16
General Discussion / Re: American Freedom Train in Chicago
« on: September 12, 2015, 12:27:34 PM »
These are great! I didn't even know the American Freedom Train was a thing.
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17
General Discussion / UPN Bridge Phase 1 Complete
« on: May 10, 2015, 10:29:21 PM »
Hi All,
In case you haven't heard, the new outbound Platform 1 at the Ravenswood Metra station opened today, sunday May 10th. It's a very nice station. Two large ramps for bike and wheelchair access from both Lawrence and Leland, both a partially and fully enclosed warming shelter, tactile edging, concrete platforms, and the most striking feature, orange glazed tile walls. Missing though are ANY security cameras. That seems very weird considering that both ramps leading to the platforms are quite long and completely enclosed.
With the station open, that also means that UPN outbound trains are utilizing the new western tracks. Does this mean that phase 1 is complete? Does that also mean that Phase 2 will be starting shortly? The original schedule called for Phase 1 to be finished in 2014, and Phase 2 in 2018, but that was before the whole 1-track fiasco, and a more recent press release by Metra states: "The first phase, which will cost $112 million and take until November 2015, will cover bridges over Balmoral, Foster, Winnemac, Lawrence, Leland, Wilson, Sunnyside, Montrose, Berteau, Irving Park and Grace." There's no way that the middle bridges can be removed and completely rebuilt in just 6 months. Anyone know of an updated timeline?
In case you haven't heard, the new outbound Platform 1 at the Ravenswood Metra station opened today, sunday May 10th. It's a very nice station. Two large ramps for bike and wheelchair access from both Lawrence and Leland, both a partially and fully enclosed warming shelter, tactile edging, concrete platforms, and the most striking feature, orange glazed tile walls. Missing though are ANY security cameras. That seems very weird considering that both ramps leading to the platforms are quite long and completely enclosed.
With the station open, that also means that UPN outbound trains are utilizing the new western tracks. Does this mean that phase 1 is complete? Does that also mean that Phase 2 will be starting shortly? The original schedule called for Phase 1 to be finished in 2014, and Phase 2 in 2018, but that was before the whole 1-track fiasco, and a more recent press release by Metra states: "The first phase, which will cost $112 million and take until November 2015, will cover bridges over Balmoral, Foster, Winnemac, Lawrence, Leland, Wilson, Sunnyside, Montrose, Berteau, Irving Park and Grace." There's no way that the middle bridges can be removed and completely rebuilt in just 6 months. Anyone know of an updated timeline?
18
General Discussion / Re: Amazon Leases Former Midwest Industrial Metals Facility on Goose Island
« on: May 04, 2015, 06:23:01 PM »Scroll down to the fifth photo to see this site when it was rail-served and part of Midwest Industrial Metals.
Anyone know what that windowed room was above the box car entry? It looks like a switching tower, but that makes zero sense. Either way, it isn't there anymore and was removed when Calumet took over. Unfortunately Amazon will not be a rail customer.
19
General Discussion / Re: Amazon Leases Former Midwest Industrial Metals Facility on Goose Island
« on: May 01, 2015, 12:14:27 AM »This building was once Midwest Industrial Metals and it was served by the MILW and later SOO. Later Calumet Photo operated there. Now Amazon will occupy it. This link will take you to a photo of Midwest Industrial Metals when it was operating and rail-served. A SOO train is on North Branch while a boxcar is spotted on the spur inside the facility.
Hey Tom, I think there was an error in adding the hyperlink.
20
General Discussion / Re: North Ave Yard Rebuild
« on: December 14, 2014, 08:22:11 PM »I'd imagine it's safe to assume that this is where all those ties have ended up:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prfsnlwannabe/15752668149/in/pool-metra
-Matt
Thanks for the photo. I live up by Irving Park, and I didn't even think about venturing to Ravenswood to see if the tracks were laid yet. Thanks for confirming that these are in fact for the UP-N trackwork like I thought back in August.
21
General Discussion / Re: 1922 aerial photo of Tribune Tower
« on: December 04, 2014, 05:54:11 PM »
There's many more cool photos on there, including a bunch train related. Here are just the couple I've found so far:
1937 Lakefront: http://instagram.com/p/wJz9FPKSxz/?modal=true
I.C. at 73rd Street: http://instagram.com/p/wGxtXVqS9l/?modal=true
1928 Grant Park: http://instagram.com/p/wCwSmeKS_F/?modal=true
1974 North Pier Terminal: http://instagram.com/p/v9_Q-nKS-k/?modal=true
1959 Mount Prospect derailment: http://instagram.com/p/v3cCavqSwS/?modal=true
1940s Electroliner: http://instagram.com/p/vNOFgcKS2S/?modal=true
Pioneer Zephyr move: http://instagram.com/p/vAC_KcKS14/?modal=true
1936 Zephyr: http://instagram.com/p/u5799UKS9a/?modal=true
1933 Aluminum engine: http://instagram.com/p/udu7seKS1G/?modal=true
1931 LaSalle Street Station: http://instagram.com/p/uLX1UHKSya/?modal=true
Anyone go deeper into the archives than me? What'd you find?
1937 Lakefront: http://instagram.com/p/wJz9FPKSxz/?modal=true
I.C. at 73rd Street: http://instagram.com/p/wGxtXVqS9l/?modal=true
1928 Grant Park: http://instagram.com/p/wCwSmeKS_F/?modal=true
1974 North Pier Terminal: http://instagram.com/p/v9_Q-nKS-k/?modal=true
1959 Mount Prospect derailment: http://instagram.com/p/v3cCavqSwS/?modal=true
1940s Electroliner: http://instagram.com/p/vNOFgcKS2S/?modal=true
Pioneer Zephyr move: http://instagram.com/p/vAC_KcKS14/?modal=true
1936 Zephyr: http://instagram.com/p/u5799UKS9a/?modal=true
1933 Aluminum engine: http://instagram.com/p/udu7seKS1G/?modal=true
1931 LaSalle Street Station: http://instagram.com/p/uLX1UHKSya/?modal=true
Anyone go deeper into the archives than me? What'd you find?
22
General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange
« on: November 26, 2014, 06:28:04 PM »
It's all down now. The only thing left to remove is the hulking mass that sat just north of Montrose, but a jackhammer was tearing it apart all day today. It's sad to see it go, but the Wilson Red Line really needs the reconstruction.
23
General Discussion / Re: CTA L Car In Parking Lot At Canalport and Cermak! Parallel to BNSF Tail Track
« on: November 21, 2014, 01:37:31 PM »
Two updates about the car. Apparently it's like a giant art mural for the building. It gets painted, then cleaned off, then painted on purpose. That explains why everyone snaps a photo of it with a different paint job on it.
Another update is you can actually see video of it in Philip Philip's "Raging Fire" music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXRODrspQpc
Another update is you can actually see video of it in Philip Philip's "Raging Fire" music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXRODrspQpc
24
General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange
« on: November 13, 2014, 09:35:35 AM »
Talking with one of the workers yesterday, they said it would be probably middle of next week that the remaining section comes down because they need to wait for ComEd to move some power lines first.
Tom, the embankment looks so much different after they had their way with it as a park vs the rail bed. Nice photos.
Tom, the embankment looks so much different after they had their way with it as a park vs the rail bed. Nice photos.
25
General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange
« on: November 12, 2014, 12:14:58 PM »
Yes, it's part of the Wilson station reconstruction. The Truman College parking structure demolished half the trestle back in 2008, 2009-ish, and the rest is going now. Does it need to go because something is going there? No. It's in between the original substation at Montrose and Clifton and the new substation immediately next to the tracks. There were some rails still left on the trestle, there used to be a good view from the parking structure. I've gotten video of the demolition for my project. It won't be long until the section the Purple Line currently uses will be removed as the Machine Shop on the south side, and Wilson Broadway Mall on the north, are already gone.
26
General Discussion / Re: Former Lee Lumber active yard photo
« on: October 28, 2014, 12:58:37 AM »In addition to having an amazing collection of northside switching photos, John Smatlak has a great album on Flickr of the Com Ed line remains:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/76677346@N04/sets/72157636488148584
I think he's also responsible for the following website about the Com Ed line, which ran on inverted 3rd rail:
http://www.railwaypreservation.com/northwest_station.htm
Be sure to check out the 2 PDFs at the top of the website. Great pics and info.
Mike Murray
I actually hadn't seen most of those links or photos. I knew about the former Avondale line and even filmed on the last remains of it at Elston and Roscoe where it curved into what is now the Addison Mall Target (Montgomery Ward) store. The ComEd plant used coal though, so I still wonder which of the many businesses along the CNW used those tankers.
27
General Discussion / Former Lee Lumber active yard photo
« on: October 26, 2014, 05:43:02 PM »
I came across an aerial photo of the former I.C. Berlin Press printing plant at Belmont and Kimball. https://www.flickr.com/photos/29821940@N00/6955984721/ In the background is the former Lee Lumber and Prairie Materials yard, FULL of tank and box cars. Several box cars are offloading at Lee, but not many. I take it the rest of the cars are for industries located along the CNW NW line? Who would the tankers have been for? All the businesses I am familiar with being on that line used box cars.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
28
General Discussion / Re: North Ave Yard Rebuild
« on: October 09, 2014, 12:22:07 AM »
The crane, center beams, and flatbeds have moved to the Avondale MOW tracks. Some concrete ties have already been offloaded, some are still on the cars. There UP engine 706 is there with two MOW cabooses. There's pretty east access to check them out via the U-Haul lot. A construction company also moved in to the western half of the former Lee Lumber building.
Has anybody seen where these ties are ending up? UP-NW, UP-N, Tribune track, other? I took some photos today that I'll see about posting to Flickr shortly.
Has anybody seen where these ties are ending up? UP-NW, UP-N, Tribune track, other? I took some photos today that I'll see about posting to Flickr shortly.
29
General Discussion / Re: Lakewood Branch track removal
« on: October 08, 2014, 11:13:33 PM »
I drove by today, and it's a tiny spot. The section is actually what turns off of the line going into Finkl, and it's really only a lane or two wide. With the haste that the area was filled in, it almost looks more like utility work. Now that Lakewood is severed in multiple places, southernmost now here but also just north at Roscoe, how long until all the track is removed, especially at Diversey, Fullerton, and Clybourn?
30
General Discussion / Re: Allied Metals being razed
« on: September 15, 2014, 12:33:28 AM »
I was notified of that a week or two ago. I had gotten video of the site back in March or so, and went back for some demolition video. There's some tracks poking out of the gravel that is technically Grove Street leading to Allied Metals. The tracks have been removed east of 18th Street, but west of there even under the Dan Ryan they're still visible. They even lead to what is now a Iron Mountain facility at Halsted.
Do we have any history on what line serves the Grove Street line, and what Allied Metals received or sent via rail? It looks like they've now moved to the west side.
Do we have any history on what line serves the Grove Street line, and what Allied Metals received or sent via rail? It looks like they've now moved to the west side.