinery was owned by standard oil 🛢 the hump yard was originally owned by the elgin joint and eastern railway CN bought them out a few years ago the steel mill was originally inland steel corporation lots if rail action in the area the switcher was a Indiana harbor belt sw 1500 repainted in the old 1950s paint scheme its a awesome area for railfanning 🚂🚃🚃🚃😊👍

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

Thanks for the info, that's vary cool.

[@rickkiefer5923]

@@eastterminalrailway5975 EJ&E = Elgin, Joliet and Eastern. northside of Gary along US 20 is a huge Roundhouse used be the EJ&E for their locomotives.

[@rickaser2383]

South Shore trivia: Last US road to operate the 'Little Joe' electrics.

[@pinecreeklocomotiveworks4365]

I stood right next to an ex south shore little Joe at the lake shore railway museum outside of Erie, PA

[@Daddymouse-ny9cz]

Darn glad you are back guys! I hate long gaps between vids. Thanks for taking us along on your adventure. Now.....where are those T shirts and caps???? :-)

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

we are working on getting it out to the public,

[@mikejohnson-rj4uk]

Come on up to Detroit if you like old brick factories and abandoned industry - the Packard plant is still there! At 21:00 that is a beautiful building. And that Grand Trunk engine at 25:00 was a pleasant surprise.

[@natgass8102]

loved seeing that big flag! thanks

[@RichieCat4223]

35:15 It's a 3306TA (Turbo Aftercooled) Cat engine. Not a bad engine. Don't know how big the generator is behind it. 32 years as a Cat engine mechanic, 36:17 It would be interesting to know why there are so many Baldwin filters. (There junk filters in my book to use for any application.)

[@eddiane]

Ya cant call a Chicago Dog from the Skyway dog house a Coney Dog. LOL. You drove over the 95 st bridge. That was the Bridge where they shot the jump scene in the Blues Brothers. I grew up in that neighborhood and watched them shoot. I enjoyed that video tremendously. I moved out of there 30 years ago but thanks for the memories. Glad you made it home safe.

[@gerilarryogle970]

I grew up a mile from a refinery in So. Cal. (loved your Amtrack video.) The bottom end of the cracking process produces tons of residue coke. Lots of coal car loads. Plus double trailer trucks 24 hours a day down to Long Beach harbor for ship loading. Steel mills use the coke as higher burning fuel for melting ore. They don't need coal/steam power. They need lots of cooling towers. A refinery produces all of the fuel that they need for heating in the cracking process. You did film some of the residue gas being burnt off in the flair stack. Lots of steam vapor to absorb acid and CO2 and SO2 polutants, too.

[@dannun757]

You are correct,those hoppers are for coke and the small refinery we use to service produced 20 to 30 cars a day of coke.

[@victorv2066]

Its called "Pet Coke," or Petroleum Coke vs. the coke produced from coal.

[@natgass8102]

CVR Energy (UAN) makes fertilizer from pet coke used to grow corn.

[@pocomokeforester2504]

What a great story if you could bring her back! Diamond in the rough? I enjoyed the trip!

[@indiananotch8204]

You guys are awesome, glad to see you in my great city of Merrillville, in.

[@jeannebalderston2051]

I loved the thought that you have your own railroad and locomotive. Iadmired you alot I would love to own myself. My favorite Railway is Union Pacific. My favorite musaum is California State Railroad Museum.

[@ericdelgado3395]

The "Cat cracker" was that tower with the open flame at least that's what my dad called it at his refinery he worked at; SOHIO in Shawnee , Oh. He worked at that refinery til a friend fell to his death and they wouldn't put in better safety measures! ALL I remember is mile after mile of storage tanks and the very Tall "Cat Cracker" The DT&I rolled right by the Standard Oil refinery but I don't remember seeing open top Hoppers there just tons of tank cars!! You all make great videos takes me back to my 70's childhood in Lima Ohio !!

[@dmorgan28]

I got behind on watching some channels that I follow. I’m catching back up after some sickness. I really enjoyed this video. I learned some things I didn’t know. Had some laughs. (soap bar story). Lol. Saw some neat sights. Cool video. Thanks 👍👍👍❤️

[@t.c.bowling1934]

It would cost a small fortune to move the 35 ton. It's ashame it sat outside. You know as well as me a complete restoration from ground up.

[@richardbause2453]

Brian, that 35 tonner is ruff. Looks like they ran out of stopping blocks and decided to use it. Back the Land-All trailer up to it, pull out the cable fishing 🎣 line and reel in the catch 😀 👍 if it's free it's Free.

[@lebavle]

Nice to see the both of you two were in my backyard before I subscribed. Merrillville is next to Hobart where I live. Nice to see a lot of the area around northwest Indiana. When you were on the Cline Ave Toll bridge on the west side of the bridge part of the road was used for one of the Transformer movies a few years ago. The South shore line runs thru Michigan City and has a couple of miles where they are street running.

[@syeet1234]

i look forward to your decision on an engine you buy.

[@seanmcgillicuddy956]

Panam ,Gilford, B&M ..good to see cars form New England..

[@shaneflickinger]

Was neat to see the hump in action. Never seen one before. Also, the bar of soap story was hilarious! Take care.

[@marvinmoore4531]

Could you do a video on your progression of theEast Term R R . Maybe the cleared rite a way and show us some of your cars that are parked there now. You could tell us where the cars come from also.

[@magnumfrank9819]

The BP Whiting refinery is very important because it is one of the few in America that can refine petroleum from any grade of crude tar to light sweet. It supplies gasoline for northern Indiana and SW Michigan.

[@rickkiefer5923]

If my memory serves me right, wasn't the refinery a Standard Oil / AMOCO before it became BP?

[@magnumfrank9819]

Correct, Standard Oil of Indiana > AMOCO > BP

[@richbatz139]

@@rickkiefer5923 100 years oil

[@chuckwilson6281]

It's BP's biggest and oldest refinery that still in use.

[@cjlaviation]

I thought he was holding a cigarette in his hand for the first 3 minutes of the video until I realized he was holding the mic! XD

[@michaelbrown6927]

More of this, please. Great video.

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

Thank you! That's an older one, for you to say that is an encouragement to me! Brian

[@NinfaCarpentergeorgia198]

I think the owners of that 35 ton should pay you to take it away!!! Lol.. but it would make a great project.... for us viewers that is lol.

[@andyriha9752]

I loved the video! If I wasn't working, I would have loved to hang out with you guys. You saw so much trains, wow! I enjoyed you ordering bacon with your White Castle, awesome! Can't wait for the adventure to continue. you are so blessed.

[@blackw0lf993]

When was young I worked for a grain elevator that had a Case wheel loader with traction gear like that pettibone. It had a quick coupler on front that could interchange a bucket for the train coupler. It worked pretty good to move the grain carts around but it took awhile to build air if you moved more than one or two cars at a time.

[@southothehighway]

One summer as part of my job as a steel industry credit analyst, I visited all the mills along the lake including USS's Gary Works, National Steel, etc before the smaller ones were acquired by Ispat.

[@bernarddier1060]

My two bits worth; I was born and raised in Chicago. Back in the late '50s when we were traveling to Michigan we passed the area where you were filming. The air was almost unbreathable, if one has any sinus problems here is where you should not be. The south part of the lake by Gary IN has terrible winters due to the "lake effect" . I noticed a train that looked somewhat like the "toonerville trolley" running at ground level. I asked my dad what it was, he replied that that is the South shore line an Interurban. This line has been electric for at least the last 100 years. One of the last interurban lines still in existence. As for the time on the cell phone: Although all current subscriber units (cell phones) have GPS capability, which is used for location. Federal requirement for 911. The time signal comes from the cell cite that your subscriber unit is affiliated (locked on to). The cell cite controller has a GPS antenna that receives the time signal, and is also used for other purposes in the system. I presume that the subscriber unit was affiliated to a tower in IN. As soon as it finds a closer site it will affiliate with the new site, makes no difference what your time zone is at your location the subscriber unit will indicate the time zone where the site is located. Although I have an interest in railroads, I am fascinated with machinery and the ingenious ways that you solve problems. There is something that can be done about the weather: I moved to Hawaii 50 years ago. Aloha, Bernie

[@markm6488]

Between the weather, the pollution and the crowding It sounds like a hellhole to me. I think you made a great choice with Hawaii.

[@MokkaMatti]

@@markm6488 Did he receive permission from the native peoples to inhabit their territory there? It's time to set Hawaii free and return it to those from whom it was taken, all for the sake of canned fruit.

[@jasonligo895]

I was surprised that, in as rough of a shape the 35 tonner is in, the frame looked like it was in fantastic condition. The motor physically doesn't look too bad either. Of course inside and underneath all of that though.....?

[@craigsummers131]

love watching you adventures , cheers from here in Australia ....

[@christophernorman684]

I used to drive by that flower mill everyday 6 years ago. The mill seemed busy and they were always new cars to be loaded. It's sad to see how much these rail industries in Chicago have been pushed away due to taxes and for their real estate.

[@tomroise9426]

We are on the same page! Why is that plant not running awesome to see such structures frustrating to see them idle

[@somethingsomeonesaid6455]

The switcher looks like a rebuilt SW-9....the style of trucks are that of the older SW's. The SW1500 and the MP-15 all have newer style trucks (like that of a GP).

[@klsc8510]

Greetings! My handle is the locomotive I ran on that railroad out of Paw Paw, MI.

[@mansize6622]

Nice job ! Enjoyed the tour of Ill.

[@johncottier6384]

Hope you guys do a sit down chat soon would love to know what your plans are for the railway, are you still planning on storage I seem to have lost track of future plans been a subscriber since beginning really enjoy your videos

[@russelltrupia4479]

I hope that you start putting up more frequent videos.

[@Maine_Railfan]

That Pan Am boxcar, as well as the GATX cars (exPan Am cars of MEC and B&M heritage) as well as the MEC boxcar (the tan one in the same cut which is somewhat rare now) are loaded with paper. If I recall those are either filled with pulp from Nine Dragons paper in Old Town, ME or Rumford, ME. Either that or they are loaded with finished paper from Sappi North America in Skowhegan, ME. The Pan Am painted cars were rebuilt years ago, but the B&M and MEC painted boxcars were not. Pan Am rebuilt a few over the past 10+ years, but lately they have sold a good portion of the B&M fleet to GATX who rebuilt them at Pan Am's Waterville shops.

[@mischef18]

That 35 ton looks like it's had a hard life but maybe looks can be deceiving and it will spruce up well. Great video guys. Safe travels

[@cnw1302]

those pennsy tracks are milwaukee road linens that run west that is metra andcross the old CNW at western avenue

[@edwardadkins8771]

I’m actually doing work now for NICTD. They allow CSS to use their tracks. I’ve never seen them use the catenary on that SD or GP or whatever it is. But I have heard their units struggling to pull gondolas full of steel out of the steel mill. I’ve been stuck at that diamond waiting on the trains to go by. There are tons of old abandoned buildings in Gary. It would have been cool to see it back in its heyday.

[@XSENTONEX]

looks like its warming up hope to see more content from you guys!

[@fordnut4914]

I think them old industrial areas are neat the old path ways threw the rail yards tall grass like no one goes back in them areas no more. It's like old run down areas of Detroit or any big city that's from a by gone Era. That's stuffs always fascinating to Me.

[@Conn653]

The Pan-Am emblem you saw on a boxcar, is the exact emblem of PAA, Pan American Airways.

[@cmanlovespancakes]

That's because the owner of the railroad bought the rights to the name and emblems of Pan am when they went up for sale years ago. He Even tried to restart the airline.

[@mikerubynfs]

The south shore loco is a GP38-2. I think the pantograph trips the signal blocks for occupancy detection.

[@JRM-VSR]

That 35 tonner is certainly rough. Rebuilding that would be a lot of work -- there could be all kinds of stuff missing from the control cabinets, plus potentially some remote control gear to strip out to return it to conventional controls. Not to mention it being used as a stop block for however long. I hope they don't want much for it...

[@TheMilwaukieDan]

Garrison Flags area awesome to watch and admire

[@peterrushton3191]

I have been watching your videos from last fall when you started. This video is right in my area and I work at the steel mill you drove by. The tall old office building you drove by is the main annex for the Indiana Harbor plant and is now under new ownership. Cleveland Cliffs bought out ArcelorMittal last year and that is why the signs are in a transition. That main annex building is sometimes called the ghostbuster building from the movie!

[@mpgarr]

Looks like Cleveland Cliffs is putting up big money to be a player in the steel industry. They bought up AK Steel ( once known as Armco Steel) in Middletown, Ohio in 2020 too.

[@barrybickle7992]

Beautiful Ole Glory

[@CSXrailfan814]

I bet at the hump yard that the 6 cars are going to the same place but as gram sead its safer to do 3 and 3. Safer eazer control.

[@tomroise9426]

FYI GP 35 has three fans in the rear. Small one in between two larger ones South shore electrified so that catenary is allowing the engine to operate in dual mode.

[@thebackshoptinker8723]

The gondolas may be for loading petroleum coke...a by product of oil refining

[@sararook8224]

Yes that's correct! They are used for hauling coke.

[@grizh4583]

Yeap, I dump those cars from Chicago down here in VA

[@franktstets8037]

How about cleaning the windshield on your vehicle

[@t.s.railfanning]

Is the 35 tonner in bad shape... yes. But I think it would be good investment for what you want to do with it

[@marka5478]

The South Shore ballast cars have pendular doors, developed by Morrison Knudsen. Yes, these doors allow ballast to be placed right where it is needed.

[@B83024]

The one locomotive with the one stack is a SW1001 and the other locomotive is a SW1500 again

[@GDJason]

Imagine my surprise seeing this 34:32 locomotive while I was riding the Amtrak into Chicago!

[@dannun757]

If the price is right the 35 tonner is totally worth it. You might be able to salvage and sell the remote equipment to help offset the cost.

[@nutbean7794]

Rode past that same big brown building on the amtrak train!

[@connergalmeister9269]

I grew up in Roseville ca by David yard where they have a hump and was able to talk to some operators. The man said they have sometimes can be a pain of the retarder will pop the wheel off the rail and then they have a detailed car. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a hump yard

[@ThundercatDarklion]

Awesome the South Shore Railroad which operates diesel freights and electric commmute trains!!!!! I am friends with someone who use to work as a commute train car cleaner. =^.^=

[@ThundercatDarklion]

Also looks like there is someone from Rockford Illinois at the meet up where I am from!!!!! :) =^.^=

[@badgimp4577]

That GP 35 had a pantograph on it! I've never seen that before!

[@eastterminalrailway5975]

B.G. I saw that but wasn't sure. Anybody know about this? Brian

[@anthonytidey2005]

On the engine was a pick up for the presumbly 25KV catenery not sure what engine but seems to be a modified std diesel or it might be both diesel/electric for off the catenery and just electric for the catenery. Hope you build your trains better than ours in the UK as the new ones have serious fatege cracks and they are just over a year old.

[@kens.3729]

That Unit looked like it had a Catenary on Top and it may be used on a Passenger rail line. 🤔👍

[@hamiltonsullivan6563]

Daaaang!!!! The locomotive hit somthing hard to do that much damage

[@elvinferrell7266]

Since most of the NICD units are Electric MU, could it be possible that 1000 is rigged to run off overhead lines?

[@clydemarkham7915]

Great video

[@SouthernBelleACe]

The BP Whiting Refinery is now the 6th largest refinery in the United States. The BP Whiting Refinery Modernization project began in 2008. The new equipment equipment was brought online in December 2013 at a cost of $4.2B!

[@alcopower5710]

Excellent content 👍

[@tedwasilowski26]

I believe the device on top is a pantogram to electrically power the loco

[@ohgary]

I worked for Pettibone in Chicago right after the Speedswing went out of production. Talking to the salesmen in the Railroad Division, I learned the company just couldn’t make any money on the product, because a competitor, Galion, priced their product so low. A few years later I ended up working for Galion. They had discontinued their Speedswing-like product. I asked about it, and was told “those SOBs at Pettibone priced their Speedswing so low, we had to give ours away.” Same excuse from both sets of salesmen. The railroad companies were notorious for beating suppliers down on prices. The idea seemed to be that it was a privilege to give your products to a railroad at cost or below. After two decades of mergers and bankruptcies I wonder how railroad execs see the world today?

[@stevehammond7485]

Love the ending!

[@mlkesimmons758]

That GE you are looking at looks very rough. Would think you would pass on it. Good hunting. How can WE get a Tee Shirt?

[@erichguenther4486]

Also, 7 daily Amtrak's to Milwaukee soon to be 10. Empire Builder and soon to be a Chicago to Twin Cities Amtrak train they are working on now. As I understood things there was one or two PRR Passenger Trains that entered Union Station from the North.

[@LeslieMatheson]

Used to ride Empire builder from Binghamton, NY to Chicago, then on to Bismarck, ND. Moved to Philly, then left out of Paoli, Pa. Last US train ride was Chicago Denver and return on CBand Q.. 5 years in Germany spoiled me for efficient rail.

[@AWSmith1955]

that mic @ 33:38 still aint working. im hearing all the audio via the cam itself

[@richardmead9225]

CHICAGO ADM MILLING (formerly Dixie Portland Flour Mills) GE 35-Ton (31767 11/52), ex-Dixie Portland Flour Mills, exx-Illinois Slag & Ballast #4 (Chicago, Ill.)

[@MattGTrainz]

Those are flexi-flo hoppers I think. 4:20

[@kens.3729]

Progress Rail Leases a Lot of Units to several Short Line and Class I Railroads in the States. 👍

[@BossSpringsteen69]

Locomotives,autos, passenger cars, blocks of loads i think i've seen or humped it all.

[@stephenwissel7902]

Looks like a 38 with the 2 big fan. A 35 has a small fan between 2 larger fans. I think.

[@ClarissaPacker]

I don't remember the last time I ate at white castle we don't have them in Michigan

[@jml8975]

Surprised that Hump is still in use! Many are being shut down.

[@Krwekrw]

That engine would be project... for many many years...

[@ADSC2006]

We are due for an April Meeting.

[@rodneydaub3812]

1:15 Looks like a Monte Carlo to me ..

[@chadkidd2208]

I really look forward to the videos. I wish there was more. I keep thinking they screw it and then there will be no more.

[@southwesternct2222]

I suggest an alco locomotive! They use fuel up but they are super reliable

[@jml8975]

They want something very small.

[@garysprandel1817]

White Castle is indeed awesome but you passed on Bob Evan's biscuits and gravy?

[@magnumfrank9819]

With all the choices to dine in in Merrillville, I think you guys could've done better.

[@rebeltag]

They have Bob Evans in Ohio... They might've welcomed the change, even though I know that they have White Castle in some places of Ohio too...

[@garysprandel1817]

@@rebeltag ah last BE pulled out of Illinois or at least the Chicago area years ago so even with current heart issues BE biscuits and gravy is one of my few who wants to live forever cheats.

[@kevinkennedy7702]

White Castle IS good but I have to agree with previous statement on Bob Evans!!

[@roycox320]

👍👍always 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸!!!

[@hamiltonsullivan6563]

Morning guys!

[@WALDRONDD699]

You really need to put C.C. on for us ex Iron workers and Hunters, with weak hearing. I couldn't understand alot by steel mills on bridge. I watch most of your vids on TV, instead of PC. Keep up good work.

[@jimhaines8370]

Is ISG Inland Steel Group ??

[@jmiller3v]

Corporate Safety says you are in the running for a safety award for always wearing your helmet.

[@georgemccoy5028]

He was but then they saw him blow the stop sign at the tracks so he lost the award LOL!!!

[@jmiller3v]

@@georgemccoy5028 baby steps. We did fix the filming while driving issue.

[@walterpetzel1102]

Cn Kirk yard is where I got trained at I've worked the hump welcome to gary. we actually pull out loaded coal trains from the bp plant and bring them empties.

[@victorv2066]

It could be that the the BP plant had a Coking unit that actually made "Pet Coke" - Coke made from petroleum that looks like coal in the cars.

[@sararook8224]

That's correct! It's pet coke. It looks like coal. I worked for Shell in Houston for 30 years. Shell as a 6 drum coker unit. They loaded coke into coal cars and onto ships. Most of it went to China or India. The coke we produced could not be burned in the United States. It was heavy metal rich and illegal to burn in the US.

[@pacificwarrior7679]

Ive driven by that chemical plant in muscle shoals Alabama. I think the switcher is still there.