Old Santa Fe Galesburg to Chicago

[Saturnalia]

What is the traffic like on the old ATSF east of the junction with the BN in Galesburg like? How many, and when?

Also how many west of there?

[AARR]

There was something in Trains Mag recently about the two BNSF lines between Galesburg and Chicago. Don't recall the numbers but I'm sure they're both busier than anything in MI.

[cbehr91]

What is the traffic like on the old ATSF east of the junction with the BN in Galesburg like? How many, and when?

Also how many west of there?

Lots. Like 70 a day (both east and west of Galesburg). You'll have Amtrak west of Galesburg on the Santa Fe side. Just go there and you'll see trains.

Happy 1000 posts for moi.

[StupidFlee​t]

What is the traffic like on the old ATSF east of the junction with the BN in Galesburg like? How many, and when?

Also how many west of there?

Lots. Like 70 a day (both east and west of Galesburg). You'll have Amtrak west of Galesburg on the Santa Fe side. Just go there and you'll see trains.

Happy 1000 posts for moi.

Galesburg is glorious. Be sure to check out the connections just east of Cameron that link the BN and SF.

[Y@]

Just go to Cameron.

[bn13814]

What is the traffic like on the old ATSF east of the junction with the BN in Galesburg like? How many, and when?

Also how many west of there?

I live five miles from the ATSF, and go trackside to Edelstein, Illinois where I can also keep track of Union Pacific movements on the former C&NW St. Louis line (with which there is a connection with the ATSF line at Edelstein). The present-day BNSF Transcon can be incredibly busy for 1.5-2 hours (train every 15 minutes in both directions) then there is a lull for an hour or so. Most traffic is intermodal, and Union Pacific runs a fair number of trains on this line with its own crews. CSXT and NS pool power is common on some of the BNSF trains.

Other traffic includes automotive trains (BNSF and UP), manifests (most between Galesburg and Chicago-area connections such as CN, CSXT, IHB, BRC, etc.), the Streator connection run-throughs with NS (Elkhart, Ind. to Argentine, Kan. [M-NSIKCK] and Galesburg, Ill to Conway, Pa. [H-GALCWY]), occasional grain trains loaded at Ruff (near Toluca), Ransom and on the NS at Dwight (Consolidated Grain & Barge) and baretable trains. Locals run from Galesburg to Hodgkins (or Streator on Saturday?) and back in the afternoon. I've heard reports that BNSF has run some coal trains on this route as well, but haven't seen any.

I believe the recent TRAINS Map of the Month feature noted 59 trains a day east of Galesburg and 69 west, but this can vary by day of the week and time of year.

[w neal]

Saw an empty coal (hopper) train westbound in Peck Park (Galesburg) during railroad days on the transcon - amazing.

[cbehr91]

Saw an empty coal (hopper) train westbound in Peck Park (Galesburg) during railroad days on the transcon - amazing.

On the former BN or Santa Fe? On that BN that's not really a noteworthy move...

[StupidFlee​t]

Saw an empty coal (hopper) train westbound in Peck Park (Galesburg) during railroad days on the transcon - amazing.

On the former BN or Santa Fe? On that BN that's not really a noteworthy move...

He said the transcon