Allied Metals being razed

[haggar]

Allied Metals on Canal St. just north of Cermak is in the process of being demolished. Happened to be at Lawrence's Fisheries for lunch maybe five or six years ago and was lucky enough to catch a switch move.  Had a really basic cell phone back then so I never got pics.

Joe

[Brianbobcat]

I was notified of that a week or two ago.  I had gotten video of the site back in March or so, and went back for some demolition video.  There's some tracks poking out of the gravel that is technically Grove Street leading to Allied Metals.  The tracks have been removed east of 18th Street, but west of there even under the Dan Ryan they're still visible.  They even lead to what is now a Iron Mountain facility at Halsted.

Do we have any history on what line serves the Grove Street line, and what Allied Metals received or sent via rail?  It looks like they've now moved to the west side.

[TBurke]

I believe it was served by the Santa Fe originally.

I have pictures of boxcars parked along the spur to the south of Allied Metals back in the early 2000s on the south side of Grove. 

If there is ever a Chicago Switching South Side section then there are lots of photos waiting to be posted. 

[TBurke]

Here's a shot using Google Earth from 2002 showing a pair of boxcars on the spurs next to Allied.  2005 is the last time using Google Earth's timeline feature that it captured any freight cars spotted there. 

[haggar]

Bing maps has a birds eye view with some boxcars.

http://binged.it/YMR9G7

Joe

[TBurke]

According to Doug Kaniuk Allied was served by the Chicago & Alton, later the GM&O, ICG, IC, CN.

[Jsu]

My scout troop does an annual canoe trip south on the Chicago river from Foster to Lawrence Fisheries.  Two years ago this week, when we were at Lawrence Fisheries, I distinctly remember the factory across canal street (Allied Metals) still being active, with machinery noises inside it and such.  I did not notice, unfortunately, any type of rail service going on in the area, be it switchers, boxcars or tracks.