Milwaukee North Line (C&M Sub) Questions...

Hey all...

I'm still planning the activities for my time home in Illinois starting next week. I've added Rondout to my agenda, but I have a few questions if no one minds.

1. Are there any deadheads on this route? If so, what ones pass Rondout?
2. What is are the typical consists?
3. How much does Metra end up affecting the CP's traffic these days?

Thanks in advance guys. And a continuing thanks for all previous help. It's been so long since I've headed home, and actually had any time for railfanning anywhere other than the Racetrack. Your refreshers are GREATLY appreciated.

Regards,
Matt

Hey Matt,

1) Milw/N has two deadheads, both of which pass Rondout, and they involve the outbound trains that terminate at Lake Forest. On weekdays, the equipment from train 2101 switches over at Rondout, then heads back south to Deerfield as equipment for 2120. The same setup is in effect for Saturday trains 2605/2606, except that 2606 starts from Lake Forest. No scheduled moves between CUS and points north occur on this route; it may happen on rare occasions when modified schedules are in effect that necessitate equipment deadheading back downtown, but this is the exception, not the norm.

2) Many consists are seven cars, with four or five cars common during midday/off-peak service. The longest set belongs to train 2143 to Fox Lake, which runs with 9 cars, and is usually doubleheaded, sometimes with 2 MP's. Returns as 2116 in the morning...

3) Traveling between Bensenville and points north via a connection at A20 junction in Northbrook with UP's Milwaukee sub (ex-CNW "New line"), CP runs a moderate amount of freight traffic that accesses the C&M sub here, and shares tracks with Metra and Amtrak between Northbrook and Rondout. From what I've seen, much of the traffic is of the high-prioirty type (i.e., stacks/containers, quality manifests, etc), and as such, are allowed speeds of up to 60mph, which enables dispatchers to weave these trains in with little to no impact on Metra/Amtrak service. As a result, delays due to "freight train interference" don't seem to occur too often on this line.

Hope this helps, and happy railfanning!

doepack wrote:Hey Matt,

1) Milw/N has two deadheads, both of which pass Rondout, and they involve the outbound trains that terminate at Lake Forest. On weekdays, the equipment from train 2101 switches over at Rondout, then heads back south to Deerfield as equipment for 2120. The same setup is in effect for Saturday trains 2605/2606, except that 2606 starts from Lake Forest. No scheduled moves between CUS and points north occur on this route; it may happen on rare occasions when modified schedules are in effect that necessitate equipment deadheading back downtown, but this is the exception, not the norm.

Dorian,

Thanks. Just one last quick question. What are those deadheads' IDs? Sorry, but like I said...it's been a while.

Regards,
Matt (MJR)

Don't forget to take some pics of the scrappy little Hiawatha trains - they're short and filthy but typically haul-ass thru most of the area.

Wanderer wrote: Dorian,

Thanks. Just one last quick question. What are those deadheads' IDs? Sorry, but like I said...it's been a while.

Regards,
Matt (MJR)

No special deadhead ID's for these Lake Forest-Rondout runs, trains simply use the revenue train numbers, and just change over at Rondout...

Cool. Thanks Dorian. And that suggestion was already on my mind Tad.

2101/2120 and 2605/2606 generally turn at Lake forest, NOT Rondout, although the employee timetable does show them turning at Rondout.

bones wrote:2101/2120 and 2605/2606 generally turn at Lake forest, NOT Rondout, although the employee timetable does show them turning at Rondout.

FWIW, I used the ETT as a guide, and at first I didn't understand why these trains had to run all the way to Rondout before turning south again instead of just flipping back at Lake Forest. The explanation I got was that sometimes the C&M dispatcher tries to squeeze in a hot priority freight from Bensenville at A20 immediately behind either 2101 or 2605, so I guess the thinking is that it's easier to get Metra out of the way at Rondout, rather than cause additional delays to freights waiting at A20 for 2120/2606 to come back from Lake Forest on the same track. But you're right; obviously, when there's nothing waiting at A20, flipping them at Lake Forest is best; no point in traveling the extra 4 miles to Rondout when they don't have to...