Metra Electric: Most Scenic station for photography?

buddah wrote:. Also if your venturing during midday and driving , stations along 71st st ( south Chicago branch) or even Kensington ( as long as your coming from the expressway "94" to the station and back).

Don't let the last one fool you there fine to travel to during midday, just don't venture there during the evening ( high school kids are out acting a fool) and or late evening or night.

I've gone to Kensington during the day and went up on the platform to take pictures of the platform, interlocking and tracks - but most of the time I stay in the car or don't go. Night is dicy.

With the construction on I-94 things are slow ... I jumped off to take the access road to 130th St (to follow NICTD) and found it closed due to a truck that misjudged the edge of the road. I probably should have turned left and used the east access road but I went over to Michigan Ave and followed the traffic that way. It might have been faster to stay on I-94 ... even with the stop and no-go traffic.

I was over that way a decade ago and saw a whole bunch of emergency vehicles at the underpass south of the interlocking ... it turned out that someone flashed their money at the McDonalds a couple of blocks east and someone else decided that they wanted it. The victim was deprived of their life as well as the cash. Yeah, not what I'd call a safe neighborhood.

Everyone: Interesting recollections on places to avoid on or near ME. Avoiding trouble spots is key to any rail excursion like this.

Just remember the good places-like the mentioned 55-56-57 Station with my favorite Chicago attraction nearby - The Museum of Science and Industry.
I remember back in my Chicago visiting days I would make it a point to go there at least once a year. It seems that I would see or learn about something new on each visit.
They have that great O gauge layout on display that Santa Fe sponsored-does BNSF still do today? And we can't forget the restored Pioneer Zephyr...and not going too far away from this topic ME is quite convenient to getting there from Downtown Chicago and the S Suburbs. Thoughts from MACTRAXX

Tough to photograph, but I like the S curves @ 18-22nd st where the electric lines duck under the St Charles Air lines. IMHO the new convention halls spoil the view. Not sure what station Bear fans use to the new stadium. Classic photos in the area have a different view of the downtown skyline. AFAIK there are no tracks under the new Millenium Park?

There is practically no access to photograph the trains at McCormick Place unless one is on a train. Many years ago before the expansion I managed to get down next to the tracks on the west side and see trains go by, but with the expansion and construction of the busway access is very limited (I have not tried pedestrian access, but it all seems blocked off now). I have not felt like testing security the past few years ... I try to stay on public ROW as much as possible, publicly available private property after that. So much of that area seems to be turned into a no access zone.

Catch one of the new ME cars with a "rail fan window" and upper level cabs if you really want a view of the S's.

Metra and NICTD still run on the same tracks through Grant Park ... with Metra taking the dive into the lower level platforms and NICTD using their upper level platforms. The station is now under the park (no more looking over the embankment at the interlocking). All of the old freight lines/yard are gone ... they have been replaced by a parking structure (with decent rates) and a performing arts theatre. Above ground is Millennium Park.

If you have not been down there in a decade the station is decent ... lots of curves and glass. The platform areas are functional. NICTD's platforms now have a large waiting area at the north end and direct access to the Pedway. The platform canopies are gone as the park provides a roof. If you want an odd view look down from the air vents in the park above ... you can see NICTD's tracks below you.

I would vote for 18th Street It's a quite, little-used station on a curve. The SCAL runs off to the west by a hundred feet or two, and you can see trains coming out from under McCormick. also, you can get down by the tracks, above the tracks, or beside/underneath the SCAL tracks. A short walk away is the Green Line, Orange Line, and Red Line L as well as the Rock Island and views of the lift bridge over the Chicago River (in Ping Tom Park) or the B&O bridges (just north of there).