Is CTRR all done?

[themats]

Someone on the Illinirail yahoo group posted that the CTRR tracks leading away from the UP/Metra to the river bridge look like they have been ripped out.  Can anyone confirm?

[robertmroman]

I was on the Armitage bus on Monday afternoon. I noticed maintenance of way equipment, and I guessed it may have been on the CTRR tracks, but of course it\'s hard to say from the ground. I did notice that there were plenty of gondolas at the steelmill.

[TBurke]

There\'s nothing posted on the Surface Transportation Board\'s website going back two months in the Filings section regarding a Chicago Terminal abandonment, a first step toward abandoning their tracks.  Even if CTR did want to abandon these lines objections by at least Big Bay and General Iron Industries would probably kill the petition.  

The two biggest rules of thumb for the STB to grant an abandonment are that no freight traffic has moved over a line in at least two years AND there are no objections from online shippers to the abandonment.  If shippers object the abandonment petition can be denied (as what happened at least twice when Soo Line tried to abandon the C&E Line to Peerless north of Clybourn and Peerless objected in the 1980s and 1990s).

[D. Kaniuk]

Went to the CTRR and took a look.
The track just west of Elston Ave and behind SIPI metal is being repaired.
Railworks company is putting in new ties and new ballast.
They are repairing the rail, replace ties and new ballast on the segment from Elston Ave to west for about a block.
Talked to the workers and they indicated they are FIXING the track.
There were empty gondolas by Finkl.
Track on Goose Island, Kinsbury and at Division/Halsted still intact.
Also, behind SIPI, the UP was doing track work.
T

[themats]

Thanks for checking guys.  I appreciate it.

Mike Murray

[gordg3]

Track crossing at Altgeld Street has already been paved over. This portion was part of the abandonment petition from the city, but surprised that they already did it.