C&E / MILW track at 1230 W. School

[Jeff Wingstrom]

This plot will become a city park. Looks like the last visible track fragment north of Diversey (that I'm aware of) may be in jeopardy so..  of course I took a couple pics.





A couple years ago when this was an active local parking lot, I wandered in for a closer look and picked up these artifacts. Was amazed, at some level, that they were just lying around after all these years - there hasn't been a train through this spot since 1973 I believe, right?

[TBurke]

Interesting find on those artifacts.  Glad also you got what could be the last photos of those remnant tracks.  There are still tracks where the C&E Line crossed Waveland on the south end of the sidewalk area which resurface about once a decade until they are paved over again by the Cubs or the city. 

The last train movement on the C&E Line north of Roscoe and east of Racine occurred in April of 1973 when the MILW retrieved a string of empty coal hoppers from the CTA at Buena Yard and returned south.  The CTA eliminated freight service that month.  Then in 1981 the MILW cut service back to Melrose to leave enough track to back into Reed.  So from 1973 to 1981 the only customer north of Belmont was Racine Fuel which received inbound tank cars.  It was on the west side of Racine and to the east of the MILW tracks, just south of Roscoe.  Townhouses are on its former lot now.

An aerial photo from the book The Milwaukee Road in Chicago shows that the C&E was double-tracked where it crossed School Street in 1958.  The building that was angled to the west of the C&E and north of School looks like it might have had a spur alongside it-hard to tell. I want to say that a piano company was once there.

[Brianbobcat]

I went there today and they were digging up the rails as I arrived.  I talked with the foreman for a little bit who was wondering why there were rails there at all.  He said the park district is having them save a four foot segment for the final park.  We also looked at the rails and saw 1913 stamped on them.  They lasted over 100 years in the ground before finally being removed.  They were cutting them into 8 or 10' segments, for recycling or disposal.  He did give me one of the tie plates with two spikes still in it.  I will see about posting some photos on Flickr since they're too large to attach here.  If you want any memories of this final remnant, now is your final opportunity.

[Jeff Wingstrom]

Came across this plan for the park via the Southport Corridor feed on Facebook. Nice to see such clear acknowledgement of the railroad as mentioned by Brianbobcat.

[TBurke]

That's a nice and unexpected tribute to the rail heritage of the area.  I wonder if they will keep a section after all of the actual track?  It would be nice if they had a plaque talking about the history of the Milwaukee Road's C&E line.

[Brianbobcat]

That's a nice and unexpected tribute to the rail heritage of the area.  I wonder if they will keep a section after all of the actual track?  It would be nice if they had a plaque talking about the history of the Milwaukee Road's C&E line.

I was told by the foreman that a 4' segment was being saved per the Park District, but on the plan, I don't see where it is/would be located.

[tom mann]

Very cool.  It just dawned on me that I saw those tracks 11 years ago.  Amazing what can remain...

[tytrain]

Went by the part recently, didn't spot any sign of a railroad tribute (though I didn't have time to go in). Anyone know what became of this plan?

[TBurke]

I was there too about ten days ago and was disappointed that this part off School Street had zero railroad references or markers as its heritage.

My *guess* is that money talks and the Cubs donated heavily to this park.  In exchange they received promotional consideration with Cubs signage and other Cubs stuff.  The whole Cubs theme seemed somewhat over the top.