So what's left

[cnwnorthline]

Hi,

We've heard a lot about what's closed down in Chicago.  Just curious, is Alpha Baking still receiving loads?  Anybody got pictures of their operations? 

Thanks!

-Matt

[TBurke]

Lots of industries left on the South Side, more than I can count.

On the North Side it is down to just-

Morton Salt (for now)
General Iron Industries
Sipi Metals
Blommer Chocolate
Chicago Tribune
Newlywed Foods (on the former Milwaukee Road North or C&M Line near Diversey)
Alpha Bakery

[chrism]

Tribune is still rail serviced? I know about Blommer but I'm surprised about the tribune. How often is it serviced? How about Big Bay or anything on Goose Island?

[Suedehead]

It was mentioned in another thread that it looks like Big Bay has been abandoned for quite some time now. If so, this would mean there are no customers left on Goose Island.

[TBurke]

Tribune is still rail serviced? I know about Blommer but I'm surprised about the tribune. How often is it serviced? How about Big Bay or anything on Goose Island?

Yes the Tribune gets regular loads of newsprint in boxcars at its Freedom Center printing plant which is between Grand and Chicago, east of Halsted.  The Tribune prints other newspapers under contract there including the Chicago Sun-Times and I believe USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.  For whatever reason boxcars to/from the Trib are now staged at its yard north of Grand vs. at the North Avenue Yard.

[TBurke]

It was mentioned in another thread that it looks like Big Bay has been abandoned for quite some time now. If so, this would mean there are no customers left on Goose Island.

Looks like the Chicago Terminal needs to update its map in terms of service.  It's now reduced to a long spur over the river to General Iron Industries. 

http://www.iowapacific.com/pdf/ChicagoTerminalRailroadNorthAveArea.pdf

I would imagine the City of Chicago will push as fast as possible for an official abandonment of the trackage on Goose Island much as they did to Chicago Terminal with its franchise agreement to operate over Kingsbury south of North Avenue. 

[Jsu]

Out of curiosity, what was the last business on the Kingsbury line?  Was it Carbit Paint or that one-time Firewood dealer?

[Brianbobcat]

I would imagine the City of Chicago will push as fast as possible for an official abandonment of the trackage on Goose Island much as they did to Chicago Terminal with its franchise agreement to operate over Kingsbury south of North Avenue.

I bet the city won't be that pressing.  The difference between Goose Island and Kingsbury is trackage quality and traffic quantity.  The track on Cherry street is in really good condition, save for the Division Street crossing, which was repaved this summer.  The kingsbury track was in terrible shape, with equally poor switches.  Plus, traffic there was building on a daily basis with all the retail like the new Whole Foods popping up, while on Goose Island, the U of I lab and Wrigley Innovation Lab aren't high traffic destinations.  I bet the Goose Island track gets removed when the city builds the permanent bridges on Division over the river and canal.

[chrism]

When did Big Bay stop being rail serviced?

[chrism]

It was mentioned in another thread that it looks like Big Bay has been abandoned for quite some time now. If so, this would mean there are no customers left on Goose Island.

Looks like the Chicago Terminal needs to update its map in terms of service.  It's now reduced to a long spur over the river to General Iron Industries. 

http://www.iowapacific.com/pdf/ChicagoTerminalRailroadNorthAveArea.pdf

I would imagine the City of Chicago will push as fast as possible for an official abandonment of the trackage on Goose Island much as they did to Chicago Terminal with its franchise agreement to operate over Kingsbury south of North Avenue.

This PDF is too outdated.

[TBurke]

Out of curiosity, what was the last business on the Kingsbury line?  Was it Carbit Paint or that one-time Firewood dealer?

Do you mean south of North Avenue? 

It was that firewood dealer at Evergreen and Kingsbury but supposedly that was a contrived shipment to keep the line open.

Prior to that it was Midwest Zinc which closed in 2001 on Kingsbury.

http://chicagoswitching.com/chicago/former-milwaukee-road-cp-rail-chicago-terminal/c-e-kingsbury-branch/Midwest-Zinc-1998/

I never saw a rail shipment to Carbit going back to 1985.  Even then the spur was partly paved over.  It used to be an ADM plant.