The thought about doing my first railfan trip was to go someplace that was not too active and maybe get a few video shots. This someplace has to be a place with nearby good eats. It was Saturday (11-11-23), so I expected it to be slow, and I headed to the Metra benches next to NS tracks that run next to Columbus Avenue. From there you can look down the tracks and see perhaps a beautiful train coming out and backing up. I sat near El Chilaquil Mexican Restaurant and ordered some carry out. What wonderful homemade tortillas they use for their tacos, not-so dry-refried beans and fresh salsa. They'll let you park in their lot, while the Metra parking costs about $1.50 for 4 hours. Ok, because what happened around viewing NS locomotives on a Saturday centered around the tracks down Columbus Avenue.
Landers is not much to see, unless you follow the tracks to the East. It's probably more active on weekdays. The majority of railyards in Chicago of all the railroads have limited views, are surrounded by walls and barbed rail fences. Most of the tracks go over elevated land and bridges and there are few actual crossings.
It was, for me, a more interesting scouting trip than I expected. I saw this neat Illinois locomotive "working together for a cleaner state!" Sounds good and what a beauty! I'm a simple railfan who loves the looks, power and engine sounds, and doesn't know or want to fret about "what's the model of that damned locomotive(?)." I don't get to spend a lot of time with close looks at Norfolk Southern locomotives, so "Frothing in the Bushes" in the parking lot of an apartment complex was safe fun. Watching an NS locomotive back up and pull up was something to savoy and, yes, frothing and exciting for me, yea! Hand me a bottle of water, please!
When setting up a camera in the median strip, a car came around the gates, around the front of the locomotive, and would have hit me if I was not alerted by the train crew. Yes, they probably saved my life. This shows that Norfolk Southern crews are professional, quality railroaders that put the safety of everyone around their train first place.
