My final railfan stop on my visit to the Chicago area this summer fulfilled a longtime “bucket-list” goal to shoot trains at Roundout Junction, a famed photo location for the past 80 years or more, seen in many classic books covering the Milwaukee Road and North Shore. While not exactly what I expected it certainly did not disappoint.
While Metra’s commuter scoots are often an after-thought to local fans I was happy to catch this northbound crossing Rockland Road behind an 18 year old MP36PH after parking, not a great shot but note the rail trail embankment to the right. Once I hoofed it up to the trail, I was delighted with the unobstructed view.
For those not familiar with the junction’s layout it has two distinct features, the first is the diamond crossing and interchange between the former Milw mainline from Chicago to Milwaukee and the Waukegan line of the former “J” now CN. The rail trail bridge on the former North Shore’s Mundelein line ROW with its grade separated crossing of the CP mainline north of the diamond provides an excellent photo vantage point in both directions as it straddles the CP main. I met a number of railfans enjoying their July 4th holiday there with ice chests and folding chairs under an unusually cool overcast. The infrequency of CN trains (twice a week according to the local fans) on the ex-EJ&E route means their turns tip toe across these diamonds on 15 mph flange bearing frogs. One wonders how long this CN crossing lasts as the Goggle earth view shows just two active customers remaining between here and Waukegan. The tower here was closed in 2015.
Looking north from the rail trail we see Rondout's second and busier feature which is the busy junction with Metra’s Milwaukee North division diverging northwest from the CP main, running single track to Fox Lake near the Wisconsin Border.
Soon another Fox Lake commuter run hit the diamond behind an F59PH built in 1988 by GMDD. #98 is enjoying a third career with Metra after decades of commuter service in Toronto and Montreal. The yellow 79 mph limit posted at the south end of the tower platform is for passenger trains, 40 mph for freights.
According to the local fans the additional track under construction will facilitate additional turns between Lake Forest and downtown to layover between runs. Before Amtrak the Milwaukee Road’s Varsity also used this route to Madison Wisconsin.
Shortly after the Scoot, a north-bound “Hiawatha Service” rolled through, per my previous post likely the same trainset lensed two days ago down in Lake Forest.
Next the sb Empire Builder, the camera lens both compressing and exaggerating the curvature in the distance, oddly when looking at the satellite view the curve seems minor and barely significant.
The rail-fans were all equipped with scanners so we had plenty of set-up time for both north and southbound trains, note the speed limit on the left for freights and Metra trains on the diverging line to Fox River.
Still a great looking train. Amtrak’s site indicated an indefinitely delayed north bound “Empire Builder” stuck downtown at Union Station so we all just settled for this southbound and then departed as it had started to rain.
