Entering the junction from the southwest is the Pullman district industrial branch, used by NS, CRL and others to service industries to the south. Probably most of the traffic consists of NS transfers and locals working out of Calumet Yard, which begins just south of the interlocking. However, traffic through the junction appears to have increased somewhat since the Conrail split, with road trains from NS, CSX and CP using the BRC tracks more often than BRC itself. The CRL line sees limited traffic, consisting mostly of locals and switch jobs, as well as an occasional Chicago Short Line transfer. The area around the junction, while not dangerous, has seen better days.
Caution is advised.
Harvey Harvey is a large suburb southeast of Blue Island and southwest of Dolton. The Metra Electric commuter line parallels the IC and was once IC owned and operated. Sightlines are awkward here and Harvey has a disturbingly high crime rate. There are more accessible places to observe CN, such as Blue Island, Griffith, Fort Wayne and Wellsboro. A much better place to observe the Illinois Central is the Amtrak boarding platform at their station in Homewood, about three and a half miles south of Harvey.