Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: The End Of Finkl

« on: June 09, 2015, 02:13:24 PM »

I went by there today, Cortland is closed from Kingsbury to the river.  Almost all of the buildings north of Cortland are gone or in the process of being demolished, except for a shack located between the point where the Lakewood line branches off and where the Deering Line heads west.  All of Finkl's rail cranes were still there, but in a bad state.  I saw no flatcars, but the foundry ladles were still there.
On a different note, I saw what might be a bulkhead flatcar in the Sipi Metals spur.
My camera just died, so I couldn't document any of this.

32

General Discussion / Re: Amazon Leases Former Midwest Industrial Metals Facility on Goose Island

« on: April 30, 2015, 06:31:47 PM »

I really really want this to be a good thing for the CTM, I really hope it will do great things to pick up the traffic slack left by Finkl.  But, I looked at other Amazon facilities  in other places, and they don't appear to be rail-served.  Some are located by rail facilities, but I could not identify any rail access for the other distribution places.  Then again, I could not see any way how a place like an Amazon distribution center would not need rail service.

33

General Discussion / Re: The End Of Finkl

« on: March 13, 2015, 07:39:10 PM »

I went by there today, only the two buildings west of Southport between Cortland and Armitage have been taken down, the rest is still intact.  It does not look like they have not done anything recently.

34

General Discussion / Wilson Yards Fire

« on: February 15, 2015, 02:10:46 PM »

This a compilation of newsclips of the October 1996 fire that burned the Wilson ave Shops and yards.  In the beginning and at the end it has clips taken from the front of a CTA train that show the Buena yard and interchange in their full, but overgrown existence.
http://forum.chicagobus.org/topic/3481-news-coverage1996-fire-destroys-wilson-shops-and-yard-video/

35

General Discussion / Re: Goose Island

« on: December 10, 2014, 11:18:18 PM »

Thanks, this helps.

36

General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange

« on: November 26, 2014, 11:00:41 PM »

Yes, its sad, but I agree its totally necessary.  The CTA inherited a huge variety of infrastructure in the stretch between Sheridan and Lawrence stations, and things just needed to be simplified and streamlined.

37

General Discussion / Re: Buena Yard Interchange

« on: November 12, 2014, 08:54:17 PM »

I figured it was part of the massive Wilson station reconstruction.  I'm going up that way again tomorrow, so I'll try to get some pics.

38

General Discussion / Buena Yard Interchange

« on: November 11, 2014, 03:30:06 PM »

I was just taking the red line north today when I saw that someone (I couldn't read their uniforms or see any identification) was in the last stages of demolishing the trestle leading from the Buena Yard to The Wilson Ave. station.  They had already torn down and hauled away the trestle proper, but they were still digging up the foundations.  They didn't seem to be taking away anything else, just the concrete trestle.

39

General Discussion / Goose Island

« on: November 01, 2014, 11:51:23 PM »

I was reading the book "The Chicago River" (1998) by David M. Solzman, and when he talks about Goose island, he says that: "The island is served by the Canadian Pacafic/Soo Line Railroad, and there are half a dozen operations with trail service."  It goes on to talk about a Budweiser distributing center, a waste management facility and a window company, all of which could have warranted rail access..  I know the WM facility is now a parking lot, and the Window company fell in the recession, but I have not idea about the others.  Does anyone have any knowledge on these operations?

40

General Discussion / Re: 1898 biz district map lithograph with amazing detail

« on: October 25, 2014, 02:22:25 PM »

Ha, oh wow that is really cool.  I like the "island" of swing bridges  at Kinzie St.

41

General Discussion / Re: A. Lakin & Sons

« on: October 06, 2014, 05:08:31 PM »

Ok this makes sense.  Thanks to both of you. Tom, does your history by any chance talk about the interchange at the Northernmost end of the Deering Line where it connected with the C&NW's North Line by Wrightwood & Clybourne?

42

General Discussion / Re: A. Lakin & Sons

« on: October 05, 2014, 05:56:34 PM »

 Thanks, that helps a little, I'm still wondering on the historic and perhaps current rail service that Lakin had/still has.  On street view, it looks like the Western end of the Deering branch is used fir Finkl, so would assume that Lakin does not see service anymore, but once had.

43

General Discussion / A. Lakin & Sons

« on: October 04, 2014, 10:13:33 PM »

What is the status on the A. Lakin & Sons tire yard just North of Finkl?  I would think that they would be getting rail service considering their products, but I have not seen anything when I bike through the area or anywhere else.  I assume that once they did get rail service.  Also, I saw in the articles talking about the re-development of the Finkl property included the Laklin and Gutmann properties, so I would assume that the whole area is getting cleared out.  Does anyone have more info on the state of A. Lakin & Sons?

44

General Discussion / Freak Bikers at Peerless

« on: September 24, 2014, 09:22:31 PM »

I found this link when I was looking for pics of the Peerless Factory.  A little over halfway down the page are a set of pics of some "Freak Bikers" taking advantage of the Peerless corn syrup tank car.
http://www.chicagofreakbike.org/2004_12_01_archives.php

45

General Discussion / Re: Is Finkl officially done?

« on: September 23, 2014, 05:48:47 PM »

I know my knowledge on this subject is small compared to others' here, but I would not think that CTM would abandon the whole line unless General Iron closes.  I think Big Bay , Sipi Metals and General Iron are all relaying on the cheap rail transport much more evenly in proportion to how much CTM relies on them for business.  In my opinion if both both Sipi and Big Bay would close (I'm not even suggesting I want this to happen,) CTM would keep it open for General Iron.  As CTM has few grade crossings and an overall shorter route to General Iron, and given the amount of material General Iron ships out, I think it would be highly unlikely for them to quit as long as General Iron is there. 
On an unrelated note, if you go to street view on 1398 W Le Moyne St and look towards the yard, you can see a tank car that I am pretty sure was for Peerless.