Topics

1

General Discussion / Craigin Line

« on: June 15, 2009, 07:10:48 PM »

Hey there,

I was just curious to know when the last run-through train ran on the Craigin Line. I know that it is kind of off-topic,but I was just curious.

Cway

2

General Discussion / spur into materials site...

« on: March 31, 2009, 07:14:19 PM »

Good day,

I was driving by Chicago and Halsted the other day and noticed a long spur by the concrete silos at the materials site. Does anybody know when the last time it was used? I\'ve never seen any cars there. I know that they recieve barges full of gravel,stone,etc...

Cway

3

General Discussion / just an observation...

« on: January 13, 2009, 09:39:55 PM »

I happened to drive by Blommer Chocolate factory and noticed that there were no hopper cars on the lower level,but 3 trucks were there...Is the lower level no longer active?
    Also,I drove by Big Bay lumber and noticed that the runaround track is buried under a heap of snow? How do you think Chicago Terminal will deal with it? A big plow or bobcat will be needed as there is a mound near the switch...

Cway

4

General Discussion / CNW trackage...

« on: December 04, 2008, 10:58:02 PM »

Good day all,

Out of curiousity,why did CNW go from 3 tracks to 2 tracks on the North Line,but retained all 3 tracks on the Northwest Line...Is it because of the reduction of traffic on the Weber Line? There used to be a couple of shippers on the North Line in the 90s(Hines Lumber and Temple Steel). On the Northwest Line, there is the lumber yard by Avondale and the Sandman,but that is it...Any thoughts?

Cway

5

General Discussion / Proctor and Gamble plant...

« on: December 04, 2008, 02:05:15 AM »

Good day,

Out of mere curiousity,does anybody know when the Proctor and Gamble plant was closed down. I remember it being knocked down sometime in the late 90s,but it seemed like it had a decent amount of rail traffic sometime or another...Also,did the tracks on Wabansia feed the plant one time or another or was it just for the steel plant?

Cway

6

General Discussion / Official abandonment of Weber line...

« on: December 01, 2008, 08:38:04 PM »

I read on another site that Union Pacific has filed for abandonment of the Weber Line from Wilson all the way up to Touhy Avenue. I am a little confused as well as dissappointed because from Lincoln Avenue to Touhy Avenue the line was already ripped out...Can anybody shed some light on this?

Cway

7

General Discussion / North Avenue yard...

« on: December 01, 2008, 08:31:27 PM »

Does anybody have any rhyme or reason as to why North Avenue yard has been so empty lately. It only had a few covered hoppers and a couple of high-side gondolas in it...It usually has some lumber cars and a bunch of boxcars in it. I know that the Tribune yard hasn\'t been as busy lately,but there are still some boxcars around...

Cway

8

General Discussion / sighting at Lee Lumber...

« on: September 06, 2007, 09:51:59 PM »

On my way home from O\'Hare last night,I saw an empty centerbeam lumber car at Lee Lumber...Might have been a lull in the action,but at least they are not shut down...

Cway

9

General Discussion / concern for alarm or no...

« on: August 28, 2007, 07:19:30 PM »

Hey all,

It\'s been pretty quiet around the Kingsbury Branch...With Finkl closing soon,it\'s only going to be Big Bay Lumber and General Iron...Just wishful thinking, it would be nice to see something brewing around Waste Management...

On my way to work yesterday, there were several hopper cars full of sand by Lee Lumber,but I haven\'t seen any lumber cars in almost a month...Anybody know what\'s up with them?

Cway

10

General Discussion / Looking for logical reasons...

« on: May 15, 2007, 06:32:29 PM »

Hello all,


This may be a little bit out of the area for this forum,but I thought that I\'d give it a shot...This is regarding Craigin Junction...You always hear about railroads trying to reduce travel times...Now,wouldn\'t it make sense for Canadian Pacific to have a few HOT freight trains travel down the Metra Milwaukee North Line then right past Mayfair go down the Craigin Line across Metra Milwaukee West Line down to Clearing Yard instead of having run-through trains go to Bensonville and then down to Clearing...
       I look around and I see wasted oppurtunities...I know that the rails are severed at Mayfair and at Craigin,but can\'t they be reconnected or once it\'s severed,that\'s it?

Cway

11

General Discussion / Longest train seen on Kingsbury district...

« on: April 25, 2007, 08:11:28 PM »

What has been the longest train seen in this area? The longest I\'ve seen is about 30-40 cars...This was when Azko Salts was still open...Covered hoppers combined with the scrap cars from General Iron...This was in the early 90s when the trains originated/terminated in Bensonville yard via Bloomingdale line...Now with Peerless closed or about to close,then with the closing of Finkl,how long are the trains nowadays,1-3 cars?


Cway

12

General Discussion / Other Chicago area street running...

« on: April 25, 2007, 08:07:38 PM »

Hello all,


I frequently drive by Cermak Road east of Halsted and wonder about all the street trackage there...That must have been quite an operation because there is quite a bit of street trackage...Up until a few months ago,there was a metal factory that would recieve 1 or 2 boxcars every other day...usually with a couple of of CN/GTW units for power...It was right across the street from Lawrence fisheries...Anybody have any insight to this area?
   Also,I know that this may be a little far south for this forum,but around 35th street east of Ashland,there looks like at one time there was quite a bit of industrial trackage and some street running...This would be by the old Wrigley\'s factory that is now closed or about to be closed...A little east of there,but west of Halsted I was surprised to see some street running still in use...A NS train with some tank cars of beef tallow for a meathouse...I was surprised to see it,but very happy at the same time...

Cway

13

General Discussion / Will they survive?

« on: February 27, 2007, 10:31:36 PM »

Hello all,

Now that the Chicago Terminal Railroad is operating over ex-Soo/CP rails,does anybody think that they will draw new business or will it just fold up and the Kingsbury District will be no more? I\'m asking because Finkl is moving,Peerless is shutting down soon,etc...
     I remember when Azko Salts used to have about 20-25 hoppers going down Cherry Street back in the \'90s...I also remember reefer cars staged by the old Proctor and Gamble plant as well as Waste Management...

Cway

14

General Discussion / nighttime operations

« on: February 27, 2007, 10:25:33 PM »

Hello all,

I was reading in another post that the Chicago Terminal Railroad did a test run past North Avenue one night...Was this actually during the tail end of rush hour or was it really at night when nobody expects it? Was there any nighttime service when the Proctor and Gamble plant was operating as well as any other industries in the area?

Cway

15

General Discussion / Chicago Tribune Yard...

« on: October 26, 2005, 07:49:59 PM »

Hello all,

I was reading on another site that the Chicago Tribune yard has a lot of weeds and is barely used now...Is that true or not? When I go home at night, I pass North Ave yard and still see quite a bit of CN/DWP boxcars with newsprint...Can someone clarify?

Cway