Rochelle, IL: BNSF/CB&Q Railyard

(Satellite)
I never realized that BNSF had a small yard in Rochelle until is studied these Steam Plant Road photos. (I wonder what/where the steam plant was.) Not only are there quite a few rail served industries here, UP has built a branch and yard to serve the area as well. In fact, UP seems to have exclusive access to some of the industries south of the tollroad.

Michael Wayne Sitter posted two photos with the comment: "Westbound auto racks with a Dash-944CW and an ES44C4 crossing Steam Plant Road at Rochelle, IL in September 2016. -Michael W. Sitter."

1, looking southish, street view

2, looking northish, street view
[The blurry green locomotive that is parked on the left siding indicates there is enough industrial switching in this area to have a dedicated switching locomotive.]

Viral Media posted

Rochelle UP Intemodal

An aerial view of Union Pacific’s former “global III” intermodal yard in Rochelle, Illinois.  The town of Rochelle is at the top of the photo. Union Pacific’s former Global 3 terminal has apparently been repurposed for domestic intermodal block swapping.  Many UP trains originate or terminate at the Global III intermodal yard. A number of shuttle trains operate throughout the day, moving containers between Global III and other intermodal facilities in the Chicago area. The function of this terminal is primarily that of a block swap.

UP billed the Global 3 terminal in Rochelle as a state-of-the-art facility when it was competed in 2008 after investing a reported $181 million in the site.  Global 3 was to serve as an interchange hub and terminal for intermodal shipments moving through western Iowa and Wisconsin. Union Pacific idled the yard in July 2019, moving the traffic to two other Chicago sites.  Global 3 is capable of 720,000 lifts annually and has parking spaces for 7,200 containers or trailers. The Rochelle intermodal facility covers 1,200 acres and includes a large switching yard.

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/.../UP-to-close...

Darin Umlauft: The article is dated from 2019. After the covid shipping meltdown, UP reopened Global III and the container shuttles returned.

Keith Hanetho: Darin Umlauft It's basically a transfer yard.

No more containers. They have been talking about adding 7 more lanes.

Mike Stahl: UP spent big bucks on Nelson line south to connect with BNSF in Edelstein. Now it's never used!! UP big wigs peed some bucks away there.

Joe Smith: What a waste of money, we told them it would fail and was a stupid place to build.

Josh Fullbright

Joe Smith: Didn't a bunch of towns further in tell them no?

Johnny Stoner: Josh Fullbright Yes they did. The were trying to put it just west of Elburn, Illinois. And east of Maple Park,Illinois.

Freeport, IL: IC/CC&P/ICG/IC Wallace Yards

Satellite

From a 1988 video, I learned that the name of this Chicago Central & Pacific yard is Wallace Yard. It still has about as many tracks as it had in 1939.

Sometimes the name is plural: Wallace Yards. That is because it had a East and West yard.

The original IC railyard was downtown.

1916 photos from Lake States: aerial, outside wall

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Jim Martin posted

Wallace Yards from the air in 1966.

Looking WNW

-Dwight Garnhart Collection

Janis M. Pierce: If you look really close at the top where the railroad track ends, there was a building called West Junction where my boyfriend worked. He was a telegrapher. He knew Morris Code and would send messages to the IC Railroad Office in Chicago.

Alan Kline: The track curving to the right at the west (top) end of the yard is the Madison branch. The mainline to Iowa runs from there on a diagonal towards the top left corner of the photo. You can just see the cabin at West Junction where the lines separated.

The engine house is still there, although the tracks leading to it and the fueling racks—all of the tracks south of Beach St.—are long gone.

Dennis Bergman shared

Bob Gibler: Is the CN the only RR that runs through there now?

Brandon Holliday: Bob Gibler yep. That is it. One train each way (Waterloo to Chicago area and vice versa) and I THINK there’s a local based out of Freeport but not sure when that runs.

Mike Buol: Madison WI branch in the top third of photo. [Going off to the right.]

[The track towards Madison also was the Dodgeville Branch.]

Jim French: Wow. What a great image. Switch engines working both East and West yards.

 

Rory Peterson posted

ICRR Wallace yard from roundhouse roof. Seen coaling is ICRR 1833, built 11-1887 by Brooks as 386, renumbered 5-1904. Scrapped 12-1928.

A C&NW engine and passenger consist can be seen just to the left of their water tank.

The IC must have had an older railyard with a backshop in town. If you know where it was, please leave a comment. 

Larry Foht postedIllinois Central Railroad yards

Freeport Illinois

Birds Eye view of  the Car Shop Making Box Cars

Larry Foht collection :

Michael Wayne Sitter posted two photos with the comment:

After catching the northbound La Salle-Freeport local at Baileyville, IL my friends and I drove ahead to catch the train coming west into Wallace Yard from East Junction. Early fall of 1985. -Michael W. Sitter

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Michael Wayne Sitter posted eight photos with the comment:

After chasing the northbound La Salle-Freeport local off the Amboy District and into Wallace Yard my friends and I checked out the servicing facility and found some other GM&O siblings there. After putting their train away the 713 from the local joins the crowd and then ties down for the night. -Michael W. Sitter

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