Turning trains in Chicago

ThirdRail7 wrote: SNIP!!!

On the other hand, a train at a turnaround location, may simply change operating cabs, do a Class II brake test, load and go!

Thank you Mr third Rail for the much more thorough explanation .. One of the limitations in Chicago is the 2 inspection pit's. Overnight typically 3 & 5 are pitted at the same time ( usually after wying and washing) while 7 will wye, wash and go into a yard track for program switching ( known bad orders, cars due inspection or campaign work(i.e Baggage car winterization campaign). 7 usually does not see the pit until around 0445.

As Mr Tadman pointed out, the wye is close, however, using it requires headroom at 12ts street, using either the NS Main, or more often the CN Joliet sub. and yes, during the week it can be a pain to wye... Try having to wye a unit so it is properly pointed to replace a Late bad order on an inbound train... NOT fun.

As for turning a corridor train, As Mr Third Rail mentioned, it can be as easy as letting the coach cleaners on to tidy up, while the engineer changes ends and the trainmen assist in a class II airtest... That is what we do with the Hiawathas.. Now, on the Southside it is different, you may turn a train in the station, but they will do inspections on them in the depot, and you can even do program moves if necessary... I think everything leaves from the southside with a Class I airtest perfromed by the Mechanical Department.

AMTK1007 wrote: SNIP!!!

One of the limitations in Chicago is the 2 inspection pit's. Overnight typically 3 & 5 are pitted at the same time ( usually after wying and washing) while 7 will wye, wash and go into a yard track for program switching ( known bad orders, cars due inspection or campaign work(i.e Baggage car winterization campaign). 7 usually does not see the pit until around 0445.

Thank you for the response. I you don't mind, I have a few questions. When you say pitted, does this occur in the station or the yard? What I'm getting at is this:

AMTKHawkeye wrote: This turn is further simplified in CHI because 58 and 59 make a reverse movement out of/into CUS, therefore no wying of this equipment is required at any time.

If Mr AMTKHawkeye is correct, it seems 58 backs into the station, meaning it is already pointed correctly for 21. If that is the case, can you service/inspect the train right in the station? Can you merely cut the diesels for the yard, put a fresh pair and absent a shopper, head out as 21 without the coaches touching the yard?

ThirdRail7 wrote:

AMTK1007 wrote: SNIP!!!

One of the limitations in Chicago is the 2 inspection pit's. Overnight typically 3 & 5 are pitted at the same time ( usually after wying and washing) while 7 will wye, wash and go into a yard track for program switching ( known bad orders, cars due inspection or campaign work(i.e Baggage car winterization campaign). 7 usually does not see the pit until around 0445.

Thank you for the response. I you don't mind, I have a few questions. When you say pitted, does this occur in the station or the yard? What I'm getting at is this:

AMTKHawkeye wrote: This turn is further simplified in CHI because 58 and 59 make a reverse movement out of/into CUS, therefore no wying of this equipment is required at any time.

If Mr AMTKHawkeye is correct, it seems 58 backs into the station, meaning it is already pointed correctly for 21. If that is the case, can you service/inspect the train right in the station? Can you merely cut the diesels for the yard, put a fresh pair and absent a shopper, head out as 21 without the coaches touching the yard?

By pitted, I am refering to sent to the S&I building in the yard where there is an inspection pit (tracks T-3 and T-4 in Chicago)

That is typically what is done, 58 will arrive, backing in off the BN wye and will arrive in the station (if a St Louis cut off car is scheduled for that day, it will have been prespotted in the depot). The train can be inspected in the depot, there is just not a pit. Now this is where I am fuzzy, because I am not in chicago at the right time, but yes, you could take the motor off 58 to the yard for fueling and a cab signal test and come back to the train, to do the outbound Initial terminal Airtest. 22 can pull straight in since they can back out to Union Ave ( or the Amtrak Connection at 21st street if necessary), but then the power would be trapped against the post so everything would have to go to the yard.. I am not sure what they are doing there right now.

How often is the 21st street connection used instead of the Union avenue wye and bridge?

For those not familiar with the area, there are two ways to get to CN(IC) for CNO and corridor trains:
(1) Use the wye and the bridge up and over the yards;
(2) back all the way south across the river, curve southwest onto CN(GM&O), change ends and pull forward.

The trackage from the bridge (route 1) and this arrangement (route 2) meet at the Metra(RI) and head east to the CN(IC). What you have on route 2 is essentially one giant double track wye that covers the entire south side.

Tadman wrote:How often is the 21st street connection used instead of the Union avenue wye and bridge?

For those not familiar with the area, there are two ways to get to CN(IC) for CNO and corridor trains:
(1) Use the wye and the bridge up and over the yards;
(2) back all the way south across the river, curve southwest onto CN(GM&O), change ends and pull forward.

The trackage from the bridge (route 1) and this arrangement (route 2) meet at the Metra(RI) and head east to the CN(IC). What you have on route 2 is essentially one giant double track wye that covers the entire south side.

Tadman, there is also the AMTRAK Connection in the "South East Quadrant" of 21st Street.. You back straight out on to the NS at 21's street, then run around the connection on to the CN

As I understand it the prefered route is via the Airline. but the Amtrak connection is a bouus as it allows trains off the Former Conrail to Access CUS if there is a problem with the 12st street lift bridge by going CR to 21st st - Amtrak Connection - CN to 16th Street (clark Street to the CN), then backing down the Airline to Union Avenue and running BN1 or BN2 in to CUS

Never thought of that, thanks for mentioning it. I have heard of the bridge being stuck, so it makes sense.

Just found this - an interesting video of the 21st street connection and the liftbridge moving. I've seen this guy's work before, and usually it's pretty good. That said, he is pretty careless about trespassing, unless he's a railroad employee. In the last scene (taken further down the line) I could swear he's standing on the Stevenson Expressway shoulder. Nuts...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPiTmJ-vd38

Two thigns stood out to my untrained eye:

- the bridge moves a lot faster than I would have thought

- the amount of slack that gets pulled out through the diamond.

I was just reading an old MILW historical society magazine, and they noted the MILW had to run trains 6 miles northwest of CUS to Pacific Junction (where N line and W line split) to wye their passenger consists. Today, 5/6 are turned at 14th street like the rest of the fleet. I'm curious if the GM&O and PRR could turn their trains at 14th street or if they did so elsewhere.

Tad, did you mean 7/8? 5/6 arrives/departs the south side so makes no sense in the context of the MILW turning trains.
But it wasn't that bad since the coach yard (Western Ave.) was halfway there. By the time you come out the west end of the coach yard, it's only two miles to Pacific Juntion.