Joliet, IL: Union Depot (UD) Tower and UP/GM&O-Metra/Rock Island Connector

(3D Satellite)

The Joliet Union Depot is across the BNSF/Santa Fe and UP/GM&O tracks from this tower.

I used to have a lot of info and photos for this tower. But when I tried adding this photo, Google deleted my old post. (Update: Google restored my 2015 post.)

BRHS

Fortunately, there is now this page linked from this page. 

 

Stuart Pearson posted
In the closing days of the Rock Island I captured this image in the UD Tower Joliet THANKS to the Late Bob McGarry. If you CLICK on the photo it wii enlarge and you can see ROCK ISLAND on the Padlock.
Stuart Pearson shared
Stuart Pearson shared

Since Google restored my original UD notes, I'll use this one to document the connector in the southeast quadrant of UP/GM&O and Metra/RI.

Jack Olejniczak posted
METX 90 and 104 back the AAPRCO charter down the connection from the Alton to the Rock in Joliet. 10/3/22

3D Satellite

I have done over a handful of trips to UD and on one of them I deliberately took photos of this connector. I looked in several folders of trips that include Joliet, but I can't find them. (I've always wondered how railfans can access a slide of a particular scene. I still have trouble doing that. And it doesn't get better as I take more photos.) I did find some photos that includes aspects of the connector.

Here I was walking back to my parking spot when I spotted that a Metra train was at the new Rock Island station. Note that I caught the other side of the girder bridge that Jack caught. His photo better shows that GM&O built their part with concrete while Rock Island used steel.

20150523 1715, looking North

Here I happened to be under the transition between concrete and steel when I took a photo of an Amtrak locomotive.

20150523 1890, looking West

This photo was taken after a northbound BNSF container train passed through. I noticed the Metra train setting on the siding that is part of the connector.

20150523 1780

Zooming in, I see there is a second Metra in the vicinity of the Rock Island station. We can also see commuters waiting for a train. Then a westbound BNSF intermodal train rolled past, which blocks this view.

Digitally Zoomed

When the view cleared, #409 was at the station and the connector was clear.

In this photo of the commuter leaving, on the right side of the photo, I caught the handrail of the catwalk on the connector.

May 2024: I added the label "museum" to these notes.

Tim Adams posted a link about the museum opening.
"Greg Peerbolte, chief executive officer at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, will oversee downtown Joliet's latest tourism attraction: the Joliet Railroad Museum. It will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, beginning May 10. (John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor)"