Welcome to michaelckelly.net, home for railfan, author & podcaster Michael C Kelly. On this blog you’ll find information on published books, videos, podcasts, railfan experiences, plus info on upcoming projects. As of May 2026, my next book, Rails Around Northern Illinois, is in production with an expected release in October 2026. It will cover the…
This evening we take a look back at the Chicago & Eastern Illinois in an excerpt from Chapter Two of Rails Around Northern Illinois. C&EI train #4, The Danville Flyer, rounds the curve in Chicago Heights in April 15, 1967, heading north behind E7 #1101 for a 9:15am arrival at Chicago’s Dearborn Station. The Danville…
This week’s excerpt is from Chapter Six, which covers the Milwaukee Road’s D&I mainline across Illinois from the Mississippi River at Savanna to Davis Junction and Chicago, including a detour on the Ladd line: “With a crew change complete, Milwaukee Road SD40-2 #182 eases away from the platform at the Savanna depot on April 17,…
Some snow to distract from the mind-numbing heat, an excerpt from my upcoming book, Rails Around Northern Illinois: Taken from 18th St in an iconic Chicago skyline shot that cannot be repeated, northbound ICG train #P50 from New Orleans loops southwest for the new IMX intermodal yard on morning of January 31, 1987 behind two…
Rails Around Northern Illinois will feature a lot of action in and around Chicago, with views such as this which aren’t always as recognizable today. On October 7, 1977, Rock Island’s Peoria Rocket departs LaSalle with just two coaches. The Rock Island would discontinue the train the following year, with the last run on December…
In writing/researching my upcoming book, Rails Around Northern Illinois, I developed a fondness for the then-rural areas northwest of Chicago. Tonight I offer this excerpt from Chapter 7, which covers this corner of northern Illinois: The Soo Line’s depot in Grayslake was on the west side of the mainline north of County Road A27. A…