SP 4449 across northern Illinois

According to the Friends of the 261 website, SP 4449 will travel on BNSF from Minneapolis to Chicago on July 18. This would put the train through Savanah and Rochelle. Does anyone know where to expect water stops?

Not sure where you read that - I only found a mention on the 261 website that the 4449 would be going from Minneapolis to Chicago, and the 4449's own website says that it will be going via Milwaukee:

http://www.sp4449.com/routemappng.png

If you go to www.261.com and click the link for more info about the trip to Durand, MI you get a page with the following:

"On Saturday, July 18, 2009, No. 4449 will head from Minneapolis to Chicago on BNSF. After an overnight stay, on Sunday July 19 the train will depart for Durand, Michigan, on Canadian National's ex-Grand Trunk Western route, arriving at the famous Durand Union Depot. All trips will include coach and premium class. Premium class includes reserved seating in Milwauke Road Skytop observation "Cedar Rapids" and Super Dome 53.

On Friday, July 31, the train will depart Durand for Chicago. After a one-day layover in Chicago, it will depart for Milwaukee on August 2, stay overnight and travel from Milwaukee to Minneapolis on August 3rd. Tickets for these trips may be ordered by U.S. Mail by downloading and printing the PDF order form by clicking here. "

The url is: http://www.261.com/moreinfo.cfm

I see that the map at the 4449 web site differs from the 261 site in that it only shows the route through Milwaukee, instead of eastbound on BNSF and westbound through Milwaukee.

If anyone knows for certain which route the train will take on its eastbound trip, please reply. I am sure there are many of us that would like to see the 4449 and we would hate to drive to the wrong place.

Thanks,

Landon

Similar concern - the Trainfestival site shows routing on Amtrak's Michigan Central from Chicago-Durand, while the published material shows GTW to Durand. The MC is easy to pace trains on. I have no idea about GTW even though it goes through town in South Bend, where I spend plenty of time.

It was just announced (leaked) that the 4449 will be making a grease stop at Naperville on July 18. So far that's the only announced stopped that I've heard of - I'll be on board (he said bragging!). I suspect that they're reluctant to announce other stops because of security reasons, and because other places are equipped to deal with crowd of people and parking. I'd look for a place near the half way point of the run, with a fire plug close by the BNSF tracks.

A friend in the Savanna area tells me that a story in the local paper states that the 4449 will be stopping there, , , as I indicated in the previous post, look for a spot along the tracks with a fireplug close by as the probably stopping point.

Here are a few shots of #4449 coming thru Decatur Mi enroute to Chicago