Chicago Switching Forum

Chicago Switching => General Discussion => Topic started by: Cway on March 31, 2009, 07:14:19 PM

Title: spur into materials site...
Post by: Cway 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

Title: spur into materials site...
Post by: TBurke on April 01, 2009, 04:14:09 PM

Are you referring to the Material Service facility which is on the Chicago River across from Goose Island, north of Elston, and west of Halsted?  

I\'ve never seen railroad cars on those tracks in front of their silos going back two decades.  My guess is that it\'s still cheaper to bring in construction materials via barge is why but the tracks stay in place so they maintain leverage over the barge suppliers with the threat of going to rail shipments.

Title: spur into materials site...
Post by: D. Kaniuk on April 12, 2009, 10:06:37 AM

On Saturday (4/11), had some time, so went and checked out the track that leads to Tribune. The line in now single track. You can see pictures of before and after at: http://www.dhke.com/rrus/pgms/pgms.html