Messages

151

General Discussion / Proof Bloomingdale Line still in use!

« on: January 29, 2007, 07:49:14 PM »

See the link to the following photo. Proof that the Bloomingdale Line is still in use! Take a look at the middle right area of the picture, you can see a live red signal in effect. Check out the remarks area verifying the picture was taken on the Bloomingdale line thought to be abandoned. Photo was taken this month and year! Too bad it wasn\'t a train bound for the Kingsbury/Goose Island/Lakewood Lines like in the past. Then again who knows what the future holds. Never say never.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=172109

GM

152

General Discussion / Chicago Terminal 01/23/07

« on: January 29, 2007, 05:34:47 PM »

Ntancula, nice to have a person contributing on the board that is actually involved in the operations.Hope to get some of your insights. Start an online diary of the weekly jobs! We all would enjoy hearing about the behind the scenes operations and background info. Especially up to date info like when Finkl will stop service, if it looks like it will be replaced by another on line customer, and if any new customers may be coming on line for the CTRR. You\'re a part of a new chapter in the history of the line.

First Question: Do you work any other area in Chicago during the week and then work Goose Island on Tuesday & THursday? Thanks.

GM

153

General Discussion / Interesting Picture

« on: January 22, 2007, 02:18:06 PM »

If you get a chance to eat at Portillos by Hard Rack and McDonalds, take a look at the big picture on the second floor in the corner. It shows the Wrigley building/Tribune Tower/Michigan Ave. You can clearly see Kraft foods next door where Trump tower is now going up next to the Wrigley building with train service right by the river provided by the CNW. Boxcars and Tankers can be seen along with a billboard advertising the CNW with a steam engine in the picture. Based on the autos it looks like a picture from the 1920\'s (Model A\'s & T\'s). There were trains right up to the Wrigley building at one time with Kraft manufacturing food products right by the river. Interesting photo with rail history included.

GM

154

General Discussion / Service by Chicago Terminal

« on: January 16, 2007, 05:19:25 PM »

Anyone know if they are keeping the same schedule of Tuesdays and Thursdays? I was driving down Cortland this past Saturday around 12:30 PM when I heard the diesel horn of the engine and it crossed Cortland, engine only to service Finkl I guess. Maybe clearing out gondolas before they relocate. I didn\'t expect to see the engine on a Saturday afternoon. Surprised quite a line of cars on Cortland.

Also, any idea when Finkl officially shuts down and the buildings will be vacated?



GM

155

General Discussion / Engine at Horicon after paint job

« on: January 10, 2007, 01:59:44 PM »

http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/pictures3/railroad/hcn01/i.html

See the Chgo Teminal engine from Horicon after it got painted. According to the site the engine was formally WC900 and also Algoma Central engine.

GM

156

General Discussion / Overview map

« on: December 20, 2006, 04:55:49 PM »

Do you have a list of companies served on Goose Island per the 1970 overview map from the Chicago Historical Society? Would it be the same businesses showing on your interactive map, including the animal processing plant off of Blackhawk St., Waste Paper Management and the team track area. Any other businesses that might have been served?

Also, the tracks that ran beyond Division St.were down Cherry St. and Hooker St. only? Did any run down Hickory at that time or North Branch St.?

quote:Originally posted by tom mann

Yes indeed.  It\'s been a busy year for me and some of the updates I planned to do this summer I still haven\'t started yet!

Thanks for being patient.

------------
Thomas Mann
http://www.chicagoswitching.com

GM

157

General Discussion / Finkl Steel Sold, Leaving North Side Location

« on: December 11, 2006, 05:13:58 PM »

The bigger question is if General Iron will stay without Finkl being there. Chances are the forces working at residential/business development in the area will not want General Iron or any scrap yard around ruining property enhancements or river views/access. Given the few businesses left served by the line you have to wonder if the pressure will be to end all service for the area. Hope not, will be the end of another era. The biggest hope would be service to Goose Island increasing. Seems though like CP knew what was coming and got out while the going was still good. Trends seem to be for moving such industries out of the City to surrounding areas.

quote:Originally posted by TBurke

According to an article in Crains Chicago Business\' online edition today, Finkl Steel has been sold to a German steel company and will shut down its North Side plant at Cortland and the river.  Operations will move to another site.  Apparently Finkl ran out of room at their current location which dates to 1902.

My guess is that NIMBY pressure from Lincoln Park neighbors and developers had something to do with it.  Steel plants and upscale homes and shops don\'t always mix well.

The big question now is how does it affect the plans of startup shortline operator Chicago Terminal Railroad (part of the Iowa Eastern holding company)?  Will they renegotiate with CP Rail for better terms?  Or did they know Finkl would be moving?

I estimate that Finkl accounted for about 125 carloads per year-a large percentage of these former Milwaukee Road lines.

On the other hand, General Iron Industries is still a huge shipper of scrap metal while Sipi Metals, Peerless Confectionary, and Big Bay Lumber chip in as well.  The new shortline might attract new shippers on Goose Island or elsewhere for transload purposes as is speculated.

GM

158

General Discussion / A Finkl buys Southside Property

« on: December 06, 2006, 12:27:13 PM »

Hopefully this doesn\'t mean they\'re leaving Cortland. That will be the final nail in the coffin for what\'s left of the rail line service
in the area.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23086



GM

159

General Discussion / Unusual Train Stop

« on: December 05, 2006, 07:09:21 PM »

Wondering if anyone ever have this happen to them on the Metra before. Last night I was taking the North Line home and when the train was approaching Grayland you could feel the brakes not catching (air hose problem maybe) and the train overshot the stop at the station by a lot. The conductor came on and said for everyone to be patient so the train could back up. After a minute or two, the engineer probably had to get clearance first, we went in reverse on the outbound track about 6 or seven car lengths until they were in proper position to open the car doors. First time this ever happened to me but goes to show you anything is protypical when modeling, even overshooting the station stop.

GM

160

General Discussion / Overview map

« on: November 27, 2006, 06:55:48 PM »

Any plans of this site coming up with an overview map for the Lakewood/Deering portion like you have for Kingsbury and Goose Island? That would be great. Thanks.

GM

161

General Discussion / New Shortline Operator for North Side Lines!

« on: November 27, 2006, 05:17:15 PM »

Just wondering why the UP wouldn\'t end up serving the old Milwaukee Road line (Goose/Lakewood) since their yard now has access to the area? I assume trackage rights and maybe they figure it is not worth their while with not too many customers but still they work Morton Salt, Prarie Matierials, Tribune and some others in the area so it still seems like a good fit? I have noticed the yard off the Kennedy off of Elston & North quite full these days. Seems like a good sign for local freight jobs.

GM

162

General Discussion / Sandman still in service?

« on: November 16, 2006, 06:09:20 PM »

Noticed the last several Sunday nights the UP dropping hoppers off at the cement plant by Lee Lumber right next to the Kennedy. They are dropping off a large number of hoppers, maybe with the Trump Tower needing large amounts of cement they are one of the yards supplying? Anyone know of these operations? Over the last 3 weekends I have noticed the train dropping off the hoppers each Sunday night around 10:00 PM.
Nice to see some freight activity happening on the Metra line once again.

One additional question, I live up by where the UP crosses the Milwaukee Road line where the Edens junction is. UP still serves Mayfair Lumber but the rest of the North Line that went up to Skokie seems abandoned but when you view the latest version of Google Earth you can still see tank cars off this spur line if you follow it up past Devon and then Lincoln Aves. There still is plenty of industry in this area but does anyone know if the UP still has freight service up this way? Thanks.

GM

163

General Discussion / Industrial Service in Milwaukee

« on: November 16, 2006, 05:57:08 PM »

Anyone know of a site that discusses Milwaukee Road service to ADM and industries off of Miller Parkway just west of Muskego Yard in Milwaukee, Wi.?

GM

164

General Discussion / New Member

« on: November 16, 2006, 05:55:07 PM »

What about Sipi metals? CP still serves this plant off of Elston correct?





GM

165

General Discussion / MP 15 switcher

« on: November 16, 2006, 05:47:25 PM »

Just wondering if anyone knows the routine for which engine serves Goose Island/Lakewood. The last few weeks I saw one with the old Milwaukee Road colors servicing the area and yesterday I noticed a new one at the yard by Morton Salt with a Canadian Pacific paint job. They seem to rotate over time. Do they get reassigned to new duties in different areas or just in for routine maintenance?

What route do the engines/freight cars come into that yard? Via the metra tracks leading into Union Station? The Bloomingdale line is no longer an option for the CP engine? It must travel over UP tracks?

Thanks.

GM