Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Chicago Terminal and Goos Island and abandonment

« on: October 17, 2017, 06:48:35 PM »

Thanks Doug. Impressive document.
Most of the maps were atypically accurate and they appear to have hired a professional photographer.

I visited Chicago last weekend, but only got a brief look at the Chicago Terminal trackage during a rainy twilight and couldn't see much. I spotted their engine parked in the North Avenue yard.

I'll be most surprised if any of those tracks are still passable, let alone extant, come this time next year.

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General Discussion / Re: More about those tankers on Goose Isand

« on: September 21, 2017, 03:15:50 PM »

Just caught that. I like the line where the developer says something to the effect that freight
Rail is not compatible with the  City's industrial plan.

3

General Discussion / Re: Throwback Thursday: Chicago Switching Meet-Up, April 2007

« on: August 27, 2017, 08:15:50 PM »

I wasn't there but here are a couple from the first day of operations by Chicago Terminal in January of 2007.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/32327725821/in/album-72157682371884994/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/32327725691/in/album-72157682371884994/

I remember Ed Ellis installing a multifunction printer with a FAX which they supposedly would use to receive train orders.

No Tom Burke, you were most certainly not there on that day which raises the question of why you are spamming this here thread with irrelevancies.

4

General Discussion / Re: Throwback Thursday: Chicago Switching Meet-Up, April 2007

« on: August 27, 2017, 08:14:22 PM »

They're somewhere and I'd love to share them.  I'm in between computers but will share when I get a chance.

Sounds great. Looking forward to it.

5

General Discussion / Re: Throwback Thursday: Chicago Switching Meet-Up, April 2007

« on: August 20, 2017, 06:02:36 PM »

Dan and Matt -- if either of you could post photos from inside the control shack on the swing bridge I'm sure that more than a few of us would love to see them.

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General Discussion / Throwback Thursday: Chicago Switching Meet-Up, April 2007

« on: May 11, 2017, 08:27:43 PM »

The years race by. In April 2007 Goose Island still saw rail service and Finkls Steel's Northside operation was still pouring molten metal, just to name a few operations now gone forever. On a gorgeous Monday a few of us got together for a day of exploration and train chasing. Bonuses included having Doug Kaniuk along for his expert commentary and a demo of swing bridge operations c/o the train crew.

7

General Discussion / Re: Goose Island

« on: December 05, 2014, 01:29:20 AM »

After the extensive rebuilding of N. North Branch Avenue and its related street trackage in 1991 the service to AKZO didn't really outlast the decade.

See my photo from Sep 1991:

http://www.chicagoswitching.com/albums/chicago/former-milwaukee-road-cp-rail-chicago-terminal/goose-island-area/Goose-Island-Walking-Tour/mk_goose_sep1991_29.jpg

and Tom Burke's from the same period:

http://www.chicagoswitching.com/chicago/former-milwaukee-road-cp-rail-chicago-terminal/goose-island-area/North-Branch-Street/

And a sign installed between the rails c. 2003, again from Tom B.:

http://www.chicagoswitching.com/albums/chicago/former-milwaukee-road-cp-rail-chicago-terminal/goose-island-area/Goose-Island-Odds-and-Ends/tb_goose2003_072003_01.jpg

8

General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange

« on: December 05, 2014, 01:17:05 AM »

Really it was on borrowed time since 1973 so amazing it actually lasted this long.

9

General Discussion / Re: Lakewood Branch track removal

« on: December 05, 2014, 01:16:06 AM »

It all makes me want to time travel back to 1980 or so, dress like an alien in a radiation suit and threaten to melt a young Tom Burke's brain unless he takes more Lakewood Branch photos.

Anyone have a DeLorean?

10

General Discussion / Re: Former Lee Lumber active yard photo

« on: December 05, 2014, 01:02:47 AM »

I recall seeing some of the elevated embankments and a trestle or two in the early 1990s.

This past September on a rare Chicago visit I spent a few hours waiting to enter the late, great Hot Doug's on Roscoe and California looking across the street for any signs of rail artifacts in vain. I did see what looked like a bridge abutment at Elston & North Whipple earlier that morning.

11

General Discussion / Re: Central Manufacturing District

« on: January 19, 2014, 04:31:07 PM »

May 2010: During a walk around photo tour of the CMD and surroundings, a friend and I were harassed by a Miniat security guard driving a compact who wanted us to believe he was an undercover Chicago Police officer. Basically a young punk strutting his stuff.
My friend's father is retired CPD and so we figured out the score pretty quickly.
We played along and behaved until a Miniat supervisor came over, asked us some questions and was ultimately satisfied we weren't making trouble for anyone.

At a very basic legal level, if you are standing on public ground you are permitted to take photos of industrial subjects and such as long as you are not impeding activities or creating a safety problem.
See for example:
http://www.krages.com/ThePhotographersRight.pdf

12

General Discussion / Re: rail bridge vs. trucks

« on: November 23, 2012, 10:41:41 PM »

A great testament to laziness and stupidity... of truck drivers. Nice post!

13

Modeling / Re: New layout based on Brooklyn, NY and Milw's Chicago lines.

« on: October 25, 2012, 09:31:26 PM »

Well done, Paul. Looking forward to future posts. I live in New York as well, but I don't often get down to Sunset Park to check this stuff out.

14

General Discussion / Re: 3 more photos from Lou

« on: August 12, 2012, 09:10:47 AM »

Thanks. 1995 seems like a million years ago. An extremely hot summer. Must have been miserable in that cab.

15

General Discussion / Re: Scene Under Apparel Center

« on: August 08, 2012, 09:54:44 AM »

Has it been stolen by now? haha

I think it might have still been there when we did the Halloween 2004 Chicagoswitching group tour.