Messages

46

General Discussion / what happened to these plans?

« on: April 09, 2009, 08:19:07 AM »

A good question; I was wondering that myself when I ran across it. Like you, I was idly curious and googled the railroad. What I found interesting was the published schedule of tariffs and charges. Chicago Terminal has a new set in effect, as of March 1:

http://www.narps.org/FTs_A-E/FT_CTM_8000_A.pdf

What is particularly interesting is that the document lists the customers served on each of the Chicago Terminal lines. In the case of the North Avenue operation, they list 6 customers. One is General Iron Industries at 1901 N. Clinton. I hadn\'t heard them mentioned before. They are still listing Peerless, though possibly they\'re just referring to the siding. And they list Waste Management. I don\'t know that Waste Management has ever used Chicago Terminal, though it\'s entirely understandable that they\'d like having the option of doing so. It doesn\'t seem to me that there\'s room for a waste transshipment facility, but it might be nice for getting shipments of dumpsters....

I\'ve only recently started walking North Avenue again (health problems), and what with the rain it\'s been hard to say how much the line to Goose Island has been used lately. Work on the bridge is proceeding, however, and I did notice yesterday that a section of rail had been replaced between the bridge and North Avenue.

I wonder where the bio-diesel plant was intended to be? Chicago or Elk Grove Village?

be well,
bob roman

47

General Discussion / An opinion question for all re: old slides

« on: January 12, 2009, 06:36:21 AM »

If you would like the photos up on the site, you should most certainly talk to him about the idea. If the question is SHOULD some of the photos be up on the site, I don\'t know, except that the question isn\'t so much are they rare but are they good. Judging from your account, I think you think so. So it sounds to me that you should pitch the site and his participation.
be well,
bob roman

48

General Discussion / Observations on 1/2/09

« on: January 06, 2009, 08:34:24 AM »

Your guess is as good as mine, but this sounds like a good excuse for a hike Real Soon Now. But remember that legendary cow path easement in the Loop that left gaps between the skyscrapers for well over a century. Railroads are almost as much in the real estate business as in transportation, so developers may well prefer to leave a space as pay the railroad.
be well,
bob roman

49

General Discussion / North Avenue yard...

« on: December 13, 2008, 10:23:38 AM »

The schedule does look to have changed; they were operating on Goose Island last Monday. What with the \"Chicago Tribune\" in trouble also, I wonder if the Union Pacific has also changed its schedule re: the North Avenue yard. That would likely change Chicago Terminal\'s as well.
be well,
bob roman

50

General Discussion / CIRY CB&Q Heritage Unit

« on: October 31, 2008, 09:02:01 AM »

From http://www.dhke.com/schs/schs204.htm regarding Central Illinois:
Operation #1 11/23/2000 to Present
The first operation is industrial switching in Chicago, in an area bounded by:
North: Cermak Rd, East: Halsted Ave. South: Chicago River, West: Kedize Ave
Map #1

Operation #2 4/23/2001 to Present
The second operation is industrial switching in Chicago, on the right-of-way of the former Illinois Northern RR.
Map #2

Operation #3 4/23/2001 to 4/31/2007
The third operation is indistrial switching in Elk Grove Village, in an area bounded by:
East: York Rd, North: Landmeir Rd
South: Irving Park Rd. (from York to Rt 83) and Thorndale (from Rt 83 to Arlington Heights rd)
West: Rt 83 (from Irving Park to Thorndale) and Arlington Heights Rd, (from Thorndale to Landmeir)
Update: operations taken over by the Chicago Terminal Railroad
Map #3

Outsourcing makes railroad watching interesting for us rail fans, but I wonder what its eventual implications might be for folks working for railroads. Well, that\'s interesting too.

be well,
bob roman

51

General Discussion / Freight Traffic

« on: October 22, 2008, 02:43:37 PM »

Weather and time permitting, I often walk rather than take the North Avenue bus. This Tuesday my timing was just right, and a Chicago Terminal train came trundling south across North Avenue right after I reached the crossing.

Someone had opened the gate for them ahead of time, and there were no signs of any construction workers on the site. The train tip-toed across the bridge. Not that it ever hurries anyway.

It was a good size load. They had five cars: a gondola (not sure with or without a load), two loaded center-beam flats with plywood, and two more loaded gondolas.

These last two were interesting, an old C&NW and an old ConRail, both so rusted and battered they looked to be held together more from habit than construction. It wasnÕt clear what they were carrying was scrap or some manner of castings. I know there are incoming shipments of scrap, but is the CT getting any outgoing shipments of metal? IÕve seen gondolas on the train to Goose Island before, but theyÕve been empty.

I also wonder if CTÕs interchange is now solely with the Union Pacific or whether the Canadian Pacific occasionally sends some cars its way.

be well,
bob roman

52

General Discussion / Bridge over the River

« on: October 15, 2008, 08:40:08 AM »

Yesterday afternoon there was a crew of about a half dozen working on the bridge. At the time, they seemed to be drilling into various ties, but it wasn\'t clear to what end.

The work began several days ago, probably not long after Raisin\'s post, with the positioning of two construction barges in the turning basin. The pedestrian walkways were removed last week though I didn\'t see it done.

On Tuesday afternoon, the polish on the rails did not look fresh. Last week was the last usage, I would judge, but that doesn\'t mean much.

be well,
Bob Roman

53

General Discussion / Bridge over the River

« on: September 30, 2008, 09:43:24 AM »

The bridge is now closed and fenced off to pedestrian traffic. I assume rain service is still interrupted except for having to stop for the gate.
be well,
bob roman