Reconstruction at Bloomer

Rebuilding the lower-level Blommer spur along the east side of the factory building. The old tracks were in terrible shape. This work crew appears to be installing a vault below and between the rails for receiving inbound loads from railcars directly into the factory. Other candy companies use chutes between the rails and into the building (Reed Candy and Peerless Confectionary along the Milwaukee Road's Lakewood tracks for example) to receive corn syrup.
Former junction point on the UP (ex-C&NW) with the Navy Pier line veering off to the left (east), and the Blommer spur on the right (west). This view looks south from about Grand Avenue in Chicago, with the huge Chicago Tribune Freedom Center printing plant behind the camera. The Tribune receives large inbound loads of newsprint via boxcars on the UP. It looks like the former line to Navy Pier is being used for storage of tank cars, as well as the Blommer spur. The left track was used to reach the former Navy Pier line from 1988 to abandonment in early 2002.