Kenosha Make Up Trip:

 

Prologue:

 

            When I visited Chicago on my St. Louis-Chicago trip, I was hoping to go to Kenosha to photograph PCC #4617 after the car had been repainted into San Francisco colours. However with Metra canceling a departure I would have taken and the bus I expected to take me into Kenosha dropping me off at the edge of the city I ended up missing my opportunity by minutes. The closest I came was when I attempted to photograph #4617 from outside the car barn.

 

 

This was my best attempt at photographing 4617 in San Francisco colours.

 

            Even before I left Kenosha that day I vowed I would return. I began planning a more traditional make up trip compared to my Sault Ste. Marie Make-Up Trip which I started planning before I left on my Sudbury-Sault Ste. Marie trip.

 

            I decided I would go the following July. I also decided I would visit Chicago again. I wanted to see my friend Karl who unlike Greg is still alive. He was busy at work when I came last November. I also wanted to do something else as part of the trip. My two big options were riding Amtrak’s Southwest Chief to Los Angeles as I’ve heard at least a portion of the route is at least threatened. My other option was visiting the Illinois Railway Museum again. Since I visited in 2012, they had acquired a few more acquisitions. They had acquired a set of 2200 series CTA El cars which I made an effort to ride between 2005 and 2013 whenever I visited Chicago with the exception of my 2006 Arizona Trip. IRM also acquired a set of 2400 series El cars which were retired a year after the 2200s. However the car that really appealed to me was former Toronto Transit Commission CLRV streetcar #4034 which arrived at the end of 2019.

 

 

Here’s CLRV #4034 back in service in 2013 before it went to IRM.

 

            I eventually chose to visit the Illinois Railway Museum. At the very least I would get to see the CLRV as to really kick off my CLRV/ALRV quest similar to my PCC quest.

 

            My plan was to fly from Toronto into Chicago O’Hare airport. I chose O’Hare as I would be once again taking the same bus to Kenosha. However this time I would spend a night in a hotel in Kenosha and visit the streetcars the next day. I would then take Metra into Chicago where I would spend a few days. On the weekend I would rent a car and visit the Illinois Railway Museum. The Monday after I would return the car and take the Lakeshore Limited to Buffalo and then the Maple Leaf back to Toronto. The trip unfolded as follows.

 

July 23, 2024:

 

            I got a ride to the Richmond Hill Center I boarded a GO bus on route #40 to Pearson Airport. The bus made two stops between the Richmond Hill Center and the airport. At one point as we approached the Highway 407 terminal, I saw TTC Nova LFS articulated bus #9087 on a training run which is odd because TTC buses don’t operate there unless the subway is down.

 

            I got to Pearson airport a little while later. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

            I went upstairs and checked in for my flight. I had some problems with the kiosk reading my passport but I got it fixed at the Air Canada counter as I would be flying Air Canada. I then cleared security and US Customs. I had a massage past security. I eventually had lunch. I went back to my gate where I attempted to photograph my plane.

 

 

            I would be flying on an Airbus A220 like what I flew the two times I flew Delta out of Dallas. I worked on this report while I waited to board what would be a full flight. It was soon time to board. I had a window seat on the right-hand side of the plane. We departed a few minutes late. As we taxied out to the runway, I photographed various planes including an Airbus A380.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I filmed the take off roll. I watched the plane’s on board entertainment system which took up most of the flight. I did get a Coke and some snacks from the flight attendants.

 

            We were nearing Chicago. I saw the plane fly over CTA’s Howard El station which I photographed.

 

 

            I also saw and photographed the Skokie shops which are CTA’s main shops for major work on El cars.

 

 

            We then landed at O’Hare. I filmed the landing. We ended up with a long taxi to the terminal. Along the way I photographed various planes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            We soon arrived at the gate a few minutes late. I got off and photographed the plane.

 

 

 

            I then went to the baggage claim to get my suitcase. It wasn’t one of the first to come but it eventually did. I saw it was 3:16 pm. If I scrambled, I might be able to get a bus to Kenosha. However the next bus was an hour later at 4:30. I decided I would wait for the 4:30 bus.

 

            To pass the time I decided to buy a weekly CTA/Pace pass. I went to the CTA station and bought the pass. I then went for a short ride on the Blue line. I photographed a train in the station.

 

 

 

            The train consisted of 3200 and 2600 series El cars. I got on and rode to Cumberland. I got off and filmed the train leaving. I waited for the next train to come back. I photographed the train that followed mine which consisted of the new 7000 series El cars before I photographed my train back to O’Hare which was also a train of 7000s.

 

 

 

            I got on and the train departed. As we passed a CTA yard past Rosemont Station, I saw some trains in the yard had been graffitied including some 7000s.

 

            When we got to O’Hare I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I made my way over to the monorail to take me to where the intercity buses leave. I had bought a ticket online the night before. The bus came shortly thereafter. I got on and the bus soon departed. I attempted to photograph the O’Hare monorail.

 

 

            The bus hit traffic. I could see the sky was dark and we were soon in a traffic jam and a thunderstorm where it was raining heavily. However the rain soon let up and the traffic got moving. We passed by Six Flags Great America and attempted to photograph it.

 

 

 

 

            A few minutes later, I photographed the Great Wolf Lodge location I saw last November from the bus.

 

 

 

 

            This location looked bigger than the location I went to in Niagara Falls. While there are several Great Wolf Lodge locations in the U.S. the Niagara Falls location is presently the only Canadian location. However I have heard they may be building one near Cornwall.

 

            We soon arrived in Kenosha a few minutes late. I got off and photographed the bus.

 

 

 

            I then walked to my hotel which was a Super 8. I checked in and went to my room. I noticed the door lock was pretty finicky but I got in. I then phoned home and decided to relax for a while. I went out for dinner and then stopped at a store and bought some milk. I returned to my hotel. I eventually set the alarm on my phone for 8:00 and called it a night.

 

Click to see if I am successful in Kenosha or not:   Day in Kenosha