Tracks exposed at 2615 N. Elston

[JohnI]

Hello all! I am new to this forum but have been a big fan of this site for a while. Curious if anyone can tell me about the tracks that I am seeing protruding across Elston slightly north of the entrance to the Home Depot? Were those part of the former IH building trackage? Did they connect with the C&NW line there, or were they somehow part of the myriad of former Milwaukee Road/Soo Line tracks in the area? It\'s amazing to see how many remnants of rail one sees when their out running on the city streets! Thanks in advance!

[JohnI]

I went on to Google Maps and pulled up a street view of the tracks I was referring to. The end of them can be seen in the pedestrian crosswalk. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2615+N.+Elston+Ave+chicago+IL&hl=en&ll=41.928679,-87.682711&spn=0,0.009602&sll=41.928843,-87.682908&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&layer=c&cbp=13,195.15,,0,21.51&cbll=41.928626,-87.68263&gl=us&z=17&panoid=L1hSXLm-wJqhXINNSGqmiA

[tom mann]

Wow, that is pretty cool.  I remember Tom Burke pointing them out to me a few years ago.

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tom mann
http://www.chicagoswitching.com

[Brianbobcat]

I never guess that there was any rail-served industry north of Elston and west of Damen.  I knew about the line that ended at the river just east of Damen, but Historic Ariels reveals that there were a TON of lines emanating off the C&NW in that area.