just an observation...

[Cway]

I happened to drive by Blommer Chocolate factory and noticed that there were no hopper cars on the lower level,but 3 trucks were there...Is the lower level no longer active?
    Also,I drove by Big Bay lumber and noticed that the runaround track is buried under a heap of snow? How do you think Chicago Terminal will deal with it? A big plow or bobcat will be needed as there is a mound near the switch...

Cway

[cnwnorthline]

They\'ll probably try to clean it out.  Check out this picture from earlier this year:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=265362

Thanks for the update!

-Matt

[JohnColeman]

The lower track at Blommer is definitely still active.  There are always truck trailers coming in and out, even when there are rail cars parked on the spur.  

If you walk North along the spur and then look East, you can usually see a string of empty tank cars on the track that used to go to the bridge that is in the up position by the Merchandise Mart.  All of those have already been unloaded at Blommer.  There are usually a few covered hopper cars for Blommer in the Tribune Yard as well.

[TBurke]

There\'s another runaround track on Goose Island north of Division Street and on the east side of Cherry Street if the track is blocked outside of Big Bay Lumber as shown in the photo.  They could then use this runaround track to the north for swapping out empties for loads though it would involve crossing busy Division Street twice.

They could also leave a new load for Big Bay on Kingsburynorth of North Avenue but just south of the Goose Island lead, retrieve the empty, then couple the empty onto the loaded car and shove them both back down, uncoupling the load from the empty in front of Big Bay, then returning with just the empty.

I have seen crews use both methods over the years.

Yes, Blommer still sees rail service on its lower level where they built a crypt under the tracks for direct delivery into the plant.