Modeling the CNW Navy Pier Line

[Chris]

Greetings.  I\'m new to the forum but have been visiting this site often.  Some basics before I state my question:
1. I\'m modeling the CNW Geneva Subdivision, Chicago to Proviso Yard (approx 12 miles) in HO scale.
2. The Low Line is included from Noble St, across the river, out to industries along E. North Water St.
3. My era is 1980 for equipment reasons, but am applying modeler\'s license to include industries prevalent in the late 60\'s early 70\'s, to wit:
3.1 Merchandise Mart, 4-5 spots for boxcar traffic
3.2 Warehouse east of MM, 1 spot
3.3 Sun Times plant, 2 spots for CN/CV newsprint boxcars
3.4 Tribune plant, 2 spots for CN/CV newsprint boxcars
3.5 Sucrest Sugar, 3 spots (need advice)
3.6 Riverfront warehouse, 1 spot
3.7 American Container Corp, 1-2 spots
3.8 Curtiss Candy or some generic industrial substitution

4. Space for the above fits within an alcove of the basement, approx 6\' x 10\'
5. No room for Navy Pier, North Pier Terminal, or Water Treatment plant, although a connection is simulated with dummy trackage

Questions:  
Was the sugar plant called \"Sucrest\" and what specifically was done there.  1950\'s era Sanborn maps label the building as a \"molasses plant\".  I\'ve seen photographs showing what appear to be barges of sugarcane in Ogden Slip.  Can anyone please clarify the type of operation there.  I\'ve seen photos of tank cars being switched.  This would support theory of molasses plant ... ?

Would there be only 1 daily job switching this district or could there be multiple tricks given business need?

Would GP7/9 be typical power or SW / MP15 be more appropriate.

Sorry for being long winded but I think I\'ve hit a goldmine of information with you guys and I wanted to pick a few brains.

Thanks in advance.  I live in the Chicagoland northern suburbs and if anyone wants to visit my 1200 sq ft rr in progress please contact me off list.

Chris

[Northwesterner]

I worked in the area inthe late 70\'s. The plant was definitely called Sucrest and I recall there was a large tank there filled with ? (sorry..). The Kraft Foods building on Peshtigo Court between Grand Ave. and Illinois Street was strictly offices in the 70\'s, but had been a manufacturing facility in the late 50\'s/60\'s. There were tracks just south of Grand Avenue near where McClurg Court now goes through to N. Water. This could be used instead of Curtiss.
I recall seeing C&NW switching newsprint cars out of the Tribune onto the tracks at North Pier. I think they were using SW\'s. Somewhere i have photos of the cops towing cars off the tracks.

Hope this helps.

KAW >

[TBurke]

Good luck with the new HO model.  It sounds very interesting.  

Don\'t forget the water filtration plant at the very end of the line which received tank cars of chlorine!  Could make for some interesting waterfront railroading.  Plus Ogden Slip went a lot farther east prior to its being partly filled in during the 1980s.  Doug Kaniuk has some photos of operations on the far eastern end of the Navy Pier/Low Line on this website in the Navy Pier section from the late 1960s that could be helpful.

[tom mann]

Chris,

I thought of building an n scale version of the Navy Pier line in an 18\" x 8\' area.  Scratchbuilding all the tall buildings scared me away:)

In the 60\'s-70\'s timeframe, SW8 #801 was the frequent power on the Pier Line.

Would you mind providing a copy of the Sanborn Maps?

------------
Thomas Mann
http://www.chicagoswitching.com

[Chris]

Tom,
I sent the files separately to your email address along with a photo of my construction in progress.  Glad to have \"met\" you.

Chris Czyzewski
Grayslake

[JoeBoncimino]

I worked for Sucrest Sugar Company from 1070 to 1977.
Raw sugar came in on barges and was melted, fed, clarified, decolorized, dionized and evaporated into 67% (Brix) sucrose liquid selling to Pepsi and Coke for soft drinks. 76% invert sugar was sold to bakers and other food manufacturerers.

In 1970 the plant equipment was run manually and by 1977 it was all automatic.
The plant Manager was Rudy Timmer and resident Engineer was John Van Scheppen.
I worked in production and transferred to maintenance in 1976.

I left the company in 1977 to accept a job as Assistant Resident Engineer at the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Compant in Van nuys California.

It would be nice to meet you and help you with your project.

Joesph Boncimino

JAB

[tom mann]

Chris, do you have any updates or photos on your project?

------------
Thomas Mann
http://www.chicagoswitching.com

[Chris]

Sorry I\'ve been out of touch.  Past two years spent soldering feeder wires to entire layout.  Will be working on signaling next.  Not much progress - track laid on homasote, and outlines for industries in place - but not much else at the moment.  Joe, thanks much for the clarification on Sucrest operations- it\'s exactly what I needed!  Since I don\'t have room for Ogden Slip for barges, I\'ll ship raw sugar in by hopper cars.  I\'m assuming it\'s been decaned or whatever and is just in raw crystalline form.  Now I\'ll tear out the spur and put a longer one in to accommodate 3-4 hopper cars....

[themats]

Chris, someone posted a link from another page on the site below, but I was checking out the other pages and came across this page:

http://www.forgottenchicago.com/lsd.php

The caption for the photo says: \"In our opinion, this is the definitive S-Curve photograph, taken in 1963 by the venerable Charles Cushman.\"  It\'s got a good view of the east end of the North Pier area and Navy Pier as well.

You\'ve probably seen this image, but just in case, I thought I\'d send it to you.

[SlowFreight]

Chris-

Any updates?  Photographs?  You\'ve got us all curious.

[Chris]

Okay Guys - very sorry for the long haitus.  Raising two young kids seems to take up all my spare time.  Here\'s an update:  trackage on the Low Line (Noble St to E. North Water St.) is in place.  I\'ve mapped out locations of all structures.  Curtiss Candy and Sucrest Sugar, and American Container Corp are built (DPM modules, close enough to photographs), thanks to my friend Tom Moran.  No other scenery yet.  Next step, build the overhead support structure to hold Merchandise Mart, Sun Times, Wrigley, Trib, Michigan Ave, etc.  I\'ll buy 1/2\" Gatorfoam for that.  Need to clean up the area a bit before I can take some photos for posting...  More later, Chris

[haggar]

Chris,
Been over seven years since your last post. Has your layout progressed? Any pics?
I'm looking to do a similar layout. It would be a condensed version between Ogden Ave. and Sun Times with a peninsula to serve Tribune Freedom plant.

Joe