Aurora, Illinios [June 2001]

In June of 2001, I briefly returned to the Chicagoland area for a job interview. While I was in the area, I had the chance to get away for a day with my cousin Justin, and visit some of the places I'd shot in the summer of 1986.

The old stone depot at Highlands, near Hinsdale, is always a good shot.
	The platform at Highlands is a little too close to the action. An eastbound stack train roars through on Main 3.
There's a brief pause in the action, so my cousin relaxes a bit.
	The brief pause over, a westbound empty coal train slams through.
The one lane Oak Street bridge is a short walk away from the Highlands depot. A westbound local passes under the bridge.
	The Aurora coachyard looks much as it did fifteen years ago, with some obvious changes, most notably, the absence of Cascade Green.
The change is even more striking from this angle. METRA red, white and blue "Winnebagos" have replaced the elegant BN E Units.
	The Eola Roundhouse has been moved, brick by brick, to a location just west of the coachyard, as part of the Aurora Transportation Complex. The Roundhouse now features an outstanding barbeque place sporting the name of former NFL running back Walter Payton. Here, commuter trains pull forward to board passengers on the way in to Chicago.
More changes are evident from this classic view off of the Ohio Street viaduct. The triple track mainline, which formerly ran through Aurora, has been cut back to Eola. Cascade Green GP50s have been replaced with Omaha Orange and Pullman Green C44s. The Canadian National unit may portend yet another merger in the near future. But, the double stacks still flow, and the coachyard is full. Some things never change.

[September 1986][June 2001]