Topics

16

General Discussion / Photos Posted on Flickr-Tank Cars Stored on Chicago Terminal Tracks in Chicago

« on: August 12, 2017, 03:20:24 PM »

I took these photos today that show the tank cars stored by Chicago Terminal on both sides of the North Branch of the Chicago River.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/36526549005/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/36389146661/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/36389147891/in/dateposted-public/

Not sure if Chicago Terminal is storing them for revenue or to assert its rights to the land in future negotiations with developer Sterling Bay which has bought up the adjacent properties.  Sterling Bay will no doubt want its properties to connect to each other without railroad tracks in the middle.

17

General Discussion / CSX Lays off Half of Operating Staff at Chicago Area Barr Yard

« on: August 11, 2017, 11:09:28 PM »

It didn't take Hunter Harrison long to start decimating CSX much like the carnage that took place under his axe at IC, CN, and CP. 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-csx-layoffs-chicago-barr-switching-yard-0810-biz-20170809-story.html

18

General Discussion / Last Rail-Served Customer Sipi Metals Sells Land to Developer

« on: August 08, 2017, 07:21:51 AM »

An article in Crain's Chicago Business talks about developer Sterling Bay acquiring riverfront properties on Chicago's North Side including the former Finkl Steel site and now Sipi Metals.  Get your pictures while you can of gondolas on Sipi's spur.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20170801/CRED03/170809988/sterling-bay-cuts-105-million-deal-with-city-for-riverside-parcel

The article is focused on the purchase of the City of Chicago facility where Wabansia dead ends at Throop.  This building used to be part of the huge Proctor & Gamble plant which closed around 1990.  You can see in the aerial photo that accompanies the article the two large doors facing Wabansia where the Milwaukee Road once switched boxcars in and out for outbound shipments I believe of soap.  This traffic later shifted to trucks but P&G continued to receive rail service from the C&NW with inbound loads of raw materials on tank cars from the south along Magnolia until it closed.  A Home Depot now sits on that part of the old P&G site.

Prior to P&G being on that site, it was the home of an Illinois Steel (part of US Steel) plant and serviced by an isloated EJ&E operation.  The EJ&E (owned by USS) interchanged with both the Milwaukee Road and the C&NW at the Rolling Mill Yard which was between Sipi Metals and the Kennedy Expressway today.

19

General Discussion / Chicago Terminal Locomotive Missing from North Avenue Yard

« on: July 01, 2017, 04:57:45 PM »

I noticed Tuesday that the Chicago Terminal switcher was no longer in the North Avenue Yard.  The rails leading from the yard to the connection to the Bloomingdale Line looked like they had been used recently but the bridge over the river was open.  Does anyone know if the crew was doing some switching east of the river that day?  The tracks looked very weedy on the Bloomingdale line as viewed from the Metra tracks. 

20

General Discussion / Train with Military Tanks Passes O'Hare on CN (Soo)

« on: June 07, 2017, 06:01:36 PM »

I passed under the CN (Soo) overpass over the I-190 entrance into O'Hare this morning making my way to Mannheim for a meeting in Rosemont.  I noticed a train paused on the bridge with a string of flatcars carry military tanks and other heavy equipment.  The tanks were painted in a beige, sand color.  The train was led by a BNSF locomotive and a CN locomotive behind it heading south.

I did not take photos since I assume that is not encouraged with movements of this type. 

My guess is the tanks were going from Ft. McCoy in WI to ports on the East Coast for deployment to NATO forces in Europe.  Anyone have any other details?

21

General Discussion / Chicago Tribune Article on 125 Years of the L

« on: June 05, 2017, 07:31:34 AM »

Nice article by the Tribune on the L and its history.  Since it operated freight trains from the handoff with the Milwaukee Road at Irving Park Road north into Evanston it still qualifies for coverage on the Chicago Switching site!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-cta-l-anniversary-getting-around-20170604-column.html

22

General Discussion / ADM Closing West Side Milling Plant-Rail Served

« on: June 03, 2017, 09:19:55 AM »

Get your pictures while you can...the last rail-served customer on this corridor will be closing.  It used to be a customer of the PRR off its Panhandle line and now NS serves it.  My guess is NS will be relieved at not having to make the long haul to get there and back for one customer.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-adm-closing-chicago-wheat-mill-0603-biz-20170602-story.html

23

General Discussion / Classic Model Railroader April 1975 Issue On Flickr Details MILW C&E South Line

« on: May 21, 2017, 11:24:13 AM »

The legendary 1975 article that inspired Bill Denton's "Kingsbury" N-scale layout is now available for viewing.  Includes great photos of the Milwaukee Road's Chicago & Evanston (C&E) South Line including Montgomery Ward and more.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76677346@N04/25114775856/in/photolist-DK9dqR-EgiC41-EgiMSQ-EaoLRc-DkUnXN-R6etai-R6et6F

24

General Discussion / Unused CN (Soo) Bridge in Melrose Park Site of Teen Drowning

« on: May 15, 2017, 08:20:28 AM »

In the background is the bridge in question.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/railsr4me/3681067751/in/photolist-9P57sc-apxE7E-apuZuv-RophUM-apxK5u-6Bhrcn

It was used to connect the Soo and later WC to the CSX Altenheim Subdivision that goes along the Eisenhower Expressway.  The CN section is now out of service.

http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/p/168141/1848231.aspx

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-des-plaines-river-juvenile-search-met-20170514-story.html

25

General Discussion / New Trains Magazine Feature Article on South Shore Freight Operations

« on: May 02, 2017, 02:45:26 PM »

Since the South Shore Line switches industries in NW Indiana and in Chicago's Hegwish neighborhood on the South Side I thought readers here would want to know that the latest issue of Trains magazine features an in-depth article on the freight operations of the South Shore.  It goes into a lot more detail than the Locomotive special on the motive power of the South Shore freight. 

http://trn.trains.com/issues/2017/june-2017

Lots of photos and excellent maps. 

Here is a list of the South Shore's Chicago customers.  It looks like some interesting switching movements to reach Maloney Lumber and Plywood at 12800 S Butler Drive in Chicago and its waterfront wharves, including circling under 130th street.

26

General Discussion / Mystery Narrow Gauge Private Railroad in Lake Barrington, IL

« on: April 15, 2017, 07:27:51 PM »

While taking a walk today in the new Grassy Lake Forest Preserve in Lake Barrington, IL, I noticed what looked like railroad tracks to the east.  On closer inspection it was part of an elaborate miniature railroad network including what appears to be a turntable at both ends looking at Google Earth.  Does anyone else have information about it?  The location is on Flint Creek Drive north of Kelsey Road in Lake Barrington, IL.

Lots of no trespassing signs prevented me from taking a closer look.  I would post photos but with a limitation of 500K that rules out screen grabs and others. 

27

General Discussion / Rumors of Iowa Pacific Bankruptcy-Will it Impact Chicago Terminal Operations?

« on: February 01, 2017, 07:46:40 PM »

I noticed this thread on another site about Iowa Pacific pulling out of its arrangements on short notice to operate the Hoosier passenger train and Amtrak picking it back up on March 1.  Amtrak will have to scramble to assemble the equipment and crews needed. 

http://indianarailroads.org/board/index.php?topic=19217.0

Someone mentions *rumors* about a bankruptcy filing and dire financial shape for IPH which is the parent of the Chicago Terminal operations in the thread. 

With just Sipi Metals still actively connected I suppose UP could easily pick up service to it for the one or two gondolas every couple of months it gets.  If cash is that tight then the bridge over the Chicago River will probably not be repaired-leaving General Iron still isolated.

What are the arrangements IHP has with CP and UP for their massive industrial park it switches under contract in Bensenville/Elk Grove Village?  I presume in the worst possible scenario-an IHP shutdown-CP or UP could take over until another shortline operator is approved.

28

General Discussion / "Chicago:America's Railroad Capital" Trains Special 2017

« on: January 25, 2017, 06:44:52 PM »

The new Trains Magazine special issue featuring Chicago just came out. I picked up my copy at a nearby Barnes & Noble.  Normally I take a pass on these publications which seemed geared to someone who is completely unfamiliar with the Chicago area but this issue is an exception.

The coverage is in-depth on the history of railroads in Chicago and the consolidation of passenger train operations over the years.  It's worth the $9.95 price for the article on the Chicago Rail Link shortline alone.  The photography and maps are excellent. 

The only criticism is that it is tilted too heavily toward passenger train operations and especially Metra and the CTA which are extensively covered in First & Fastest as well as various websites. 

29

General Discussion / Video-Chicago Terminal Passenger Train on C&E Line By Former Peerless Site

« on: January 08, 2017, 08:45:22 PM »

Years ago I posted a similar video after converting it from mini-DVD format using Roxio Toast.  It stripped off the audio and resulted in low-quality resolution plus it was hard to use.  This time I used MacX DVD Ripper Pro and the results were much better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBoNF0bcfOM&feature=youtu.be

30

General Discussion / BNSF Pays to Clean Up former H. Kramer Spur off Lumber District Line in Chicago

« on: December 25, 2016, 04:02:08 PM »

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year first of all.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-pilsen-lead-cleanup-20161223-story.html

BNSF paid to remove contaminated soil and taking up and paving over the spur to H Kramer.  It might explain why Kramer stopped receiving shipments by rail a few years ago as the contaminated land under the spur was targeted for removal and cleanup.

You can see former shortline operator Central Illinois switching out Kramer which required using a tail track to the west of the plant.  Kramer is located at 1345 W 21st St, Chicago, IL 60608.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooySb-vxzlM