Forest Park Branch Track Diagram?

[chuck]

Hello all,

Sorry a little off topic...

I want to model a small shelf layout based on the IC/CCP/CN Forest Park branch from 16th Street to 12th Street.  Kind of curious what the track layout may have been over the years.  Does anybody know where I can locate a track diagram of this area or possibly Sanborn maps?

Thanks,
Chuck

[TBurke]

If you go to www.historicaerials.com and look at Forest Park there are detailed aerial photos and topographic maps that show the track layouts which changed over the years.  You can zoom in on them.  The 1962 aerial imagery is quite detailed for example.

The images and maps are available for purchase as higher resolution TIFFs if you want to get more than just screen resolution.  The downloadable versions also do not have the watermarks.

[Brianbobcat]

Chuck,

Would you also be modeling south to Greenberg Road?  Interesting thing about the Cermak rail crossing, is if you Streetview from 2007, it appears the westbound gates are on, but no train is in sight, north or south.

[chrism]

Since We're talking about the suburbs, is there anymore switching in Melrose or Franklin Park? I remember almost getting hit by a locomotive driving down Belmont just behind the Life Fitness West of Mannheim. This now looks abandon as will as the one near Armitage and Mannheim.

[TBurke]

I did a quick look after you comment got me wondering about what's left in terms of local switching in the two suburbs and using Google Earth I saw several industries with freight cars on spurs parked alongside them Franklin Park plus Melrose Park.  Other spurs looked like they might still be in use but didn't have any freight cars on them at the time like the ones that service the storage tank farm on the NW side of Franklin Park, near I-294.

You can see the now disconnected spur that use to service the Jewel/Osco former HQ at 1955 West North Avenue in Melrose Park.  Jewel still has operations out of there but is now owned by Albertson's.

Alberto-Culver in Melrose Park (2525 Armitage Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160) used to have rail service also but it closed in 2011 after Unilver acquired it.  The massive Navistar (International Harverster) plant facing North Avenue also used to get rail service.

[D. Kaniuk]

Melrose park towards Mannheim Rd is switched by IHB/Chessie Logistics Here is a link for more info: http://casr.dhke.com/casr213.htm
Note, since Chessie Logistics took over, there have been no freight cars on the line in the pass 2 years

[Brianbobcat]

The very interesting thing to look at is the small trestle over the Silver Creek located at 2890 Armitage Ave, Melrose Park.  In 2014, the whole trackage on the trestle was removed and replaced.  You can see the old and new track sitting in the parking lot to the east in Streetview from that year.  They must think there's still use for those tracks if they're willing to make that investment.