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Rebuilding the lower-level Blommer spur along the east side of the factory building. The old tracks were in terrible shape. This work crew appears to be installing a vault below and between the rails for receiving inbound loads from railcars directly into the factory. Other candy companies use chutes between the rails and into the building (Reed Candy and Peerless Confectionary along the Milwaukee Road's Lakewood tracks for example) to receive corn syrup.

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Another view of the reconstruction of Blommer's lower-level spur

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Former junction point on the UP (ex-C&NW) with the Navy Pier line veering off to the left (east), and the Blommer spur on the right (west). This view looks south from about Grand Avenue in Chicago, with the huge Chicago Tribune Freedom Center printing plant behind the camera. The Tribune receives large inbound loads of newsprint via boxcars on the UP. It looks like the former line to Navy Pier is being used for storage of tank cars, as well as the Blommer spur. The left track was used to reach the former Navy Pier line from 1988 to abandonment in early 2002.

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The Milwaukee Road's Bloomingdale Line sits dormant today with its viaduct cutting across Chicago's West Side for several miles. It parallels Bloomingdale Avenue most of the way.

Until 2001 Milwaukee Road successor CP Rail/Soo Line used the Bloomingdale Line to access remaining freight customers on Chicago's North Side. Now CP Rail leases space in UP's North Ave. yard instead and crews are shuttled to work.

This view looks southwest at Marshfield and Bloomingdale, just a block west of Ashland Avenue and the Kennedy Expressway. Just to the east was where the Bloomingdale Line crossed the busy C&NW/UP/Metra line near Tower CY.

The Bloomingdale Line is similar to the former New York Central "High Line" in New York City which is being converted to public use on its viaduct.

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Another view of the Bloomingdale Line a few blocks west. Note the brick paved street on Bloomingdale Avenue. The tracks and the top of the viaduct are not accessible to the public thanks to high fences and the steep concrete walls.

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We're looking east at the CTA Blue Line which crosses over the former Milwaukee Road Bloomingdale Line at-how appropriate-Milwaukee Avenue!

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A CTA train is the best way to get a birds-eye view of the Bloomingdale Line. This shot looks towards the southwest.

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Another view looking west from a CTA train.

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On the return trip, the camera this time points east along the Bloomingdale Line. Note the new residential construction on both sides.

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Also in 1987 a lone boxcar is left in the middle of the street just south of the Plibrico plant on Kingsbury. Perhaps the Soo Line crew left it there while attending to switching duties on Goose Island or farther down the C&E Line at Wallace Business Forms. In 1987 there was still a variety of customers that would receive or ship out via boxcars.

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This picture looks west at the counterweight used on the C&NW's Kinzie Street bridge over the Chicago River. Note the 'Why Drive' ad with the picture of a 1960s auto painted by the C&NW on the counterweight. This sign would've been visible to potential rail commuters around the Merchandise Mart before the Apparel Center was built, spoiling this view. Today (2003) this sign has all but faded away.

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Here's a view of the structures used by the bridge tender on the C&NW's bascule bridge over the river.

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Looking east down Carroll Avenue along the C&NW tracks, we can see the Clark St. bridge and just past it, the twin towers of Marina City and the looming, black IBM building. The Quaker Oats Tower hasn't been built yet. In a few years it would cover Carroll Avenue and create another tunnel for the North Western trains just past Clark St.

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This view looks west down Carroll Ave. and the C&NW tracks towards the Merchandise Mart. The Clark St. bridge is just ahead. Work appears to be underway to the left on the new Quaker Oats headquarters building which will cover up the location soon. Note the old spur on the left with the ties used as a bumping post. These multiple tracks would be reduced to one, new section poured in concrete once the Quaker Oats building was built.

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A closer look at the tracks just west of Clark St. Traffic court is on the right. Note the loading dock and spur track to the left (north), and how this spur and another one that veers off from the main track appear to criss-cross each other. Must have made for some interesting switching when more industries were in the area.

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Looking west at the Merchandise Mart and Franklin St. Note the original two tracks are still in place, though only the left side set is still in service for trains of newsprint for the Sun-Times. To the upper left is the Helene Curtis headquarters building. The other sides of the parking garage and the Helene Curtis face the Chicago River.