Goose Is. Storage Yard question

[Charlie S]

Hi All,

Was there a \"name\" or designation for the old MILW storage yard on Goose Island?  How about the MILW freight house name or number there as well?

Can\'t seem to find any references in the files here on the CNSS website.

TIA,

Charlie

MLW North Line Fan since 1954

[TBurke]

Charlie:

It was called the Division Street Yard by the Milwaukee Road. You can see pictures of it in its last days during the mid 1980s in the Goose Island section of this website, including the graffiti covered freight house.  

The yard and related structures were gone by about 1991 as Milwaukee Road corporate successor Chicago Milwaukee Corporation (CMC) began to sell off and develop the land.  What remained were a runaround track in dirt-paved Cherry Street to service International Salt and Big Bay Lumber and a pair of team tracks on the east side of the island at Hooker and Division Streets to serve off-line rail customers.  The team tracks were in service through at least 1996.

Soo Line took over railroad operations from the Milwaukee Road in 1985 while the real estate holdings and most legal obligations including mitigation of brown fields were absorbed by CMC.  CMC was the largest single landowner on Goose Island at the time by virtue of the vacant yard and related property.

CMC successor CMC Heartland Partners, eventually known as just Heartland Partners,  finally dissolved in 2006 as the last of its properties were sold off.  You can read more about this chain of corporate ownership by reading the online filings at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) website.

For more information please check out the book I authored on The Milwaukee Road in Chicago which came out in late 2007 and is available from the Milwaukee Road Historical Association (MRHA).  It includes detailed descriptions of operations at the Division Street Yard as well as across Goose Island with aerial photos and maps.

Tom

[Charlie S]

Thanks Tom!

Thanks for the info Tom.  Appreciate it.
I\'ll hafta get your book.  I am an MRHA member.
Grew up next to the MILW North Line from 50-63 in Glenview.
Saw my share of Hiawathas, Patrols and through freights.

:-)

Charlie

MLW North Line Fan since 1954

[TBurke]

Charlie:

If you lived in Glenview in the 1950s and 1960s then you probably recall the long Milwaukee Road spur that ran just to the east of the main line and the commuter station, crossing the street across from the station.  

This spur serviced Heinz Lumber across from what is now Grandpa\'s Deli and ended at a bumping post alongside the Rugen Hardware store loading dock by Glenview Road.

Tom

[Charlie S]

Spent many a Saturday morning with my Grampa at both places!  Grampa knew all the owners.  The Rugen brothers & wives went to our church.  Ahh.... to be 8 yrs. old again....

Charlie

MLW North Line Fan since 1954

[Jeff Wingstrom]

Born in \'72 and living in Glenview until \'90, I too have some vivid memories of this area -- though by the time I started paying attention, the spur was only visible in patches north of Grandpa\'s.  I always would wonder how it all fit together in the past.  I do barely remember what that corner looked like prior to the construction of Bess Hardware..  that whole area near the Glenview House was such a classic \"railroad downtown\" .. at least to me it was.  Thanks for firing up the old memories..

[TBurke]

A slight correction-the lumber yard was Hines Lumber that was served by the Milwaukee Road spur in downtown Glenview.  It was on the southeast corner of Prairie Street and Railroad Avenue.

As I recall farther north where the spur connected to the C&M mainline there was a small cluster of factories that were rail served.  These buildings went almost to Lake Avenue and were served by tracks that included a switchback.

The spur included a short bit of street running where it ran down Depot Avenue and crossed from the west to the east side of the street.

[jcarrwalker]

Does anyone know what off-line industries used the team tracks on Goose Island? In the website there\'s mention of a pet food producer, if I recall--any have more information, or educated guesses?

JW

Originally posted by TBurke

Charlie:


The yard and related structures were gone by about 1991 as Milwaukee Road corporate successor Chicago Milwaukee Corporation (CMC) began to sell off and develop the land.  What remained were a runaround track in dirt-paved Cherry Street to service International Salt and Big Bay Lumber and a pair of team tracks on the east side of the island at Hooker and Division Streets to serve off-line rail customers.  The team tracks were in service through at least 1996.



JW