Franklin Park Railroad Daze 2006 Line-Up

The equipment that will be going to the Franklin Park Railroad days 2006 is the METX411 and the METX8526, if everything goes as planned.

Franklin Park's Railroad Daze this year, by the way, will be held May 19 and 20 in downtown Franklin Park. The official Web site is here.

Anybody care to comment on a past visit to RRdays? I go thru Franklin Park all the time, but if this is a kiddiefest with pony rides, elephant ears, and one Metx coach floatin around, I'm not loosing my saturday. However, if this is a worthwhile train-related event, I'd like to hear about it.

I am looking forward to going Saturday. Hopefully 411 will be there.

Tadman wrote:Anybody care to comment on a past visit to RRdays? I go thru Franklin Park all the time, but if this is a kiddiefest with pony rides, elephant ears, and one Metx coach floatin around, I'm not loosing my saturday. However, if this is a worthwhile train-related event, I'd like to hear about it.

No, no, the pony rides aren't that bad! They pull around the bilevel for the kids and foamers to ride when the MP36 inevitebly breaks down.

On a serious note, contrary to the previous statement, I have not actually been to a RR Daze and am also curious as to what they consist of.

I don't know what is be on display this year but normally there will be various locomotives and cars. These are not just on display but you get to climb on board and go inside the cabs. To give you an idea here are some pics Nick Hart took in 2004:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... px?id=1326

Heres a pic of the line up from last year minus the Metra MP36 and cab car that were also there.

http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=106746

Never been myself. Of course now that I've moved out this way, I have to work both days and won't be attending this weekend.

Today I noticed a bunch of traveling-carnival-type-equipment staged a bit north of the tracks, around Mannheim Rd. Related?

Oh cool it's on a friday, too. Guess my workload will be centered around Franklin Park and Bensenville customers that day.

I think the railroad displays are only on Saturday. The big thing Friday is that Michael Dolenz of the Monkees will be perfoming. I and my son are thinking of going early to Mannheim station for some train watching and maybe get to see them move the display units from the yard to B-12 tower.

That is correct, the train displays will be on Saturday only. That and other information are on the Web page I linked to earlier.

The train displays usually consist of a Metra locomotive and cab car and locomotives from various other railroads that run in the area, typically including CP, CN, IHB and UP. The WSOR E units will also make an appearance this year.

How/When will the WSOR train get to Chicago???

Ive been chasing it for almost a year and have yet to see it. How sad is that???

Any info on its trip to/from Chicago would be great!! Routings, Schedule, ANYTHING!!!!

I don't know exactly when or how the WSOR E's will come down, but my guess is they will probably come on Friday night's regular train JC and be set out in Galewood Yard. I haven't heard anything about an extra train being run to bring them down ... but that doesn't mean it won't happen. The routing will be the same way all WSOR trains get to Chicago: via the CP Fox Lake, C&M and Elgin subs.

About what time is does it come thru?

The WSOR's train JC typically passes through Fox Lake around 12:30 a.m., Rondout about 45 minutes later and A-5 about 50 minutes after that.

The E units were not on Friday night's JC. I don't know how (or even if) they went to Franklin Park. Maybe someone who attends today can confirm or deny their presence there.

I saw a group of railfans at the Morton Grove station Friday night as I passed on the westbound WSOR CJ, shortly after the eastbound JC went by there ... wonder if any of them were fellow forum members, perhaps hoping to catch the E units?

Nope, no WSOR E unit at Franklin Park today. IC 101 E9A was there along with UP 1982 MoPac heritage SD70.