New BNSF pictures of the C&I.

I read someplace last week that BNSF is hauling PBR coal to a power plant in Illinois that is owned by ADM of all people. I don't remember the name of the plant though.

 

Technically it is the part of the Minnesota Division from Aurora, IL to
Savanna, IL. If you study the track profile of the C & I you will notice
that it is a real sawtooth profile. It does require very good train handling techniques due to the track profile. I have heard,from an instructor at N.A.R.S. that the C & I profile is the one that is used in some simulator runs at the school for engineer training.

Story time...

When I was taking my qualification simulator tests for my engineers certification, my last one was the intermodal train. If one were to commit an FRA violation on any of the simulator runs,you failed and had to do the whole thing over again.
On this last run, we were told about a temporary speed restriction and
that we should be be aware of a permanent speed restriction coming up quickly after the green flag, well, I got through the temp restriction(which was lower than normal track speed but higher than the permanent restriction)OK and started to "wind-out" a bit when suddenly
there it was, the permanent speed restriction marker. I hit the dynamics
AND put the automatic into HO position(which gives about a 40lb reduction). Execeeding a permanent speed restriction by 10mph or more is an FRA violation. Fortunately when I passed the marker, I was
less than the 10mph,but I had to stop the train since I had so much braking in the system. The instructor told me that he had to double check the printout,but told me that I did NOT commit the FRA violation.
Any of you regular hoggers out there know what it is like to "suck up the vinyl" on the hoggers seat! LOL

CT

 

C&I or Aurora Division ?

Charlie,
I stand corrected but BNSF#### who started this thread called it C&I. I had never heard it called that I only knew it as Aurora Division. And I have lived in this area (just east of Savanna) all my life. I am thinking that maybe C&I came from the old Burlington route when it went through this area. Years ago.
:confused2:

 

That would explain the Grinstein Green & Cream engines going east on a coal unit train I seen the other day (film still in the camera).

 

Thanks for the coal train info. I was begining to think maybe Walmart was going to start selling coal, since we have a "bizillion" of them around here. Menards coud be another option I thought of too.

The green/creme MACS do look pretty sharp in front of a coalie. We need some ACE's sititng around here too!!

TIM

 

you needn't stand corrected since you weren't incorrect. It was the name for the line on the Burlington. The merged railroad has had a
division realignment. Just as the East End is the Chicago Division, the
Aurora-Chicago segment is still governed by the East End Dispatcher.
Railroads keep names for things indefinitely.

CT

 

Thanks for the history lesson

You know when I was a lad in school oh so long ago. I didn't like history lessons, but here I enjoy them and I even learn a little somthing now and then. Thanks every one^^^^^^^

 

I also found myself a bit in error. I believe that with the realignment, the Minnesota Sub became the Aurora Sub under the Chicago Division.
The East End is the Chicago Subdivision of the Chicago Division(got that?)and extends between Chicago and Montgomery IL(MP41).

Sorry for the error

CT

 

Don't be "Sorry Charlie" were all here to learn and teach what we think we know.

 

unsure about the adm owned powerplant but they do interchange 2 coal trains a week to the ic that goes to the decatur adm facility. which powers about 75% of the east and west plants in decatur. the ns was handling this along time ago but i guess the ic undercut or done better service wise. funny to see dpu's running through the middle of downtown decatur.

 

Back to photos of the C&I

Oh look a rail car was setting still some where to long. This car looked like it was just painted or was new. I could not see the build date.


Parked on the siding in Chadwick



Seen in Milledgeville west bound

 

I may not be to fond of that type of stuff,but that is totaly cool to see.

 

That's why you won't see much of it in my railimage album, on less it happens to be a fallen flag car.:thumbs_up:

 

Ya,I like that little getto underneath the BNSF 'New Image' logo.

 

More photos of C&I

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?p=369420#post369420

Not that I am looking for votes but there is a contest going that has a photo taken in Savanna IL I did a round about trip Sunday and found some trains running.

Coils of wire and Cat equipment going North through Savanna IL in the same train!

 

engines passing thru Chadwick

 

More photos from the C&I


Door on the front of a Switch Control building


The Control building can be seen in the uper right corner behind my white truck

 

I've stared at that signal a few time myself!

CT

 

Keep you camera handy anlong the C&I



Just west of Milledgeville caught it stoped on the sidding. More photos to follow as I get time.