Scales Mound Meet
A couple weeks ago a productive Saturday morning saw me make a chase of a U704 out of Dubuque into Northwest Illinois. I didn't know it until I got down around Galena, but there was a meet setup for Scales Mound, Illinois, which would make for a good chase back towards home as a follow-up.
In this view courtesy the aerial camera device, U704 rolls eastward through the picturesque town of Scales Mound on the main. Led by CN 2379, 2999, and 5469 the trio is working to lift the 98 car train up the grade it has been battling since they left the Mississippi River Valley 16 miles to the west. The former Illinois Central main follows the Galena River and it's forks through the scenic Northwest Illinois countryside as the route gains elevation. In what seemed like a pretty well-timed meet, U705 on the far track with CN 3151, 2236, and 8933 arrived only a few minutes ahead of the U704, just enough time to get locked into the siding and allow the dispatcher to keep the eastbound moving. In just a few minutes with the meet complete the U705 would get the light down the hill to continue west.
Scales Mound Meet
A couple weeks ago a productive Saturday morning saw me make a chase of a U704 out of Dubuque into Northwest Illinois. I didn't know it until I got down around Galena, but there was a meet setup for Scales Mound, Illinois, which would make for a good chase back towards home as a follow-up.
In this view courtesy the aerial camera device, U704 rolls eastward through the picturesque town of Scales Mound on the main. Led by CN 2379, 2999, and 5469 the trio is working to lift the 98 car train up the grade it has been battling since they left the Mississippi River Valley 16 miles to the west. The former Illinois Central main follows the Galena River and it's forks through the scenic Northwest Illinois countryside as the route gains elevation. In what seemed like a pretty well-timed meet, U705 on the far track with CN 3151, 2236, and 8933 arrived only a few minutes ahead of the U704, just enough time to get locked into the siding and allow the dispatcher to keep the eastbound moving. In just a few minutes with the meet complete the U705 would get the light down the hill to continue west.