Park Forest railfan site to open Saturday

The grand opening for the Park Forest Railfan Viewing Platform will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, July 27. There will be the usual ribbon cutting festivities as well as a live boardcast of "Let's Talk Trains" (beginning at noon).

The platform is located just east of the Matteson Metra station and overlooks the newly constructed connection between CN's former IC and EJ&E lines. At the top of a hill is the viewing platform, with a former EJ&E caboose at street level.

What's been completed? I've visited the park many times (I've considered it "open" for months) and they hadn't finished with the ramp up to the top - about where it should start its first zig-zag, it stopped. But the shelter was complete and area residents had already donated plastic lawn chairs to the park. I've had several pleasant conversations with locals who were also enjoying the new view.