by Joe
Today I stopped down at Downers Grove Main Street to see what was going on. When I got there at 4:10, a train was just pulling in, and as it pulled in I heard over the PA system that train 1237 was delayed 50 mins due to engine problems. It would terminate at Downers Grove and everyone had to get off.
I looked behind me and to my surprise I saw a lunar signal indicating that 1237 was going into the siding! Now this is very cool and interesting as CB&Q trains used to enter DG yard and the steam engines would be serviced at the roundhouse that is now gone.
So I followed the train and stopped down a ways from where it came to rest (I thought it might go a bit farther, and I didn't think it would enter siding #2.) Here's 205 passing it with train #1241, which picked up 1237's passengers.
I went back down to where 197 lay. As luck would have it there's a parking lot for a small business along the tracks there were only a few cars in the parking lot so I took my chances.
It stood there for an hour, they were testing the brakes and going from idle to notch 8. Finally I guess they fixed the problem (The air brakes wouldn't stay charged I heard) and they backed down the siding eastward.
403 passed it as it backed along slowly.
After it got out of the siding it stopped at Main Street, waited for the signal then headed west again to Aurora.
I looked behind me and to my surprise I saw a lunar signal indicating that 1237 was going into the siding! Now this is very cool and interesting as CB&Q trains used to enter DG yard and the steam engines would be serviced at the roundhouse that is now gone.
So I followed the train and stopped down a ways from where it came to rest (I thought it might go a bit farther, and I didn't think it would enter siding #2.) Here's 205 passing it with train #1241, which picked up 1237's passengers.
I went back down to where 197 lay. As luck would have it there's a parking lot for a small business along the tracks there were only a few cars in the parking lot so I took my chances.
It stood there for an hour, they were testing the brakes and going from idle to notch 8. Finally I guess they fixed the problem (The air brakes wouldn't stay charged I heard) and they backed down the siding eastward.
403 passed it as it backed along slowly.
After it got out of the siding it stopped at Main Street, waited for the signal then headed west again to Aurora.
Joe
