Chicago Wye

[TrainLoverJoy]

So, do I have this straight? I'm pretty sure that's the wye I see on GoogleEarth about 2 miles south of Union Station. The Empire Builder would just pull ahead from the station to get turned around to head north again. But the Chief and the Zephyr would have to back up the 2 miles to turn around, and then back up 2 miles again into the station. Right?

Another question. If there's no need for repair or anything, are the very same cars likely to stay on the train for a many, many round trips?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Yes, the Empire Builder pull thur the station to the south, to turn around and then goes into the yard. (At some point before it departs the next day.)

The Southwest Chief, and the California Zephyr may nose dive into the station to unload, or it may back in to the station before unloading. Both train will be turn before leave Chicago the next day.

Equipment does get cut out for maintaince, but the train sets may stick together for a few turns.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

I don't think I've ever seen a western LD go around the wye and back into the station before unloading.

I have been on a number of eastern LDs that have done so, however. Not recently, but up to a few years ago it seemed to be a somewhat regular practice. The eastern trains have a same-day turn, so sometimes they will go around the wye to save that step during the reduced turn/servicing time.

The one long-distance train that does regularly feature a backup move is the City of New Orleans, which does not have a forward-facing connection onto the St. Charles Air Line, and therefore must have a backup move as part of its regular operation.

 

[AutoTrDvr]

So, do I have this straight? I'm pretty sure that's the wye I see on GoogleEarth about 2 miles south of Union Station. The Empire Builder would just pull ahead from the station to get turned around to head north again. But the Chief and the Zephyr would have to back up the 2 miles to turn around, and then back up 2 miles again into the station. Right?

Another question. If there's no need for repair or anything, are the very same cars likely to stay on the train for a many, many round trips?

When I last took the LSL, it would pull into Union Sta. from the South onto one of the few "thru" tracks on the east side of the platform area (ie. goes all the way through both North & South track areas of the platform). Not sure if that track exists anymore. I would imagine that the train gets turned either via the Wye or another means before boarding again.

In re: what you see on Google Earth, I think it could be used for that (ie. turning trains around), but I also think that's the main turn for the BNSF tracks that go west/south west into Naperville, etc. (e.g. the route taken by the SWC), and the METRA commuter trains (ie. the old "Burlington Northern" route to Aurora).

The AT's consist is *not* turned around with a Wye, per regular procedure. When it arrives in LOR, the platform is long enough for the entire pax, portion of the consist to remain in tact. In fact, there are fixed placards posted on the platform columns indicating where each car is located (e.g. 53XX), as there are in SFA (52XX), although the pax. consist in SFA is split in two, due to the shortness of the platform. The engines are decoupled and moved onto a side track and then shuttled to the opposite end of the pax. consist and re-coupled. The car containers, of course, are decoupled from the train set prior to the arrival of the pax. portion into the station itself and split as required for the ramps.

What is interesting is that it's set up such that the cars, inside the containers, are always pointing in the correct direction for the ramps, such that they can always roll forward, and don't have to be "backed in/out." Somebody was using their head. When underway, however, they (cars in the containers) are facing in the reverse direction of train travel.

 

[PerRock]

There is only one thru track platform in Chicago, however there is at least one more thru track (no platform) on the east side. If I recall from my few times taking the EB into Chicago; it just pulls straight into one of the North Platfroms. Most long distance trains will then go back to the yard between trips to be cleaned, restocked & looked over for major problems. During this time the train can be wyed or run-around (which is what I think the LSL does). I think Amtrak avoids reversing a loaded train into CUS whenever possible.

peter

 

[the_traveler]

I have been on both eastern trains Into CHI and western trains into CHI that have pulled straight into the station and have been wyed and backed into the station. And except for the EB, I have never boarded or unloaded from the one thru track with a platform (#28 I think)!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

As far as maintainence of railcars is concerned, I think Amtrak has to get its cars checked every 92 days, but the consists might be swithced a lot more often.

 

[AlanB]

What is interesting is that it's set up such that the cars, inside the containers, are always pointing in the correct direction for the ramps, such that they can always roll forward, and don't have to be "backed in/out." Somebody was using their head. When underway, however, they (cars in the containers) are facing in the reverse direction of train travel.

Yes, the design engineers laid things out very smartly when they built the two terminals!