The "ME" Trains in the South 'Burbs and an Amazing Old Bridge

This video takes us to south Chicagoland. We started along the former Illinois Central "Main Line of Mid-America" in Homewood, Illinois, along the now Chicago Sub of CN near Markham Yard. There is always great train-watching here. While I often film Metra commuter trains, it was a nice change of pace to catch some Highliners on the electrified line (Metra Electric) that runs south out of Chicago to University Park. Metra purchased this line from Illinois Central in 1987 for $26 million so as to continue commuter service to the south suburbs at a time when freight railroads were unable to afford to keep up with maintenance and rolling stock on their commuter services. Some folks still refer to this line as the "IC" line rather than its actual name "Metra Electric."

After leaving Homewood, we headed a few miles north to Blue Island, one of Chicagoland's most famous railfan hotspots. The Indiana Harbor Belt, two CSX subdivisions and an Iowa Interstate spur cross Broadway St in Blue Island. Just south of the diamonds and Broadway crossing, the Metra's Rock Island District line (ex Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific) crosses over the track complex. Watch the video for action on these lines, plus watch until the end for some amazing shots of a bridge that takes you back to the old days.

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