19-03-27a PHOTOS: Chicago Union Station - Taylor Street

Connecting on Amtrak Long Distance through Chicago in the westbound direction is actually a pretty nice affair. Eastern LD trains tend to not miss that is a good 5 or so hour connection, the new sleeper lounge in Union Station is a wonderful place to hang out and the station is just a few short blocks from an iconic rail photography location, the southerner approach to Chicago Union Station itself. Typically these photos are taken from the Roosevelt Avenue overpass located south of the four scissors ladder tracks and north of the Amtrak and METRA layover yards. However this time I noticed that the old stub of Taylor street that only serves as a pull-in for the large postal facility, was still a public right of way over the tracks and seeing as how nine (pause) eleven was 20 years ago I probably wouldn't get hassled by security.

Of course I later walked over to Roosevelt Ave and then to the nearby Binny's to pick up some potent potables for the Texas Eagle leg of my journey, but I'm sticking with the Taylor Street angle. You can see the complete set of photos here.

Here we see the view from the Taylor Street overpass. The METRA coach yard is on the right, accessed by the 0 track and Amtrak's trainset storage facility is on the left. Photographers typically prefer Roosevelt due to the excellent morning lighting, but they are also pretty much the same angles people have been capturing for decades.

CP-TAYLOR, serving tracks 5 through 8, governs Amtrak trains moving in and out of the higher numbered tracks on the south side of Chicago Union Station. 

Here is a close up shot of METRA F40PH-3 #114 as it pushed a deadhead commuter trainset in from the yard.

Amtrak Pere Marquette trainset being pushed by SC44 #4613 towards the Lumber Street wye for turning after its arrival from Grand Rapids, MI. 

The outbound Amtrak wye move meets an inbound METRA Aurora Line train led by gallery cab car #8537 under the southbound CP-ROOSEVELT signal bridge. Power was provided by METRA F40PH-3 #181 in the new lightning stripe paint scheme. 

Another METRA train, either Heritage or Southwest service, soon arrived led by cab car #8479 and powered by F40PH-3 #187.

When the south side of Chicago Union Station was partly re-signaled in the late 1980's, Amtrak chose to install B&O style color position light dwarf signals in place of PRR style position lights. Starting in 2005 the CPLs dwarfs were replaced by LED searchlights, however a couple at CP-TAYLOR remained CPL.

After getting all the photos I needed from Taylor St I moved on to Roosevelt Ave because that's where one can get all those Sears tower shots, seen here with METRA #181 heading back to the layover yard via Track 0.

Better shot of F40PH-3 #181 and its new paint job.

MoW workers checking out a double slip switch in the large CP-ROOSEVELT crossover field. A recent switch replacement project is replacing all of the remaining pneumatic point machines in this area.

Amtrak Train 49 makes a somewhat on time arrival with P42DC #111 in the lead.

METRA cab cars #8591 and #8607 along with BNSF GP39-2 #2759 at the "Zephyr Pit", aka METRA CUS Maintenance facility. #2759 was originally built in late 1962 as a GP30 for the Southern Railway as their number 2547, the unit eventually wound up with Burlington Northern, being rebuilt to GP39E specs and numbered 2769. Under BNSF ownership the number changed again to 2759 and after some electrical upgrades the unit was classed as a GP39-3 and is still in daily service few years short of its 60th birthday.

METRA Gallery car #8597 on the trainset we saw earlier, joints its siblings in the METRA coach yard.

 

For some reason Union Pacific SD70ACe #8805 was hanging out at the Amtrak Lumber Street engine facility. Not sure if it was emergency maintenance or if the engine was hot leased to make up for a failed P42DC.

The new Amtrak Chicago first class lounge has been recently rebuilt and includes both better food options and a shower.

Departing Chicago on the Texas eagle we pass Amtrak SC44 #4617, P42DC #126 and P42DC #32 near the St Charles Air Line flyover. 

Amtrak SC44 #4620, P42DC #192 and B32-8WH #507 at the Lumber Street engine shoppes.  

Finally passing through 21ST ST, a CTA Orange Line flew by on the adjacent overpass.

Come back next week as we take a trip down the old Chicago and Alton Heritage Corridor to Joliet.