East-West track exposed across Paulina between Surf and Wolfram

[JohnI]

Been a while since I've been on here...hope everyone has a safe and happy Memorial Day! While I was out running on Wednesday night, I was heading north on Paulina from Diversey, and as I passed Wolfram into the high-rent district that used to house all the former industrial facilities, I noticed to the right of Paulina, heading west to east, some exposed track sitting out through the pavement, and continuing east toward Ashland. Any ideas on where this used to go? I always am AMAZED to see how much "hidden" rail I find when I am out running in that area. Thanks all!

John

[JohnI]

I went and got a couple of pics of the track with the trusty iPhone last night. I added one to the original post. Here is the other.

John

[haggar]

I've attached a map of Deering Yard.  It has the spur in question, but it doesn't say what industry it is. This map is from '85 and it only shows the spur going straight to the east.  Looking at Bing maps, however, it is obvious that this track curved north into where the Jewel Osco now stands.

Joe

[TBurke]

The industries served by the C&NW spurs that crossed Paulina just north of Diversey were-

1. Arrow Petroleum at 1630 W. Wolfram.
2. Bulk Service Stations at 2958 N. Ashland.
3. Ft. Dearborn Lumber at 1616 W. Wolfram.
4. Home Fuel & Supply at Wellington & Paulina.

I suspect that Bulk Service Stations was the official name for the Bulco chain of gas stations that used to be in the Chicago area.  Perhaps this location was a transload facility for transportation by truck to their area gas stations after receiving bulk shipments of gasoline or motor oil off the C&NW. 

Tom Burke

[JohnI]

Thanks Tom and Joe...looking at the lay of the land there, I'm guessing the facilities that were on Wolfram are the now vacant land found to the north of the street. Again, crazy how different that area must have looked thirty years ago....

[chrism]

The building west of Pier 1 imports on Ashland seems to have a curve in the back as if for railroad cars. I noticed this on Google maps.

[mark_k]

I lived in that area for most of the 90s. You could still see spur remnants in what were then abandoned lots on either side of Paulina until at least '93.
Good job spotting that curved building near Pier 1. Wish we had Google Earth back then! I have no idea how late service lasted in that "northeast quadrant" (CNW-Diversey-Ashland-Wellington boundary) of the Deering District. 1970s?

[chuck]

No Google Earth, but don't forget Historic Aerials!

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=3.2E-05&lat=41.9096667943448&lon=-87.6591032486197&year=1973

[TBurke]

That's an interesting piece of trackwork going between the buildings and making the sharp curve east of the North Line and north of Diversey.  I guessing that the buildings were put up after the track was already there. 

Sad to see so much that has disappeared in the area-the entire Cotter & Company complex (formerly the International Harvester Deering complex), Stewart-Warner, the Deering Line of the Milwaukee Road, etc.