Skokie Line Done

[GM]

The old C&NW spurs that went north one to Skokie industry and the other hooking up with the main line by Northbrook are definitely not being used again. They are currently removing the bridges that went over Peterson by Saugunash and also one in the neighborhood where the 2 lines split. No trains will be heading north again. The UP does not seem interested in developing their shortline type customers. I still thought their was some industry in Skokie that could have received tank car shipments via rail. I wondered what looked different as I was driving west on Peterson when I realized the train bridges were gone. I wonder if the UP still will have land rights to this area or if it has been sold off? The images of google earth still show tank cars off that spur line at Skokie industries.

GM

[GM]

Actually I stand corrected, I went by there again yesterday and the bridge gone over Peterson Ave. is the through line that went up along the Edens to the main line by Northbrook. The bridge that goes to Skokie is still there for now.

GM

[SlowFreight]

The line you refer to is called the Weber Spur in C&NW timetables.  It was once the Weber Subdivision until it was cut back to just north of Touhy Ave.  Last year, UP delivered its last tank car to the one remaining customer, and has since placed a stop board just north of Mayfair Lumber.

UP makes it very clear that they absolutely do not want this kind of business. The line will likely sit disused for about two years, and then UP may file an abandonment petition if they feel like salvaging materials; otherwise it\'ll come out when the land value makes selling the property worthwhile.

When this area was mostly greenfields in the \'50s, quite a bit of industry located along what was originally a freight bypass, but as land prices pushed up and many of the industries simply closed, the development on this corridor largely leans away from industrial uses.  As a result, it\'s not really sustainable to recruit new industry to this line even if UP wanted to.  =(

[ray gerard]

who knew that when \"the new line\" opened nearly 100 years ago the writing was on the wall for the weber sub even before local revenue of any consequence existed North of Mayfair, high volume/gross tonage is competitive these days, a couple weeks ago I saw a coal drag staged North on the new line out of proviso, one road diesel on the South end, I pondered that the train had to be North bound and the diesel a tail-end helper as you\'d never see a loaded South bound coal train on the line, sure enough just today at lake ave. in glenview a N.bound coal drag raced overhead with a road diesel bringing up the rear, volume, I wonder since the UP/C&NW acquisition if these coal drags no longer originate up the Nelson line as opposed to UP\'s more direct SP acquisitions, volume, portions of the weber sub might become rails-to-trails, we cyclists can pay homage with every rotation of the pedals

[Cway]

Has one ever thought that maybe a carrier like Chicago Terminal might be interested in taking over the line...It is a known fact that Union Pacific doesn\'t want to pursue any business up there,but Chicago Terminal might be able to do something with it using trackage rights...I remember as a kid in the late 80s there was quite a bit of activity...

Cway

[FrankManzo]

What\'s the status of the former CNW\'s Cragin line from Mayfair south? Are there any remaining customers?

[Cway]

If I am not mistaken,there is one remaining customer on the Craigin Line...There is a bakery near Belmont or Diversey that gets a hopper or two on Tuesdays...

Cway

[GM]

Actually I was coming home early on Friday on the Metro North Line that use to be the Milwaukee Road and noticed a UP diesel with a covered hopper on the Cragin Line at Irving Park by Sears. Is the Cragin line this line south of Mayfair Lumber where it crosses the Metro North line? It is right by Sears at 6 corners at IRving Pk. I was surprised to see a train on this line as I thought it was abandoned. Sounds like it had a pickup or a dropoff for the bakery you are talking about. I guess it originates at the North Ave Yd., goes up to that line and then heads south crossing over the Metro North tracks? I never see the old CNW signals active/on when the train goes by this area. Maybe it is a dark area now that there is minimal traffic?

GM

[TBurke]

There is a bakery on the southern end of the Cragin Line north of where it is severed at the former diamond with the Milwaukee Road.  It still gets shipments via UP.  I\'ve seen a UP locomotive and one or two cars heading down the Cragin Line from the Mayfair area in the early afternoon on weekdays while driving on the Kennedy.

Apparently it takes a lot of switching moves to reach the Cragin trackage from the Northwest Line these days.

[Ian]

OK....wait a minute....

There is the Weber Line that goes towards Evanston....those tracks are still in place...they are the eastern most of the two sets of tracks that go through the north end of Sauganash...

The other line that goes and connects with teh \"New Line\" at Valley is the Valley Sub (?) these tracks have been ripped up at least for the past two years.....these are the bridges that are being torn up....the are actually making the ol\' CNW into a dedicated bike path....my drummer lives a block away....kinda sad to see the original bridges go.....

The tank farm that you referred to on the Weber Line could still be served if need be.....in fact...all the grade crossings are still active on this section of track....

-Ian

[jack]

Hi:

If you guys are on Yahoo groups there is a group dedicated to these lines.  It is called CNW_Weber_Sksub.  Lots of information and pics there, although it has not been real active lately

[GM]

Haven\'t seen any cars at Mayfair Lumber lately and I did notice they dragged/disconnected the bumbing post for the spur along the fence in the yard. They were the last customer on the Weber line. I thought they still were being serviced.?

GM