Topics

1

Modeling / Train Simulator of Goose Island

« on: April 18, 2024, 10:34:58 PM »

Hey all,

Stumbled upon this guy's YouTube video where he reviews someone's impressive efforts recreating Goose Island's switching ops in a program called Train Simulator. I have no personal experience with the program, but was impressed with the work highlighted in the video. Details include the Proctor & Gamble plant, Ogden overpass, and more. (I spy my beloved Freedom Center in the distance... maybe there's a CNW spur somewhere in the program!)

While not precise (including the BN GP38 and SW1500 working on the island), its pretty damn neat. Might bring back memories for those of us who actually remember Goose Island back in the '80s. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJkXhZp5nqo

2

Modeling / N Scale Chicago Terminal SW8

« on: April 18, 2024, 02:08:12 PM »

One of my goals this past winter was to finally make an N-scale version of ILSX 900. Here it is!

I completed the larger HO-scale version in 2021 (seen elsewhere in this forum's Modeling section), and after finally securing an old N-scale Walthers/Life-Like SW8 in Fall 2023 I applied the same techniques of repainting and detailing by hand.

While my N-scale layout doesn't have any industries serviced by CTRR, it's nice to have this locomotive on standby in case I do a tiny shelf layout of Peerless or something in the future. Thumbtack for scale.

There's a higher-resolution version of this photo on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uspslabelfan/53663082480/in/photostream/

3

General Discussion / Railfanning at Tribune Freedom Center - Sun-Times Article

« on: December 25, 2022, 11:25:43 PM »

Hi All,

My N scale model railroad layout of the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center was recently profiled in the Chicago Sun-Times. It's a huge honor to be featured in this way-- quite the full-circle moment for my little layout that I started nearly 10 years ago. I've linked the article below. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2022/12/8/23499878/freedom-center-model-chicago-trains-railroads-halsted-steinberg

4

Modeling / HO Chicago Terminal SW8

« on: April 05, 2021, 01:48:31 PM »

Hey all,

Spent some time this weekend finishing up my HO scale replica of Chicago Terminal Railroad's ILSX 900.

This is a Life-Like Proto 2000 SW8/900/600 that originally sported a black and white Illinois Central scheme.

I disassembled the shell, stripped off the paint, removed all the handrails, and used a combo of Painters Touch spray primer and paint. Handrails were painted yellow using a micro brush and some Testors paint. The logos were printed on waterslide decal paper using my inkjet printer. The only thing left to add is the reflective striping on the bottom.

It's currently DC, but planning on swapping out the shell on a DCC/sound model in the coming weeks!

A hi-def version of this photo can be found here: https://flic.kr/p/2kRbaQw  More photos to come.

5

General Discussion / New 2021 UP Tribune Job Video

« on: April 05, 2021, 12:44:28 PM »

Hi all,

Caught the Trib job this past Friday and decided to put a short video of the action on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/7_9Gw-AiFeo

Enjoy!

6

General Discussion / 1999: Freight Cars Parked along Magnolia

« on: February 18, 2021, 04:46:27 PM »

Hi All,

While looking up historical aerial footage of the Morton Salt facility, I noticed quite a few cars staged along the Magnolia Ave. spur. The date stamp is 1999, and Home Depot has already replaced the P&G plant so I doubt they're tank cars. Any ideas what kind of cars would be laid up there? Gons for the scrap yard adjacent to the tracks? I've attached a screenshot of the map aerial below.

Thanks in advance.

7

General Discussion / URGENT: Final Day of North Ave Yard Operations: 06/12/2020

« on: June 09, 2020, 10:18:15 PM »

Our dreaded day of reckoning has finally come.

I have received word from an inside source that this upcoming Friday, June 12 2020, is the final day of freight-based operations for Union Pacific out of the North Ave Yard.

The crew has received orders to round up all of the remaining freight cars and take them up to Proviso on Friday. The freight switching operations of Blommer, Tribune, etc. will be taken over by another UP crew based out of somewhere else (most likely Proviso).

UP 1430 (the current GP40-2 assigned to YNO68) will leave the yard for inspection on Thursday, and UP 1345 (another GP40-2) will be assigned to the final job.

Friday's itinerary includes:

- Rounding up all freight cars at North Ave.
- *possible* Upper-level Blommer Job, TBD.
- Run-around at Tribune Yard with all of the cars from North Ave.
- Slow pull of all cars toward the CY Tower as the crew heads north on the Harvard Sub.

Again, this is the end of YNO68 out of North Ave for the foreseeable future. It is a sudden end to decades of history that many of us on this site have worked hard to document.

If I find out any more information about time, I will update here. Hope to see you out in the field on Friday.

- Horace

 

8

General Discussion / Info on S. Side Sun-Times Plant

« on: June 08, 2020, 10:55:14 PM »

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had more information on the switching operations of the former Chicago Sun-Times printing plant on Ashland Ave? I can't seem to find much info anywhere, but if my mind serves me correctly I once saw a photo of the switch job online.. a bunch of hi-cube boxcars I think. 

Thanks!

9

General Discussion / UP YNO68(?) now switching Blommer top level

« on: April 23, 2020, 11:34:34 PM »

Not sure when the official switch happened (perhaps after ADM shut down?), but the same UP crew that switches the Tribune and lower level of Blommer now switches the upper level as well. I caught the entire upper-level job a few weeks ago on video. I've attached a photo of the move until I can get the footage up on YouTube.

10

Modeling / N Scale Chicago Tribune Yard Layout

« on: May 14, 2018, 04:19:01 PM »

Fellow Chicago Switching members,

For the past seven+ years, it has been a pleasure learning more about the rich history of Chicago's inner-city rail operations through this website. It has served as a valuable aide in my own personal exploration and documentation of Near-Northside switching locations such as Finkl, Big Bay, and Peerless.

Since 2006, I have had a specific interest in the rail operations for the Chicago Tribune's Freedom Center printing plant, located at Chicago Ave. and Halsted Ave. I have spent countless hours online finding and collecting photos of the site's railroad development (and decline) over the decades. Sadly, I missed the era when the yard was 'booming', being filled with rows of newsprint boxcars.

By the time I had caught-on, several inner tracks had been removed, and only a single string of boxcars remained per week. From 2011-2014, I would regularly follow the UP ex-CNW's switch job from the North Ave. yard, down to the Trib, and back. I have spent many hours photographing and documenting what's left of the "Tribune Yard", and I believe my efforts have culminated into what I have to share with you all today.

For the past five years, I have worked on an N-scale model replica of the Tribune Freedom Center. I hand built the buildings, Ohio street overpass, Grand avenue, and parking lots from scratch, relying on Google Maps aerial images for accurate shaping and positioning. I spent years hunting down prototypical newsprint boxcars, which were produced and discontinued long ago from companies like True Line Trains. I've visited multiple hobby shops for parts and materials, and even made trips to two model railroad conventions.

As life's responsibilities got in the way, months would go by without any progress on the layout. However, I finally reached a successful completion point in January 2018. (Despite the fact that, as model railroaders, we know that our layouts are never truly 'finished'!)

During the construction process, I got in contact with the staff at the actual Tribune Freedom Center. They were very interested in the project, and since January 2018, it currently sits on display in the main lobby of the Tribune printing plant.

I am not sure what the future holds for my model layout after its display time at the Tribune. I am hoping to have a small gallery show for it sometime this summer, but am still in the process of exploring spaces and options. 

This week, I will be rolling out an online social media page for the layout, where I will be posting photos documenting the layout's construction process, videos of the UPY GP15-1 engine moving boxcars around, and historical photos from the actual tribune yard over the years. You can follow the account on Instagram @TribuneModelRailroad .

Below are some photos, I will try to upload more later on! Enjoy.

11

General Discussion / Blommer Chocolate Fire (11/14/17)

« on: November 15, 2017, 02:43:16 PM »

A fire broke out on the roof of Blommer Chocolate factory yesterday afternoon, November 14th. The fire was raised to a 2-11 alarm according to the CFD. The fire was extinguished by 2:30 p.m. No injuries reported.

Apparently this was the second fire to occur at Blommer this month! See the attached links for photos, videos, and a more detailed report.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-fire-department-responding-to-fire-at-blommer-chocolate-factory-20171114-story.html

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/firefighters-responding-to-fire-at-blommer-chocolate-factory/

12

General Discussion / Latest Goose Island Sighting: Cold Trains

« on: November 04, 2017, 12:19:23 PM »

Well, just when you thought the CTRR/Goose Island freight action couldn't get any more interesting...
A 5-car string of reefers (Cold Train & Amtrak) were oddly parked behind the former Finkl site as of 10/30 (or earlier). I couldn't believe it. Goose Island hasn't seen reefer action in how many years?

Upon closer inspection, the cars' refrigerator motors were not running, and most were stamped with NRDX car numbers. Any thoughts why these gems are here? My one guess is that they could be scrapped by General Iron. I looked up a car number (NRDX 95103) and found this page, but I don't know how to interpret the data. Are they retired?

https://www.stb.gov/recordations.nsf/WebDate?OpenForm&Start=2.4.12&Count=50&Expand=2.4.17&Seq=24

13

General Discussion / Wall Collapse at Morton Salt!

« on: December 30, 2014, 05:35:14 PM »

About two hours ago, a portion of the south wall of the Morton Salt factory on Goose Island collapsed! Thankfully there were no injuries,but a lot of salt spilled onto the car dealer next door. Attached is the Breaking News report by ABC Chicago, with several good aerial views:

http://abc7chicago.com/news/morton-salt-collapse-covers-cars-at-acura-dealership/455616/

-TribuneFreightFanatic.

14

General Discussion / Car accident in Tribune Yard

« on: September 27, 2014, 11:36:43 AM »

Hello all,

I heard in the news yesterday about a young woman becoming paralyzed after a car she was in went over the Erie st. ramp and fell 25 feet down into the Tribune Yard. 
Attached is the link to the Chicago Tribune article about it. Im sure there's some video reports about it on some of the local news station websites as well.
 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/arlington-heights/chi-woman-paralyzed-in-river-west-crash-20140925-story.html

--TribuneFreightFanatic

15

General Discussion / GMTX Engine parked in North Ave. Yard

« on: October 26, 2013, 08:34:49 PM »

Hello all,

A few days ago, I was driving past the North Ave. yard on the e-way. I glanced over and saw what looked like a blue engine behind a row of boxcars.  I had to find out what was going on. So, I got off and stopped by the yard. Sure enough, a shiny, new GMTX "Rail Locomotive Group" EMD GP 38-2  engine was sitting there, with its motor idling. Any thoughts as to why such a foreign engine was parked there? Attached is a photo of the engine; it was coupled to the usual UPY GP-15.

-Trib.Fr8.Fan.