Our Projects
Argo Connections
Location
| North Limit | W 59th St. |
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| South Limit | 87th St. |
| East Limit | S Harlem Ave. |
| West Limit | I-55 Stevenson Expy S |
Daily Trains Affected
7 Metra trains (Heritage Corridor) | |
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10 Amtrak trains (Lincoln and Texas Eagle Services) |
Communities Benefited:
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Summit, Bedford Park, Bridgeview
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Cook County
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Communities along the Metra Heritage Corridor
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Communities along the Amtrak Lincoln Service serving Joliet, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and St. Louis, MO
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Communities along the Amtrak Texas Eagle Service between Chicago and San Antonio, TX
Benefits
Project B9’s new double-track connection will allow speeds of 25 mph and provides increased flexibility for dispatchers. Installation of additional yard tracks in Argo Yard will reduce the amount of time switching cars destined for local industry occupy the main tracks. Project B9 is located near Ingredion, Inc. (formerly Argo Corn Products), the largest industrial facility in the region, which handles up to 200 cars per day from three carriers (IHB, BRC, and CN). Once complete, Project B9 will allow access to the new main tracks around Clearing Yard (Project EW1) on the new East-West Corridor.
Increased freight speeds and improved fluidity on the IHB will allow trains to clear Canal Interlocking more quickly, reducing the potential for freight conflict with Amtrak and Metra trains and improving travel time, speed, and reliability.
Scope of Work
Project B9 will construct a new double track connection and crossovers between the BRC and IHB/CSX line at Archer and 63rd in Summit, IL. This project will connect the CREATE Beltway and East-West Corridors. The project will upgrade mainline crossovers to accommodate higher speeds, from 10 mph to 25 mph. A crossover is a pair of switches that connects two parallel rail tracks, allowing a train on one track to cross over to the other. Additional crossovers will be added to the control point at 71st Street to allow access into and out of a signal-controlled siding track.
Project B9 includes Argo Yard improvements necessary to create yard capacity lost as a result of installing the new main line crossovers. Yard work will include realignment of switching lead tracks, installation of three new yard tracks, and creating new industry lead track to avoid switching within the control point.
Project Status
| Phase I | Completed |
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| Phase II | Completed |
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| Phase III | Underway |
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Project Location Map
Project outlines and locations shown above are approximations and do not necessarily represent final design and construction limits.