BNSF's former ATSF transcontinental main line between Chicago, IL and Los Angeles, CA traverses varying topography ranging from flat, open farm country, to scorching desert, to rugged mountain grades. While it's been 21 years since the Santa Fe polished these rails, BNSF has done all it can in maintaining this massive stretch of track, a priority intermodal route linking the inland ports of Chicago to the western market.
On a weekend in late October, 2015, I set out to document a short section of the BNSF Chillicothe Sub between Coal City and Ancona, IL. Santa Fe searchlight signals, both masts and cantilever bridge, still guard interlockings and blocks along many stretches of this line between Chicago and Fort Madison. Union Pacific has trackage rights across the Chillicothe Sub and offers a nice break from the continuous parade of orange GE wide cabs.
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