Author Topic: Battaglia Distributing Sued BNSF To Reopen Rail Service in Lumber District  (Read 2550 times)

TBurke

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Battaglia Distributing has two buildings across the street from each other on Ashland south of Cermak and north of the river.  The western building has an active spur from BNSF that goes right into the building.  Across the street on the east side you can still see another long spur that paralleled Ashland from Cermak almost to the river and went alongside the building.

http://www.stb.dot.gov/boundvolumes2.nsf/38f502d6898daf3385256811004b5a12/61b971981f742dfd852569b30051b335/$FILE/32.pdf

Looks like Battaglia went to the STB in 1997 to force the railroad to reopen and restore service on the spur on the EAST side of Ashland but lost and chose not to buy the track and put it back into service.  Not sure of the timing but perhaps they bought the building on the WEST side of Ashland to retain rail service.

The pictures below (1) look north on the spur WEST of Ashland where there is public access on the road to the boathouse between the parking lots for Grainger and Battaglia and (2) in a Google Maps image look east from Ashland Avenue at the location where the spur in question in the STB case once ended along the loading docks. 
« Last Edit: November 19, 2013, 08:47:45 AM by TBurke »