Elgin/Big Timber, IL Trains

I was thinking of going to railfan the Elgin/Big Timber line in a few weeks as it is now close to my house ( I just moved to Crystal Lake, IL). This is the same line that runs through Bensenville, correct? How many trains (not counting Metra) can I expect to see on the line?

Thanks!

Well if you have not found out yet there are very few trains other then Metra from Bensenville to Big Timber. You may catch a couple ICE Freights or a CP Patrol during the day but otherwise I hope you like Metras. At Bensenville you may see a mixture of Metra and CP freights going past the west end of the yard around Tower B17 which is close to the Bensenville Metra station. Cant say how safe a area it is to be hanging around but if your careful I don’t think you should have too much trouble in the daylight.

Conrail8124 wrote:I was thinking of going to railfan the Elgin/Big Timber line in a few weeks as it is now close to my house ( I just moved to Crystal Lake, IL). This is the same line that runs through Bensenville, correct? How many trains (not counting Metra) can I expect to see on the line?

Thanks!

Yes it is.

The elgin area is basically all metra trains, and probially 2-4 ICE trains a day coming through Elgin, being from Elgin I use to see a CP local coming out of Bensenville to serve industries in Elgin, and the freight cars will be parked at the Elgin Metra yard, until just before rush hour, in which the CP elgin local will leave the Elgin Metra Yd. back east, and some along Big Timber Rd.

At the Big Timber Rd. station metra only goes to big timber rd. on weekdays only, and you will know when an ICE train is coming east, during rush hour they will sit just west of the Randall Rd. Bridge in which there are signals for eastbound traffic there Also at big timber there will be a 3 track in back of the station in which it is the UP beveldere Sub. towards Beveldare, and Rockford, but that is also has very light traffic as well, only about 2 per day, plus probaly an local protrol may pass through also..

The areas is good, and that you wont have any problems in Elgin.