Chicagoland Junction Series: NERSKA/ LEMOYNE Crossing, Chicago, IL. 10-17-09.

NERSKA Crossing is an old Chicago Junction located on the South Side. This spot used to be popular back in the day when it was more accessible, but due to heightened security, this junction is pretty much off limits. Going East and West is the BNSF Chillicothe Subdivision. BNSF knows this spot as "NERSKA" while BRC knows it as "Lemoyne." BNSF's huge Corwith Intermodal Yard sits East of this junction and lots of intermodal traffic moves in and out through here. Running North and South is the BRC Mainline. The Belt Railway Of Chicago handles many transfers and trackage rights trains from the first class railroads. Up to 50 trains a day can be seen on this busy mainline. The bridge to the North is a swing bridge. In fact, one of only seven on the Chicago Sanitary And Ship Canal. Not that many considering the number of railroad bridges that cross this river. South of where the BNSF and BRC cross at grade is the CN/IC Joliet Subdivision. The CN resides on the south side of the I-55/Stevenson Expressway and handles Amtrak's Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle Trains. BNSF seemed to dominate the entire junction today. 3:53PM- A BNSF loaded coal drag fresh off the Chicago Subdivision pounds the diamonds as it heads South on the BRC. The DPU appears to be leading. BNSF SD70MAC #8830 BNSF ES44AC #6120 BNSF ES44AC #5917 3:57PM- BNSF GP39M #2885 runs South alongside the coal drag. This unit worked industries off the BRC all day and is returning back home. After the coal drag clears, it switches over to the opposite main and take the connector. Once back on home trackage, it goes into Junction Yard and switches stacks. 4:38PM- Another BNSF coal drag running on the BRC shows up. BNSF SD70MAC #8806 BNSF C44-9W #5153 BNSF SD70ACe #9163 (DPU) 4:46PM- The Transcon is now ready to see some trains. Two container intermodals pulled up to the signals while the coal drag occupied the diamonds. Both now throttle up. BNSF C44-9W #5497 BNSF C44-9W #5194 BNSF C44-9W #4589 BNSF ES44DC #7426 BNSF C44-9W #1039 5:09PM- BNSF has cleared the junction once again. BRC takes that opportunity to send some CP trackage rights trains through. The Southbound was a manifest with one unit and the Northbound was a container intermodal headed for Bensenville. CP ES44AC #8713 CP AC4400CW #9510 CP AC4400CW #9668 (c) 9th Street Productions.