New Start Project - UP-W

Information about UP-W's expansion to LaFox and Elburn can be posted here.

Question when this expansion due to end? And what will UP do with the Coach Yard in West Chicago?

All 3 New Start projects are supposed to be complete by the end of the year. I'm guessing UP will just use the old yard for freight, I don't think they would leave it empty.

Kyle,
I think they might use it as a Staging yard becuase most of the Chicago ones are full.

Metra is still going to keep trains in West Chicago, even after the new yard is built in Elburn. That is only if they don't move all of the trains to Elburn and let the yard be overtaken by freight.

A friend who runs Metra for UP says that each and every trainset will go to Elburn; the West Chicago yard will be a freight yard.

Whatever, their dealings, not mine.

Looks like UP's signal dept is cutting over the new Peck interlocking, about a mile or so west of Geneva. This is the eastern end of the new third track to Elburn...

Its real cool, actually! We've got work crews from MP 35.49 to MP 40.00...Flaggers at Third Street because the gates go down for no good reason when ever they feel like it. Its gonna be like this for a couple more days, and I can't complain - its wonderful. EVERY train that comes through calls the forman.

It looks like UP will be doing signal testing starting Thursday.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to mandatory testing of signal improvements on the UP West Line between Geneva & West Chicago, it will be necessary to suspend commuter train service between these stations for the trains listed below. Customers commuting from Geneva will be bussed to and from West Chicago during these times. We anticipate that these inbound trains will incur delays of up to 20 minutes.

INBOUND TO CHICAGO THURSDAY APRL 21 AND FRIDAY APRIL 22
Train #42, #44, #48, #52, #68, #70

INBOUND TO CHICAGO SATURDAY APRIL 23
Train #500, #502, #504, #506, #48, #508, #510, #512, #514, #516

INBOUND TO CHICAGO SUNDAY APRIL 24
Train #520, #524, #526, #528, #530
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

How come service has to be stopped on UP, while new signals went up on SWS and BNSF with little, if any, interference?

Because, as UP's motto is, "We can't handle it".

Hows the station coming along at Elburn? New yard?

AMTK84 wrote:Because, as UP's motto is, "We can't handle it".

Well Said Mike. They can't handle Amtrak hey they can't even handle UPS trains.

metraRI wrote:How come service has to be stopped on UP, while new signals went up on SWS and BNSF with little, if any, interference?

I hate to break into the UP-bashing with a logical answer, but it probably has to do with the fact that the UP lines use cab signals, while the other railroads do not. Ostensibly operating trains would interfere with testing the new signals.

The village of Elburn is now letting people take a look at the future station. Construction should begin in late summer, with an opening in December. The station looks very similar to those built on MILW-W between Hanson Park and Elmwood Park.
[img]http://www.dailyherald.com/dow_photos/2 ... 5UK[f].jpg[/img]
Photo © 2005 Daily Herlad