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Some 90 years later passenger service returns to the former Milwaukee Road C&E North Line! On a muggy August 23, 2008, morning the Chicago Terminal (CTR) SW-8 and a private car sit on the former Peerless Confectionary spur. CTR parent company Iowa Pacific ran a special excursion for its customers over CTR tracks earlier in the week. Several regulars on the Chicago Switching website were on hand to record this historic and surprising event.
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Some 90 years later passenger service returns to the former
Milwaukee Road C&E North Line! On a muggy August 23, 2008,
morning the Chicago Terminal (CTR) SW-8 and a private car sit on
the former Peerless Confectionary spur. CTR parent company Iowa
Pacific ran a special excursion for its customers over CTR tracks
earlier in the week. Several regulars on the Chicago Switching
website were on hand to record this historic and surprising event.
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Plans to return with the coach back to the North Avenue yard are delayed by cars that parked across the spur the night before. At first a pair of police officers arrived on bicycles then a squad car arrived to assess the situation and determine with CTR staff on how to get the train unblocked. Eventually city tow trucks were called and the cars were moved just enough to provide clearance for the train.
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Plans to return with the coach back to the North Avenue yard are delayed by cars that parked across the spur the night before. At first a pair of police officers arrived on bicycles then a squad car arrived to assess the situation and determine with CTR staff on how to get the train unblocked. Eventually city tow trucks were called and the cars were moved just enough to provide clearance for the train.
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The train pulls forward off the former Peerless spur and onto the main track on Lakewood, extending far enough to clear the switch in the street. The coach appears to be as long as two hoppers or tank cars.
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The train pulls forward off the former Peerless spur and onto the main track on Lakewood, extending far enough to clear the switch in the street. The coach appears to be as long as two hoppers or tank cars.
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Shoving south the train pauses to let the CTR crew push the switch points into place. The hidden throw beneath the metal plate in the street must not be working after being out of service since early 2007 when Peerless shut down. There was evidence of the train pushing asphalt out of the flangeways on Lakewood where spot paving of potholes had taken place.
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Shoving south the train pauses to let the CTR crew push the switch points into place. The hidden throw beneath the metal plate in the street must not be working after being out of service since early 2007 when Peerless shut down. There was evidence of the train pushing asphalt out of the flangeways on Lakewood where spot paving of potholes had taken place.
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View of the interior of the coach used by Iowa Pacific in their tour of rare trackage for customers. It definitely attracted a lot of questions, stares, and picture taking by neighbors and passersby.
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View of the interior of the coach used by Iowa Pacific in their tour of rare trackage for customers. It definitely attracted a lot of questions, stares, and picture taking by neighbors and passersby.
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The train only made it as far south as the parking lot north of Altgeld due to dozens of cars being parked across the tracks outside the Lakeshore Health Club. Plans were made to come back late at night to resume the journey back.
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The train only made it as far south as the parking lot north of Altgeld due to dozens of cars being parked across the tracks outside the Lakeshore Health Club. Plans were made to come back late at night to resume the journey back.
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Another angle, this time looking northeast across the parking lot. People enjoyed posing for pictures next to the elegant coach.
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Another angle, this time looking northeast across the parking lot. People enjoyed posing for pictures next to the elegant coach.