Railfanning Blue Island, Illinois, 10.06.12: CSX, CN, UP, IAIS, Metra

Train 1: CSX ES40DCs 5482 and 5426 bring an eastbound intermodal through Blue Island Junction. Train 2: CSX ES40DC #5227 and AC4400 #289 lead a westbound stack train to the joint IHB/B&OCT main line that will bring it to the Bedford Park Intermodal Terminal. Train 3: Canadian National C44-9W #2717, (actually an Illinois Central unit, but delivered in CN paint, as CN's takeover of the IC was happening), repainted ex-Oakway SD60 #5407, and C40-8 #2128, which wears the "CN 15 Years" logo, all pull a southbound (railroad eastbound) manifest on the Grand Trunk Western. With the EJ&E taking most traffic away from Chicago, moves on the GTW this far in are getting rare. Train 4: Sneaking up behind the CN train on the CSX main, a Union Pacific freight heads south (east), with an SD70M and brand-new GEVO #8006 leading. Train 5: Iowa Interstate ES44DCs come to a stop on the Metra Rock Island District bridge over the CSX/IHB/CN lines at the junction. IAIS #513, the Rock Island heritage unit, sits pretty on the bridge. Train 6: IAIS ES44DC #512 and SD38-2 #155, along with the Rock Island unit, idle in Burr Oak Yard at Vermont Street in Blue Island. Number 155 comes out across Vermont St for headroom in the yard. Train 7: At the border of Blue Island and Chicago at 119th Street on the Beverly Branch of Metra's Rock Island District, an outbound train makes its station stop here, sitting across the oblique crossing of Vincennes Road. F40PHM-2 #202, the 'Village of Orland Hills' leads 6 bilevels. The Electric District's Blue Island Branch terminal and the diesel line's coach yard can be seen in the distance, but this local train will make two more stops- 123rd St and Prairie St- before arriving there. ~Thanks for watching!~