Our Projects
Blue Island Junction
Location
| North Limit | W 119th St. |
|---|---|
| South Limit | Broadway St. |
| East Limit | Western Ave. |
| West Limit | S Kedzie Ave. |
Daily Trains Affected
33 Freight trains |
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Communities Benefited:
-
Blue Island
Benefits
Previously, CSX had double-track main lines running roughly parallel through the Blue Island Junction with no connection between them. The absence of a connection between the two CSX tracks at this location severely limited the possible routes traversing the Blue Island Junction. This junction is a major regional intersection where the Indiana Harbor Belt and CSX corridors connect and the Belt and Western Avenue Corridors cross.
These new crossovers provide direct routes for trains to switch between the tracks in both directions at Blue Island Junction. Previously, to transfer trains from Barr Yard to Clearing Yard, trains had to take a circuitous route. The completed improvements provide CSX a new, more direct route from CSX trackage to the BRC line. With the new connection completed by Project WA 10, two to three hours of transfer time for trains moving between Barr and Clearing Yards has been eliminated for three CSX trains per day.
The completed project also enhances the capability to move intermodal trains to the Bedford Park Yard because it completes a new route, which did not exist previously. The improvements have enabled 8 to 10 intermodal trains per day to reach to Bedford Park more quickly. The project also removed traffic from the congested Belt and Western Avenue Corridors.
Scope of Work
This project installed a series of crossovers between the CSX Blue Island and Elsdon Subdivisions, and new signals at Blue Island Junction to facilitate bi-directional movements. 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.
This project also made associated signal improvements including installation of new traffic control signals on both the CSX lines. All of this work was performed within the existing railroad right-of-way.
Project Status
| Phase I | Completed |
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| Phase II | Completed |
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| Phase III | Completed |
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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.