CSX rail changes in Blue Island

Anyone know what kind of rail changes CSX is making at the Broadview St area in Blue Island?

I lived in Blue Island until last July. I think you mean Broadway St., where Blue Island Junction is located. Looking from there east, I believe they're installing a third main track eastward towards Barr Yard. New signals were put up about three years ago, and the signal bridge east of Western Avenue had signals on the bridge for three tracks, even though only the original two were there. My question is: did they take out the old B&O position light signal under the Rock Island (Metra) overpass?

Also, there were new signals going up last summer on the IHB by the overpass, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe CTC east to their yard?

Hope this helps.

The third main on the CSX at Blue Island Jct. has been in place since last summer. The current work is rearranging the crossovers between the IHB and CSX----basically they are putting in longer crossovers. Rumor is that someday there will be a new connection from the CSX (just north of the river) to the GTW so that CSX trains can use the GTW from BI Jct. to Hayford and then turn into the BRC. As a matter of fact, they are even starting to stage quite a bit of fill material along the access road to the tower! To answer the question about the old B&O signals----they were replaced with SBD-type.....

How about a FLY-OVER at BI Jct?!!! If only the money were there! Broadway really gets tied up! Thanks for the update!

NO!!!! NO FLYOVERS!!!!! Leave everything at ground level!!!! Easier for pics and video!!!! Can't wait to get to B.I. to see these changes. Why did CSX add another track, are they getting that buisy there????

Glen

Can only speculate on the new main track: it makes getting to the yard easier. In the past, trains have had to stop, blocking 127th St., 123rd St., and even sometimes 115th St. (north of BI Jct.). Besides annoying us drivers, it poses a serious problem for emergency vehicle response. Local reports were that the police gave engineers tickets (to be handed to a supervisor, no doubt!) for blocking crossings more than 10 minutes. Can do that: it's against the law.

We can hurry all we want to get to the yard---we just can't get INTO the yard! RCO operations in all the railroad yards are slow and non-productive!! As a result, the mainlines become parking lots.......

Is this third main track helping at all, then? And I'm trying to remember the configuration at Broadway. Does CSX have to cross a diamond to get to Barr? My thought is no.

yes and no. the only csx train that has to cross the diamond is the hopper train that goes down the ex rock island. but that only happens twice a day if that.

that train is by far the coolest train to watch. yesterday it had an ac4400cw, gp40,(furx)gp38, ac4400cw, gp40, (WC)f45(?), gp 40, 120-some misc. cars and a sw1500 on the end. i love this train. every so often i see a caboose on this run too.

Scotty Burkhardt wrote:yes and no. the only csx train that has to cross the diamond is the hopper train that goes down the ex rock island. but that only happens twice a day if that.

that train is by far the coolest train to watch. yesterday it had an ac4400cw, gp40,(furx)gp38, ac4400cw, gp40, (WC)f45(?), gp 40, 120-some misc. cars and a sw1500 on the end. i love this train. every so often i see a caboose on this run too.

Scotty, We haven't put a "real" caboose on this train in over three years----maybe even four??

that explanes why i havent seen one in so long

do you know the schedule for that train

J745, better known as the "BOR Train", departs Barr Yd. between 2300-0100. J746, which originates in Ottawa, comes through Blue Island between 0500-0900. Before you should ask, BOR stands for B&O/Rock

does it run 7 days a week?