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| PHOTOS: 21ST ST (1645509) | |
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| (1645509) | |
PHOTOS: 21ST ST |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Thu Dec 18 00:30:51 2025 Although much reduced in scope, 21ST ST crossing, also known as Alton Junction, was effectively the last interlocking station on the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line between Pittsburgh and Chicago and once trains navigates its complex trackwork, they would enter the ream of Chicago Union Station. That should have been a fairly simple 2x2 diamond crossing of the PRR and the Chicago and Alton was blown up by the four-tracks of the Chicago and Western Indiana, a terminal railroad owned equally between the Erie, Monon, Wabash, Grand Trunk Western and Chicago & Eastern Illinois to reach Chicago's Dearborn Station. This resulted in a staggering 26 diamonds along with a pair of double slip ladders, but with the closure of Dearborn in 1971 the C&WI tracks evaporated leaving empty fields in their place. The good news is that those fields were converted into Ping Tom park, allowing anyone to get an up close view of the passenger action that still flows through the interlocking. The bad news, at least for me, is that Chicago in December gets pretty dang cold. You on the other hand can sit back and enjoy the photos I took ( mirror ) from the comfort of your own house.After getting up early I put on as many layers as practical because the temperature stood at 8 degrees. 21ST ST is accessible via the CTA Red Line's Cermak-Chinatown station and after a transfer from the Blue Line I was delivered by 5000-series car #5214.  Cermak Junction north of the station allows Red Line trains access to the Orange Line and the Loop in case of service disruptions or equipment transfers.  Cermak-Chinatown is also adjacent to the METRA Rock Island District tracks where I caught MP36PH-3C #423 and F40PH-3 #111 coupled ahead of Veterans F40PH-3 #120.   One thing that hasn't changed about 21St St crossing is the South Branch Drawbridge that marks the spiritual end or beginning to several Amtrak long distance routes. In the summer this sees frequent raisings due to the low clearance and high volume of boat traffic on the Chicago River.  The southwest corner of the park provides an unobstructed view of the remaining diamond crossing as well as the connecting tracks for Lincoln Corridor trains and Illinois Central route trains.  Speaking of downstate Illinois, Amtrak Saluki Train 391 was departing on its outbound trip to Carbondale. Due to the lack of a direct connection to the former IC main line, all downstate trains have to make a reverse move out of Chicago Union Station. With the Saint Charles Air Line out of service for reconstruction, these trains were changing direction on the Norfolk Southern Chicago Line south of the station. Today's consist included P42DC #63 and no fewer than 3 deadhead Sightseer Lounge cars needed to make up axle count and car weight minimums on the route.   21St St is also used by METRA Southwest Service and Heritage Corridor trains, although the latter is an extremely limited peak period operation. Here a Southwest Service train with gallery cab car #8579, 1960's vintage Budd gallery coach #784 and F40PHM-3's #190 and #210.    This was followed by an outbound Southwest Service train with F40PH-3 #179 and cab car #8445.   Amtrak has a satellite maintenance facility in the Brighton Park section of Chicago and I managed to be on hand for a shuttle movement consisting of Amtrak Superliner coach #34078, Viewliner baggae car #61057 and P32B-8WH #518.   A second inbound Southwest Metra arrived with F40PHM-3 #187.  The Air Line closure has also affected Amtrak City of New Orleans trains 58 and 59. Here Train 58 arrives roughly on time with P42DC #142, pulling east onto the Chicago line where it will then reverse towards Union Station. The conductor was already positioned at the rear of transition sleeper #39010 to expedite the process.   With my toes rapidly turning into ice cubes and no further train movements expected, I set out to get some photos in an around the Lumber St grade crossing and Amtrak's Chicago engine facility. The first step was crossing Chicago's Canal St bridge which provided a different view of the South Branch railroad drawbridge.   The Lumber Street grade crossing is a popular railfan location as it provides some fantastic backdrops.   My little walk had taken just enough time for another inbound Southwest Service train to show up with gallery cab car #8595 and F40PHM-3 #191.   Amtrak's Chicago engine terminal is showing a wider variety of power these days with a mix of both Chargers, both long distance and Midwest, and trusty old P42DCs. Units visible from the 18th St overpass included #323, #4629, #4623, #345, #4610, #4602 and #368.     By this time I had been out long enough that METRA F40PHM-3 #190 and #210 had turned and were heading back out on the Southwest Service route.  Walking back towards Union Station I ran into the City of New Orleans Train 48 set being wyed on the former CBQ route. If you are wondering why the set needed to be turned if it backed into the station, remember Train 59 has to head out in reverse to then face forward when it reverses at 21ST ST.  Here METRA #112 is being switches at the west end of the BNSF-Line storage yard under the Saint Charles Air Line viaduct. Although it appears in the classic Metra schedule, #112 was an early rebuilt to the F40PH-3 standard.  While the St. Charles Air Line and its associated drawbridge are still active, the B&O Chicago Terminal bridge to the north has been sitting derelict along with the viaduct that delivered B&O trains to Grand Central Station.   At this point I got tied up visiting a nearby Home Depot and was slightly late to catch the arrival of Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited Train #49 into Chicago Union Station.  My consolation prize was METRA F40PHM-3 #204 and #212 pulling a trainset into the storage yard.  After that I walked to Clin-Ton where I encountered new 7000-series car #7057 heading to Forest Park before getting on my own 3200-series car #3206 back to where I was staying.   This concludes my trip to 21st Street crossing. Next week I'll travel back out to Brunswick, MD to check on WB Tower. |
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| (1645535) | |
Re: PHOTOS: 21ST ST |
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Posted by chicagoMotorman on Thu Dec 18 14:42:19 2025, in response to PHOTOS: 21ST ST, posted by Jersey Mike on Thu Dec 18 00:30:51 2025. Correction. It's called Federal junction, not Cermak junction. |
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| (1645549) | |
Re: PHOTOS: 21ST ST |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Fri Dec 19 08:50:27 2025, in response to Re: PHOTOS: 21ST ST, posted by chicagoMotorman on Thu Dec 18 14:42:19 2025. Thanks |
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