Sun Times ending Tribune printing contract

[haggar]

As of May 2015 Tribune will no longer be printing Sun Times papers.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130801/BLOGS08/130809994/sun-times-scrapping-print-delivery-pacts-with-trib

Joe

[Brianbobcat]

I saw the news, but hadn't seen a date.  I wonder how much that will affect their rail delivery supply.  The simple answer is that they won't need as many boxcars anymore.

Speaking of newspapers, which line had served the Sun-Times plant on the south side by the Stevenson?  Lastly, one of the smaller printers is finishing a brand new facility on Northwest Highway out by Gladstone Park and is immediately on the UPNW line, but unfortunately it looks like they'll be getting their deliveries by truck instead of rail.

[chuck]

The couple times I caught them switching the southside Sun-Times plant it was CN power.

[Brianbobcat]

Anyone have pictures from those moves?  Last I checked, that building is still for sale.  I wonder if a potential new rail customer could fill that space.

[chuck]

I saw them several times but it was always the same shot, so only shot them once.  If I only knew...

[TBurke]

The former Sun-Times printing plant is being marketed as a data center.  A large deal fell through recently for that use of the building.  Apparently it is ideal with high ceilings and large amounts of power available.

Who else will print the Sun-Times?  Their affiliated suburban Pioneer Press weekly newspapers are printed by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel but I imagine it might be tough for them to get print copies into Chicago and South Suburbs from Milwaukee in a timely manner early in the mornings.

[TBurke]

I will go with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel as the place where the Sun-Times will shift its printing despite its distance from Chicago.  The West Milwaukee plant is relatively modern and was built in 2003.  With circulation down at the Journal-Sentinel they have excess capacity and as I noted already, the JS already prints the Sun-Times affiliated suburban newspapers under the Pioneer Press banner.

To see this plant which is rail-served punch in 4101 West Burnham in West Milwaukee in Google Maps or Bing Birdseye views.  You can see the spurs entering the building from the south.  The former Menomonee Belt line serves the plant.  At one time the Menomonee Belt was jointly operated by the C&NW and the Milwaukee Road but just CP Rail owns and operates it now.

Cool photo of CP Rail switching the adjacent elevators.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dfasules/4585519604/

And yes I am a fan also of Milwaukee railroads as you can probably tell.   

[haggar]

Robert Feder (former Sun-Times tv/radio columnist) posted July 31st on Facebook that the Sun-Times is probably trying to force a renegotiation of the contract.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Feder/175146445841142

Hopefully this will be worked out and we'll continue to see a decent amount of rail traffic at the Freedom Center.

Joe