November 22, 2023:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast I returned to my room. I would be going to Kenosha. I then got my stuff and headed out to the CTA station.

 

            In the 10 years since I was last in Kenosha, METRA cancelled the departure to Kenosha that I would have otherwise have taken. I remember seeing a Coach USA bus in Kenosha and found a service ran from O’Hare airport to Milwaukee with a stop in Kenosha.

 

            I got on the El and rode to O’Hare. On the way, the train passed the CTA yard near Rosemont station. I photographed some 2600 series El cars that had been set up for use as work cars as the 2400s used for previously.

 

 

 

            I soon got to O’Hare station. I got off and photographed a train.

 

 

            In the years since I was at O’Hare station there was an accident where a train of 2600s came in too fast and crashed through the buffers at the end of the middle track in the station. The front car actually climbed the escalator and came to rest at the top. Luckily it was late at night so there were few injuries; mostly on the train. Had it occurred at a busier time, there would have been fatalities.

 

            I made my way over to the monorail to take me to where the intercity buses leave. The line got new cars. The old cars are in outdoor storage outside the airport. The Illinois Railway Museum has apparently turned down acquiring one of the old cars.

 

            I went to the intercity bus terminal and got there in time. I tried to pay the driver with my credit card but his machine didn’t work so I eventually paid cash. The bus departed. I photographed the airport train from the bus.

 

 

            The bus hit the highway. The ride was only 45 minutes. Along the way we passed a Great Wolf Lodge location. There is another Great Wolf Lodge located in Niagara Falls, Ontario which I’m considering visiting in the future.

 

            The bus arrived into Kenosha. However, we stopped on the outskirts and not by the Metra station. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I had lunch at a McDonald’s across the street. I Googled to see how to get to the streetcars from where I was. I would have to take two buses. The first bus boarded across the street. It came shortly after I got to the stop. However the bus made a long and windy route sometimes doubling back on itself. I got to the transfer point which was a high school. I got off and waited for my connecting bus that will take me to the streetcars.

 

            I could see a rail line in the distance. At one point, I saw an Amtrak Hiawatha train consisting of a Siemens Charger locomotive, several Siemens Venture coaches and a P42.

 

            The second bus came. Both it and the first bus were 35 foot Gillig low floor buses. This route also was long and windy.

 

            I was trying to get to the car barn by 2:00 pm. I had arranged to try to get access because I wanted to see PCC #4617 in San Francisco colours. The car had been repainted in 2015. #4617 was being prepared for use as a Christmas trolley starting the week after and wouldn’t be available for service. My contact was leaving at 2:00.

 

            Much to my rotten luck, I got there shortly after 2:00 pm and the car barn was locked up tighter than a drum. The person I was trying to meet had just left I could see 4617 inside.

 

 

            These shots back in 2012 and 2013 of PCC #4617 before it was repainted in Kenosha.

 

 

 

PCC 4617 is painted like Muni PCC #1040 shown.

 

            This trip to Kenosha was pretty much a washout. I decided to ride the streetcar that was running. The car running was PCC #4615. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            The woman driving #4615 asked if I was from Canada. I told her I was. She was aware I was coming. She understood where I had gone wrong with the bus. We talked a bit.

 

            When we got back to the car barn, I got off and photographed the car when I got off.

 

 

            I filmed #4615 when it pulled away. I took one more photo.

 

 

            Of the six ex Toronto PCCs in Kenosha, I’ve ridden #4615 the most. It ran when I visited in Kenosha two days in a row in 2000 and again in 2003 on my way home from SAIT.

 

 

            A few years ago 4615 was involved in an accident where the side got damaged. From what I heard they used the side cut out of a damaged PCC to repair the damage. It may have been a split switch. At least the car is now back in service. However I still would have preferred PCC #4617 to have run today.

 

            The city of Kenosha itself made national and international news when riots broke out due to police misconduct. Fortunately the streetcars weren’t damaged in the riots.

 

            I rode #4615 a couple more times and took some photos and videos.

 

 

 

            At one point I saw a Coach USA bus stop in front of the car barn. It turns out the service that stops by the streetcar barn was completely different from what I had come into town on. I had assumed it and the bus I took was the same route. If I had known, I would have either rented a car or called a taxi to take me from where the bus dropped me off to the streetcar barn.

 

            I stopped in a Subway restaurant and bought a bottle of Coke. As the sun was starting to set, I walked by the car barn again. I could see #4617 more clearly and took some desperation shots of the car.

 

 

 

 

This was the closest I’ve come to photographing 4617 in San Francisco colours.

 

 

            These pictures were nowhere near good enough to satisfy me. I decided that I WOULD have a make up trip with spending a night in Kenosha before going for the streetcars the morning after. If only Metra hadn’t cancelled that departure.

 

            Meanwhile I attempted to get photos of cars 4616 and 4609.

 

 

 

            It was soon after 5:00 pm. My train back to Chicago was leaving around 5:45 pm. I decided to go for a final ride on PCC #4615. I got on and rode to the Metra station. I photographed the PCC.

 

 

            I filmed the car pulling away. I went to the Metra station to wait for my train back to Chicago. When it arrived, I filmed it pulling in and photographed it.

 

 

            The train pulled ahead then changed ends. It switched tracks and pulled into the station. I boarded the cab car. The train departed.

 

            I paid cash to the conductor when he came by. He mentioned about getting a pass, but this is the first time in 10 years that I rode Metra.

 

            The trip back to Chicago was in darkness. I saw the Union Pacific freight yard. We made many stops.

 

            We eventually got to the Ogilvie Transportation Center. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I had dinner at the food court at the Ogilvie Transportation Center. After dinner I left and photographed some decorated trees.

 

 

            I then walked back to the Clinton station on the Green and Pink lines. I boarded the next Pink line train heading away from the Loop. Along the way I saw a festive looking area from the train.

 

            I got off at Polk and walked back to my hotel. I went online for a little while and worked on this report. I set the alarm on my phone and called it a night.

 

November 23, 2023:

 

            I got up and got dressed. I went downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast I returned to my room. I finished packing and went to check out. I then walked back to Polk station. While waiting for a train, I photographed the Willis Tower.

 

 

            My train soon arrived. I saw it had an advertising wrap on it. As we passed the festive area, I filmed it. I got to Clark and Lake. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I got on an orange line train and rode to Roosevelt. I got of and walked towards the Amtrak yard. This was one of many pieces of advice Greg had told me about getting around on CTA.

 

            As I got closer, I saw Amtrak train #49 pulling past the yard. If only I had gotten there a little earlier, I could have got a good video of the train. However, I took a far off video of the train passed.

 

            I got to the Amtrak yard and photographed the equipment in the yard.

 

 

 

 

            I photographed the Southwest Chief with two refurbished Metrolink coaches. Metrolink in Los Angeles has been sending their bi-level coaches east for refurbishing. They are deadheaded on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief before continuing onto wherever they go for rebuild. After being refurbished, they return to Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief as in the case today.

 

 

            I photographed more equipment in the yard including three private coaches.

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed the Metra yard on the opposite side of the main line. I saw one of Metra’s rebuilt SD70MACs they acquired and rebuilt to include head end power for their coaches.

 

 

 

 

            I crossed the street and photographed more equipment in the Amtrak yard. I saw the Empire Builder as it was being prepared to head over to Union Station before its trip to Seattle and Portland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            As I walked across a bridge over the Chicago River, I photographed a boat carrying tourists.

 

 

            The boat turned around before it got to the bridge. It reminded me of a story I hard where one such boat passed under a bridge just as a tour bus being used by the “Dave Matthews Band” was crossing above. The bus discharged its sewage tank on top of the boat. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well.

 

            I went into a Target store for a few minutes. I bought some candy. I made my way towards Roosevelt station. I photographed a train at the station.

 

 

            Once I got to the station, I boarded a Red line train to Washington. I transferred to a bus and rode to Washington and Wells. I had lunch at the Arby’s again.

 

            After lunch I decided it was time to head to the airport. I would be flying out of Midway airport and not O’Hare. I went to the Washington/Wells CTA station to wait for an Orange line train to the airport. While waiting, I photographed trains on the Pink and Brown lines.

 

 

 

 

            My Orange line train soon arrived. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            The train departed. We soon left the loop. At one point we stopped between CTA passenger stations to let a CTA employee step off.

 

            The Orange line left the line it shared with other trains. We were running beside the BNSF line and at one point, I photographed a BNSF Intermodel freight.

 

 

            As we got near Midway airport, we passed a CTA yard. I photographed some 2600s with striping that indicated they could be used for work cars.

 

 

 

            We soon got to Midway station. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

            I went upstairs and left the station. I photographed the CTA yard including a train of new 7000 series El cars.

 

 

 

            I photographed a couple murals depicting the CTA.

 

 

 

            I then made my way over to the airport terminal. I would be flying home on Porter Airlines. I made my way to the check in desk but found it wasn’t open. I logged into the airport’s Wi-Fi and went online. I worked on this report some more. I would have liked to have checked in sooner so I could clear security so I wouldn’t be so rushed.

 

            I ended up buying a bottle of Pepsi while waiting. I soon joined the line before it opened. The Porter check in desk eventually opened. I checked in. I then joined the long line for security.

 

            The line was long due to American Thanksgiving coming up. My friend Karl was going to his family and thus had to work extra prior which prevented us from meeting up.

 

            I did manage to clear security and went to my gate. Along the way I photographed a display on the World War 2 battle of Midway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I made it to my gate. The windows were blocked so I was unable to see my plane. I pulled out my laptop and went online for a few minutes before the aircraft arrived.

 

            Although I was unable to photograph the plane, I was flying on one of Porter’s Q400 turboprops. Soon it was time to board. I had a window seat on the left hand side of the plane. We departed on time. As we departed I attempted to photograph other aircraft.

 

 

 

            As the plane took off, I filmed the take off roll. It was dark so there wasn’t much to see. The crew passed out snacks.

 

            We began our descent into Toronto. Like previous times I’ve flown Porter, my ears popped. It must be a Porter thing.

 

            Right now in addition to flying Q400s out of Billy Bishop where I was flying into, they fly jets out of Pearson to both Canada and U.S. destinations. I’m not sure how the jets are compared to the turboprops.

 

            The plane landed at Billy Bishop Airport. We taxied to the gate. I got off but was unable to photograph the plane but saw it was #814.

 

 

This was the aircraft I flew home on taken back in May.

 

            I then cleared Customs and got my suitcase. I then walked through the pedestrian tunnel and caught a shuttle bus back to Union Station. I got off and photographed the shuttle bus.

 

 

 

            I went into Union Station and bought dinner at the McDonald’s in the station. After dinner I phoned home. I got on the subway and rode to Finch. I then met up with my Dad and headed home.

 

Conclusions:

 

            I’m not pleased with the bus dropping me off on the outskirts of Kenosha causing me to miss an opportunity to get decent photos of PCC #4617. As a result, I’m planning a Kenosha Make-up trip sometime in 2024. I’m not sure how it will go but I will probably spend a night in Kenosha before heading down to Chicago. I have no idea where I will go from there. I might visit the Illinois Railway Museum again and/or ride an excursion pulled by Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 as it’s supposed to come to Chicago in 2024.

 

            My first time visiting St. Louis was great. I’ve only passed through St. Louis in years past. The National Museum of Transportation was great.

 

            Riding Amtrak’s new Siemens Venture coaches was interesting. It’s a sign of things to come. I’m still not a fan of the placement of the AC outlets compared to older equipment.

 

            Chicago was good minus meeting up with {living} friends. I now have a good idea where Greg’s grave is for future trips. Hopefully next time I’ll be able to meet up with Karl.

 

            As for my, I’m done traveling in 2023. I’ve got two overnight trips planned for early 2024. Until next time…

 

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