Chicago area

[citycat]

My flight attendant wife is going to Chicago for a course next month, and I can tag along too to take advantage of the free hotel room as I get spouse free airline travel. While she's in the classroom, it means I can have a day or two to do some train spotting in the Chicago area.

Is anybody familiar with Union station? Is it possible to access the platforms or are they restricted to passengers only? If they are restricted, can anyone suggest a suitable suburban station just beyond the Union fringes to watch the comings and goings, especially the South West Chief service to or from Los Angeles?

Are there any interesting commuter services to do an out and back?

Any advice on doing the elevated subway services?

Thanks in advance for any information and I will try and do a trip report on my return to help others.

 

[jamesontheroad]

My recollection of Union Station is that the Amtrak platforms are for ticketed passengers only, but since most of the station is underneath a building you are better off situating yourself on a viewpoint overlooking the tracks to the north or south.

To the south, the West 18th Street bridge and the West Roosevelt Road bridge both have good views over the Amtrak switching yard, as well as trains going to/from the south.

The friendly US forum at https://discuss.amtraktrains.com/ is the place to get advice.

 

[Iskra]

There’s definitely no public access to the platforms (and they’re grim anyway- think Birmingham New Street but worse). The departure area is also not the friendliest area in the world. The rest of the station is stunning though so well worth exploring.

 

[67thave]

My flight attendant wife is going to Chicago for a course next month, and I can tag along too to take advantage of the free hotel room as I get spouse free airline travel. While she's in the classroom, it means I can have a day or two to do some train spotting in the Chicago area.

Is anybody familiar with Union station? Is it possible to access the platforms or are they restricted to passengers only? If they are restricted, can anyone suggest a suitable suburban station just beyond the Union fringes to watch the comings and goings, especially the South West Chief service to or from Los Angeles?

Are there any interesting commuter services to do an out and back?

Any advice on doing the elevated subway services?

Thanks in advance for any information and I will try and do a trip report on my return to help others.

I can't recall if Union Station has direct access to the platforms for non-ticketed passengers, but even if it does, you probably wouldn't want to spend much time at platform level, as the entire station is covered and filled with diesel fumes!

If you want to see the Southwest Chief, I'd recommend taking the BNSF commuter service out to LaGrange, which is a popular railfanning spot for freight and diesel-hauled commuter trains. Geneva (on the Union Pacific-West line) is also a good destination for railfanning and sees lots of freight activity. There are also good railfanning spots to the south of the city in Blue Island, Dolton, and Homewood, but these areas are pretty rough in terms of safety (Homewood less so than the others).

Unfortunately, the most interesting Chicago commuter rail line - the South Shore, which is an electric service to South Bend, Indiana - is currently in the middle of a long-term upgrade program and is currently bustituted between Gary and Dune Park. Otherwise it would be my top recommendation even though it no longer has street running in Michigan City.

As for the elevated services (which locals always refer to as the "L"), there has been an uptick in antisocial behavior since COVID but you should be fine if you keep your wits about you and avoid the roughest parts of the network (the portions of the Red and Green lines south of the Loop). I'd recommend taking the rush hour Purple Line express service to Evanston and the Brown Line to Ravenswood, the latter of which has multiple grade crossings even though it is a metro line. Keep an eye out for Quincy station in the Loop which has been restored to resemble an "L" station circa 1897.

 

[thejuggler]

Wherever you go try and find somewhere inside to view the tracks or go prepared for freezing conditions!

In a previous job my wife was a visitor to Chicago and mid west and one of her visits was usually in February. Rarely above freezing and -20 not unheard of.

 

[Simon11]

Wherever you go try and find somewhere inside to view the tracks or go prepared for freezing conditions!

In a previous job my wife was a visitor to Chicago and mid west and one of her visits was usually in February. Rarely above freezing and -20 not unheard of.

I was going to say this!

Having lived in Chicago for a few years, you don't really want to be visiting it in February.

Bring all the snow gear you have and maybe book a cheeky weekend trip to somewhere warmer or go skiing if you enjoy it, there are a few small ski resorts nearby!

 

[citycat]

I was going to say this!

Having lived in Chicago for a few years, you don't really want to be visiting it in February.

Bring all the snow gear you have and maybe book a cheeky weekend trip to somewhere warmer or go skiing if you enjoy it, there are a few small ski resorts nearby!

As stated, my wife is attending a course for her airline so it’s a freebie trip to Chicago, but thanks for the advice regarding the snow gear.

 

[Simon11]

As stated, my wife is attending a course for her airline so it’s a freebie trip to Chicago, but thanks for the advice regarding the snow gear.

Sorry, still don't you have realised how bad the weather is there at winter! 99% of your time will be spent indoors along with everyone else who lives there!

On the better of the days, any train spotting will want to be from inside a train!

Chicago, Illinois, USA 14 day weather forecast

Forecasted weather conditions the coming 2 weeks for Chicago

www.timeanddate.com

Snow is forecast for 13 of the next 14 days with a lowest temperature expected of -15c overnight in late January. February, the weather will be even worse.

A few years ago in February, it was so cold I did the old boil up a kettle and throw the water outside where it instantly turned into steam!

 

[citycat]

Sorry, still don't you have realised how bad the weather is there at winter! 99% of your time will be spent indoors along with everyone else who lives there!

On the better of the days, any train spotting will want to be from inside a train!

Chicago, Illinois, USA 14 day weather forecast

Forecasted weather conditions the coming 2 weeks for Chicago

www.timeanddate.com

Snow is forecast for 13 of the next 14 days with a lowest temperature expected of -15c overnight in late January. February, the weather will be even worse.

A few years ago in February, it was so cold I did the old boil up a kettle and throw the water outside where it instantly turned into steam!

So, I guess I won’t be going for a paddle in Lake Michigan then?

Ah well, if it’s that cold on the day, then I’ll just stay within the warm confines of the JW Marriott and watch youtube videos of the South West Chief and entertain myself by chucking kettles of water out of the window.

 

[87015]

It’s probably the greatest city for diesel hauled trains on the planet?

Metra - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Most lines have an all day service, although likely to have to leave the train at the terminus before the return.

BNSF (and possibly heritage corridor but that’s peaks) is solid classic American F40s, other lines are F40s interspersed with some more modern locos (all GM/EMD) and the only carts are on the electric division which is separate.

You can get a day rover for not very much on the App although if you have an Android this can be an issue to download, no problems on Apple. They were claiming this would be available from ticket machines this year, which may now have happened.

Most people do go in August rather than winter though!!

 

[ricohallo]

Not considering the February weather a day trip to Kenosha, WI might be worth it on Metra's Union Pacific North line. Kenosha itself has some very interesting PCC streetcars to take a ride on (not sure they run all year though?).

 

[citycat]

Thanks a lot for all the advice and suggestions. It’s much appreciated.

 

[Backroom_boy]

Yes agree with all the advice on here; UNION station really not great for views. Have some rides instead. Doesn't seem to be anything like the London Travel card so you would separate rover tickets depending on mode eg. Metra and the L (unless there is a joint ticket I missed) The elevated loop isn't to be missed though!

 

[Taunton]

There was a book produced about 40 years ago, "Train Watchers Guide to Chicago" which just covers it all as was then:

https://www.amazon.com/New-Train-Watchers-Guide-Chicago/dp/B0006CRE7E

Although now old, I still take mine with me whenever I go to Chicago.

The Museum of Science and Industry (the "MSI"), on the south side, has a notable range of railroad exhibits and items. They even have an original 1930s Zephyr. Although inner city Chicago, their website on getting there focuses on doing so by car (it's the USA, most, even Chicago city residents, will do so), they have built a big parking structure. You can however equally get there on the L and then transfer to a bus.

Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

On the L I would recommend going north on the Red line to Howard, and then the Yellow shuttle line, nonstop and speedy, through the outer suburbs to Skokie, which gives a good flavour of it all. You will get used to how the various lines go round the Loop, many in only one direction or the other so you have to check which side of the street to go up to it. The L junctions are quite spectacular to watch at rush hours.

Note the spelling of the "L". It's not the "El" as in other US cities with this. It's equally known by the initials of its operator, the CTA.

 

[Gaelan]

Is anybody familiar with Union station? Is it possible to access the platforms or are they restricted to passengers only? If they are restricted, can anyone suggest a suitable suburban station just beyond the Union fringes to watch the comings and goings, especially the South West Chief service to or from Los Angeles?

There's an entrance at Madison & Canal directly onto the far end of the northbound Metra platforms, with walking access along the platforms to the main concourse area. This youtube video shows it well:

The Southwest Chief leaves from the southbound platforms, though.

I *think* all Metra platforms are ungated with on-train ticket checks only, so you may be able to find an adjacent northbound Metra platform; but I'm really not sure.

 

[ac6000cw]

If you want to see the Southwest Chief, I'd recommend taking the BNSF commuter service out to LaGrange, which is a popular railfanning spot for freight and diesel-hauled commuter trains. Geneva (on the Union Pacific-West line) is also a good destination for railfanning and sees lots of freight activity.

I'd agree with both of those suggestions (provided the weather is amenable!) - below is some video of mine taken at La Grange Road Metra station, on the BNSF mainline, on a sunny Sunday in October 2006 (the track nearest the camera at the start of the video was closed due to engineering work, hence passengers using the road crossing to get on the train into Chicago instead of the station platform). All three mainline tracks are bi-directionally signalled:

About 500m east of the station - easily walkable - the IHB (Indiana Harbor Belt) mainline goes under the BNSF mainline. The IHB is one of several freight 'belt lines' in the Chicago area which interconnect the major railroad routes and serve local industries and yards.

I think a ride around at least the downtown 'Loop' part of the 'L' elevated transit system is a 'must do'.

For diesel hauled commuter trains, in addition Union Station, just north of it is another major Metra station, Ogilvie Transportation Center.

It’s probably the greatest city for diesel hauled trains on the planet?

Agreed !

The Museum of Science and Industry (the "MSI"), on the south side, has a notable range of railroad exhibits and items. They even have an original 1930s Zephyr.

Good suggestion, especially if the weather is bad!

 

[Taunton]

Doesn't seem to be anything like the London Travel card so you would separate rover tickets depending on mode eg. Metra and the L (unless there is a joint ticket I missed) The elevated loop isn't to be missed though!

The Ventra Card is Chicago's Oyster/Travelcard equivalent, on (principally) the CTA within the city, L and bus. It's flat fare $2.50 a ride, but $5 for all day, so after two trips the rest of the day is free. In the traditional USA way, transferring in a continuing trip is always free, whether bus to bus, or L to bus.

Most of the Metra operation, like London's outer suburban rail service, is out to beyond the city limits, and traditional fares apply.

 

[Gaelan]

The Ventra Card is Chicago's Oyster/Travelcard equivalent, on (principally) the CTA within the city, L and bus. It's flat fare $2.50 a ride, but $5 for all day, so after two trips the rest of the day is free. In the traditional USA way, transferring in a continuing trip is always free, whether bus to bus, or L to bus.

Speaking of Ventra, I’ll note that the system takes contactless, but while it accepted my US cards, it balked at my Nationwide card (both physical and Apple Pay). So if you’re visiting from the UK, be prepared to buy a Ventra card or a paper ticket.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

If you haven't already found it this is the CTA homepage: https://www.transitchicago.com/

The Museum of Science and Industry (the "MSI"), on the south side, has a notable range of railroad exhibits and items. They even have an original 1930s Zephyr. Although inner city Chicago, their website on getting there focuses on doing so by car (it's the USA, most, even Chicago city residents, will do so), they have built a big parking structure. You can however equally get there on the L and then transfer to a bus.

Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The transfer would be in a less salubrious part of Chicago. If maximising your rail mileage is not so important there is a direct bus from downtown, route 6, which runs as an express along Lakeshore Drive; might be a better bet in winter conditions.

On the L I would recommend going north on the Red line to Howard, and then the Yellow shuttle line, nonstop and speedy, through the outer suburbs to Skokie, which gives a good flavour of it all. You will get used to how the various lines go round the Loop, many in only one direction or the other so you have to check which side of the street to go up to it. The L junctions are quite spectacular to watch at rush hours.

Note the spelling of the "L". It's not the "El" as in other US cities with this. It's equally known by the initials of its operator, the CTA.

The downtown loop is a definite "must-do". If heading north on the red line immediately north of Addison St station are views to the west of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team and a designated historical site. It and Boston's Fenway Park are the only remaining traditional stadia left in the US and both are reminiscent of so many English football grounds in being very much embedded in their local neighbourhoods.

 

[citycat]

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their advice and suggestions. It’s much appreciated and given me food for thought.

The first and only time I ever saw the South West Chief was on my first ever visit to North America, to Los Angeles in 1990, flying across the Atlantic in my first Boeing 747 belonging to Pan Am.

One day I went to Union station in the city and immediately recognised the exterior and the booking hall from various films. In those days, you could freely wander the platforms so I got to see my first Amtrak train up close which was the South West Chief. Very different from the UK and trains from mainland Europe that I’d grown up with.

It’s always sort of been my ambition to visit Kingman, Arizona, as I was told that was where the loco engineers swapped over, and it sounded like a typical western American town that might be worth a visit one day.

Just as an additional aside, one of my ex driving colleagues from LNER in the UK has just given up driving Intercity 225’s and Azumas to move to the States to take up a new role as a locomotive engineer driving freight trains. He somehow got the all important Green card and has swapped 125mph passenger driving for the (75mph??) progress of American freight.

 

[eldomtom2]

Just as an additional aside, one of my ex driving colleagues from LNER in the UK has just given up driving Intercity 225’s and Azumas to move to the States to take up a new role as a locomotive engineer driving freight trains. He somehow got the all important Green card and has swapped 125mph passenger driving for the (75mph??) progress of American freight.

My immediate reaction is "what on Earth possessed him to do that?". Everything I've heard indicates that driving American freight trains is a hellish job.

 

[ac6000cw]

the (75mph??) progress of American freight.

Track permitting, usually it's 70 mph max for high-priority intermodals (lower for lesser intermodals to save fuel), 50 mph max for loaded bulk trains.

(If you want an idea of how they ran hotshot freight trains back in the days before radar speed guns etc., have a read of Fred Frailey's 'Blue Streak Merchandise' book if you see a copy around at a decent price...)

It’s always sort of been my ambition to visit Kingman, Arizona, as I was told that was where the loco engineers swapped over, and it sounded like a typical western American town that might be worth a visit one day.

AFAIK, it still is an Amtrak crew-change point. I've been through there on the South West Chief three times but never got off the train... It's quite well known as a 'Route 66' town these days.

I spent an afternoon/overnight/morning in and around Needles, CA (next significant place west of Kingman, on the AZ/CA border) on my last trip to the US - another railroad crew change/Route 66 town in the desert. The photo below is a westbound climbing the easier 'low-grade' track about 15 miles west of Needles, about to cross then run alongside old Route 66, headed by a quartet of ES44 locos. In the right lighting conditions, the desert has a beauty all of its own (gets its own back when it whips up a dust storm out of nowhere, though...):

 

[Whisky Papa]

If you haven't already found it this is the CTA homepage: https://www.transitchicago.com/


The transfer would be in a less salubrious part of Chicago. If maximising your rail mileage is not so important there is a direct bus from downtown, route 6, which runs as an express along Lakeshore Drive; might be a better bet in winter conditions.


The downtown loop is a definite "must-do". If heading north on the red line immediately north of Addison St station are views to the west of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team and a designated historical site. It and Boston's Fenway Park are the only remaining traditional stadia left in the US and both are reminiscent of so many English football grounds in being very much embedded in their local neighbourhoods.

When my wife and I wanted to visit the Museum of Science and Industry alone on our first family visit in 2018, our daughter-in-law (a Chicago native) specifically advised us not to make the 'obvious' transfer from the L Red Line at Garfield. In addition to the 6 bus route mentioned above, over the summer there is the 10, which runs directly from downtown to the MS&I terminating right in front of it, which is what we used. It only appears on the CTA map as an inset at the bottom of the final page, incidentally.

Regarding L lines to ride, my preference would be the Brown Line, as it leaves the Loop elevated (unlike the Red Line) and gives good views of the Chicago River bridges before twisting over streets in a way only the L can! The peak-only Purple Line follows the same route out of the city, and gives a fast run north once it merges with the Red Line.

If you get as far out as Addison on the Brown Line (not to be confused with the Red Line Addison mentioned above!) you can see the Metra trains on the Union Pacific North Line just to the east. Both Dovetail and Begyle brewery taprooms have a view...

 

[Taunton]

I'll just add that the Metra commuter trains are not that frequent, even the "all day service" from Union Station to Aurora only has trains every 1 to 2 hours in daytime, but every couple of minutes in the peak. It's not an all-day Clapham Junction. Check timetables before going out. Note that USA "rush hours" are a bit in advance of the UK, in the morning it's 0630 to 0830, and in the evening it's 1600 to 1730. Where UK office staff (much of the commuter traffic) tend to work on late after official hours when needed, USA staff come in extra early, but leave on the dot.

Chicago originally had about half a dozen "mainstream" terminal stations, they have been gradually whittled down to Union Station and some odd outliers. All the main railroads serving them were on a north-south axis, the bulk going southwards, and then fanning out. If you get to the bridges south of Union Station, say Roosevelt Road, in the afternoon peak, the action can be pretty continuous.

If you get a chance to rent a car and get out, I'll suggest the Illinois Railway Museum, out in farmland about 50 miles north-west. You can't really get there by public transport, but this is the USA - everybody drives. They have a huge collection of old tram and railway cars, and locomotives. It really only comes to life at summer weekends, but I've always found on any day there's somebody there and they are extremely hospitable to show anyone from the UK round even when seemingly closed - that has included for me taking an Interurban car out for a spin.

Illinois Railway Museum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[stuu]

It’s always sort of been my ambition to visit Kingman, Arizona, as I was told that was where the loco engineers swapped over, and it sounded like a typical western American town that might be worth a visit one day.

It's not a very exciting place, even if you really like freight trains. Some strip malls and motels etc, and a Burger King which seemed to employ only people on day release from the local asylum.

Flagstaff is not far away (from a global point of view), and is a much, much nicer place with an actual town centre and it has frequent freight trains through the middle of the town

 

[citycat]

My immediate reaction is "what on Earth possessed him to do that?". Everything I've heard indicates that driving American freight trains is a hellish job.

He’s been driving trains since the late eighties, mostly on the East Coast mainline, so I am guessing that he got a bit bored of going between London, Leeds and Newcastle? He’s somehow got the green card (maybe married to a US citizen), somehow he’s landed the role, so he’s thought ‘right, time to play with some bigger trains’ and transferred across the Atlantic.

I’ve already stated how I saw my first Amtrak train, the South West Chief, so this is how I saw my first freight train.

My then girlfriend, now my wife, and I decided to do LA and Las Vegas. Naturally, we decided to go a bit further and do the touristy thing of the Grand Canyon, staying two nights in a motel in the town of Williams, Arizona. I saw that the station was about five minutes walk from the motel so I had a stroll over. I saw a magnificent looking steam engine and classic carriages belonging to the Grand Canyon Railroad Company or something.

I asked the Stationmaster or whatever he was in my best British accent if there would be any interesting trains rolling through. He replied in a mid western drawl that if I was willing to ‘get my butt out of bed early’, there would be a big freight train through at 06:16am.

I set my Casio watch alarm for 06:00 and tried to get quietly dressed, but my girlfriend opened one eye and asked where I was off to? I said I had an appointment with a freight train so she just sighed and pulled the duvet back over her head.

As I strolled to the nearby track, I could already hear the distinctive train horn in the distance waking up the whole town. I saw the track was unfenced which is unusual in the UK and parts of Europe so I found a safe place to stand as I enjoyed the spectacle of a four engine freight thundering past me, horn still blaring.

First thoughts were ‘my, this is big compared to our European freights. Double stacked containers, box cars, tanks, and semi piggy backed trailers all in the consist. I lost count but I reckon there was at least a 100+ cars. It took several minutes to pass and I thought how big are the yards or the passing loops to accomodate such a lenth of train? What happens if you trip a hot axle box detector and have to walk back? Most of all, what happens if a car derails? How does the engineer know something is wrong before tearing up a mile or two of track? Anyway, it was very impressive. If anyone can hazzard a guess where that freight may have been going from and to in 1993 to pass through Williams, it would be interesting to know.

Since then, I’ve seen a few more freights, mostly in Florida while on vacation. It’s still great to hear the ding ding ding and see the flashing lights of a railroad crossing and hear the distinctive horn of an approaching American freight.

Again, thanks for further replies and advice. I’ll give a Brucie Bonus (if you live in the UK you’ll know that term from a once popular game show), to anyone who can correctly identify the airline my wife flies for, based on the fact that the course she is attending is held at the crew training centre in Chicago, she is based at London Heathrow, and we live in the Netherlands.

Aviation, the world of long distance commuting to work.

 

[Gaelan]

how big are the yards or the passing loops to accomodate such a lenth of train

I read somewhere that a significant source of Amtrak delays is that the Amtrak consistently ends up in the passing loop, as they fit and the freight trains don’t!

BNSF also appears to have a bad habit of treating all but one track of their three-track mainline between Seattle and Tacoma as a freight siding…

 

[eldomtom2]

He’s been driving trains since the late eighties, mostly on the East Coast mainline, so I am guessing that he got a bit bored of going between London, Leeds and Newcastle? He’s somehow got the green card (maybe married to a US citizen), somehow he’s landed the role, so he’s thought ‘right, time to play with some bigger trains’ and transferred across the Atlantic.

If he's married I hope to God he's thought this through - a consistent theme from US loco crews in my experience is saying the job'll kill your home life.

It took several minutes to pass and I thought how big are the yards or the passing loops to accomodate such a lenth of train?

Nowadays the answer is increasingly "they aren't"!

 

[midland1]

Has anyone put but Trains Magazine late last year did a Chicago special magazine. I got mine from a small newsagent so you should still be able to get one from a bigger newsagent. History and present day and photo spots all in.

 

[nw1]

Snow is forecast for 13 of the next 14 days with a lowest temperature expected of -15c overnight in late January. February, the weather will be even worse.

A few years ago in February, it was so cold I did the old boil up a kettle and throw the water outside where it instantly turned into steam!

Never visited Chicago, other than O'Hare to change planes, but...

Interesting that in Feb the weather will be even worse than currently, when in the southern UK, certainly, things start warming up and drying out in late February on average. Certainly (in my area) February tends to be the most benign of the three winter months: less wet, less stormy and chance of warm sunshine higher than December and January. Not to mention the longer daylight and stronger sunshine when it comes out (which is a good deal more frequently than in Dec and Jan). The end of Feb can not infrequently pass for spring.

With Chicago further south one might think the same thing would happen there, with the most severe cold earlier in the winter and the strong sunshine of Feb at 40 North warming things up somewhat. You'd expect some icy polar blasts but equally some distinctly mild air from the south too; my (incorrect) expectation of Feb weather in Chicago would be sharp fluctuations with severe cold alternating with milder weather. Given May is pretty warm in much of the central and eastern USA (warmer than here, AFAIK) the climb out of winter must be very, very steep indeed and spring must be much more transitory than in western Europe.