The Incredible Rare Trains of Chicago, IL - Celebrating 1,000 Videos

Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoy the video. If you are new here, my channel mostly consists of railroad videography from around the Northeastern USA. Please note that all content that I post is mine and should not be used without my consent. If you are interested in more content from me, my photography can be viewed on Instagram at:   / rail_spike_productions  

About this video: With my 1,000th YouTube video ending up in the midst of my posts from a trip to Chicago in late July of 2025, I decided to stay consistent and highlight some of my favorite interesting trains from the city with perhaps the most in the country. I also threw in some of my favorite Chicago catches from my only other recent trip to Chicago in April of 2024. I am very grateful to still be doing what I love and posting the results after 1,000 videos, and while also now being less than 2 months away from the 10-year anniversary of my channel. Thanks for sticking around - continue reading below for details on the trains featured in this video in the order they appear.

1. Amtrak P32-8BWH 517 leads extra equipment on Cardinal train 51 at the Roosevelt Road overpass on 4/15/2024
2. IC SD70 1027 leads a rescued Amtrak City of New Orleans train 58 south of Union Station on 4/15/2024
3. Amtrak Phase I heritage P42DC 161 leads California Zephyr train 6 with a BNSF track geometry car at (south) Western Avenue on 4/16/2024 (161 was destroyed in a fire later in 2024)
4. BNSF delivers new Amtrak Siemens Venture cafe cars to Amtrak’s Chicago facility at Lumber Street on 4/18/2024
5. Specially Painted Amtrak, Metra, and CN Locomotives in Chicago in 2024 and 2025
6. Metra power move + Amtrak P32-8BWH 519 leads Borealis train 1333 at (north) Western Avenue on 7/23/2025
7. Amtrak Cardinal train 51 with Phase IV heritage P42DC 164 and extra equipment, combined sets, and a yard move with P42DC 203 at Lumber Street in July 2025
8. Special Amtrak and Metra locomotives + yard moves and switching around Chicago in July 2025