Incredible Metra evening rush hour action at Canal Street!

On 9/12/14 I decided to randomly go downtown one day and railfan the Metra rush hour at Canal Street grade crossing with a friend, and for 20 minutes there was nothing but train after train! This was all filmed in a matter of 20 minutes, and there was a few more trains that I still did not include in the video. (The clips where only one train passed and no others came I excluded)
There were trains departing, train arriving, and trains moving to go in the station to load up from the coach yards, it was incredible. This is a quiet zone because there are tons of buildings around that echo the horn like crazy, although the trains that we did get a few toots from was pretty cool, since it doesn't happen often.
Thanks for watching!

[@mateomoreno6125]

Trains like these make me happy

[@mateomoreno6125]

I love trains

[@nicolascalvache8102]

I can only imagine what this was like 50 years ago before Amtrak and Metra, and 80 years ago when union station was fairly new and streamliners were king!

[@aimiah378]

I love metra trains.

[@WorldWideOfTrainsAndTrucks]

Same

[@LotusbandicootRR]

Good lord. I've had dreams like this before... it's surreal to actually see footage of it!

[@trainliker100]

The trains on the upper level are going to and from the Ogilvie Center just south of this location. This used to be the stately Chicago & Northwestern Terminal. As a teenager in the 1960's, I often rode the Lake Street elevated to the Clinton stop to visit the terminal and watch trains. I never went into the terminal from a street entrance. Instead there was a way into the train shed area from Clinton Street. You could walk up a flight of stairs and were at the tracks, sometimes with an idling diesel there to greet you at the top of the stairs. Eventually, I would walk through the doors from the trains she to the head house (the terminal building). Some years later (must have been about 1984 and I was now living out of state) I was visiting the area and did my usual pilgrimage there. But I couldn't find a way from the train shed into the terminal building. There were various vendors along that wall, news stands, food, and such. But no doors. So I went out the train shed to the Canal Street side to walk to the terminal building outdoors. As I walked a little bit south, I was aghast that there was nothing but a giant hole in the ground. The terminal building was gone in preparation for building the Ogilvie Center that would replace it.

[@f1freakf127]

Dreaming of having my bedroom window overlooking this action everyday :)

[@christinebicanic751]

My first job out of HS was at the Merchandise Mart. I quickly discovered the windows in the Ad Dept overlooked the tracks at the then CNW. Best part of the job.

[@f1freakf127]

@@christinebicanic751 omg you had your eyes full of these beauties. Jealous :D

[@philipparrino5593]

THAT would BE A GREAT RAILROAD CROSSING TO RAIL FAN AT ALL Day !

[@jerroldkazynski5480]

My Dad worked CMStP&P passenger service. A couple times I helped him back up the cars to Western Avenue maintenance facility, using air whistle to relay signal readings to the engineer around these bends.

[@stormgirl09]

a couple weeks back i had this weird dream a massive tsunami came off the Lake and i was watching it on some sort of live feed on either youtube or on the news I dont remember. but it looked more like a Hollywood movie then a real life natural disaster being shown on live news. anyways what i remember most was giant waves flood the streets like in Day After Tomorrow. also the water was so powerful it was lifting Metra trains off the tracks like toys. the cars then would be tossed about and some would even snap in half like the Titanic!!(complete with the Metra car being tilted with one end sticking up in the air completely,then SNAP!! the two pieces start to part away from each other. only difference is the second half went under first instead of the first half which just still stuck out with its mangled and jagged open and bobbed around...) while other train cars would just slowly crumble or implode like nothing! i was like woah how can water be sooo powerful it can smash 100s of tons of steel cars into pieces as if they were cheap toys!! it was so bizarre!

[@aaronfriedman7065]

Yeah,, that's Chicago alright!

[@epsilon280]

That was insane! I mean, even for Chicago, that's a lot of trains!

[@Railroadfan5383]

Yea I was really surprised too! Everything in this video, including two other trains that I didn't include, were all recorded within 20 minutes! Chicago rush hour is quite the sight to see.

[@SDRP_4406]

0:57 Gotta love that sound . .

[@thomaspalmer1019]

I can't wait to see the former Amtrak F59PHI locos in the Metra roster. In fact, at least one already has Metra markings!

[@mango7577427]

Canal st is my favorite crossing whenever i go to chicago

[@Railroadfan5383]

RibhavTheGamer Its also one of my favorites right there in downtown too, gotta love all the Metra and Amtrak action!

[@jnaviation8671]

I live in the outer suburbs of Chicago so I just take a metra down town.

[@radanju3]

Dang! That's a lot of trains for a short period of time!

[@Trainfiretrucksplanes]

So cool

[@MrPedroramos8911]

Lots of train action thanks for sharing 👍

[@leereeder2293]

I rode Metra into OTC and Union Station many times and have switched between the two many times. It may have been tough but it was well worth it

[@cmag19]

6:45 Wow, a car with the Metropolitan Rail logo still painted on, that's rare to see, even when this was uploaded.

[@adamalicea712]

You shoot some great videos here. I have to visit Chicago someday.

[@sercanergul2362]

Ben Styles and Sercan Cena Love ❤️ Metra Train 🚂

[@allanegleston13]

watching this , i remember a rule " a train can come any track, any direction. any way at any time . :) nice vid. like . would have love to seen this in the steam era .

[@Railroadfan5383]

+allan egleston Yep! I go to Canal St. a lot and its crazy how many people walk across even thought the gates are still down, happens every day during rush hour at least once.

[@nancyoffenhiser4916]

GREAT VIDEO! LOVED IT!

[@crapper1]

its a requirement for every railfan to do this crossing at least once every visit to chicago its worth it ive done it 5 times last year

[@Railroadfan5383]

crapper1 I can agree with that lol.

[@Ezzie__]

+Railroadfan5383 i wish i was in chicago rite now

[@Railroadfan5383]

Ezzie12 :p Might wanna wait till its a bit warmer out if you know what I mean lol

[@Ezzie__]

***** i dont mind if its cold

[@tyhik9338]

Railroadfan5383 that was filmed before homecoming

[@vettebecker1]

Man they keep these rails polished!!

[@CrossbuckProductions]

vettebecker1 No they don't, when the trains run over the rails they knock off all the rust.

[@MrStanderd5000]

This video is amazing so many trains

[@jefferymarker6051]

One of my favorite railfanning sites. Excellent positioning to catch both levels of Metra action. The outbound Amtrak gave the time frame you were there. Very enjoyable!

[@Railroadfan5383]

Thank you very much Jeff!

[@getmemybleach742]

It's been too long since I've visited a railyard, despite living in Pennsylvania, so these videos are the best I can get. And the videos you make are the best I can get. Well done.

[@dingdongditch1000]

3:55 Rare sighting. Usually, the blue engine cars are at the end facing the outer terminus, not Union Station.

[@Railroadfan5383]

Actually its not rare. The train with the F40PH leading into Union Station is a Heritage Corridor line train. But it has to travel from the coach yards, past the North concourse, and into the South concourse to board. So between the coach yards and Chicago Union Station for Heritage corridor trains, its the only exception for a train to be seen with the locomotive heading into Chicago. However once it departs with commuters, its just like any other train, the locomotive leads out of Chicago.

[@rwulfsberg]

I suppose the Heritage Corridor gets serviced at Metra's coach yard at Western Ave because Metra operates the trains. The commuter coach yard to the South of Union Station is operated by BNSF. Would SouthWest trains also come from Western Ave?

[@dwkcamman611]

Great coverage bud! Well done!!

[@Railroadfan5383]

Thanks David! :)

[@msj191961]

Looks like both gate masts now have WCH E-bells. All of them used to have mechanical bells.

[@Railroadfan5383]

msj191961 Two are E bells, two are mechanical. And do you know when they changed them maybe? Or when all 4 were mechanical?

[@msj191961]

***** Sorry I didn't reply sooner! I actually thought I did, but maybe it slipped from my mind. After doing some investigation, it looks like the first bell to be replaced with an e-bell was the south mast sometime around 2011, and the north mast got an e-bell sometime in 2014, so it looks like they change them out as they die. I'm guessing the two masts without gates will receive replacements soon as well.

[@Railroadfan5383]

msj191961 I don't know about when the two got replaced, but a good portion of the Milwaukee West and North lines have mechanical bells, and they have been there for many years. The two at Canal St. grade crossing I doubt will be replaced because Metra isn't concerned with making everything E bells.

[@NeoAnzel]

It's a good video. Although a little bit too noisy (excluding the fact that the trains are making a thigh curve on the video) it's good too see the amount of trains passing by.

[@Railroadfan5383]

Auhmaan Thanks but how is it too noisy? Trains are loud, they make noise. Idk how it could be too noisy.

[@NeoAnzel]

It's too much noise for me because where I live, on the level crossings (despite of the removal of them on the busiest tracks / roads), the trains only push the horn one time before passing the level crossing and that's it while in USA the trains have that bell constantly making noise (I know that is the warning signal that a train is approaching). And the trains here are kinda silent compared to those ones (maybe they're more recent compared to these Metra trains)

[@Railroadfan5383]

Oh I thought you meant the video and all was noisy as a video, not the trains. And yea every country has different rules I guess. A lot of grade crossings in the US are still non quiet zones, meaning, they've got to blow, long-long-short-long 24/7 all day all night. Many have been made quiet zones, where trains don't ever blow their horn and just leave the bell ringing as they pass, from houses and buildings tho, the bell is not loud at all. (The only exception for the horn in emergencies of course and when meeting another train) Canal St. and the grade crossings West of it to Tower A2 are all quiet zones, however the horn in the video was some friendly toots for us. Another exception to quiet zones is when two trains are present as I mentioned, and one has to blow the horn because people still don't understand that crossing behind a train is dangerous whether you know there's another train coming or not. Lots of rules, but its all for safety of course.

[@Misterpacboy]

Wow, those people on cars had to wait for twenty minutes? Or even more then that?

[@Railroadfan5383]

Misterpacboy I think you read the end wrong, not twenty minutes straight, all the trains I recorded were withing a 20 minute time period, 5:10pm to 5:30pm. The first clip was over 5 minutes for the cars, but in between other clips the gates went up and then people and cars crossed.

[@whitneyscott2992]

That crossing seemed closed for the whole video

[@Railroadfan5383]

Just about! Its because its so busy with trains, and the gates can stay closed for a good amount of time. Although usually its one or two trains at a time, the gates go up and down every few minutes. The first 4 and a half minutes I filmed the trains were perfectly timed where they all kept the Canal St. gates activated the whole time, making this quite cool to see.

[@refugiosierra1580]

@@Railroadfan5383 wonder why they were closed for a while

[@CoolTransport]

Great vid!

[@bnsfwarbonnet]

Why do some F40s have the Metra logo closer to the bottom than others?

[@Railroadfan5383]

+bnsfwarbonnet Cuz that's how they were painted, why else.

[@followthedamntraincj5058]

surprised they have a level crossing on such a busy track!

[@SDRP_4406]

It must be hell for the interlockers in their offices during the morning and evening rushes!

[@Railroadfan5383]

Not really, they are just very busy and have to pay attention.

[@SDRP_4406]

I suppose!

[@edwardhammer5427]

You've clearly never ran a rush hour!

[@deadaccount110]

Yes bitch na na

[@deadaccount110]

@@edwardhammer5427 sdded

[@SDRP_4406]

2:28 I was driving #111 in Train Simulator 2017 just yesterday! What a coincidence!

[@Hap6605]

That’s very cool!!!

[@woxof6969]

The crossing gates are down forever.

[@MPIEMDRailfan4]

Nice video. This location will always be one of the best for Metra action.

[@AlfTrains]

Great vídeo

[@_that_native_artist_boy_]

imagine being the dispatcher doing all this switching

[@DDLCRAILFAN92]

7:13 MP36PH double header. Something you don’t see everyday!

[@999-98]

Nice video! And because of the volume we know how to wake up our friends lol!

[@intercity1971]

WOW!! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@josephcrawford-senger5163]

I think this is like third video I have seen of this area in Chicago. I know it’s somewhere near union station but where. I would love to set up there the next time I’m up there 🤔

[@bryanpottow1660]

Poor baby Daniel is the best for the girls in the same rooms

[@Railroadfan5383]

Uh what

[@irf1630trains]

Great footage Fred!

[@Railroadfan5383]

+Illinoisrailfan 1630 Thanks Luke!

[@WindyCityRails]

Hey I'm also a Luke.

[@irf1630trains]

lol nice

[@WindyCityRails]

Best name in the world 👍

[@LexTheTrainFan315]

What kind of camera did you use>

[@robertebirch1]

I'm trying to find this on Google Maps to mark for a potential future visit - I think I found it. Is this Canal Street & 16th Street?

[@Railroadfan5383]

Its near Canal and Kinzie st. Canal and 16th is 2 miles south of where the grade crossing is in my video

[@AlfTrains]

Great

[@kevinhoward9593]

Whats the point of having the station above CUS if the tracks meet at the same spot? why don't they just abandon that station and move everything to CUS?

[@Railroadfan5383]

Kevin Howard There are two different stations. The trains above are on the former CNW tracks and the trains below are on former Milwaukee Road tracks. Over 100 years ago each railroad built their own line in and out of Chicago pretty much. At one point in time the entire surrounding area around Canal st grade crossing was railroad tracks everywhere because of huge industries and corporations. And CUS doesn't have the capacity to host all the Metra trains and people anyways.

[@CrossbuckProductions]

Oh my god, 7 trains in a row without cutting the video... WOAH

[@Railroadfan5383]

Crossbuck Productions Yes finally someone noticed lol. I was amazed cuz I didnt realize it was one big clip when I was filming it.

[@jjmanny7250]

In the chi we don’t edit any of our railfaning clips. Cuz the trains keep comin

[@glendenig9962]

How often do the trains go by? So often you don't even notice...🕴🕴

[@kringebirds]

where did the first amtrak go to because on canal street ive only seen 2 amtraks when i return on the milwaukee district and the amtraks usually enter through the southern part

[@Railroadfan5383]

There's two tracks that connect the North and South Concourse of Union Station so trains can get to and from the yard

[@kringebirds]

@@Railroadfan5383 no no I was asking where the Amtrak was going

[@kringebirds]

@@Railroadfan5383 there is???

[@Railroadfan5383]

@@kringebirds the Amtrak Empire Builder and Hiawatha use the north Concourse. The one in my video is a Hiawatha going to Milwaukee

[@kringebirds]

@@Railroadfan5383 ok thanks

[@user-xf4pp4nh2b]

You like Chicago and north western or Burlington Northern

[@railfanner1033]

Imagine how long people had to wait at the crossing just to cross the tracks lol

[@refugiosierra1580]

If my mom,dad and others were on that street we would be like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@Mason_J]

3:33 what train horn was on that heritage

[@Railroadfan5383]

Nathan p5a

[@Mason_J]

@@Railroadfan5383 thanks

[@dallasrailfanner3870]

When the train blowed the train horn 2 times was he staying bye?

[@RefrigeratedWaffles2]

Nope, most likely a warning signal. Most people get confused when a train crosses, they think it is over. He was blowing it to let people know there was still a train.

[@tonyarea5402]

Fjfkv gum DAD

[@dallasrailfanner3870]

@@RefrigeratedWaffles2 thanks

[@Georgiarailvideos6325]

what was the high level for?

[@MatthewSmith-cv7op]

That’s for trains leaving Union Station on the BNSF Main.

[@refugiosierra1580]

My mom said THATS TO MANY TRAINS! XD I said that metra left the next one is coming My dad said WHAT!

[@davidjames8613]

I wanted to go to Chicago

[@ryanmcminn1981]

2011 that tunnel wasnt there yet b

[@Railroadfan5383]

Correct. I was put up in late 2013/early 2014 I believe.

[@breenseaturtlegaming9990]

Aha when Amtrak still used f40

[@timothyplesnik4204]

They now have electric bells.

[@Railroadfan5383]

There are 4 bells, 1 at each corner of the crossing. 2 are E bells, and 2 are still mechanical bells.

[@chicagolandrailfan1550]

2:31 and 3:33 can you guess the horns

[@WorldWideOfTrainsAndTrucks]

P5

[@PixelDogAnimatuons]

2:31

[@IndigoFei]

I kinda feel bad for the cars, gotta stop every 30 seconds

[@therailfan5412]

2:35 I thought this was a no horn zone

[@Railroadfan5383]

It is a quiet zone but during rush hour theres a lot of trains meeting, and that voids a quiet zone, trains are supposed to blow when meeting near or at grade crossings. In this case in the video, the engineer was giving us some horn cuz were railfans.

[@F40-f7q]

@@Railroadfan5383 It really shouldn't be a quiet zone. If it was revoked and if I was an engineer I would be laying on the horn through there.

[@mayhemmike1789]

damn traffic don't get a break huh?

[@Railroadfan5383]

During rush hour its constant. But mid day and during the later evening, theres time period where a train doesnt pass.

[@bobparsons77]

Cars should avoid that crossing!!

[@metrasnakieasaurus1066]

Great video! Great train action!!! My son would love some subscribers to his channel..#MetraSnakieAsaurus

[@scurekburek2092]

Why do North American trains trumpet almost constantly during a ride? In addition, this bell ding ... ding .... ding ... non stop! It can turn you crazy! Trains make more sirens and bells than the natural sounds of engine or rolling elements. Living on the railway is a nightmare! Are Americans so stupid and do they get on the track like cattle everywhere? I do not think so. In Europe there is a higher railway culture, and the auditory and visual experience are nicer (rolling stock is much nicer :). (I use google translator :)

[@RefrigeratedWaffles2]

I’m sorry, but European trains have horns too.