Steam in Chicago

[Seaboard92]

To anyone in Chicago with an interest in steam. The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society is operating their EX NKP Berkshire No. 765 from Glen of North Glenview to Janesville, WI on June 12. And again from Chicago Union Station to Galesburg, IL on June 25, 26. And if anyone wants to meet another AUer. I'm on crew so I'll be there along with my partner whom is a member who never posts here.

 

[railiner]

Virginia this week, and Illinois next?
You sure do get around....

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

You don't happen to have a link I can pass on, do you? I have a couple friends who might be interested.

 

[SarahZ]

You don't happen to have a link I can pass on, do you? I have a couple friends who might be interested.

https://fortwaynerailroad.org/events-and-excursions/

 

[Palmetto]

Thanks, Sarah. Looks like there's an excursion out to the Galesburg Railroad Days at the end of June as well.

 

[Eric S]

If only I could make a connection from the early morning Hiawatha to the June 25 Galesburg trip...

 

[Bob Dylan]

If only I could make a connection from the early morning Hiawatha to the June 25 Galesburg trip...

Why not go down to Chicago the night before and spend the night! Lots to do in the Second City!

 

[Eric S]

If only I could make a connection from the early morning Hiawatha to the June 25 Galesburg trip...

Why not go down to Chicago the night before and spend the night! Lots to do in the Second City!

Oh, just that it makes that trip more expensive - less of a "sure, why not?" and more of a "hmm, gotta think about it" thing (so to speak).

 

[Seaboard92]

Virginia this week, and Illinois next?

You sure do get around....

And who knows where after that. I sure do run around.

 

[Seaboard92]

If only I could make a connection from the early morning Hiawatha to the June 25 Galesburg trip...

Why not go down to Chicago the night before and spend the night! Lots to do in the Second City!

What about driving to the end of a Metra line and taking Metra the rest of the way in. If your in I'm game to meet you

 

[NorthShore]

I'm curious as to where the train is coming from to get to the Glen of N. Glenview that morning.

 

[Seaboard92]

Western Avenue

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

You don't happen to have a link I can pass on, do you? I have a couple friends who might be interested.

https://fortwaynerailroad.org/events-and-excursions/

Thanks Sarah!

 

[NorthShore]

Western Avenue

Routing?

 

[Seaboard92]

Up the MILW North line the same line as the Amtrak Hiawatha via Glenview to Glen of North Glenview. Then going toward Fox Lake and Janesville Wi

 

[Agent]

I'm going to be in the Chicago area for part of the week and the weekend up to June 12. It's a family trip so it's not about trains though. We are spending a couple days for sightseeing, and I am allowed to pick a few train spots. I think we'll at least see Nickel Plate Road 765 at Franklin Park's Railroad Day. I might get to see it leave the next morning if I time it right.

 

[Seaboard92]

We leave the yard at 6 am

 

[NorthShore]

Sigh, coming through my neighborhood but don't know if I will catch it at that early hour. It would be special to see steam through the city. I just missed the Southern Pacific engine that traversed the same line a few years ago.

 

[NorthShore]

Yay....you should have seen me running down Montrose, jumping for joy in the air, running like a crazy nut to cross the street, and just plain loving watching the smoke fly, listening to the whistle, and watching the private cars pass by.

Steam at Mayfair Crossing! Now I finally have a feel for what it must have been like at this intersection in the neighborhood back in the day.

 

[Palmetto]

Fror those of you who like cab rides, here's one of the trip going north on Metra trackage, and moving right along, I might add!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZrsRhruqP4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZrsRhruqP4

EDIT: Oh well, that was the wrong link. Anyway, what you saw is the first F125 on its way to California. Taken in Illinois, east of Fort Mad, IA.

 

[Seaboard92]

On Metra territory we got the engine up to 78-82 range. And yes I was in the Dutch door for it. Buy tickets for our next trip please. We need the sales badly

 

[railiner]

On Metra territory we got the engine up to 78-82 range. And yes I was in the Dutch door for it. Buy tickets for our next trip please. We need the sales badly

That must have been a spectacular sight.....\

I am surprised to hear you have trouble selling that excursion, with that magnificent engine, wonderful passenger variety of equipment, and from such a major market....

Many years ago, I was involved in selling mainline, big-time steam excursions, from a smaller market, and our trips sold out early on....different times I suppose, with dwindling interest by the younger generations... :mellow:

 

[Seaboard92]

I was surprised myself. Part of what I think hurt it was the short notice. I don't think there was enough time to market it

 

[railiner]

That could be a big factor....especially if there are other events at the same time, that appeal to the same basic target market...

We would publicise our excursions well in advance, and as soon as the railroad(s) confirmed our request, we would start selling it....usually several months ahead. And since our trips tended to repeat around the same time annually, our repeat passengers tended to save the dates....

 

[Seaboard92]

I am curious who you used to work for. There weren't similar events in Chicago area. But 611 just finished its season. And I think the same problem we had was the initial 611 trips by NCTM costing so much going over the Asheville Loops. Which took up so many budgets for the year