Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
On April 6th, 2023 I had a last minute opportunity to spend a day railfanning northern IL. The line that I spotlight in this video is the Union Pacific Geneva Sub between the Illinois towns of Nelson and Berkeley.
Railfanning this line is easy. IL Highway 38 parallels the main track most of the way. The wide open farm land allow for some expansive views. The line is 2 Main Tracks all the way to the Chicago suburbs, where it then turns into 3 Main Tracks. UP trains share the line with Metra commuter trains between Elburn and downtown Chicago.
Several yards are used to help sort and block freight and intermodal traffic. These yards are located at Global 3 in Rochelle, De Kalb, West Chicago, and Proviso in Elmhurst, among others.
Scanner frequencies are 161.040 (AAR Channel 62) between Clinton, IA and Elburn, IL, 160.890 (AAR Channel 52) between Elburn and downtown Chicago. Some yard switching radio activity takes place on 161.175 (AAR Channel 71). Downtown Chicago is MP 0, Berkeley is MP 14.3, West Chicago is MP 29.7, Elburn is MP 44, De Kalb is MP 58.3, Rochelle is MP 75.3, Nelson is MP 104.3, and Clinton, IA is MP 138.9.
Defect detectors are at MP 29.0, MP 46.1, MP 64.0, MP 78.8, MP 95.0, MP 113.2, and MP 127.9. Some detectors are Talk On Defect Only.
0:00 LPG-04 at Nelson
0:52 Westbound Autorack at Nelson
1:24 Eastbound Stack at Dixon
2:50 Broken Drawbar at Franklin Grove
3:33 Eastbound BNSF at Rochelle
4:30 Eastbound Stack at Rochelle
5:12 Eastbound Stack at Rochelle
6:45 Westbound Stack at Rochelle
8:12 Westbound LPG-04 at Rochelle
8:55 Westbound Autorack at Geneva
10:02 Westbound Stack at Geneva
11:43 Eastbound Metra at Geneva
14:01 Eastbound Metra at West Chicago
15:23 Westbound Metra at West Chicago
16:15 Westbound Metra at Wheaton
16:44 Proviso Yard Overview
17:48 Westbound Metra Express at Berkeley
On April 6th, 2023 I had a last minute opportunity to spend a day railfanning northern IL. The line that I spotlight in this video is the Union Pacific Geneva Sub between the Illinois towns of Nelson and Berkeley.
Railfanning this line is easy. IL Highway 38 parallels the main track most of the way. The wide open farm land allow for some expansive views. The line is 2 Main Tracks all the way to the Chicago suburbs, where it then turns into 3 Main Tracks. UP trains share the line with Metra commuter trains between Elburn and downtown Chicago.
Several yards are used to help sort and block freight and intermodal traffic. These yards are located at Global 3 in Rochelle, De Kalb, West Chicago, and Proviso in Elmhurst, among others.
Scanner frequencies are 161.040 (AAR Channel 62) between Clinton, IA and Elburn, IL, 160.890 (AAR Channel 52) between Elburn and downtown Chicago. Some yard switching radio activity takes place on 161.175 (AAR Channel 71). Downtown Chicago is MP 0, Berkeley is MP 14.3, West Chicago is MP 29.7, Elburn is MP 44, De Kalb is MP 58.3, Rochelle is MP 75.3, Nelson is MP 104.3, and Clinton, IA is MP 138.9.
Defect detectors are at MP 29.0, MP 46.1, MP 64.0, MP 78.8, MP 95.0, MP 113.2, and MP 127.9. Some detectors are Talk On Defect Only.
0:00 LPG-04 at Nelson
0:52 Westbound Autorack at Nelson
1:24 Eastbound Stack at Dixon
2:50 Broken Drawbar at Franklin Grove
3:33 Eastbound BNSF at Rochelle
4:30 Eastbound Stack at Rochelle
5:12 Eastbound Stack at Rochelle
6:45 Westbound Stack at Rochelle
8:12 Westbound LPG-04 at Rochelle
8:55 Westbound Autorack at Geneva
10:02 Westbound Stack at Geneva
11:43 Eastbound Metra at Geneva
14:01 Eastbound Metra at West Chicago
15:23 Westbound Metra at West Chicago
16:15 Westbound Metra at Wheaton
16:44 Proviso Yard Overview
17:48 Westbound Metra Express at Berkeley
