I came to the same conclusion this afternoon:
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The advantage of the local railway for railfanning is that a train usually comes by every few minutes so all I had to do was find a nice enough vantage point...
The Texas Eagle, heading for Union Station, Chicago, at Uptown Station, Normal.
10 minutes late from Texas, not bad.Especially with those old Superliner cars. That's the original "Phase 1" paint scheme from Amtraks' dark and murky beginnings in 1971, on a unit from 2010,#156. This line is a rarity for the States, with concrete ties and heavy rail and 80 mph passenger service, but this town has always had good passenger service and patronage of that service, for the States. Realize the population density is very low here, so it is hard to support cross-country rail.
Siemens Charger #4620 with a southbound Lincoln Service train from Chicago to St. Louis, Missouri, nearing Linden Street in Normal. An old Amfleet leading several Horizon Coaches in the consist, soon to be replaced by the new Siemens coaches being built here. Some will, in a unique feature to this line, be married cars, coaches/business class, or coaches/cafe cars.
and snacks.
