BNSF Chicago Subdivision
A Railroad of Legendary Traffic
by Robby Gragg
Generally Massive and Fun
The BNSF Chicago Subdivision, also known as the "racetrack", as known for its triple track, high speed trains. The line runs from Chicago Union Station to Aurora, where the line splits into the Mendota and Aurora Subdivisions. Though the line is known for being triple tracked, not all of the line is indeed 3 tracks. The line is double track between the junction between the Mendota and Aurora Subs in Aurora, to just east of the Aurora Transportation Center. Track speed is mostly 70 MPH for passenger and 45 MPH for freight presently.
Accessibility-wise, the racetrack is one of the easiest lines to railfan. Just pick any Metra station between LaVergne in Berwyn, and Route 59 in Naperville/Aurora, and you'll have a front row seat to the parade of trains. Metra serves all stations on weekdays, some more than others, and most stations on weekends. Amtrak's main station on the racetrack is Naperville. All trains stop there. Amtrak also serves LaGrange, but only the short distance trains to Quincy stop in LaGrange. In terms of variety, you'll mainly see BNSF power on most of their trains. However, foreign power can and sometimes can show up, especially from the NS and CSX. You do occasionally see power from all of the other class ones, including KCS. The oil trains commonly have run-through CSX and NS power, including the NS heritage units. Amtrak usually uses one P42 on the short distance trains, and two on the long distance trains. However, sometimes you'll see Amtrak's heritage units, and occasional P32s and F59s. Metra uses rebuilt F40PHs and F40PHM-2 "Winnebagos" on commuter trains. There used to be MP36s on the BNSF but due to their unreliability, BNSF moved them to other Metra lines in exchange for more F40s. The Metra equipment that runs the BNSF line is staffed and maintained by BNSF employees. The station agents are also employed by BNSF, not Metra.
Accessibility-wise, the racetrack is one of the easiest lines to railfan. Just pick any Metra station between LaVergne in Berwyn, and Route 59 in Naperville/Aurora, and you'll have a front row seat to the parade of trains. Metra serves all stations on weekdays, some more than others, and most stations on weekends. Amtrak's main station on the racetrack is Naperville. All trains stop there. Amtrak also serves LaGrange, but only the short distance trains to Quincy stop in LaGrange. In terms of variety, you'll mainly see BNSF power on most of their trains. However, foreign power can and sometimes can show up, especially from the NS and CSX. You do occasionally see power from all of the other class ones, including KCS. The oil trains commonly have run-through CSX and NS power, including the NS heritage units. Amtrak usually uses one P42 on the short distance trains, and two on the long distance trains. However, sometimes you'll see Amtrak's heritage units, and occasional P32s and F59s. Metra uses rebuilt F40PHs and F40PHM-2 "Winnebagos" on commuter trains. There used to be MP36s on the BNSF but due to their unreliability, BNSF moved them to other Metra lines in exchange for more F40s. The Metra equipment that runs the BNSF line is staffed and maintained by BNSF employees. The station agents are also employed by BNSF, not Metra.
A Line Built for Longevity and Tonnage
The line presently sees 8 Amtrak trains a day, the Illinois Zephyr (trains 380 and 383), the Carl Sandburg (trains 381 and 382), the California Zephyr (Trains 5 and 6) and the Southwest Chief (trains 3 and 4). The line sees heavy Metra commuter service on weekdays, with 97 scheduled trains plus deadhead moves on weekdays. Saturdays, trains run every hour, with one express in the morning and one in the evening added. Sundays, Metra runs every two hours. Rush hour, which mainly occures between 4 and 7pm, is one of the best known shows of railroading in the entire nation, with trains running every 2 to 5 minutes. Many of the trains express to and from the west suburbs, mainly Downers Grove and Naperville, skipping all the closer in stops. Trains also "flip" at various stations and deadhead back to the city to get ready for their next trip out.
The line was built in 1865 by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The CB&Q was well known for it's "Zephyr" trains that ran down the racetrack at over 100 MPH. This included the Pioneer Zephyr, which made a record breaking run from Chicago to Denver in 1934. The end of this train's trip took place on the racetrack. Other trains such as the Denver Zephyr, the Twin Cities Zephyr, the Nebraska Zephyr (which is preserved and operational at the Illinois Railway Museum), and the Kansas Coty Zephyr. The CB&Q also ran other passenger services on the racetrack in addition to the Zephyrs. In 1960, a merger was proposed between the CB&Q, the SP&S, the Great Northern, and the Northern Pacific. 10 years later, in 1970, those four railroads merged together, and the Burlington Northern was formed. The BN continued to operate the remaining former passenger trains of the CB&Q, such as the Empire Builder, until 1971, when Amtrak was formed. Upon the formation of Amtrak, the Empire Builder was moved off the BN and onto the Milwaukee Road between Chicago and St. Paul. The line, which had been known for its freight traffic, was introduced to coal trains in 1972 when the BN built its line into the powder river basin in Wyoming. Another big change was when the BN converted Clyde Yard in Cicero from manifest traffic, into a intermodal yard. The main general freight yard on the racetrack was moved to Eola yard, in Aurora. Upon opening the new intermodal yard at Cicero, BN started to operate trains from Cicero to the Twin Cities and the pacific northwest, which are still operated to this day. In 1995, the BN merged with the Santa Fe to create the present owner of the line, the BNSF. In 1996, Amtrak's Southwest Chief was moved from the Santa Fe to the BN east of Galesburg when BNSF built a new connection between the two lines in Cameron, IL, just west of Galesburg.
This also caused a change in freight operations. Currently, mainly trains going to the Belt Railway of Chicago, as well as the Norfolk Southern, use the racetrack, while trains going to the Indiana Harbor Belt and the CSX use the Santa Fe. There are some grain trains that have used the racetrack to get to the CSX, however. Currently, the BNSF operates 30-40 freight trains per day on the racetrack. The types of freight trains are mixed, as the racetrack regularly sees intermodal, manifest, grain, coal, and pretty much everything. A recent player recently on the racetrack has been crude oil trains. As many as 8 crude oil trains a day going to both the NS and the CSX run on the racetrack. These trains are often a favorite of railfans, as the NS sometimes sends one or two of their 20 "heritage" units on one of these trains. There are three industries that are served between Chicago and Aurora, Nabisco in Naperville, Pepperidge Farm in Downers Grove and also there's one transloading industry at Congress Park. All three of these industries have a local switching them.
The line was built in 1865 by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The CB&Q was well known for it's "Zephyr" trains that ran down the racetrack at over 100 MPH. This included the Pioneer Zephyr, which made a record breaking run from Chicago to Denver in 1934. The end of this train's trip took place on the racetrack. Other trains such as the Denver Zephyr, the Twin Cities Zephyr, the Nebraska Zephyr (which is preserved and operational at the Illinois Railway Museum), and the Kansas Coty Zephyr. The CB&Q also ran other passenger services on the racetrack in addition to the Zephyrs. In 1960, a merger was proposed between the CB&Q, the SP&S, the Great Northern, and the Northern Pacific. 10 years later, in 1970, those four railroads merged together, and the Burlington Northern was formed. The BN continued to operate the remaining former passenger trains of the CB&Q, such as the Empire Builder, until 1971, when Amtrak was formed. Upon the formation of Amtrak, the Empire Builder was moved off the BN and onto the Milwaukee Road between Chicago and St. Paul. The line, which had been known for its freight traffic, was introduced to coal trains in 1972 when the BN built its line into the powder river basin in Wyoming. Another big change was when the BN converted Clyde Yard in Cicero from manifest traffic, into a intermodal yard. The main general freight yard on the racetrack was moved to Eola yard, in Aurora. Upon opening the new intermodal yard at Cicero, BN started to operate trains from Cicero to the Twin Cities and the pacific northwest, which are still operated to this day. In 1995, the BN merged with the Santa Fe to create the present owner of the line, the BNSF. In 1996, Amtrak's Southwest Chief was moved from the Santa Fe to the BN east of Galesburg when BNSF built a new connection between the two lines in Cameron, IL, just west of Galesburg.
This also caused a change in freight operations. Currently, mainly trains going to the Belt Railway of Chicago, as well as the Norfolk Southern, use the racetrack, while trains going to the Indiana Harbor Belt and the CSX use the Santa Fe. There are some grain trains that have used the racetrack to get to the CSX, however. Currently, the BNSF operates 30-40 freight trains per day on the racetrack. The types of freight trains are mixed, as the racetrack regularly sees intermodal, manifest, grain, coal, and pretty much everything. A recent player recently on the racetrack has been crude oil trains. As many as 8 crude oil trains a day going to both the NS and the CSX run on the racetrack. These trains are often a favorite of railfans, as the NS sometimes sends one or two of their 20 "heritage" units on one of these trains. There are three industries that are served between Chicago and Aurora, Nabisco in Naperville, Pepperidge Farm in Downers Grove and also there's one transloading industry at Congress Park. All three of these industries have a local switching them.
Currently Active Stations
Currently, these are the stations serviced by Metra:
- Aurora, Illinois
- Route 59
- Naperville, Illinois
- Lisle, Illinois
- Belmont, Illinois
- Downers Grove, Illinois (Main Street)
- Fairview Avenue
- Westmont, Illinois
- Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- West Hinsdale, Illinois
- Hinsdale, Illinois
- Highlands, Illinois
- Western Springs, Illinois
- LaGrange, Illinois (Stones Avenue)
- LaGrange Road
- Congress Park, Illinois
- Brookfield, Illinois
- Hollywood, Illinois
- Riverside, Illinois
- Harlem Avenue
- Berwyn, Illinois
- LaVergne, Illinois
- Cicero, Illinois
- Western Avenue
- Halsted, Illinois
- Chicago Union Station
- Aurora, Illinois
- Route 59
- Naperville, Illinois
- Lisle, Illinois
- Belmont, Illinois
- Downers Grove, Illinois (Main Street)
- Fairview Avenue
- Westmont, Illinois
- Clarendon Hills, Illinois
- West Hinsdale, Illinois
- Hinsdale, Illinois
- Highlands, Illinois
- Western Springs, Illinois
- LaGrange, Illinois (Stones Avenue)
- LaGrange Road
- Congress Park, Illinois
- Brookfield, Illinois
- Hollywood, Illinois
- Riverside, Illinois
- Harlem Avenue
- Berwyn, Illinois
- LaVergne, Illinois
- Cicero, Illinois
- Western Avenue
- Halsted, Illinois
- Chicago Union Station