Topics

1

General Discussion / Possible Bloomer Sale

« on: August 29, 2018, 12:30:06 AM »

They're certainly hyping it up that it could get re-developed.  It would be an absolute shame to see it go  We shall see.

https://chicago.curbed.com/2018/8/28/17788004/blommer-chocolate-company-sale-report

2

General Discussion / OpenRailwayMap

« on: March 05, 2017, 02:12:41 AM »

I found this though a facebook group, it's an edit-able railway map much in the way wikipedia is.  Finding it very useful and accurate, (probably because railfans are not the kind of people who grief each other to my knowledge.)
http://www.openrailwaymap.org/

3

General Discussion / Central Illinois Railroad

« on: July 25, 2015, 05:05:19 PM »

I was driving through Bridgeport today, and I saw that the tracks along Sangamon leading from the BNSF main line down to the Wye that the CIR used on Cermak had been pulled up.  A week ago I saw that the tracks leading into the brickyard on 22nd place had also been torn up, and that seemed like the only customer on that area getting service (until recently.)
In addition, three weeks ago, I noticed that the former Norther Illinois RR tracks running parallel to 26th street were being pulled up.  I am going to assume that all of the former CIR is now abandoned, except for the Elk Grove Village area.

4

General Discussion / Wilson Yards Fire

« on: February 15, 2015, 02:10:46 PM »

This a compilation of newsclips of the October 1996 fire that burned the Wilson ave Shops and yards.  In the beginning and at the end it has clips taken from the front of a CTA train that show the Buena yard and interchange in their full, but overgrown existence.
http://forum.chicagobus.org/topic/3481-news-coverage1996-fire-destroys-wilson-shops-and-yard-video/

5

General Discussion / Buena Yard Interchange

« on: November 11, 2014, 03:30:06 PM »

I was just taking the red line north today when I saw that someone (I couldn't read their uniforms or see any identification) was in the last stages of demolishing the trestle leading from the Buena Yard to The Wilson Ave. station.  They had already torn down and hauled away the trestle proper, but they were still digging up the foundations.  They didn't seem to be taking away anything else, just the concrete trestle.

6

General Discussion / Goose Island

« on: November 01, 2014, 11:51:23 PM »

I was reading the book "The Chicago River" (1998) by David M. Solzman, and when he talks about Goose island, he says that: "The island is served by the Canadian Pacafic/Soo Line Railroad, and there are half a dozen operations with trail service."  It goes on to talk about a Budweiser distributing center, a waste management facility and a window company, all of which could have warranted rail access..  I know the WM facility is now a parking lot, and the Window company fell in the recession, but I have not idea about the others.  Does anyone have any knowledge on these operations?

7

General Discussion / A. Lakin & Sons

« on: October 04, 2014, 10:13:33 PM »

What is the status on the A. Lakin & Sons tire yard just North of Finkl?  I would think that they would be getting rail service considering their products, but I have not seen anything when I bike through the area or anywhere else.  I assume that once they did get rail service.  Also, I saw in the articles talking about the re-development of the Finkl property included the Laklin and Gutmann properties, so I would assume that the whole area is getting cleared out.  Does anyone have more info on the state of A. Lakin & Sons?

8

General Discussion / Freak Bikers at Peerless

« on: September 24, 2014, 09:22:31 PM »

I found this link when I was looking for pics of the Peerless Factory.  A little over halfway down the page are a set of pics of some "Freak Bikers" taking advantage of the Peerless corn syrup tank car.
http://www.chicagofreakbike.org/2004_12_01_archives.php

9

General Discussion / North Avenue Yard Area

« on: September 15, 2014, 10:30:39 PM »

I biked down to the North Avenue area yesterday, and I found a few interesting things.  First, the North Ave. yard is absolutely full of MOW equipment.  There was a transfer caboose, ballast cars, flatcars with sets of tracks (rails and wooden ties, unused) on them and at least a couple dozen flats and center-beams full of concrete ties.  I did not see any revenue freight other than three hoppers destined for Morton Salt.  About Morton salt, the spur leading to the building directly south of the tail track is completely covered in dirt, mud and gravel, so it does not look like they have had service in awhile.  On the upside, all the hoppers in Morton salt and the yard looked fresh out of the shops.  Because it was a Sunday, I was able to ride through Sipi Metals' parking lot and discover their track setup.  I did not go any farther into their property than the blacktop lot, however.  They have a track running through the west end of their new blacktop parking lot, able to fit about one gondola, and another spur in the gravel lot able to fit about the same.  Does anyone know which one they use?