Touring the Metra Electric

I'm going to be in Chicago for most of a Friday, and I'd like to tour some of the Metra Electric lines since I wont have reasonable time to get out to Michigan City to see the South Shore street running. Can anyone recommend good locations for photography? Interesting stations? Any of the wooden ones left? Places good in the morning? In the afternoon? Places to avoid?

-otto-

Some shots I've been enjoying...

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=232248

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=228677

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=207416

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=207170

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196132

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196135

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=64311

Homewood is always an excellent place to go, although it can be an hour or so from the city center (if that's where you're staying). There's a specially-built railfan platform on the east side of the tracks, complete with a scanner feed (I believe from the CN, though). Usually I shoot from the Amtrak platform though, because the railfan platform is often blocked by trains on the yard leads. Depending on the time of day, you can see MED trains, Amtrak's Illini/Saluki/CONO, and the usual CN stuff. Lately CN has been using EJ&E SD38s to assemble trains at the yard leads right next to the station, which is definitely out of the ordinary and probably won't be permanent.

The next station south is Flossmoor, which has a nice but fairly ordinary station, with a commuter lot on the west side of the tracks that can allow one to get all the Amtrak runs as they're moving and most of the CN action as well. There is also an excellent micro-brewery/restaurant in the old pre-high-level-boarding IC station next to the MED which has a nice big window inside (in the bar area) which allows one to get a nice nose-to-the-glass view of every set of Highliners that's using the west track. It's fun to sit there and watch the trains roar through and scare the crap out of people sitting there eating. Their homemade brews are very good and most of them have very railroady names (making them extra good).

Blue Island is a favorite of mine, as is downtown. Certain stations are kind of rough so keep your wits about you. Don't get off in Harvey. The road is the antithesis of the Metro North electrification - it's slow. The original highliners are not speed demons in any way.

The south end bores me - I used to work a mile away, and after a few visits I quite watching trains there.

Hi Otto... well you already know my suggestions of the best place for a few shots as to your question on wooden stations pretty much everything from 75th st. to 111th st. on Metra electric is still wooden. The "South Chicago branch" has been redone all concrete and most stations south of 111th st. " University Branch" are concrete and some "Blue Island branch" stops as well are now concrete. Only problem with the remaining wooden stations there's no real good shots from ground stand point or any angle, you can only get A good picture standing on the platform itself. The stations north of 63th st. are a toss up some concreted some not. Have fun I'll be in Toronto when your visiting Chicago or Id be there with you.

Thanks for the tips. I checked out the South Chicago branch using Google street view, "driving" along 71st Street. Some places looked rougher than others. I'll probably try to hit up some morning and afternoon southbounds, and thanks for the tip on the brewpub!!

Otto Vondrak wrote:Thanks for the tips. I checked out the South Chicago branch using Google street view, "driving" along 71st Street. Some places looked rougher than others. I'll probably try to hit up some morning and afternoon southbounds, and thanks for the tip on the brewpub!!

Otto

I used to stay about 4 blocks west of the Windsor Park Metra Station(75th/Exchange) on the South Chicago Branch for a few years, the area is kind of rough, it is ok during the daytime, but not at night, just watch your surroundings if you go touring the south chicago branch, and even the blue island branch also, because those lines go through not so good areas of Chicago.

55-56-57th street station is a favorite of mine. It was recently remodeled and sees a lot of action and its not to far from downtown and in a good neighborhood. If you need directions on how to get to Millennium Station (Randolph Station) from Union Station let me know, I just did it yesterday.

Try doing that walk with 2 pairs of snow skis and all your gear from a week in Colorado... I was hurting by the time I got on a train...

Tadman wrote:Try doing that walk with 2 pairs of snow skis and all your gear from a week in Colorado... I was hurting by the time I got on a train...

I found that the correct thing to do was to take a combination of CTA buses from Union Station to Van Buren Street Station. Or a taxi.

It's too far to walk.

I have this problem called "being a cheap-ass"...