Messages

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General Discussion / Chicago & Pacific/MILW/CP Rail Bloomingdale Line

« on: November 16, 2004, 04:37:30 PM »

As far as I\'ve been able to find out, the Bloomingdale Line was part of the main Milwaukee Road line into Chicago around 1873. Then once the current route southeast of Pacific Junction was built (not sure of a date), Bloomingdale was only used to serve local customers as well as those east of the river.  It was orignally at grade, but was elevated around 1915 in response to collisions with traffic.

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General Discussion / Chicago & Pacific/MILW/CP Rail Bloomingdale Line

« on: October 19, 2004, 01:53:58 AM »

Forgot a link to our website:

www.bloomingdaletrail.org

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General Discussion / Chicago & Pacific/MILW/CP Rail Bloomingdale Line

« on: October 19, 2004, 01:52:17 AM »

Hello-

I am involved with a group trying to convert the Bloomingdale Line into a multiuse public greenway.  The city has drawn up early plans as part of the Logan Square Open Space plan, which are available online.  I\'m always interested in any information about service on the line over the years and the history of how and when the line was built.

In terms of the present condition of the line, perhaps in tandem with the removal of the diamond, the tracks were severed just west of the interstate and a fence was erected to keep people from going underneath the underpass onto the UP tracks.  

There are still freight cars on the western portion, notably empty Metra ballast cars.  There is also a derailer on the line east of Kimball somewhere to prevent travel east.  Other than that, there\'s been lots of development but no development has actually infringed upon the right-of-way.

An old map I saw a few weeks ago at the Illinois Railway Museum indicated passenger stations at Damen, Milwaukee & Elsmere? (near Kimball).