tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7376765980360182772024-03-13T10:55:45.567-07:00Player With RailroadsDave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-67253795593000874692017-10-21T14:04:00.002-07:002017-10-21T15:09:57.288-07:00A Railroad NeighborhoodThe expansion of rail lines radiating from Chicago figured prominently into the growth of new communities, along with the real estate speculation that accompanied this. Two of the best examples of this are<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/134.html" target="_blank"> Beverly Hills</a> and <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/842.html" target="_blank">Morgan Park</a>. While they are separate neighborhoods that share a common border, the are co-joined and often referred to by residents as the "Village in the City". Their common history is tied into the decision by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad to construct a "suburban" branch line from their main track. Originally running from 99th Street to the suburb of Blue Island, the line was later expanded north to connect with the main at Gresham.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5YEiDPzdtLdbFX1rhNYr2NQXPMLJDwkn77v53d2JOcgZX7sg6nuEmCQhcbTXrhq76OOWIHP-jjXZ7PLs9Y5nngN2qu7lQxx4O3GFpBsOwbd4HLqGgUbQSevOsl-nUhiEDqoXxN4ZQeM/s1600/rocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="1027" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5YEiDPzdtLdbFX1rhNYr2NQXPMLJDwkn77v53d2JOcgZX7sg6nuEmCQhcbTXrhq76OOWIHP-jjXZ7PLs9Y5nngN2qu7lQxx4O3GFpBsOwbd4HLqGgUbQSevOsl-nUhiEDqoXxN4ZQeM/s400/rocket.jpg" title="The original Rock Island "Rocket"." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The original Rock Island "Rocket".</b></td></tr>
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The Rock Island's first train departed from Chicago to Joliet on October 10, 1852. That line would later cross the tracks of the the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh,_Cincinnati,_Chicago_and_St._Louis_Railroad" target="_blank">Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad</a> (aka Panhandle) at a point known as "The Junction" that would become the Village of Washington Heights. Much of the lands around <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1318.html" target="_blank">Washington Heights</a> were part of the vast estate holdings of one Thomas Morgan, English gentleman farmer, who had purchased 3000 acres from early Chicago settler John Blackstone in 1844 for his estate known as "<a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-09-02/news/8703060774_1_morgan-park-log-cabin-scenic-ridge" target="_blank">Upwood</a>". Morgan would give the Chicago & Great Eastern Railroad (progenitor of the Panhandle) an easement through his property in 1864. The seed was planted for development.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD4oFaeMJ7pTrs_XmTeZC4uXDLxbepVt_wl38JCgBwt2vgCsZxXtHmxua_ir3lglABMTW2TFAvtuDXQPE5bemLpHr40Me9MVth3Sh3zcRNXFdLqlIFdwBzs_kc41hvj2rM045BdX8W2A/s1600/realestate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1228" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD4oFaeMJ7pTrs_XmTeZC4uXDLxbepVt_wl38JCgBwt2vgCsZxXtHmxua_ir3lglABMTW2TFAvtuDXQPE5bemLpHr40Me9MVth3Sh3zcRNXFdLqlIFdwBzs_kc41hvj2rM045BdX8W2A/s400/realestate.jpg" title="Real estate ads touting the newly developing suburbs of Beverly and Washington Heights." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Real estate ads for the newly developing suburbs of Beverly and Washington Heights.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rQqC3hjMnc9bVQPwzW_Bh1Hh9lUd1FfjZZRvu15FJ7s5skzLtgzimaLtg3SFk3pP37h_BCVca73z1D3y3lq6S_jQmfrKnQ3C9kOnkNi4EvMOJgb2uJkrMIOVh65fC-uFrW7UBlyWMmA/s1600/washhts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1116" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rQqC3hjMnc9bVQPwzW_Bh1Hh9lUd1FfjZZRvu15FJ7s5skzLtgzimaLtg3SFk3pP37h_BCVca73z1D3y3lq6S_jQmfrKnQ3C9kOnkNi4EvMOJgb2uJkrMIOVh65fC-uFrW7UBlyWMmA/s400/washhts.jpg" title="Left: Washington Heights map shows the original suburban line. Right: Map of the suburban line after the extension to Gresham." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Left: Washington Heights map shows the original suburban line with the main track at connection at 97th Street. Right: Map of the suburban line after the extension to Gresham.</b></td></tr>
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Passenger train service was initially sparse, with the Panhandle providing a few "accommodation" trains, while the Rock Island deigned to not stop their trains there at all. With the death of Morgan, his heirs sold their holdings to Fredrick H. Winston who helped to form the <a href="https://archive.org/details/suburbanhomesmor00blue" target="_blank">Blue Island Land and Building Company</a>. Its important to note that executives of the Rock Island also held positions in the Land and Building Company. While initially know as the Washington Heights Subdivision, the area would become the Village of Morgan Park. In the 1870's construction of branch line began from 97th Street west to a point below the glacial formation known as the <a href="http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/516.html" target="_blank">Blue Island Ridge</a>, which was completed in 1871. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 would accelerate the migration of residents away from the central city to newly platted suburbs. The burghers of Morgan Park envisioned a sylvan enclave far removed from the bustle and cacophony of burgeoning Chicago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKEOfIRAQad1y7byalCJfMsEOLG0O0MZofGEoob3NUovUY86fK5dz9RDkakmIvg2w5tFGQgMDpF0AEmNX8R3iVQqdhq-cYihgLxMlWphZPov0az-kFaOy-SuiclmXlROoDOP6jtSPM-8/s1600/rock+islan+sub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="882" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKEOfIRAQad1y7byalCJfMsEOLG0O0MZofGEoob3NUovUY86fK5dz9RDkakmIvg2w5tFGQgMDpF0AEmNX8R3iVQqdhq-cYihgLxMlWphZPov0az-kFaOy-SuiclmXlROoDOP6jtSPM-8/s400/rock+islan+sub.jpg" title="Rock Island Forney locomotive pulls a commuter train to Chicago." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Rock Island Forney locomotive pulls a train towards Chicago.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eWKMf1RZYwLHuODBiVOE6ErHGRR5vGFOvL_iblFGrbx-WpkGWkzNzm0SG1SqNVqKgIOeCIjsyCa-KUvXMwtAdqyKUXGd_QvEFhZlA8hG0sD4xfjUzKKdNcNXHeCFo5_TGgGvIYPwt6g/s1600/dummyad2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="668" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eWKMf1RZYwLHuODBiVOE6ErHGRR5vGFOvL_iblFGrbx-WpkGWkzNzm0SG1SqNVqKgIOeCIjsyCa-KUvXMwtAdqyKUXGd_QvEFhZlA8hG0sD4xfjUzKKdNcNXHeCFo5_TGgGvIYPwt6g/s400/dummyad2.JPG" title="An example of a "dummy" locomotive. Some early newspaper articles speak of the Panhandle railroad operating a dummy train for the convenience of residents in Washington Heights. This may have given rise to the name "Dummy Line" for the Rock Island branch line." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An example of a "dummy" locomotive. Some early newspaper articles speak of the Panhandle railroad operating a dummy train for the convenience of residents in Washington Heights. This may have given rise to the name "Dummy Line" for the Rock Island branch line.</b></td></tr>
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By 1883 the Rock Island was operating 10 daily suburban trains each way, mostly on the Suburban Branch between Chicago and Blue Island. In 1889 the line was extended north through Beverly, and the new development of Brainerd, to a mainline connection at 89th Street. Within a year there were 19 trains operating each day. Like many early suburban commuter operations the trains were steam powered with diminutive locomotives known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forney_locomotive" target="_blank">Forneys</a>, named after their inventor Mathias Forney. The locomotives combined the steam engine with the coal and water carrying tender as one integrated unit. They were designed to run boiler forward in one direction and tender forward in the reverse. This arrangement negated the need to turn the locomotive so that it always ran in the typical boiler forward mode. Turning required a either a turntable or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wye_(rail)" target="_blank">wye</a> track, and was time consuming. The Forneys were uncoupled from the train at the end of a run, then run around the equipment and quickly coupled back on the the opposite end of the train. Residents coined the nickname "Dummy Line" to describe the branch line, perhaps due to the slight resemblance of the locomotives to the early shrouded steamers, known as "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_dummy" target="_blank">dummies</a>", designed so as not to scare horses (it didn't work). Another theory put forth by local historians is that early train service to the area was operated by dummy locomotives on the Panhandle line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuD85Upcj79CWUfgB9_SdMCiQavP6yIp1bK_XE8eq2XJ6c9Yo99XbF2nH76fIeZblVlX4RZF1KONP5wghoUgcZMnfjF-3FINS7i9gcUkprK6okjRElp-4syRKPlwMFsWlK6chd5WH_o4/s1600/111-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="521" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuD85Upcj79CWUfgB9_SdMCiQavP6yIp1bK_XE8eq2XJ6c9Yo99XbF2nH76fIeZblVlX4RZF1KONP5wghoUgcZMnfjF-3FINS7i9gcUkprK6okjRElp-4syRKPlwMFsWlK6chd5WH_o4/s400/111-2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The first Morgan Park Station.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx92P7MBvz65kq_dzMEHGiRLm9WMgd_ARNmCD5_m9vWaRbTN_hyphenhyphenE2c9vYgRJrYnOHR1i435ezBs9rCDFypMZuqUQHv3-FAb1uKsRmq5J5CB72qa4hMkzASF-lguMVhN_b7cKLPNUjE2Kk/s1600/HOWWE.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="557" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx92P7MBvz65kq_dzMEHGiRLm9WMgd_ARNmCD5_m9vWaRbTN_hyphenhyphenE2c9vYgRJrYnOHR1i435ezBs9rCDFypMZuqUQHv3-FAb1uKsRmq5J5CB72qa4hMkzASF-lguMVhN_b7cKLPNUjE2Kk/s400/HOWWE.BMP" title="Morgan Park residents unashamedly touted the quality of their mode of transportation versus that afforded city residents. While the streetcar system did eventually expand to the area it was not a major factor in community development." width="385" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Morgan Park residents unashamedly touted the quality of their mode of transportation versus that afforded city residents. While the streetcar system did eventually expand to the area it was not a major factor in community development.</b></td></tr>
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Morgan Park did indeed grow become a well-to-do suburb, the nexus of which was the business district around the 111th Street station. Impressive mansions sprouted up along the two main streets of Washington and Prospect, particularly at the top of the <a href="http://www.ridgehistoricalsociety.org/blue_island_ridge_map.html" target="_blank">Blue Island Ridge</a>. There were also more humble working man's cottages east of the tracks, and a small African American community grew in that area as well. Beverly grew as well, and the early 20th Century saw the neighborhood become a solidly middle class community with a mix of housing that ran the gamut from mansions to bungalows. The area attracted a number of notable architects who helped to create a leafy oasis of attractive homes on the edge of the city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqDRYu3GVfSGAqvxMIaLNhb6ZCjA6XOZijX1H6sMyC3pHmJNyDpzjnI2FtuYgtnzxCoDLvFgvpY_J9n4FcbTuYgIfmm1mcTUailQaR8foPa-PX7qRszSc28dSjkHhDUrEZvaFfUFsLpo/s1600/beverly+train+stations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1240" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqDRYu3GVfSGAqvxMIaLNhb6ZCjA6XOZijX1H6sMyC3pHmJNyDpzjnI2FtuYgtnzxCoDLvFgvpY_J9n4FcbTuYgIfmm1mcTUailQaR8foPa-PX7qRszSc28dSjkHhDUrEZvaFfUFsLpo/s400/beverly+train+stations.jpg" title="Top L-R: 91st Street (Beverly Hills), 95th Street (Longwood), 99th Street (Walden). Middle L-R: 103rd Street (Tracy), 107th Street (Belmont). Bottom L-R: 111th Street (Morgan Park), 115th Street (Raymond). The original station names are noted in parentheses." width="400" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Top L-R: 91st Street (Beverly Hills), 95th Street (Longwood), 99th Street (Walden). Middle L-R: 103rd Street (Tracy), 107th Street (Belmont). Bottom L-R: 111th Street (Morgan Park), 115th Street (Raymond). The original station names are noted in parentheses. Photos from the Ridge Historical Society.</b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hjV4XiOy9mFDQAj5pK6mdWel-BEWQD6OXv-TMvCJXuf_rFo_ZTjceVI237T4pBB_sEEzZgh2YKeLVdYGA_k_Yqw_gDNkr9TV4YvVOPtdqcCRK-2zjUqkv2jxqj_UzfccTchZ6xUmWes/s1600/lndmrk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1224" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hjV4XiOy9mFDQAj5pK6mdWel-BEWQD6OXv-TMvCJXuf_rFo_ZTjceVI237T4pBB_sEEzZgh2YKeLVdYGA_k_Yqw_gDNkr9TV4YvVOPtdqcCRK-2zjUqkv2jxqj_UzfccTchZ6xUmWes/s400/lndmrk.jpg" title="Preliminary report recommending landmark status for the train stations." width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Preliminary report recommending landmark status for the train stations.</b></td></tr>
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In 1889 the original 111th Street Station was moved and converted to a residence. In its place rose a Romanesque style depot designed by architect John Long, the construction cost of which was shared by local residents, businessmen and the railroad. In all, 7 stations were built between 91st and 115th Streets during the late 1880's. Each station was unique in it's design and were exemplary of the architecture of small town train stations of the late 19th Century. The majority of the stations lasted into the 21st Century, save for Longwood (95th Street), Tracy (103rd Street) and Raymond (115th). Each station was built with second floor living quarters for the station agents and their families. Small business districts grew up around each station, adding to the small town charm of each area. The City of Chicago recognized the unique nature of these stations by creating a <a href="http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/landmarksweb/web/districtdetails.htm?disId=5" target="_blank">landmark district </a>that encompassed 6 of the 7 stations. The luck of their survival is much owed to the fact that the tracks through the area were not part of Chicago's <a href="https://www.chicagorailfan.com/elevate.html" target="_blank">track elevation ordinances</a>. The tracks remain at grade level. 103rd Street was not included in the district as it was built to replace the original station in the 1960's, and is an unremarkable brick structure. The 111th Street Station was damaged by a tornado in 1909, but was rebuilt as it stands today. Metra undertook a program that saw the 95th, 99th and 111th Street stations undergo historic restorations. Funding for the program ran out and the other stations languish waiting for the necessary funds for their turn at renewal. 115th Street (Raymond) Station was the luckless victim of a fire set by vandals on Memorial Day weekend in 2017. It was badly damaged and demolished, with no apparent plans or funds to provide a suitable replacement.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSLxBEgv5G341s8nTvb30Pz_O0kaPFEopwQeDmlpaEmmud7tWvWfRWar5-iBxSqvFgh3cbRcvzSvApKcre_wJLRrsX1JCIliC21vbAZRZFQS8gGOGA54xwfOpmnV2up9DCOdSfz2xgic/s1600/20170522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="1000" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSLxBEgv5G341s8nTvb30Pz_O0kaPFEopwQeDmlpaEmmud7tWvWfRWar5-iBxSqvFgh3cbRcvzSvApKcre_wJLRrsX1JCIliC21vbAZRZFQS8gGOGA54xwfOpmnV2up9DCOdSfz2xgic/s400/20170522.jpg" title="The Rock Island began to dieselize their commuter service in the late 1940's. Perennially cash poor, the railroad would re-purpose older locomotives from intercity passenger service or purchase used equipment from other railroads. The steam engine pulls a set of "Capone cars" while preparing to pass an Alco RS-1 diesel used in commuter service. The railroad did purchase some new bi-level coaches which allowed for the introduction of "Push-Pull" service. Photo by John Humiston from the Classic Trains Collection." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Rock Island began to dieselize their commuter service in the late 1940's. Perennially cash poor, the railroad would re-purpose older locomotives from intercity passenger service or purchase used equipment from other railroads. The steam engine pulls a set of "Capone cars" while preparing to pass an Alco RS-1 diesel used in commuter service. The railroad did purchase some new bi-level coaches which allowed for the introduction of "Push-Pull" service. Photo by John Humiston from the Classic Trains Collection.</b></td></tr>
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The branch line was primarily used for commuter service. Some businesses at 111th Street, such as a coal yard, required minimal freight service which would have originated at the Rock Island's Blue Island freight yard. The Rock Island continued to provide service until its bankruptcy and liquidation in 1980. At this point the Regional Transportation Authority bought the commuter service and some of the assets of the Rock such as tracks, yards and stations. By this time the physical plant of the railroad had deteriorated to the point that a massive rebuilding program was required to restore the railroad to an adequate level of safety and efficiency. So to, the tired and worn locomotives and passenger cars needed replacement. Now, almost 40 years after assuming the operations and upgrading the service, Metra (the commuter rail division of the RTA) faces the same dilemma of the Rock Island with the specter of diminishing funds to maintain aging equipment and the physical infrastructure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNZ-n4G6fJ4h3IBehNXgIOjTTrJhZwWP64QncNMDOCgX2_HdipGhYw2EKAxweOj9vmZUENmmcDy5ay-SUhEoeSZCAcfETKPII0hDeQmHM4U5w5KgzaaIKmoC7rp1QzQlRWEiMIG21Bzk/s1600/L1070404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiNZ-n4G6fJ4h3IBehNXgIOjTTrJhZwWP64QncNMDOCgX2_HdipGhYw2EKAxweOj9vmZUENmmcDy5ay-SUhEoeSZCAcfETKPII0hDeQmHM4U5w5KgzaaIKmoC7rp1QzQlRWEiMIG21Bzk/s400/L1070404.JPG" title="An inbound Metra commuter train departs the 111th Street Station inbound to Chicago. Photograph by David Daruszka." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An Metra commuter train departs the 111th Street Station inbound to Chicago. Photo by David Daruszka.</b></td></tr>
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Beverly Hills was annexed, as part of Washington Heights, by Chicago in 1890. Morgan Park became a city neighborhood in 1914 after a protracted battle between residents for and against annexation. Both communities remain desirable places to live, thanks in part to the excellent railroad transportation that greatly factored into their creation and development. Residents still consider the branch line as "their railroad".<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-86433848134159086702017-04-30T19:59:00.001-07:002017-04-30T19:59:46.238-07:00Roundhouses and Backshops - Part 2In my last post I discussed the functions of the roundhouse in the role of steam locomotive maintenance. Where the roundhouse was the location of "light" and daily servicing, the backshop was where the heavy rebuilding of steam engines and rail cars took place. Some railroads, like the Norfolk & Western and the Pennsylvania actually manufactured their own locomotives and cars from the ground up.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">C&NW's 40th Street Shops</span></b></div>
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Unlike roundhouses, which could be found at almost every railroad yard, the backshops were only found in a limited number of locations. The usually served a whole railroad, for smaller lines, or a central to a number of operating districts, for larger ones. The most notable backshop in Chicago was owned by the Chicago & North Western Railroad and was located on the far West side of the city. Known as "40th Street", as it was 4000 west in the city's street numbering system, it was bounded by Crawford Ave. (later renamed Pulaski) Chicago Avenue, Lake Street and the Belt Railway. It was adjacent to the railroad's classification yard at that location. The Illinois Central also maintained a large shop on the city's south side know as Burnside.<br />
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While the roundhouse was a circular or semi-circular building with a turntable located in the center, the backshop buildings were linear. In the case of the erecting shops, this was necessary to accommodate the heavy traveling cranes that traveled across the length of the building. These buildings were two to three stories tall to accommodate lifting large components, such as boilers and driving wheels from location to location in the repair or erection process.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> An overhead crane rated for 258 tons lifts a locomotive.</b></span></div>
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The backshops were more than one building. Each structure in the complex served a specific function: boiler making and repair, paint and varnish, metal machining, carpentry, etc. They were in essence factories unto themselves, very often supplying the power necessary to accomplish the work. In some cases the buildings allowed locomotives, components and cars to move in and out of either side of the structure. Movement between buildings was accomplished via "transfer tables", a linear version of the roundhouse turntable.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Transfer table</b></span></div>
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The backshops were hives of activity with hundreds of laborers and skilled craftsman working around the clock to keep up with the everyday tasks at hand. The steam locomotive required constant rebuilding, replacing boiler tubes corroded by steam was a common job. Wheels were removed and worn "tires" replaced, moving parts inspected and replaced as necessary. Each locomotive tended to be unique, with no "off the shelf" components available for repairs. Parts would be cast and then machined. Locomotives could be periodically upgraded with newer technologies to extend their working lives. Some entered the shops and came out radically different machines. The Illinois Central converted a number of their older freight locomotives for use in suburban commuter service. The C&NW upgraded passenger locomotives with streamlined shrouding to present a modern and sleek appearance.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> 40th Street shop forces working on a locomotive conversion.</b></span></div>
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In the case of freight and passenger cars, their constant use required frequent maintenance and rebuilding. Cars damaged in wrecks could be rebuilt and returned to service. The railroads saw this as a sound return on their initial investment. As with locomotives, rail cars could be modified and improved or rebuilt for a completely different function. Diesel locomotives and changes in the industry ended the primacy of the backshop in the railroad industry. In many cases they were not suitable for diesel maintenance, which like automobiles had standardized parts from the manufacturer that could easily be replaced. The necessity of having a huge workforce to cater to the steam engines disappeared almost overnight. Thousands of skilled craftsmen lost their jobs as a result. Those shops that did hang on were more modern and now functioned as a single point of repair for the whole railroad as opposed to segments of it.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Working in a locomotive smoke box.</b></span></div>
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When railroads began to merge with their competitors many railroads found themselves with more shops than they needed to efficiently maintain their equipment. In the case of 40th Street it was supplanted by the former Chicago & Great Western shops in Olwein, Iowa when the C&NW merged with that carrier. Burnside was eventually replaced by new facilities at Markham Yard in South suburban Harvey. The growing reliance on leased freight equipment places the burden of heavy repairs on the lessor, and outside firms are making inroads into the car and locomotive repair and rebuilding business. The former IC shops in Paducah, Kentucky are now operated by a locomotive rebuilding firm.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Former Rock Island steel car shops.</b></span></div>
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Little remains of these expansive facilities that can be found or recognized by the casual observer. One shop building at 40th Street remain, now re-purposed for other non-railroad uses, although the M19A diesel shop is still used to service commuter locomotives. One building at Burnside remains and in use by Chicago State University which now occupies the site of the former shops. Rock Island's steel car shops in Blue Island are now in use by a plumbing firm, but the terra cotta herald still proudly shows its former life. The exception to the rule in Chicago is Metra's 47th Street Shops, formerly owned by the Rock Island Railroad. The former "Rocket House" is currently engaged in a rebuilding program to upgrade the commuter railroad's locomotive fleet to become compliant with Federal pollution standards for diesel engines. The car shops have undertaken upgrades to the fleet of commuter cars to extend their usable lives as a cost effective way to prolong the increasingly costly proposition of replacing them with new equipment. So, a bit of history continues on the city's south side.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Metra's 47th Street diesel shop. Dan Marinellie photo.</b></span></div>
Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-32457172534193154472017-03-27T15:42:00.002-07:002021-09-17T16:26:59.535-07:00Roundhouses and Back Shops - Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Chicago & North Western Roundhouse at the 40th Street Yards.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two of the lost physical elements of Chicago's railroads are the roundhouse and the back shop. These structures played different roles in the care and maintenance of steam locomotives. Some of these structures survived into the diesel era, but diesel servicing presented a different set of requirements that the roundhouse was not suited for.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first railway roundhouse was built in 1839 at Derby,
England by the North Midland Railway, although some private workshops may have previously been laid out in a radial pattern. The roundhouse's primary function was for the storage and
maintenance of steam locomotives. However since most locomotives operated
in only one direction, forward, turntables were placed in the front and center of
the roundhouse. The buildings served as light maintenance facilities and also allowed the locomotives to be turned as needed. The familiar
semi-circular design simplified that task. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Turntable at Chicago & North Western's Proviso Yards.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The turntable itself was a sort of pivoting bridge operated by an electric motor (smaller turntables operated by manpower were know as "armstrongs". The locomotive would be placed into the roundhouse front or "smokebox" first. The smokestack would be placed underneath an exhaust hood known as a "smoke jack" to vent exhaust gases from the locomotive out of the work area.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Jack Delano photo of the interior of a Chicago & North Western Roundhouse.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once servicing was complete an employee known as a "hostler", whose duties involved moving locomotives around the servicing areas, would back the locomotive onto the turntable where it would be turned to face the desired direction of travel if necessary. Servicing at a roundhouse would include lubrication of all working parts and an inspection of the boiler and firebox. If the engine was allowed to go cold, a new fire would be built to return the locomotive to steam.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Coaling and sanding towers at Chicago & North Western's 40th Street Yard.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ancillary to the roundhouse were facilities to dump ash from the firebox, water spigots, as well as coaling and sanding towers to replenish the locomotive and tender. Woe be to the employee wandering around in the dark who fell into an ash pit, as they could be filled with water along with ashes. Water, coaling and sanding (for traction) were performed by the hostler and hostler helper prior to the locomotive being placed on the "ready track" where the engine crew would pick it up to move to their train.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Pere Marquette locomotive taking on water at the B&O Robey Street Yards.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were some 35 roundhouses within the city limits servicing locomotives for the various railroads. Needless to say they were a ubiquitous part of many city neighborhoods. They varied in size depending on the railroad operations they served. Railroads with both freight, passenger and/or commuter service would have the largest or multiple roundhouses at one location. Every major freight and passenger yard had a roundhouse.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Pennsylvania's Railroads roundhouse at 55th Street is a good example of a smaller roundhouse. </b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Many workers lived close by in the surrounding neighborhood.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As locomotives grew in size so to did the roundhouses. Old ones were torn down and replaced by more modern facilities; turntables were lengthened to accommodate the larger engines and tenders. The exception might be a roundhouse that only serviced yard switch engines which tended to be smaller than road engines. The roundhouse was, at many times, a 24 hour hive of activity with locomotives being quickly serviced to return to duty. An army of trained craftsmen were responsible for machining and replacing worn parts, as each locomotive was a unique machine. Aside from machinists there were boiler makers, pipe fitters, </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">sheet metal fabricators, welders, electricians, and painters.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2m3akF8SUhZXtZiCSslwinzn2K9vvjbeZdGbtgcnhUgnGEwb8NUMNyCgT7PGTfjQbLgk-me6p_oYMnPkVbkGkTMGbV3cfffVcHzXQ5Uo9SUyhg1vWNsfxKIe9rbIwXMGt2ABdRxRmuQ8/s1600/1f647c709c1b826027720bed704b7769.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2m3akF8SUhZXtZiCSslwinzn2K9vvjbeZdGbtgcnhUgnGEwb8NUMNyCgT7PGTfjQbLgk-me6p_oYMnPkVbkGkTMGbV3cfffVcHzXQ5Uo9SUyhg1vWNsfxKIe9rbIwXMGt2ABdRxRmuQ8/s400/1f647c709c1b826027720bed704b7769.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Illinois Central roundhouse workers pose on the turntable in Champaign, IL.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">That uniqueness, and the manpower that was required for their maintenance, was the eventual downfall of steam power on American railroads. The diesel locomotive required minimal daily servicing and any needed replacement parts came from the original manufacturer. The need for a phalanx of workers waiting to tend to the needs of a custom made machine disappeared. The mass production techniques pioneered by the automakers had been grafted on to the design and manufacture of the railroad locomotive.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUzVUTW5bKFQj4Vmph9mTerbKEujsq9TG99f6-mv-hzobH1Dn24-FtPwiQ23fswcittO8RVkVb8LN-8cSa05N9Bj7S-sh1iFzVAw0hMG4_GoNraCAE98VDtOt7kZF4YEPlVvZUdDmchM/s1600/Metra_Skylight_6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUzVUTW5bKFQj4Vmph9mTerbKEujsq9TG99f6-mv-hzobH1Dn24-FtPwiQ23fswcittO8RVkVb8LN-8cSa05N9Bj7S-sh1iFzVAw0hMG4_GoNraCAE98VDtOt7kZF4YEPlVvZUdDmchM/s400/Metra_Skylight_6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Former Rock Island Railroad diesel shop at 47th Street, now used by Metra</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">While the roundhouse lingered on into the diesel era, it was not suitable for the type of servicing the new locomotives required. New diesel shops were built that were often "run through" affairs, with doors on both ends. The wreckers ball was the ultimate fate for all but a few roundhouses, some were re-purposed and others historically restored perhaps as part of a museum. The closest surviving roundhouse to Chicago is in Aurora, IL where it was converted into a bar and restaurant. There are no survivors in Chicago, and scant visible evidence of their presence. Some turntables have managed to hang on for the mere fact that turning the locomotive to face the direction of travel still has its advantages.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfueGYHAD-lLqKPt2FqMboCrfMmpgktTGJ9FwQKa8EOBlEmNBeOIn8uQ63O-JDfcDa14pWtd4J12WspFZRM1uWLG-1DzlhJGTQz2nZJQ0_4iH3aS1DN_1WBODSspDaifYGZcNP7X4tGXs/s1600/10551635_1054136221280790_5310669184672395662_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfueGYHAD-lLqKPt2FqMboCrfMmpgktTGJ9FwQKa8EOBlEmNBeOIn8uQ63O-JDfcDa14pWtd4J12WspFZRM1uWLG-1DzlhJGTQz2nZJQ0_4iH3aS1DN_1WBODSspDaifYGZcNP7X4tGXs/s400/10551635_1054136221280790_5310669184672395662_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Rock Island Railroad's roundhouse in Blue Island survived well into the diesel era. It was subsequently demolished, but the turntable is still used by Metra.</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Next post: The Back Shop... coming soon.</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><b> </b></span></div>
Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-20730181224837884912016-06-08T10:46:00.000-07:002016-06-08T11:04:47.217-07:00The Impending Demise of a Chicago Railroad Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b2uyRPDwpqN484MDDBm-TVw0fkLDq7ylbdGo6uoGXk8Fc6Z9rUR7tzUpS9G8htoPJPnaQ00C_9FarUaszkEyCD4vKpewVbPcBUr74cX4G2xK0IlyWf-T548W5jR2v6OAQl8VlfCoftA/s1600/rr+logos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9b2uyRPDwpqN484MDDBm-TVw0fkLDq7ylbdGo6uoGXk8Fc6Z9rUR7tzUpS9G8htoPJPnaQ00C_9FarUaszkEyCD4vKpewVbPcBUr74cX4G2xK0IlyWf-T548W5jR2v6OAQl8VlfCoftA/s400/rr+logos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The NRHS and R&LHS represent the two largest and oldest railroad history organizations in the United States.</b></span></div>
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Rail fans are a ubiquitous part of railroading, and they come with a variety of interests. Some can be found track side taking photographs while others haunt junk shops and specially organized rail ephemera shows looking for collectibles. Much like birds of a feather, these fans flock together in special interest groups who have meetings where they can fraternize with like minded individuals. Among these groups are umbrella history organizations, the two largest being the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS) and the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS). The national groups hold annual member conventions that provide a variety of activities including excursions and social events for attendees. These groups also publish periodicals and newsletters that cover various aspects of railroad history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfdPQLA9zvW7EjS6IvX_cRa9KPjXysW7Vu6InNb4aBhUMbYUqQqeGfCldDO4niEZSgNsDwPG1kv5iGfB51PS15ANzb-IkLOlUh8UaHHIvrVafedj8A14Hz6fKO85Wkb-SwkxaewzF6P0/s1600/Railfan_photographers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfdPQLA9zvW7EjS6IvX_cRa9KPjXysW7Vu6InNb4aBhUMbYUqQqeGfCldDO4niEZSgNsDwPG1kv5iGfB51PS15ANzb-IkLOlUh8UaHHIvrVafedj8A14Hz6fKO85Wkb-SwkxaewzF6P0/s400/Railfan_photographers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photography continues to be a popular aspect of rail fanning.</b></span></div>
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These national organizations are subdivided into local chapters which have regular meetings with speakers and presentations that cover various aspects of the railroad industry. Some of the chapters publish informative newsletters for their membership. Aside from these main group chapters in Chicago there are at least four other smaller rail history groups that call the city home. In some cases these groups began their lives as rail charter trip operators. By offering a unique opportunity to ride behind vanishing steam locomotives or over tracks that passenger service vanished from, the groups thrived and maintained healthy memberships and ample volunteers. For decades the nation was blessed with a plethora of railroads operated by fan friendly management. That landscape has changed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XIJR9uWt2unFdKbNbhZTX5Si0CIF_59Ae8qchCQiIlIZWvttg46QdzronYKwkD-v_xotm7vNZJdFG9HtnJbMzGUlA8ab0_S3BGz7fJifceUmI0fEb4tAt7jJXApn3IghDo2d7WLXueM/s1600/NRHSrailcampers_MtRainerRR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XIJR9uWt2unFdKbNbhZTX5Si0CIF_59Ae8qchCQiIlIZWvttg46QdzronYKwkD-v_xotm7vNZJdFG9HtnJbMzGUlA8ab0_S3BGz7fJifceUmI0fEb4tAt7jJXApn3IghDo2d7WLXueM/s320/NRHSrailcampers_MtRainerRR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Rail Camp is an NRHS sponsored program that introduces young people to railroad history and operations.</b></span></div>
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Through mergers and consolidations the number of railroad operations have been winnowed down to a few major corporations. Passenger service disappeared from private operation and is now under the purview of the quasi-governmental entity known as Amtrak. The cost of operating rail charters has driven most groups out of the business. Add to that the fact that many of the corporate railroad operators are adverse to having fan trips on their rails. The issues of liability and interference with the money making operation of freight trains have diminished the opportunities for these types of private excursions into the category of rarity. Most railroads that previously operated their own heritage excursion trains have left the market as well. Paranoia since the attacks of 911 has created cadre of overly zealous railroad employees, security and even municipal police who view everyone with a camera as a terrorist.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEONcgWpE4GHEloBnB_kyKQJVg2GlhHb0VH1gwhlgeeZ8G1ZtxZKv6pg5nZe6rRqNuJoQhzbHv02iEHmlhjy2tvCZJAgqtiJkYfSQsy0eM3rRnfiUh3C0YzlxebcI8GkHmdn6liviGybc/s1600/c2009-group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEONcgWpE4GHEloBnB_kyKQJVg2GlhHb0VH1gwhlgeeZ8G1ZtxZKv6pg5nZe6rRqNuJoQhzbHv02iEHmlhjy2tvCZJAgqtiJkYfSQsy0eM3rRnfiUh3C0YzlxebcI8GkHmdn6liviGybc/s400/c2009-group.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Common interests and camaraderie have long been a driving force of rail fan organizations.</b></span></div>
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This has left many fan groups and clubs with the monthly meeting model of operation. A member or special speaker will show up with slides or a digital presentation. It may be a program about a certain railroad, an aspect of history, or occasionally an aspect of modern railroads from an expert. These meetings tend to attract a smaller audience and are often attended by what I term the "know-it-all" fan. These people can suck the joy out of any gathering by interrupting a presentation with a litany of facts and figures and a desire to debate anyone about them. To these individuals it is less about the social aspects of a gathering and more about a convenient soapbox for their rantings. This in turn convinces any new attendees that their time might be better spent with more singular activities.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnwbRlQWOK0-tcwFRu4jpt-3R4JIqEnGqwgOSKMzL6rivYGvFtl6v6Nu1VZiAbgbPipi0GQWh6ftKFBz6uX8qHe0DvfE63nWEudmTqf7Te-whjq87qIMxAQKGc2pPQNMXdWYZcfGW4g4/s1600/DSC_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnwbRlQWOK0-tcwFRu4jpt-3R4JIqEnGqwgOSKMzL6rivYGvFtl6v6Nu1VZiAbgbPipi0GQWh6ftKFBz6uX8qHe0DvfE63nWEudmTqf7Te-whjq87qIMxAQKGc2pPQNMXdWYZcfGW4g4/s400/DSC_0299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Railroad museums are another way history groups help interpret railroading to the general public.</b></span></div>
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Some chapters maintain historic structures to house their collections. Others may own static equipment displays, such as locomotives or cars, or assist in their maintenance. A select few may own operating locomotives that are used on special occasions or in museum service. This requires members willing to underwrite the cost of maintaining those physical assets, and volunteers to staff and maintain collections, equipment and museums. Volunteers are at a premium and those groups who have chosen this model often struggle with maintaining an active volunteer base.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Historic railroad equipment is a another example of preservation work by rail history organizations. </b></span></div>
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The aging demography of these organizations also factors in to their decline. While rail fandom is still a poplar hobby, attending group meetings is not. The internet is now the preferred social platform for the photographers and history buffs. A wide variety of groups exist on Facebook alone that cater to a specific railroad, method of operation, or collectable ephemera. No annual dues are required to join an internet group, and if you run into an obnoxious know-it-all you can always block them. The end result of this shift to the "unsocial" media is a shrinking membership base for physical groups and clubs. This in turn means fewer individuals willing to accept leadership roles to keep these groups going. In certain instances the groups can shoulder some of the blame themselves. Certain members hold leadership positions for decades and do little to groom leaders for the future. When they are willing to give up the reins of leadership no one is there to take them up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3G84UrN-XUC_KNn0-gZmC5hssUfdLO_2Ru1d7iwcOJqrr1Wxz4bY1OwnhtX7EE2NDZpJ3d2OShbH_FO_rhg9A_-qkF_E0J1jZpO9-xgDNw-93Pd2toeQdqyAe0v4RbdjMlYjD5Aa1Qg/s1600/symerton2015_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3G84UrN-XUC_KNn0-gZmC5hssUfdLO_2Ru1d7iwcOJqrr1Wxz4bY1OwnhtX7EE2NDZpJ3d2OShbH_FO_rhg9A_-qkF_E0J1jZpO9-xgDNw-93Pd2toeQdqyAe0v4RbdjMlYjD5Aa1Qg/s400/symerton2015_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Partnerships with governmental organizations can be useful in preserving and restoring stations and other structures.</b></span></div>
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This is the situation one of the organizations I belong to finds themselves in. With 36 local members no one appears to be willing to step in to take on the Chairmanship, and the Chicago chapter may cease to exist as of the end of 2016. Having volunteered as a board member and program director for another rail organization I do not see myself as a candidate. I'm sure the Chicago chapter is not alone in this dilemma. The national organizations are struggling with declining membership rolls and treasuries as well. Railroad history groups and clubs may disappear just like the many things that attracted people to the genre have as well. If these entities are to survive they will probably take a new form more suitable to the internet. Some groups who maintain historic collections continue to thrive and have well-attended annual meetings. Other small groups of fans gather for image presentations and socializing. This still requires an active group of volunteers to help make the events a success. And in the end, that is probably the critical element for survival.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGha49l1TG2ESeK4rxTZQOvVsSJlVvojzevbfXcz6ELLUeJFlV5aNXr3oWnYHuEtLEnxubz1S4RMxdd1-OkjfWaUjZpqKEhXRftJIRs8hFYwquuaBJKUFR6fGulnv3F7dIbQjNUXCICA/s1600/s-l100011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGha49l1TG2ESeK4rxTZQOvVsSJlVvojzevbfXcz6ELLUeJFlV5aNXr3oWnYHuEtLEnxubz1S4RMxdd1-OkjfWaUjZpqKEhXRftJIRs8hFYwquuaBJKUFR6fGulnv3F7dIbQjNUXCICA/s400/s-l100011.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Membership dues help to pay for publications that highlight the history of railroading. Many of the articles are well researched and academic in nature. This important service would be lost if the organizations who support it were to disappear.</b></span></div>
Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-28457117608412804262016-04-19T09:07:00.000-07:002016-04-19T09:07:40.611-07:00Dinkies, Dummies, Scoots & Plugs<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> A</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> "dummy" train on Chicago's North
side. The word "dummy" became synonymous for many early commuter trains.</span></span></span></span></div>
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The lexicon of railroading is filled with unusual words that constitute a foreign language to those outside of the industry. This post's title refers to the various names associated with commuter service in Chicago.<br />
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At a point early in the history of Chicago, railroads large and small provided some sort of "accommodation" trains for the convenience of city and suburban residents. These all-stop locals were at first the only efficient means for people to travel longer distances within the urban area. As more residents moved out of the city proper the demand for more frequent and faster service arose. To meet this demand the railroads developed special purpose locomotives and passenger cars specifically for commuter service. Rather than subject suburbanites to an arduous journey of the train stopping at every station, express services were offered.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2awH-dT-k8aPrfNPsBLQ99jHYJwXTQXrqB3qWBQo_o7iX4jF3OzviYteBeSqTAinVHMTLJ5KKEp4W8LJMZKks6P9G-u38EukRjXUd2woSY2myrH89vsCdJXPtpcf8tOuJ3jfXPaOAOiE/s1600/21167742346_b2583f8260_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2awH-dT-k8aPrfNPsBLQ99jHYJwXTQXrqB3qWBQo_o7iX4jF3OzviYteBeSqTAinVHMTLJ5KKEp4W8LJMZKks6P9G-u38EukRjXUd2woSY2myrH89vsCdJXPtpcf8tOuJ3jfXPaOAOiE/s400/21167742346_b2583f8260_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">Early commuter train in suburban Oak Park.</span></span></div>
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The railroads never turned a great profit from commuter trains. Many of the smaller carriers dropped their commuter trains early in the 20th Century to focus on freight and/or long distance passenger trains. The larger players: the Illinois Central, Burlington, Milwaukee Road, North Western, Wabash, C&WI and GM&O stayed in the market. The last three on that list were minor players, but the first four developed robust operations that moved thousands of passengers on a daily basis. There were also three major electric interurban operations that provided a sort of competitive service to the steam railroads. Many city stations disappeared as horse cars, then cable cars and finally streetcars pushed further out and the city annexed suburbs. The Elevated train lines further sapped passengers who opted for a longer ride and cheaper fares. The suburbs became the bread and butter of commuter operations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn8WOLh7kWHCgRihqNuGlnUcz3ZwFwvjOtX02cyQJzezCveo3X7mzyyyJW1K5qaZ_vlmeQx5JJ1SAHH_aVg9_0gIzkuFLTk0rcLptcRD2Yn_JjPikBadTg7SlnPp9zv-C0GeuHM7qVeo/s1600/rock+islan+sub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFn8WOLh7kWHCgRihqNuGlnUcz3ZwFwvjOtX02cyQJzezCveo3X7mzyyyJW1K5qaZ_vlmeQx5JJ1SAHH_aVg9_0gIzkuFLTk0rcLptcRD2Yn_JjPikBadTg7SlnPp9zv-C0GeuHM7qVeo/s400/rock+islan+sub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: yellow;">A Rock Island suburban train powered by a Forney-type locomotive in the late 1800's. The locomotive was designed to run in either direction, eliminating the time consuming task of turning the locomotive to face forward.</span></span></span></div>
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Each small village with a train station blossomed into bedroom suburbs in the 1920's as families sought to move away from the crowded city to more idyllic surroundings. The Great Depression upended this movement, and the railroads sought to economize their operations. The resulting decline in the quality of service became a constant source of complaints for those who still depended on the trains. World War II brought back the passengers, but the railroads continued to rely aging and outdated equipment. With the focus being the movement of freight for the wartime effort, commuter service became the ugly stepchild or railroading.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsUTaIVQPnt59JcrC0werUMCkYvWDEUL2kzmpwD83KP8hkIkPlUyfZBj8FqIUo_ahhXUfncqrTXmn5J_LWqoHMwdqx_qIyct-sMhOV-8Y-V3kv37Rp_Bhr7WSF4XuSiExajChsaYNIO4/s1600/PHOTO+-+CHICAGO+-+TRAINS+-+STEAM+ENGINES+PULLING+PASSENGER+TRAINS+-+AERIAL+-+c1950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsUTaIVQPnt59JcrC0werUMCkYvWDEUL2kzmpwD83KP8hkIkPlUyfZBj8FqIUo_ahhXUfncqrTXmn5J_LWqoHMwdqx_qIyct-sMhOV-8Y-V3kv37Rp_Bhr7WSF4XuSiExajChsaYNIO4/s400/PHOTO+-+CHICAGO+-+TRAINS+-+STEAM+ENGINES+PULLING+PASSENGER+TRAINS+-+AERIAL+-+c1950.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">This typical post-World War II scene shows Chicago & North Western trains during rush hour. The steam locomotives and single level coaches would soon be replaced during a spate of fleet modernizations.</span></span></div>
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Postwar saw the pent up need for housing blossom into a mass exodus from the city, but now the interstate highway and expressway system became the driving force. Unlike other cities that saw their commuter rail succumb to the supremacy of the private automobile, the Chicago railroads modernized in an attempt to stem the flow of patrons. Steam locomotives were replaced by diesels, new bi-level commuter cars entered service on a number of lines. In reality, the expressway system would never have been able to handle the volume of traffic if the railroads were to have discontinued commuter operations. A certain clientele continued to enjoy the convenience of riding the train during rush hour, and the hourly frequency of non-peak trains by the major carriers allowed people to conveniently travel downtown or between suburbs.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the advent of dieselization, the concept of "Push-Pull" service was implemented. The bi-level coaches included some with operating cabs, which allowed the Engineer to operate the train pushed from the rear by the locomotive. Both the CB&Q and the C&NW were pioneers in this form of operation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The Rock Island experimented with an Italian railcar designed by Fiat with the idea of lowering operating costs.</span></span></div>
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Other problems loomed large in the rail industry that would eventually impact commuter service. As profits dropped in intercity passenger and freight, the bottom line that allowed the railroads to fund commuter trains eroded. The new equipment of the 1950's and 1960's began to show their age, and no private money existed to replace them. Maintenance of the physical plant of the various railroads became virtually non-existent. The railroads exited the intercity passenger market with the establishment of Amtrak, and a few railroads teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Two of the electric interurbans went belly up. In the 1960's and 70's the voters of six counties formed the Regional Transportation Authority to serve as a conduit for public funding of the commuter railroads.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: yellow;">The Blue Island station on the IC Electric is a good example of the deteriorated state of the commuter rail system by the 1960's.</span></span></span></div>
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The defining moment of change was the bankruptcy of the Milwaukee Road. The Regional Transportation Authority stepped in to assume the Milwaukee Road's commuter operations. The Rock Island was the next domino to fall. Eventually the RTA would assume operation of all the commuter lines, save the North Western and the Burlington. In the case of those two railroads the RTA provided operational funding while the railroads provided crews and initially equipment. Today the region's commuter operations are under the purview of Metra, the RTA's commuter rail subsidiary. The RTA has funded new equipment, physical upgrades and extensions of service on existing lines and new startups.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prior to the RTA, Suburban communities formed Mass Transit Districts in order to qualify for Federal funding for new equipment. Both the Milwaukee Road and the IC benefited from this arrangement.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The RTA began to replace the older locomotives used by the railroads, many of them refugees from the defunct intercity passenger fleets. The EMD F40 was designed specifically for commuter as well as Amtrak service.</span></span></div>
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Counties and communities that are part of the service area contribute a percentage of Metra's operating budget. That budget also includes other sources of tax revenue and cash recovery from the fare box. Commuter rail continues to struggle with funding issues due to an unstable State economy, parsimonious politicians in Washington, and an economic decline that led to a loss in passenger revenue. Fares have been raised to help defray operating costs as well a fund new equipment and other necessary upgrades to the system. The unfunded mandate for Positive Train Control carries a multi-million dollar price tag that saps resources from other needs.<br />
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So, whether you ride a Dinky, Dummy, Scoot or Plug you are a participant in the ongoing story of commuter trains in Chicago.Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-57537639023571879502016-02-14T07:07:00.000-08:002016-07-09T13:55:32.754-07:00Electrification<div style="text-align: center;">
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On February 12, 2016 Metra, the Chicago area commuter rail agency, retired the last set of "Highliner" electric powered multiple unit rail cars. In honor of this auspicious occasion Player With Railroads revisits the why and how of Chicago's only electric commuter rail service.<br />
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On July 21, 1919 the City of Chicago passed the "Lake Front Ordinance" providing for electrification of the Illinois Central Railroad's suburban commuter service by 1927, freight service north of Roosevelt Rd by 1930 and south between Roosevelt Rd. and the city limits by 1935. The eventual goal was the electrification of both the IC's and the Michigan Central Railroads' freight and intercity passenger service by the 1940's.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Steam era image of IC's Randolph Street commuter terminal.</span></b></span></div>
The impetus for the ordinance was the smoke generated by thousands of steam locomotives operating in and out of the city as well as the numerous switch engines working in yards and industries scattered around the city. It was felt that eliminating steam locomotives along the lakefront would go a long way to improve the air quality in the city. No other railroad was made a party to the ordinance.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Track elevation.</b></span></span></div>
The scope of the project was enormous. It was what today we might call an "unfunded mandate" as the majority of the costs were borne by the railroad. The tracks between 67th Street and the end of the line in Richton were elevated above street level. In some cases the fill used to construct the embankments came from other improvement projects the IC had undertaken along their route south of the city. At grade crossings with other railroads were eliminated for reasons of both safety and efficiency. The grade level crossing to the South Chicago branch was eliminated and replaced by a tunnel that ran underneath the freight and passenger main line tracks and descended to the grade level tracks of the branch. The largest and most complicated of these grade separation projects was at Grand Crossing, dubbed "the most dangerous railroad crossing in the world".<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grand Crossing grade seperation project.</b></span></span></div>
The right of way was widened and additional tracks added with provisions for even more tracks to accommodate future growth. A massive modern classification yard called "Markham" was built between Harvey and Homewood, IL, and designed to replace a number of smaller yards in Chicago. Markham, located far outside Chicago's city limits, remained a bastion of steam until the advent of diesel electric locomotives.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Markham Yard (click on image for a larger view).</b></span></span></div>
The electrical distribution was achieved by a 1500 volt DC system delivered to the overhead wires that powered the trains via 7 electrical substations owned by Commonwealth Edison. High voltage Alternating Current was fed into the substations where it was "rectified" to the lower voltage Direct Current. The substations also provided for the low voltage AC needs of the railroad such as lighting for stations and facilities, wayside signals and electrically operated switches at interlockings. Steel "cantenary" structures were erected every 300 feet to support the overhead wire system that delivered power to the cars. The cantenary supported not only the wires for DC and AC systems, but also the new signals and circuit control systems and communication lines.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brookdale Substation</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Right of way near 43rd Street.</span></b></span></div>
Many of the IC's Victorian stations used during the steam powered commuter days were demolished and replaced with more utilitarian structures more suited to urban rapid transit use. The new cars were designed for high level platforms rather than ground loading. Rather than having passengers climb steps into the cars, the high level platforms allowed for direct entry into the cars cutting down loading times and speeding up schedules.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The 22nd Street Station was one of many stations that disappeared after electrification.</span></b></span></div>
There was minimal electrification of the freight yards in the downtown Loop business district and yards on the near south side. There were also some nascent diesel locomotives employed on the South Chicago branch for switching online industries. The rapid development of the diesel locomotive would bring an end to any idea of further electrification beyond the suburban commuter service as they satisfied the requirements of the Ordinance.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Electric freight locomotive near 35th Street.</b></span></span></div>
The new multiple unit cars (MU), so called because coupled units of multiple cars could be controlled by the motorman from a single control cab, were built by the Pullman Company in their south side plant along the IC mainline. The cars were designed as motor car and trailer sets, with pairs coupled into longer trains of up to 8 cars. The motor cars were equipped with a pantograph that drew electricity from the overhead wires when raised. The pantograph could be lowered or raised by the engineer in the cab, or with a special insulated pole in the event failure of the automatic system. The cars were equipped with special couplers that carried the electrical connections for control as well as the air connections for brakes. The cars could be coupled and uncoupled by the engineer in the control cab as well as manually outside the train. Despite not being powered, the coaches had a duplicate control cab making the cars bi-directional without having to turn them. The IC had briefly considered the idea of using electrically powered locomotives with unpowered coaches, but eventually chose the MU equipment.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pullman Multiple Unit motor car and trailer.</span></b></span></div>
What the new Pullman cars did not have was air conditioning and bathrooms. When they were replaced by the new double-decked "Highliner" cars beginning in 1971 air conditioning was included, but not bathrooms. Commuters would have to wait for the delivery of the latest version of the Highliners to have someplace to take care of business.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Electrification Day celebration.</b></span></span></div>
August 27, 1926 was a day of celebration as electric service was initiated. The massive civil engineering project that was undertaken brought fast, efficient and clean mass transportation to Chicago. The retirement of the second series of equipment by Metra, successor to the Illinois Central, marks the ongoing improvement of a system that has served commuters from the the south side and southern suburbs for 80 years. Much of the physical system remains in place and will continue to be upgraded as public funds permit. This is a credit to the quality of design and construction built into the original project.Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-70958456214789726762015-11-27T21:40:00.002-08:002015-11-27T21:44:20.462-08:00The Care and Feeding of the Steam Locomotive<br />
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The steam locomotive has often been portrayed as a living beast, with steaming breath and a voracious appetite for coal to feed it's fires. The steam locomotive was an intricate piece of machinery with thousands of moving parts that required constant servicing and maintenance. To accomplish this the railroads established facilities and shops that employed hundreds of employees with specialized skills. These shops dotted the landscapes in cities and towns across the country and Chicago being the focal point of so many railroads, was no exception.<br />
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The essential component of any servicing facility was the roundhouse. They varied in size and number, depending on the volume of locomotives using the rail yards they operated from. The roundhouse was a semicircular structure that surrounded a pivoting piece of track mounted on something similar to a bridge girder. The turntable could rotate 360 degrees to line up with any track that led into an individual stall in the roundhouse. It also allowed for the locomotive to be "turned" so that the front of the locomotive faced the desired direction pf travel. The tender, that part of the locomotive used to store the coal to fuel it, was meant to be behind the the locomotive when it was attached to the train.<br />
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The roundhouse was used for basic servicing, such as inspection, cleaning and lubrication. Located near the roundhouse were water tanks, coaling and sand towers. The locomotives were moved around the servicing area by employees known as "hostlers". The hostler would move the locomotive in and out of the roundhouse and position it to take on water, coal and sand. Sand was critical for giving the locomotive traction on the steel rails, especially when starting the train from a standing stop.<br />
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Larger servicing facilities also included "back shops". This collection of buildings was used for heavy repairs and rebuilding. Many of the larger railroads modified locomotives to modernize them. Some even had the facilities to build their own locomotives. The back shop would include buildings with heavy duty overhead cranes used to disassemble a locomotive. There were boiler shops where boilers were "retubed" to extend their life. New steel tires were added to the drivers to replace the worn ones. The final step in the heavy servicing would be a trip to the paint shop for a fresh coat.<br />
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Steam locomotives required frequent service. Upon the return from each trip on passenger or freight the locomotive would receive the required service. There was a prescribed maintenance schedule the railroads followed set forth by the Federal government. Federal inspectors insured that the railroads adhered to the scheduled maintenance. Each locomotive represented a major investment on the part of the railroad. Many locomotives would be modified and rebuilt to extend their life and improve their performance as new technologies were developed.<br />
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All this work amounted to a huge specialized workforce: sheet metal workers, machinists, boiler makers, carpenters and so on. The advent of the diesel locomotive changed this. The diesel did not require the constant maintenance the steam engine did. They could operate for longer periods of time with little more than refueling and minimal inspection. The railroads embraced the new technology once it was shown to improve the basic bottom line of operations. Those facilities and people that were needed to take care of and feed the great iron beasts were no longer needed. The railroad drastically reduced their work forces and would abandon and eventually demolish the acres of buildings once dedicated to steam engines.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-88143626272378666632015-09-11T15:35:00.001-07:002015-09-11T15:42:56.237-07:00The Grandest Station of All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Grand Central Station in Chicago is now a distant memory to many of the remaining few who may have used or seen the station. In its place there is a vacant lot that is a reminder of the fortunes of railroads and passenger trains in the years following World War II. It is also a reminder of the lack of civic appreciation for those grand structures that have outlived their original purpose. Grand Central was not Chicago's busiest train station, but was the most architecturally significant of the 6 major terminals that helped to define the railroad capital on the nation. It hosted a group of minor players in the railroad passenger market and was relatively small in terms of the number of loading tracks (6).<br />
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Construction of Grand Central was begun in 1889 for the Wisconsin Central Railroad (WC) on the southwest corner of Harrison and Wells Street (then called Fifth Avenue). It was located adjacent to the South branch of the Chicago River and built to replace a temporary station near that location. Architect Solon S. Beman was chosen for the project, likely based on his designs of the Pullman factory complex and town built between 1880 and 1881. Beman chose a Norman Castellated style for the structure featuring an immense 247 foot bell and clock tower.<br />
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Built of brick, brownstone and granite it featured imposing arches, crenellations and a profusion of turrets along its walls. An arched carriage court faced Harrison Street. Confronted with the city's swampy soil conditions Beman placed the tower on a floating foundation supported by pilings sunk 55 feet deep. This foundation supported the weight of the tower, including its 11,000 pound bell that was designed to ring on the hour. The tower included a 15 foot clock, at one time one of the largest in the United States. The station headhouse was 228 feet wide by 482 feet long. The interior was finished with the finest materials, including marble and stained glass. The building also included a 100-room hotel that only lasted until 1901.<br />
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Beyond the station was the 6 track train shed covered with a self-supporting steel and glass structure, among the largest in the world and an engineering marvel in its own right. Opened on December 8, 1890, the final cost upon completion was 1 million dollars. During its construction the station and trackage were purchased from the Wisconsin Central by the Northern Pacific Railway, who sought access to the Chicago market. Their ownership was equally short-lived as the railroad went bankrupt in 1893 and was forced to sell the station and their Chicago trackage to one of the station's tenants, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). The B&O created a subsidiary called the Baltimore and Ohio Terminal Railroad to control the tracks from Forest Park to Blue Island, including the stations tracks.<br />
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The station would eventually be host to the B&O, the Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Marie (aka Soo Line, successor to the WC), the Pere Marquette and the Chicago & Great Western. At its peak it saw only 40 daily intercity trains. These roads comprised the smallest share of the railroad passenger market in the city. Political leaders in Chicago began to agitate for a consolidation of railroad passenger operations into one terminal, a project that never came to fruition. Stations like Grand Central were perceived to be obsolescent white elephants rather than the grand palaces of transportation envisioned by their builders. The contraction of intercity rail passenger service in the late '50s and '60's would do what the city planners could not. The railroads were forced to consolidate their trains into Union and Northwestern Stations for reasons of economy. Intercity passenger trains began operating under the auspices of Amtrak in 1971. In 1969, the year Grand Central closed, an average of only 210 passengers passed through its doors on a daily basis.<br />
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B&O closed the doors of the station on Saturday November 8, 1969. The building would stand abandoned until it met its date with the wrecker's ball in 1971. People may question the wanton destruction of an obviously valuable landmark and it comes down to this simple explanation: taxes. Land with a building is considered improved land and taxed at a higher rate than vacant land. Railroads are a business, and that does not include architectural preservation of an unused asset. The City of Chicago has been notably shortsighted in the preservation of its architectural heritage, and no one stepped forward to preserve the station for future generations. It appears there may have actually been an agreement between the railroad and the South Park Commission to turn the area into parkland. This never happened and the land is still languishing and waiting for development. A portion of the land formerly occupied by tracks is now the site of a housing complex known as River City, designed by noted architect Betrand Goldberg.<br />
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Numerous ideas have been proposed for the land, including a casino. One of the more interesting pipe dreams is a plan to build a station for high speed rail service. The architectural renderings evoke the memory of the old station and its clock tower. For now, all we have are weeds and memories.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b>Proposed High Speed railroad station at the site of Grand Central Station</b></span></div>
Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-75032780941633034002015-09-10T21:25:00.002-07:002015-09-10T21:40:08.018-07:00A Little Railroad in a Big City<br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: small;"><b>The design of this Illinois Northern steam engine was typical for switch</b></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow; font-size: small;"><b>engines that operated at lower speeds and required greater tractive effort.</b></span></div>
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Being the historic railroad center of the nation, Chicago hosted many of the major players in the railroad landscape. The city was also home to a number of smaller industrial and transfer railroads that played an equally important role in the movement of raw materials and finished products for interchange with the larger railroads.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: small;"><b>Illinois Northern's McCormick freight transfer station.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b></span></span> </div>
The Illinois Northern was one of those railroads, only 8.45 miles in length including main and yard tracks, it was incorporated on May 15th in 1901. It was initially owned by the International Harvester Corporation, who would eventually go on to lease the railroad to a consortium of other railroads. Built to service the massive McCormick works on the city's near-South side, it eventually included other industries that located in the immediate area.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: small;"><b>A partial aerial view of International Harvester's McCormick Works.</b></span></div>
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In 1902 portions of the railroad were leased to the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the Chicago & Illinois Western Railroad and the Chicago Junction Railway. Each railroad paid a proportionate share of taxes and maintenance as part of the lease agreements. Aside from International Harvester a number of industries were enticed to locate along the tracks, attracted by rail access and proximity to the South branch of the Chicago River. Water was often an essential element in manufacturing and this ad for the railroad touts proximity to both the river and the Chicago drainage canal, built in the late 1800's to reverse the flow of the Chicago river system to remove the city's sewage from the lake. Notable as well is the number of railroads the IN interchanged with.<br />
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The Santa Fe would later become the sole owner of the IN which would eventually transfer to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe via merger. As industry slowly disappeared along the line the BNSF petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment in 1999. Two shippers protested the petition, which was declined by the ICC. In 2001 the Central Illinois Railroad leased and assumed operations of the IN which continued until they declared financial losses in 2010, whereupon the BNSF resumed operation and subsequently abandoned the service.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XKY9tm73zDshHj-mw_56dBccu2x5NEVG2krj6bVmysnIer4D2cR_ojDPRDSgoGufza_jv4sQa7VW-8F7m-0FnWEHceXhmdVQEcW3FXlrsy_Lr_otorX365kTSGEPcjd_wZQ5vLFsysk/s1600/little_p1250534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XKY9tm73zDshHj-mw_56dBccu2x5NEVG2krj6bVmysnIer4D2cR_ojDPRDSgoGufza_jv4sQa7VW-8F7m-0FnWEHceXhmdVQEcW3FXlrsy_Lr_otorX365kTSGEPcjd_wZQ5vLFsysk/s400/little_p1250534.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: small;"><b>Illinois Northern swing bridge over the Sanitary and Ship Canal.</b></span></div>
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While the tracks have since been removed, one reminder of the line still exists and is designated as an official Chicago landmark. The double track swing bridge, one of the few of this type remaining in the city, was built by the Sanitary District as part of construction of the drainage canal and today known as the Sanitary and Ship Canal. The Pratt through truss bridge, built in 1897 by the Keystone Bridge Company, stands as a testament to a small railroad that played a major role in Chicago's industrial history.Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-22672853279318198182015-01-18T16:44:00.001-08:002015-01-19T07:58:22.412-08:00Death Rides the Rails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Henry Keckeisen's death certificate</span></b></span></div>
Railroading can be a dangerous profession. When I worked for the railroad I had a number of what I would call "near death" experiences where my life could have been forfeit if not for luck or a quick thinking coworker. I recently received an email from someone who had read this blog and wanted to share the story of her great grandfather. It is a story that has been repeated all to often over the years.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pere Marquette locomotive taking on water</span></b></span></div>
Henry Keckeisen was a locomotive engineer for the Pere Marquette Railroad in Chicago in 1909. The Pere Marquette operated passenger trains out of Grand Central Station. On August 11th, 1909 Keckeisen was backing his locomotive down to the station in poor visibility. This movement required him to put his head out of the locomotive cab window to improve his visibility. It's first important to understand that the steam locomotive did not afford much opportunity for good visibility when operating it in either direction. The boiler to the front and the coal/water tender to the rear were large obstructions to the engineer's sight lines. Both the engineer and fireman would be sticking their heads out the cab windows to watch for interlocking signals and the proper positioning of switches for their movement. Given the poor visibility of the day Keckeisen's attention would have been focused on that task.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Water spout</b></span></span></div>
What he did not see was the water spout that had been left in the lowered position rather than stored in an upright one. Steam locomotives required copious amount of coal and water, and it was the responsibility of the fireman or locomotive hostler to fill the tender with these commodities and safely stow the chutes and spouts after use. I would assume that Keckeisen was in the engine terminal where these supplies were found. In that case all the switches that he would have to safely move his locomotive over were hand operated and could be left lined in any position. One of the cardinal rules of railroading is to ensure that all switches are properly lined for safe movement.<br />
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<span style="color: yellow;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Typical track arrangement in a railroad yard with hand operated switches</span></b></span></div>
Keckeisen was struck in the head by the lowered water spout and died of his injuries two days later. We do not know if the spout had been inadvertently left down by a distracted employee or if there was a mechanical problem that would not allow it to be raised into a safe position. He left a widow, Francis, and a young child. The tragedy was compounded 13 days later when his wife Francis succumbed to tuberculosis. Henry was 28 and his wife was 29. Five year old Earl Edward was left an orphan in the care of his 85 year old grandfather, and later his aunt.<br />
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On August 17th a lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County against the Pere Marquette and the Chicago Terminal Transfer Company, owner of the tracks for the amount of $10,000 by Francis. After her death the lawsuit was pursued by Keckeisen's father and sister. Henry Sr. also petitioned for burial expenses which were paid. In 1910 the railroads offered a $3,000 out-of-court settlement which the lawyers urged the family to accept. After court and legal expenses they received a little over $2,000.<br />
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In an era before the Federal Railroad Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, there appears to be no more than a cursory investigation into the cause of this fatal accident. Today, private law firms specializing in railroad injury and death claims are available to employees and their survivors. Railroad Retirement provides death and survivor benefits. Federal regulatory agencies carefully monitor railroad safety and will levy fines against railroads for violations. Despite all this, the job remains inherently dangerous. Railroads still continue to try to coerce employees and families into settlements to avoid costly litigation. Many railroaders today still define a good day at work as when you can come home and haven't gotten fired or killed.<br />
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Special thanks to Cathy Keckeisen Razor for the information used in this post.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-32389424072859124882014-12-13T14:56:00.000-08:002018-09-09T12:02:36.337-07:00The Saga of LaSalle Street Station<span style="background-color: orange;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1851 the
Chicago and Rock Island Railroad incorporated and began construction of a line between
Chicago and Joliet, which was completed in 1852. That same year the Northern Indiana and
Chicago Railroad reached Chicago, the first Eastern railroad to reach the city.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnCTCcG68ucomr6BmF5CLfo7qehI-ASXaLP7OAVc8lcPvzZi9jIF7QrLyjfZBq-eNEAsx3FswXGVij-D9BlN0aXq_UIHychyphenhyphenxRIz7xg0nyhPUaqM2SLM-FIr1udaa4veak77slqbyQ70/s1600/lsms+depot+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnCTCcG68ucomr6BmF5CLfo7qehI-ASXaLP7OAVc8lcPvzZi9jIF7QrLyjfZBq-eNEAsx3FswXGVij-D9BlN0aXq_UIHychyphenhyphenxRIz7xg0nyhPUaqM2SLM-FIr1udaa4veak77slqbyQ70/s1600/lsms+depot+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> This 1862 map shows the first station.</b></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first LaSalle
Street station was constructed at the foot of Van Buren Street at L</span>aSalle
Street and opened on May 22, 1852 coinciding with the completion of the Northern
Indiana and Chicago. The Rock Island began using the station soon after on
October 1, 1852. The NI&C would later become the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern Railway (LS&MS), a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad,
and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P). Both companies
shared a right-of-way to the terminal north of their intersection at Junction
Grove, later known as Englewood. There appears to
be no illustrations o<span style="font-family: inherit;">r</span> photographs of the first station, although it does
appear on early maps. It was probably a
humble structure made of wood, similar to other early railroad stations in the
city’s central business district. With
the rapid growth of passenger traffic a larger station was called for, and
construction of the new building began on April 16th of 1866.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1XE23y-IHejkDb3worGQwD_3Hc_-1Dl_vql4pxC_BCRWYAUKB1JbIQMIMo4Ck-9ipxCk2AAPiwh8HCG8y-LQiYu70019bnGSPtNRQYe4iIrn3FEu-2EVY1xJzABww9EAM1gCMjlo5m8/s1600/William_W._Boyington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1XE23y-IHejkDb3worGQwD_3Hc_-1Dl_vql4pxC_BCRWYAUKB1JbIQMIMo4Ck-9ipxCk2AAPiwh8HCG8y-LQiYu70019bnGSPtNRQYe4iIrn3FEu-2EVY1xJzABww9EAM1gCMjlo5m8/s1600/William_W._Boyington.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrkrkDJasfAN6fIii2FQvSr9V8YyR9QVp202ncjit-6guD8WRqQL4z_WZjUCWi4ENcYayVoZTqAi9O4ADc3kSJKNf6b0GfjlKoVP2fM2Jcs_9FdxIW3b4FpEP8HxEtA5fS5rZgUJwS-8/s1600/old+lasalle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrkrkDJasfAN6fIii2FQvSr9V8YyR9QVp202ncjit-6guD8WRqQL4z_WZjUCWi4ENcYayVoZTqAi9O4ADc3kSJKNf6b0GfjlKoVP2fM2Jcs_9FdxIW3b4FpEP8HxEtA5fS5rZgUJwS-8/s1600/old+lasalle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <b>Architect Boyington and his masterwork.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Completed in
November of 1866, it was designed by architect W.W. Boyington. Boyington is
best known as the architect of the iconic Chicago Water Tower. Designed in the
“Franco-Italian” style, the station building measured 542 feet by 160
feet. The balloon type train shed roof
spanned five tracks, three tracks for departing trains and two for trains
arriving. The Howe Truss roof stood 60 feet above the platforms and was covered
with slate. The west side of the building contained a number of rooms for the
accommodations of travelers waiting for the departure of trains. These rooms
connected with the platform within the depot, and fronted on Sherman and
Griswold streets. Each railroad using the depot had baggage rooms, oil and lamp
rooms, conductors’ room, and large waiting “apartments” for ladies and
gentlemen. There were rooms for second class passengers and immigrants, as well
as a restaurant and ladies dining room. The
Van Buren Street facade featured a frescoed entrance hall. On the east side of
this hall were the offices of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana
Railroad Company. On the west side of the hall were the offices of the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The fire ravaged remnants of the station.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Great Chicago
Fire of October 1871 destroyed the station, which was rebuilt and expanded with
additional stories shortly afterwards. From its completion in 1882, the New
York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road) ran over the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern Railway from a junction at Grand Crossing
neighborhood north to downtown Chicago, where it had its own terminal south of
LaSalle Street Station at 12<sup>th</sup> Street. The LS&MS quickly gained
control of the Nickel Plate, and later allowed it into its LaSalle Street
Station as a tenant. The station was also served by a direct link to the
elevated rapid transit system.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9beH0LWaVvsULS5pEX0ebxOjSeUxlER4GM45cOzo6Pmaz4Zr_gSMtCXB9Sc_EV4d3aXfzFZ3NxtTgBTOEMl6XtkeF2lqi9ActpLEP2XUSLwY8SLe1ylxvKH9wUvUhsi9W1dCQP2kQjc/s1600/OLDLSLE.BMP" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9beH0LWaVvsULS5pEX0ebxOjSeUxlER4GM45cOzo6Pmaz4Zr_gSMtCXB9Sc_EV4d3aXfzFZ3NxtTgBTOEMl6XtkeF2lqi9ActpLEP2XUSLwY8SLe1ylxvKH9wUvUhsi9W1dCQP2kQjc/s1600/OLDLSLE.BMP" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The rebuilt and expanded station.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-55O4XFZXzdUkdp6I5zi4u_bwLK5TRI3e7IhXkei_VpiKbJwEkQoooJRSWBIiyuVdL2H98QA2TvwkrOyPS9EodyNk9rKyJf6zv-FPCyjBettrQDdt-Yg9jePtvIoOUwh9zaY9WD4l10/s1600/elevated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-55O4XFZXzdUkdp6I5zi4u_bwLK5TRI3e7IhXkei_VpiKbJwEkQoooJRSWBIiyuVdL2H98QA2TvwkrOyPS9EodyNk9rKyJf6zv-FPCyjBettrQDdt-Yg9jePtvIoOUwh9zaY9WD4l10/s1600/elevated.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The direct connection with the elevated train was a major advertising point.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">On December 20<sup>th</sup>
1901 the trains using the station were shifted over to Grand Central Station
and the post-fire station was demolished to make way for a new station designed
by the architectural firm of Frost and Granger. The initial plans called for an
8-story steel-framed office building with a station on the first three levels.
By the time construction started an additional 4 stories were added. The construction of the station coincided
with the raising of the platform tracks above street level. The station design included a massive balloon
shed covering eleven tracks. The
limestone facade of the old station was ground up and used in the concrete for
the foundation of the new station. The
station opened for business in May 1903, and cost close to $2,000,000.</span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Plaster model of the station's initial design.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Construction photographs.</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ykWvk6yycDCrzYE_h9727xFJxVKkxv1X_eM_W9QZ6vGECZAKxVuHlnhrbY5E92Whw1vd8fqsWNqMPdJU6CW6nlfIJ8e1mctFHsFXy7pw8tvoZDrb4EaEjhNmmtXGvCvgqEp03OJ_4Do/s1600/new+lasalle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ykWvk6yycDCrzYE_h9727xFJxVKkxv1X_eM_W9QZ6vGECZAKxVuHlnhrbY5E92Whw1vd8fqsWNqMPdJU6CW6nlfIJ8e1mctFHsFXy7pw8tvoZDrb4EaEjhNmmtXGvCvgqEp03OJ_4Do/s1600/new+lasalle.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Postcard images and photographs of the station's exterior.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photographs of the station's interior.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Among the most
famous name trains that terminated at LaSalle were the New York Central's 20th
Century Limited from 1902 until 1967 and the Rock Island-Southern Pacific
Golden State Limited from 1902 until 1968.
Most intercity rail service at La Salle ended on May 1, 1971 when Amtrak
consolidated long-distance services at Union Station. Rock Island opted out of
Amtrak and continued to operate intercity service from LaSalle until 1978. The
station was a set for Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 North by Northwest, starring Cary
Grant and Eva Marie Saint, and in the 1973 movie The Sting starring Paul Newman
and Robert Redford.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The New York Central's and Rock Island's crack passenger trains operated out of the station.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Rock Island
fell on hard times in the 1960’s and filed for bankruptcy on March 17, 1975,
and the station continued to serve as a commuter terminal while the bankruptcy
wound its way through the courts. The
plight of the Rock and other commuter services was impetus for the formation of
the Regional Transportation Authority in 1974.
In 1980 the bankruptcy judge liquidated the assets of the railroad, completely
ending operations on March 31, 1980. The
RTA purchased the commuter service that did not include the station, which had
become decrepit after years of deferred maintenance. In 1984 the RTA created Metra as the
operating agency for Chicago’s regional commuter railroad service.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>By the time the RTA assumed commuter operations the station had become decrepit.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Chicago Pacific Corporation, a shell
corporation, was created from the remains of the railroad to sell off its
assets including the station. The
station was then sold to the Chicago Board of Options Exchange who demolished
it in 1981 and replaced it with a new office tower and trading floor. This essentially severed the former station's link with Van Buren Street and pushed the platforms south of Congress Parkway. Exit from the station is now accomplished by two narrow enclosed corridors on the LaSalle Street and Financial Place sides of the new building. A small “station” was added to the building
in 1984.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>LaSalle Street Station was replaced by One Financial Place.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1985 the Chicago
Pacific Corp. announced plans with other landholders to develop 150 acres in
the area that would require the station to be moved two more blocks south and a
block east. Other plans called for Metra
to move the Rock Island service to Union Station to accommodate the development
plans. Yet another plan called for the
tracks to be depressed below grade along with the platforms and waiting room. Competing
studies weighed the merits of these plans, but Metra and the RTA balked and brought
public and political pressure on the developers to abandon their plans. Metra’s
plans for an improvement project to rehabilitate the platforms were stymied by
this battle. After two years Metra won
its battle and the tracks and platforms remained.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <b>Metra's present day LaSalle Street Station.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Viewed from
today’s perspective the continued presence of the tracks has not been a
hindrance to development in the area.
The plan to move the trains to Union Station would have proved to have been
a transit nightmare<span style="font-family: inherit;"> as </span>Union Station is now
at capacity. Although only Metra's Rock Island District trains now use LaSalle,
additional service is planned. Metra's proposed Southeast Service would
terminate at LaSalle, and Chicago's massive CREATE infrastructure improvement
program would allow trains from Metra's Southwest Service to use the terminal. In June 2011, The Chicago Department of
Transportation opened the LaSalle/Congress Intermodal Transfer Center alongside
the station as a bus terminal to serve people transferring to CTA buses as well
as Blue Line trains at LaSalle.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> The Chicago Transit Authority's Intermodal Transfer Center.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The final lesson in the history of LaSalle Street Station is the failure to incorporate a
new station into the Board of Options Building.
Commuters became an afterthought rather than an asset. When the Chicago & North Western Madison
Street Station was demolished it was replaced by an office building that
included a train station. The station is
filled with the kind of shops and restaurants that one would expect in a modern urban
transportation center. As it stands now
the present LaSalle Street Station is little more than a cattle trough with a
miniscule waiting room. At best it’s a
monument to missed opportunities to create a transportation nexus worthy of its
predecessors.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Development continues to take place despite the presence of the tracks to LaSalle Street Station.</b></span></span></span></div>
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Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-23335361942479702852014-11-02T19:11:00.000-08:002014-11-02T19:24:22.553-08:00The Chicago Railroad Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In 1948 and 1949 America's Railroads celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the first train to operate in Chicago with a grand public exhibition of their history and progress. The Chicago Railroad Fair represented a remarkable cooperative effort among the nation's railroads to depict the role of Chicago as the epicenter of the American railroad industry. Through an amazing display of equipment including more than 30 locomotives, as well as a daily pageant depicting the history of America's railroads, the public was given glimpse into the past, present and future of the rail industry.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Locomotive "Pioneer" Arrives at the Railroad Fair</span></b></div>
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The initial idea for the Fair was conceived by Francis V. Koval, the publicity manager for the Chicago & North Western Railroad, as a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first train to operate in Chicago in 1848. Koval imposed upon the Chicago Tribune to host a dinner for the various railroad presidents where the idea of a centennial celebration was presented. The Fair developed from that dinner meeting.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Major Lenox R. Lohr </b></span></div>
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The president the National Broadcasting Company and Museum of Science and Industry, Major Lenox R. Lohr, was elected president of the event. Lohr was a master a bringing together the various elements that were required for a successful event, with previous experience as business manager of the Century of Progress. Historian Ed Hungerford was hired to write the pageant script while the official song of the fair, "Wheels a-Rolling", was penned by Evanstonians Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Maxwell.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Sheet music for the Wheels a-Rolling theme song</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Past meets the present at the Fair</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>"The General", made famous by the Civil War chase</b></span></div>
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37 American railroads served as sponsors, subscribing $1.25 million to the effort. Additionally many lines provided rare equipment for display such as the "Stoubridge Lion" of 1829, the B&O's "William Mason", the famous Civil War locomotive "The General" as well as the C&NW's own "Pioneer" locomotive. The public was treated to a plethora of mighty modern steam locomotives as well as General Motors FT diesel locomotive that would radically change the railroad industry.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The grand parade on State Street</b></span> </div>
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The opening of the Fair was preceded by a gala parade held on July 19, 1948. Starting at Columbus Drive in Grant Park at 1:30 PM, the parade traveled up Jackson Boulevard to State Street then north to Wacker Drive. The widow of Casey Jones rode in an automobile at the head of the parade followed by floats, replica locomotives and a military contingent of Army, Navy, Marine and National Guard soldiers and sailors.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The main entrance of the Fair</b></span></div>
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The official opening of the fair began with a flag raising at 10 am on July 20th at the Fair's main entrance at 23rd Street, with Major Lohr presiding. The fair covered 50 acres between 20th and 30th Street, taking advantage of the abandoned fairgrounds from the Century of Progress Fair of 1933. Parking was provided for 1,800 automobiles, which represented an ironic bow to a form of transportation that would effectively destroy rail passenger service.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Recreation of the Golden Spike at the Wheels a-Rolling pageant</b></span> </div>
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Admission to the Fair was 25 cents, and another 60 cents for a ticket to the gala "Wheels a-Rolling" pageant. A narrow gauge train ride around the Fair cost 10 cents. The pageant consisted of 12 scenes, along with a prologue and epilogue, telling the dramatic story of America's rise from wilderness to mighty industrial nation victorious in war. Presented in an outdoor theater seating 6000 with Lake Michigan as the backdrop, 4 daily shows of one-and-a-quarter hours presented this grand story to millions of attendees.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Union Pacific EMD F3 diesel electric locomotive on display</b></span></div>
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At least 18 locomotives operated under their own power along with 220 performers with 18 different period costumes. Horse and motor driven vehicles were also included. 30 additional locomotives and pieces of equipment were part of the general exhibition outside the theater.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Passengers climb onto a San Francisco cable car.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>At one time Chicago had the largest cable car system in the country. </b></span></div>
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Visitors could ride an authentic San Francisco cable car, see American Indians perform at Santa Fe's Indian village, see a rodeo or visit "Florida in Chicago" compliments of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> American Indians perform native dances at the Fair</b></span></div>
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The Fair proved so popular it was reprised in 1949, and represented a sort of last public hurrah by the rail industry. The Second World War saw America's railroads perform a stellar job of moving freight and passengers under great duress. Wartime restrictions on modernization had placed the railroads in a poor competitive position to deal with the rise of the automobile, airline and trucking industries. By the 1950's the creation of the interstate highway system and the continued application of restrictive regulations on railroads would further drive the nation's railroads to near ruin. The Fair coincided with Chicago reaching an apex of rail freight and passenger traffic that would slowly diminish over the ensuing decades. It was Chicago's and the railroad industry's moment in the sun that would all too quickly be eclipsed.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-60865917061588449902014-07-07T11:56:00.001-07:002015-03-29T15:52:54.470-07:00The Air Line Without Airplanes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Early Railroad Survey Crew</b></span> </div>
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While we are accustomed to thinking of an airline in terms of aviation travel, it was originally used by surveyors as a common term for the shortest distance between two points. In the 19th Century a number of railroads used "air line" in their title to suggest their routes were shorter than competing railroads.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Map of tracks including the St. Charles Air Line </b></span></div>
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The Chicago, St. Charles and Mississippi Air Line was chartered in 1852, with a planned route from Chicago to the Mississippi River at Savanna, IL via St. Charles, IL. The Chicago terminus and depot would have been located at the northeast corner of Stewart Ave. and 16th Street. The line was intended to compete with the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (G&CU), chartered in 1836 and completed in 1853. The GC&U opposed the project and chartered their own competing line, the Dixon Air Line Railroad, from St. Charles to Dixon, IL.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Railroad grain elevators at the mouth of the Chicago River</b></span></div>
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This planned line was reorganized as a jointly owned, unincorporated project known as the St. Charles Air Line (SCAL). This truncated version began at the Illinois Central (IC) on Chicago's lakefront near 14th Street, and continued west along it's originally planned alignment to Western Ave. A connection was built to the G&CU at this location, and completed in 1856. The west end of the jointly owned trackage was actually the west bank of the Chicago River, somewhat short of the original destination of the Mississippi River.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> The first Central Station</b></span></div>
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The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) was the next line to enter the picture, connecting with the SCAL at Western Ave. The CB&Q would use this track to access the IC's original Central Station located near Randolph Street and the lake. A planned alignment west of Western Ave. was used by the Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad (C&NP), and would later become the Altenheim Subdistrict of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). This line was also used by the Chicago and Great Western Railroad and the Soo Line (formerly Wisconsin Central). At this point we may need a score card to keep up with all the players in this game.<br />
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Eventually the line came under the equal control of four railroads: the IC, the Michigan Central (MC), the CB&Q and the Chicago and North Western (C&NW), successor to the G&CU. Originally built at grade level with numerous street crossings, the tracks were elevated on fill in 1897. On the east end of the SCAL the tracks formed a "wye" and curved north and south to connect with the IC. The north connection allowed access to Central Station and the yards, warehouses, grain elevators and coal docks on the main branch of the Chicago River. The south leg connected with the IC freight and passenger mainline.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Elevation of the north leg of the IC wye</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Track elevation of the Air Line west of the Chicago River circa 1897</span></b></div>
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West of Clark St. and east of the South Branch of the Chicago River, the IC tracks crossed the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific at grade then branched south along the river and west along the Air Line. The tracks then bridged those leading to Dearborn Station. The line crossed the river and traveled over the tracks to Union Station on a long, concrete viaduct until it drops down to the elevated embankment.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Original swing bridge being raised as part of the track elevation project </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Aeriel view of the lift bridges </b></span></div>
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The two Strauss lift bridges, one permanently raised the other still active, are designated Chicago landmarks. The river crossing was formerly via a swing bridge, which was eliminated when the South Branch of the river was straightened. One of the lift bridges was moved from it's former location, and shortened as part of this project. The Baltimore and Ohio used the now out-of-service bridge to access Grand Central Station at Harrison and Wells Streets. Construction of Grand Central was begun by the Wisconsin Central (later Soo Line), completed by the C&NP and came under control of the B&O in 1910.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grand Central Station</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>IC Central Station</b></span></div>
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Time has wrought some changes to the line. The north leg of the IC wye was removed with the discontinuance of passenger trains and the demolition of the second Central Station in 1974. That area has since become a thriving residential neighborhood of high rises, lofts and new town houses. The demolition of Grand Central Station in 1971 ended the need for the active use of the northern lift bridge, and it was permanently raised. The tangle of interconnecting tracks east of the river has been greatly simplified with the demise of individual railroad passenger trains and their consolidation under Amtrak at Union Station. The Air Line is still used by freight and passenger trains coming off the IC, now owned by the Canadian National Railroad (CN). Metra, the commuter rail service, also uses it to move equipment from their shops at Roosevelt and Canal to the Rock Island District commuter line. In the arcane world of railroading, the lift bridge operator is often referred to as the "B&O Operator"; and is an employee of the CSX Railroad, successor to the B&O.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> A 1920's view of the St. Charles Air Line on the right as it crosses Canal Street</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Metra switch engine crosses over Canal Street on the Air Line</b></span></div>
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The SCAL has become a controversial element of the urban fabric with the transformation of the former IC property, and the surrounding area formerly used for warehouses and light industry, to pricey residential living. The new residents find the presence of trains transversing their neighborhood to be a source of irritation and annoyance. Believing the promises of real estate agents that, "not too many trains come through here" and "they're removing the tracks very soon" these residents cannot understand why there is no forthcoming solution to their dilemma. While plans have been made to eliminate the SCAL, there is little in the way of public funds available to create the necessary rail connections in other locations to accomplish this. The railroad affected by this potential change, the CN, will not fund the project by themselves. Amtrak also relies on the line to bring it's trains on and off the CN to Union Station.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Amtrak train passes a loft conversion of an old warehouse</b></span></div>
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For the foreseeable future, the Air Line without airplanes will continue to be a presence in Chicago's railroad environment.Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-80924142950917259172014-04-10T16:07:00.002-07:002014-04-10T16:57:01.019-07:00The Lakefront Railroad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37OCl5Zbw0ONX7tv2VrQEodqDf4nHXtOAUBN9wUDrf2S0q1wyHXz8UL4tQLGVoDGhHOfz6HIssQb2naDHpuI_MaaQMuAwOPxk_0Q6pJZH0CRgrrTuRjexHpcCsPi_0LP3n_RZ2m_NWj4/s1600/illinoislands_rrposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37OCl5Zbw0ONX7tv2VrQEodqDf4nHXtOAUBN9wUDrf2S0q1wyHXz8UL4tQLGVoDGhHOfz6HIssQb2naDHpuI_MaaQMuAwOPxk_0Q6pJZH0CRgrrTuRjexHpcCsPi_0LP3n_RZ2m_NWj4/s1600/illinoislands_rrposter.jpg" height="325" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Illinois Central Railroad is entwined in Chicago's history, particularly the eventual shape of the downtown lakefront. A Senate bill sponsored by Stephen A. Douglas would create a railroad funded through the sale 11,500,000 acres of public land in the state. The railroad would sell the lands granted to it as financing for its construction. Signed in 1850 by President Millard Fillmore, the act called for construction of a railroad from the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the western end of the Illinois & Michigan Canal at Peru or LaSalle. Two branches from that point would lead to Dubuque, Iowa and Chicago. At 705 miles, the charter would create a railroad twice as long as any other in the country.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn2A1i4hUaZPKg9GKKDQ7xV7drB1bv8ItKPEm57hVwU1jjjobKYSTWAg_nnyr9uSQJ-Z-xQlAi_nSKlXBynh9uABo7l2MZbFppAaDy13zgOBUkM2iK0tURw-Fv_ftLr5paC3eMD4GcAk/s1600/IC-routemap05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn2A1i4hUaZPKg9GKKDQ7xV7drB1bv8ItKPEm57hVwU1jjjobKYSTWAg_nnyr9uSQJ-Z-xQlAi_nSKlXBynh9uABo7l2MZbFppAaDy13zgOBUkM2iK0tURw-Fv_ftLr5paC3eMD4GcAk/s1600/IC-routemap05.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a>When the Chicago branch was planned it was 200 mile route was in a virtually straight line from Effingham County to the southern border of Cook County at Richton. A route to Chicago was planned around the western shore of Lake Calumet then north to the dock facilities on the Chicago River. In the meantime a fight had broken out between rival railroads Michigan Southern and Michigan Central who were trying to extend into Chicago from the east. As there were no provisions for granting out-of-state railroads operating charters each road joined forces with an existing railroad; The MIchigan Southern and the Rock Island and the Michigan Central and the IC. The construction race was on, and the Rock Island trumped the IC by obtaining much of the route they had planned on using. The MC and RI reached the city on February 20, 1852.<br />
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The IC was not to be deterred and began looking for a suitable alternative. This route eventually brought the railroad along the lakefront to the city limits, then at 23rd Street. The next step was access to the downtown itself. The route along the lakefront would not be popular amongst citizens and politicians, but in 1852 the railroad was the solution to a persistent problem of lake storms washing away the shoreline along Michigan Avenue. The railroad would build and maintain break walls and dikes to protect their tracks, and in turn protect the shoreline. On June 14, 1852 an ordinance was passed, granting the IC a 300 foot right-of-way to construct the necessary landfill and trestles.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Michigan Ave. looking north.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CpdNbPWCG1pNHqSZ_zZb74fGghdd7CVX6-1reMDX2OZE6ci-ABx9i6ZWNgO3YCCVz8D0AQML93Tl5m2DeiLMzzaNYUwYK6bvZMGNGgVL3O-Qj8wFX16G80CS7CJCZE9hZGMJDf1RsZw/s1600/i62074_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CpdNbPWCG1pNHqSZ_zZb74fGghdd7CVX6-1reMDX2OZE6ci-ABx9i6ZWNgO3YCCVz8D0AQML93Tl5m2DeiLMzzaNYUwYK6bvZMGNGgVL3O-Qj8wFX16G80CS7CJCZE9hZGMJDf1RsZw/s1600/i62074_poster.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> IC lakefront trackage looking south from near Randolph Street.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSmSaD-GzqjdR88holoaPGpfmHNPNQXJgMLO8Ez8VE_ELx9GvusW95lRPJsbwIsD_BauPKvJdxiXHC_7HzLCTeVnDq-DDH7W0b7oMGd-UkvP43dS3nmGcaLszGQrQwf_LmCWL3yIbOjo/s1600/il-central-depot-cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSmSaD-GzqjdR88holoaPGpfmHNPNQXJgMLO8Ez8VE_ELx9GvusW95lRPJsbwIsD_BauPKvJdxiXHC_7HzLCTeVnDq-DDH7W0b7oMGd-UkvP43dS3nmGcaLszGQrQwf_LmCWL3yIbOjo/s1600/il-central-depot-cropped.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>IC's first passenger station with elevators in the background.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KQNofg0yZqS2TsFiN34ADV2XemCT2fuO8pQK8FkYl5-_2K5ZwpgNKn3z_mXizsMGM28a5C6LODuTyUDZjav_i3ZHmgFVyY-uPheMhqgiL2EKB1TKm7F2M7cd8iU9MCNkA3KoEpK2LKA/s1600/nby332294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KQNofg0yZqS2TsFiN34ADV2XemCT2fuO8pQK8FkYl5-_2K5ZwpgNKn3z_mXizsMGM28a5C6LODuTyUDZjav_i3ZHmgFVyY-uPheMhqgiL2EKB1TKm7F2M7cd8iU9MCNkA3KoEpK2LKA/s1600/nby332294.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Map of IC's riverfront facilities.</b></span></div>
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At the time of construction Michigan Avenue was lined with the mansions of wealthy citizens, and the IC was forbidden from erecting structures between Randolph Street and Park Row (12th Street). To compensate for this the IC bought up large tracts of land at Randolph Street near the mouth of the Chicago River, and constructed a passenger station, yards and grain elevators. Further south the ever astute Sen. Douglas purchased 6,000 acres of swampy land near Lake Calumet. This area would eventually become home to steel mills and numerous industries, including the Pullman Palace Car Company.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Lake Front Park later renamed Grant Park</b></span></div>
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The next great change to the lakefront was the Great Fire of 1871. Debris from the fire was used to fill in the area between Michigan Avenue and the IC tracks, which eventually became known as Lake Front Park. The IC's station and freight structures were destroyed by the fire. Enough of the station walls were left standing to incorporate them into a new structure. With the coming of the World's Fair in 1893 the IC was confronted with a traffic dilemma. Being the only railroad with a direct route into the fairgrounds meant it would handle a larger volume of passengers than ever before. The IC already had a robust commuter service that began in 1856. A new main passenger terminal was built at Park Place (12th Street) and commuter service was beefed up with new cars and locomotives. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>IC Central Station, Cass Gilbert architect. Photo circa 1893.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Below grade track depression at 11th Place </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNZoHvmODH8PbATvJiB0hkeodffLXYOKeDy87UvtzSiQP9fPgcTuhChU1CbbTDl2ILhrWYUzHCXhIc4NdHgtSBx3pqTRvfWJxTcP0riv_rMkJwsyQgGcoQ5xliZTwkTPV3ImsakHLixs/s1600/Electrification+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNZoHvmODH8PbATvJiB0hkeodffLXYOKeDy87UvtzSiQP9fPgcTuhChU1CbbTDl2ILhrWYUzHCXhIc4NdHgtSBx3pqTRvfWJxTcP0riv_rMkJwsyQgGcoQ5xliZTwkTPV3ImsakHLixs/s1600/Electrification+Day.jpg" height="323" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Electric cars replace steam locomotives in 1926 </b></span></div>
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The next big change for the lakefront was the depression of the tracks below street grade between 47th Street and Randolph Street as part of Chicago's track separation ordinances in 1909 and the lakefront smoke abatement ordinance of 1919. The latter forced the IC to electrify their commuter and lakefront freight yards. While the commuter service was completely electrified, the freight electrification was short lived due to the introduction of diesel locomotives. The downtown Congress Street yard was the location of the IC's high speed produce service, and was part of a larger complex known as the South Water Street Market. The city would relocate the market to modern facilities and for a while the land became a sea of surface parking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNANCxJ1DQ_9DRbCO5-5V8N4w001Aq8VjhZB5KkA7kSyNnmzgHbQskxhUhKP69GOmKlfTpig-PoBa-2JnZ5h9DVHLUdZZNYLPx3jBAVLSYRDKcKhuPUgzE-7SO1-3FZYJi_Xo2nbDwnFY/s1600/mil+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNANCxJ1DQ_9DRbCO5-5V8N4w001Aq8VjhZB5KkA7kSyNnmzgHbQskxhUhKP69GOmKlfTpig-PoBa-2JnZ5h9DVHLUdZZNYLPx3jBAVLSYRDKcKhuPUgzE-7SO1-3FZYJi_Xo2nbDwnFY/s1600/mil+park.jpg" height="177" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> South Water Market (left). Surface automobile parking on the site of the old yard (right).</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKxr6EYg368FfaVOQtJ0oN0wmXmi6LFj9ZRKAqEhZNWSYfDlHb_1Q_t3shuLxtTXYoqgUkeTajk8pL9Qlrs3ittRMCqyZ6frAv0i4GPyyHHmHuDKABnajs6mxXfetBIR71ahTIMcL03M/s1600/il+center.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKxr6EYg368FfaVOQtJ0oN0wmXmi6LFj9ZRKAqEhZNWSYfDlHb_1Q_t3shuLxtTXYoqgUkeTajk8pL9Qlrs3ittRMCqyZ6frAv0i4GPyyHHmHuDKABnajs6mxXfetBIR71ahTIMcL03M/s1600/il+center.jpg" height="213" width="400" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Prudential Towers (left). Illinois Center (right).</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Millennium Park</b></span></div>
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Lake Front Park, now known as Grant Park, was expanded east of the tracks with additional landfill as part of the Burnham Plan of Chicago. Air rights development over IC land began in 1955 with the completion of the Prudential Building. The IC itself located its headquarters in the Illinois Center complex following demolition of Central Station. An area that had once been covered with freight yards, warehouses and grain elevators is now home to tony condos and high rise office buildings. To the south, Millennium Park and its iconic 'Bean' sculpture now rest over some of the existing suburban tracks. The demolition of the Central passenger station and removal of the tracks opened land for a residential development known as Central Station.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMinnFsKlXEnEOk6m076Gs9lmwThAY6qrzXOUvteT-nree69x9PGS66lot0evfuBhQZHJY3LJmUKs1wtY82CX4vmDf5U8TA-w1hSufMCnrHvzB5Sxw4Xcqniq8JkkMFWoSyI9cSI8__g8/s1600/museumparkgt7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMinnFsKlXEnEOk6m076Gs9lmwThAY6qrzXOUvteT-nree69x9PGS66lot0evfuBhQZHJY3LJmUKs1wtY82CX4vmDf5U8TA-w1hSufMCnrHvzB5Sxw4Xcqniq8JkkMFWoSyI9cSI8__g8/s1600/museumparkgt7.jpg" height="238" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Central Station residential development on the site of the IC Central Station (demolished).</b></span></div>
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The railroad that helped make Chicago and define its lakefront has faded into history, merged into the Canadian National Railroad. On its old bones, new developments have blossomed that are remaking the city. The electric commuter trains still run every day, now under the operation of Metra, the commuter rail agency.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Metra Electric train pulls into Van Buren Street Station, a remnant of the track depression project. Photo credit Jim Watkins </b></span></div>
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-67186939718161054822014-03-30T14:47:00.000-07:002014-03-30T15:22:02.101-07:00Chicago's Great Railroad Terminals - Part 1This is the first in a series of posts about the great
railroad terminals that defined rail travel in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will cover the topic by owner railroad, or
multiple railroads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases, as
with our first subject the Chicago & North Western Railroad, they built a
progression of stations as their business's grew.<br />
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The business of railroading was intertwined with the
provincial, municipal politics of Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The necessary permission required to route tracks or build stations
wrested with the City Council.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
case of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, C&NW’s predecessor, they
met with determined opposition from the city’s merchants who saw no value in
the idea of a railroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Farmers were
bringing their wagon loads of goods to the city via a number of plank
roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While in Chicago they spent
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Allowing them the luxury of
shipping the goods, without the necessity of traveling with them, was not viewed
favorably by those who profited from this arrangement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, these interests brought pressure
to bear on the Council to block the railroad from building a depot with an
ordinance.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Chicago's first railroad station. A historic plaque once marked this location.</b></span></div>
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When it became apparent that the farmer investors of the
G&CU were creating carloads of wheat for shipment to the city, the
resistance crumbled and the ordinance was lifted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the fall of 1848 the first train station
in Chicago was built at the foot of Canal Street near Kinzie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This rather humble structure included railroad
offices topped by a cupola for the purpose of watching for incoming trains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The low roofed structure behind the depot was
a freight transfer facility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
station’s location was far outside of the business district and further
isolated by the Chicago River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
overcome this problem the C&CU needed to bridge the river, which they did
by constructing a pontoon swing bridge over the North branch of the Chicago
River in 1852.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allowed for the
construction of a second station at the Wells Street in 1853.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Chicago, St. Paul & Fon du Lac Kinzie Street Station.</b></span></div>
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The G&CU was one-half of what would become the C&NW,
the second component was the Chicago, St. Paul and Fon du Lac Railroad, which
built its own station on Kinzie Street in 1856.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The station would serve the railroad until it’s consolidation with the
G&CU in 1864.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building was eventually moved, and survived as a warehouse well into the 20th century.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The North Western's first Wells Street Station (l) later expanded (r).</span></b> </div>
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The new Wells Street Station was more
substantial than its wooden predecessor, which was converted into an employee
reading room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Built of brick and stone
it was later expanded with the addition of a third story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 burned both
the Wells and Kinzie Street buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Planning began for a more substantial replacement to accommodate the
railroad’s growing passenger and commuter business.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Second Wells Street Station. Image on right shows station annex for commuter traffic.</b></span></div>
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The new terminal, designed by architect W.W. Boyington (most
noted for his iconic Chicago Water Tower) opened in 1881.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Gothic pile of red brick was a more
fitting symbol of the growing power of the railroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its style points to a problem architects
began to confront.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What should a train
station look like?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from housing
the functions of the passenger business and the needs of those patrons, what
architectural style was best suited for this new type of structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Depending on the date of construction,
Chicago’s stations would follow the popular styles of the era they were built.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Wells Street Station was demolished and replaced by the Merchandise Mart.</b></span></div>
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The Wells Street Station lived a brief life of a little over
20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A number of problems arose
with the site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The C&NW had
extensive land holdings along the river and had built an expansive freight business
that was now mingled with the passenger and commuter trains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The explosive growth of the commuter service
required an annex be added to the original station, but it too proved inadequate
to handle the business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third problem
was the access to the station via a single bridge over the Chicago River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original pontoon bridge had three separate
replacements, but the amount of river traffic presented a major problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bridge was open frequently, ships having priority of passage, creating havoc with train schedules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Railroad President Marvin Hughitt decided
upon a bold plan that would completely reconfigure the C&NW’s Chicago
Terminal operations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That plan included
the construction of a new, state-of-the-art station located at Madison and
Canal Streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result would be an
engineering marvel of efficiency.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Panoramic photograph and postcard view of the new Madison Street Station.</b></span></div>
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Hughitt called upon the architectural firm of Frost and
Granger for the design of the new station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Charles Sumner Frost and Alfred Hoyt Granger were well known to Hughitt;
they were his son-in-laws. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time the
partnership designed over 127 buildings for the C&NW, and the firm was
noted for its stations for various railroads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Construction began in 1909 and was completed in 1911.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In accordance with Chicago’s track elevation
ordinances, the approach tracks and platforms were above street level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The station complex itself, including the
massive power house covered 4 square city blocks. The architects chose a classical Roman style, much along the lines of the buildings popularized by the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Postcard views of the interior of the Madison Street Station.</b></span></div>
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Areas under the tracks were devoted to
baggage and mail handling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The station
itself contained a massive, vaulted waiting room covered with Guasatvino tiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suburban commuters could leave without
entering the station proper via two separate concourses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Numerous amenities were included for those
passengers using the North Western’s long distance trains.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Upper and lower level layouts of the station.</b></span></div>
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The station was designed to handle a volume of traffic that
never really developed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the
assumption of long distance passenger service by Amtrak, the station became a
commuter only operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grand staircase
was covered over with a coffee shop, and the lower level converted to railroad
office space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the Loop business
district expanded west of the river, the North Western saw an opportunity to
cash in on their property and sell the main station to developers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plans were announced to demolish the station
and replace it with an office tower including a new station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a spirited battle by a small group of
preservationists, the Chicago Landmarks Commission declined to recommend the
building for landmark status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
demolished in 1984.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The station being demolished. Photograph by Doug Davidson.</b></span></div>
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The new building, designed by Helmut Jahn, was completed in
1987.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The station was renamed the
Ogilvie Transportation Center, and contains the original clock from the 1911
station’s concourse.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Citicorp Building and Ogilvie Transportation Center.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photo credits: top left, Mark2400; top right, Clark Maxwell; bottom, neverphoto.com </b></span></div>
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The trains sheds
that covered the tracks were removed because of structural deficiencies and
replaced by Metra, the commuter rail agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Commuter service is now operated by the Union Pacific Railroad under
contract with Metra.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Left, Suburban Concourse; right, new train sheds.</b></span></div>
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Metra also
redeveloped the ground level Suburban Concourse into the ‘Metra Market’ of
shops and a French themed grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The power house, along with the platform curtain walls, are the last standing remnants of the station. The Power House was ironically designated
a city landmark in 2006, and has been converted to house various businesses.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> The platform curtain walls were retained. This period photograph shows the Washington Street underpass.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Station powerhouse.</b></span></div>
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Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-51623060670389219142014-03-24T00:02:00.000-07:002016-03-07T19:54:41.056-08:00Take The Train to the Fair<br />
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As I mentioned in an earlier post, the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago was the city's great coming out celebration. The city's prideful boasts earned it the enmity of the New York City press, and the eternal sobriquet as "The Windy City" for the hot air generated by the city's boosters. Much of the historical discussion of the Fair revolves around it's architecture (for better or worse), the tawdry side show of the Midway, the social implications of the treatment of women and minorities, and even a serial killer who haunted the neighborhoods near the Fair. Little has been written about the role of railroads and the movement of vast crowds who traveled both short and long distances to the event.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Panormaic view of the Fair showing the station tracks and platforms.</b></span></div>
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Over the one year lifetime of the fair 27.5 million people visited, many arriving by rail from distant parts of the nation. In our age of automobiles it is not difficult to imagine the vast amount of surface parking that would be required to handle the daily flux of fair goers. Moving people to and from the fair took place with four forms of rail transportation: steam railroads, steam powered elevated trains, cable cars and electric trolley service. A grand station was built on the southwest edge of the fairgrounds to handle the passengers traveling by railroad. Numerous platforms led to the classically styled station "headhouse". At the headhouse visitors could make a connection to the electrically powered Intramural Railroad that traveled the length of the fairgrounds.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Fair passengers loading at the IC Van Buren Station in downtown Chicago.</b></span></div>
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The steam railroad most involved in the day-to-day shuttling of passengers was the Illinois Central (IC). From a number of stations in downtown, passengers could board specially built "all door" passenger cars for the trip to the fairgrounds. The cars were derisively known as "cattle cars" for their crude accommodations. The ever resourceful IC had designed them for eventual conversion to freight cars after the fair, lending some credence to their nickname. On October 8, 1893 the railroad hauled a total of 541,312 commuters and fair goers, setting an unsurpassed record for a single day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Locomotive 201, operated by Casey Jones and preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Photograph by David Fullarton</b></span></div>
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The cars were pulled by diminutive suburban locomotives designed to operate without the necessity of turning the locomotive for the boiler to face forward for the return trip. The IC gathered engineers from around the system to meet the demand for frequent trains, including one John Luther "Casey" Jones whose death in a wreck years later would propel him into folklore legend. In preparation for the fair the IC had also elevated a portion of it's track above street level, adding new express tracks to handle the volume of trains. A branch from the main track at 71st Street would lead to the Fair's station. A direct connection was also provided by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Other railroads would run special "Exposition Flyers" express trains to the city.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>South Side Elevated train.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Cable cars were put to the test on the Fair's busiest day.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> The Calumet Electric Street Railway operated streetcars before the City of Chicago.</b></span></div>
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The South Side Elevated train, also known as the "Alley El", was completed in 1892 and then extended to the fairgrounds in Jackson Park. Their terminal station was situated between the railroad station and the Transportation Exhibits Building. It too connected with the Intramural train. Much like the IC, the elevated trains were pulled by diminutive steam locomotives known by the last name of their inventor Mathias Forney. Chicago's cable car system, which predated electric streetcars, ran to the Fair as well. Finally the electric streetcars of the recently completed Calumet Electric Railway connected residents from suburbs and towns to the south of the city with the Jackson park site. The Fair was well-served by the various forms of rail transportation.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Intramural Railroad train passing the windmill exhibit.</b></span></div>
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Within the Fair itself the electrically powered Intramural Railway, which shuttled passengers between the various exhibition halls, was a harbinger of the future of urban public transportation. Operating on elevated tracks throughout the fairgrounds it presaged the eventual electrification of mass transit systems like the South Side Elevated.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Front elevation of the station.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Station waiting room. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The clocks surrounding the waiting room displayed times from around the world.</b></span></div>
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The Fair station would probably be ranked as the largest and busiest railroad station in Chicago based on the number of platforms and the volume of traffic handled daily. It's classical styling would portend the architecture of many stations built following the Fair.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Transportation Exhibition Building</b></span></div>
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It sat in juxtaposition to it's neighbor, the Transportation Exhibition Building designed by Louis Sullivan. In contrast to the station's design that kept with the classical theme of the Fair's architecture, Sullivan's building was a riot of color and ornament. Prior to the Fair Sullivan and his partner Dankmar Adler had designed two stations for the IC, a commuter station at 39th Street in Chicago and the main passenger terminal in New Orleans. Sullivan's brother Albert worked for the IC and was probably responsible for those commissions to the firm.<br />
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Built as temporary structures, many of the Fair's buildings succumbed to a series of spectacular fires that laid waste to the abandoned Fair site after it's closure. The Fair did more than represent a fantasy city of the future, a dreamland of canals flanked by ornate buildings designed to awe and amaze. It showed the possibilities of coordinated mass transportation and it's ability to move people with great efficiency.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-74078057569824599442014-03-22T22:19:00.001-07:002014-09-01T09:26:28.147-07:00STRIKE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrm2DsK32Dv0z-QGlcRAfCW14SpH2kAB3DkoC6o-nfrWy_kt8uowMgZso2Ud69PnFSQhyphenhypheniMmflu5SAN4qEeCE33JU4WXrQsp4evh-ryA3cIbzx3ACS4Iq5lurhCE-WmWWsGpvJs_3rMQ/s1600/pullman-strike-79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrm2DsK32Dv0z-QGlcRAfCW14SpH2kAB3DkoC6o-nfrWy_kt8uowMgZso2Ud69PnFSQhyphenhypheniMmflu5SAN4qEeCE33JU4WXrQsp4evh-ryA3cIbzx3ACS4Iq5lurhCE-WmWWsGpvJs_3rMQ/s1600/pullman-strike-79.jpg" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
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Chicago's ascendancy to the nexus of the nation's rail network also brought about the creation of numerous industries that came to supply the railroads. The greatest of these was the Pullman Palace Car Company started by George Pullman in 1858. Pullman's business grew, and by 1879 he decided to build a self-contained factory community far beyond the limits of the city. Pullman's idea was to create what he considered a 'workers paradise' free of the distractions and vices that might impede worker productivity. His shrewd business plan was to not only control the complete production process, but to also control the lives of the people who built his cars as well as the families they supported. In 1883 one Pullman worker famously opined, <i>"We are born in a Pullman house. We are fed from a Pullman shop, taught in a Pullman school, catechized in the Pullman church and when we die we shall be buried in a Pullman cemetery and go to a Pullman hell."</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Workers rental homes </b></span></div>
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1893 was an auspicious year in Chicago's history. The World's Columbian Exposition had drawn millions of visitors to the 'White City' on the south lakefront. The fair announced to the nation and the world that Chicago was a city to be reckoned with, risen from the ashes of the Great Fire flexing it's industrial and cultural might for all to see. But 1893 was also the beginning of an economic depression that would put a damper on the city's great coming out party. By 1894 the downturn had a deleterious affect on Pullman's business, and he cut his workforce by three quarters. This had an unintended affect on his bottom line, as well as his paternalistic vision of the Town of Pullman. To rectify the situation Pullman began to produce new cars at a loss, allowing him to hire back 68% of his workforce. He also cut the rate of pay by 28% and refused to lower the rents of his worker's homes, expecting to maintain his return on investment. He made no mention to his workforce that he was operating the business at a loss.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> A labor publication's cartoon portrayal of Pullman</b></span></div>
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Negative newspaper accounts began to be printed detailing starvation and privation in the 'workers paradise'. Pullman was unswayed by the negative publicity. To his mind owning the factory and the town gave him the inalienable right to operate his business without outside interference. Pullman had weathered an earlier labor dispute in 1886 that led to a short, unsuccessful strike. On May 4th, 1894 a commitee of workers met with the company's Vice President to request a restoration of wages or a reduction in rents, along with an end to managerial harassment. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Three day later three members of the negotiating committee were fired without explanation. The stage was now set for the Pullman strike.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Eugene V. Debs</b></span></div>
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About one third of the Pullman workers had joined the nascent American Railway Union (ARU) led by the charismatic Eugene V. Debs. At the June ARU convention in Chicago the Pullman members asked for support from the union by declaring a sympathy boycott of all trains carrying Pullman cars. Debs was cautious about the effects of the boycott on the newly formed union, but in the face of Pullman intransigence the delegates were left with no option but to vote for a boycott. The battle lines were drawn between the union and Pullman, who was supported by the General Managers Association (GMA) of the various railroads affected. The ARU was a dangerous adversary to the power of the railroads, and allowing them a victory was anathema to the GMA. Significantly, the ARU did not receive support from other railroad brotherhoods and the American Federation of Labor (AFL), led by the powerful Samuel Gompers. Despite these obstacles, the ARU was able to effectively shut down rail traffic in 27 states west of Chicago.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Army encampment in Lake Front Park</b></span></div>
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In the beginning the strikers had the support of the citizenry as well as numerous civic and political leaders. The dispute began peacefully, but quickly devolved into a unprecedented spasm of violence and destruction. The first sign of trouble took place in Blue Island, south of the city. This was all the provocation necessary for the GMA to call upon the Federal government to step into the dispute. On July 4th President Grover Cleveland ordered 10,000 troops sent from Fort Sheridan, a military camp north of the city established after the violence of the Haymarket Riots in 1886. Concurrently, the US Attorney General applied to the courts for an
injunction against the strikers for violating provisions of the Sherman Anti-trust Act governing interstate commerce. The presence of armed federal troops, police and Pinkerton detectives coupled with the action of the courts only inflamed the increasingly tense situation.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Panhandle (Pennsylvania) Railroad Yards set ablaze</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Cartoon portraying Debs as an obstruction to commerce.</b></span></div>
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Rail yards, filled with wooden railroad cars typical of the era, were set aflame by working class sympathizers of the strikers. Trains were blocked, crews pulled from locomotives. Soldiers clashed with protesters and shots rang out. The Illinois militia was sent to intervene between the Chicago's working class citizens and the Federals. Force was employed to bring trains through blockades, and in the end 13 were killed and 53 seriously wounded. Public opinion, inflamed by lurid press accounts of the violence, turned against the boycott. Debbs attempted to end the boycott early by asking for a return to arbitration, but the Pullman Company now had the upper hand and he was rebuffed. Chicago trade unionists called for a general boycott, but a quickly called meeting of the AFL leadership counseled against such a move. Debs and the ARU leaders were arrested for defying the injunction. The strike lingered to September when the last 2000 strikers unconditionally gave up their cause.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Federal troops fire on strikers and sympathizers</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Troops and Pinkerton guards strike a pose</b></span></div>
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Workers were rehired on the condition they renounce the union. The strike leaders were blacklisted. George Pullman, who had escaped the city during the turmoil, had won. But is was a pyrrhic victory. A subsequent federal investigation into the strike placed much of the blame squarely on the Pullman Company and it's unwillingness to negotiate fairly with it's workers. A year after Pullman's death in 1897, the company would be forced to divest itself of all property not used for industry. The Town of Pullman would later be annexed and become part of the City of Chicago. The industrial labor movement was discredited and badly damaged by the strike and boycott. Decades would pass before it would recover and reassert itself.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Fairgrounds reduced to cinders</b></span></div>
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In a moment of supreme irony, a number of fires destroyed the now abandoned buildings of the Great White City of the Columbian Exposition within 9 months of it's closing. The burnt site now seemed to epitomize the end of so many grand visions for the city and the harsh reality of the deep class divisions within American society.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-54967514964697287332014-03-13T12:45:00.001-07:002017-11-13T10:34:51.352-08:00Making the Grade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6ZUbN5OV1m_5eA-Gy0xS2j6QXGy5QlgJ7EtcSn2048aVDo-N6OCm2FG0aWK4NwjmNw3nq8jTCOOqpPbEu-M3z7EeTh_oYFkFXLt3WvOGr1QA2VBCJkctvOHyQgXJbsLWdATFE0cq_U0/s1600/Bloomingdaleembankment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6ZUbN5OV1m_5eA-Gy0xS2j6QXGy5QlgJ7EtcSn2048aVDo-N6OCm2FG0aWK4NwjmNw3nq8jTCOOqpPbEu-M3z7EeTh_oYFkFXLt3WvOGr1QA2VBCJkctvOHyQgXJbsLWdATFE0cq_U0/s1600/Bloomingdaleembankment.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>A canvas for street artists and taggers.</b></span></div>
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In a city crisscrossed with railroad tracks, the railroad embankment is a ubiquitous feature of numerous Chicago neighborhoods. How these geographic features came into existence is a story of public outrage and political bullying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80UoAE58PWvxkxBYVRrJnFyayS3zxphCFHiyh6zLnOZXj5uacgO7bg-4s9f_KYBiPhB4vNLH20v9UCsteBjt5WO0VDY54mW7AtTHTYa5DabSr8M3liy0ZjQTVLXuzfZJUo3plhdDS87Q/s1600/Railroads-Chicago-Around.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80UoAE58PWvxkxBYVRrJnFyayS3zxphCFHiyh6zLnOZXj5uacgO7bg-4s9f_KYBiPhB4vNLH20v9UCsteBjt5WO0VDY54mW7AtTHTYa5DabSr8M3liy0ZjQTVLXuzfZJUo3plhdDS87Q/s1600/Railroads-Chicago-Around.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The web of rails to the city.</span></b></div>
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By the late 1800's no fewer than 25 railroads had gained access to the city, although many shared rights-of-way through trackage agreements. The process of reaching the city was fraught with political intrigue and corporate conflict. Preferred routes were gained by the early players in the railroad market. They used their political influence to block competitors from entering the city. Property owners stood as a major impediment, either blocking the railroads or asking extravagant prices for their property rights. Some late arrivals to the city often resorted to convoluted routes that would get them to the point they could connect with an already established rail corridor.<br />
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As the eastern railroads pushed to connect with Chicago, the South side in particular became a tangle of tracks and junctions. As the city expanded these tracks were crossed by new streets and roads, creating a major conflict between vehicles, pedestrians and trains. The conflict resulted in carnage. Carnage resulted in public outrage. Public outrage demanded political action.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">A dangerous playground that often led to tragedy.</span></b></div>
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Numerous lurid newspaper accounts of killings and maimings of the population further inflamed the citizens of Chicago. Additionally, as train frequencies rose with the growth of rail traffic, the railroads became an impediment to the smooth flow of street traffic. Crossings were constantly blocked by slow moving or stationary trains. In some cases the residents of neighborhoods threatened to tear up tracks unless the problems were solved.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8xW6RxRiBU1M7b4-jVApqrcqdq7Biq0guYxHgdNSnTSWs__NFXY50n0Ydx50mVEgJJh5xIvEtzzvGsat1z75nGlyASB1z8RkBzIJcsUt8SyRXkkqM87pXSQpaXVeSlC-exGkZAQ28rs/s1600/outrage_2-e1334504406720.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8xW6RxRiBU1M7b4-jVApqrcqdq7Biq0guYxHgdNSnTSWs__NFXY50n0Ydx50mVEgJJh5xIvEtzzvGsat1z75nGlyASB1z8RkBzIJcsUt8SyRXkkqM87pXSQpaXVeSlC-exGkZAQ28rs/s1600/outrage_2-e1334504406720.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Chicago City Council realized that the costs of separating the multitude of tracks above or below grade were beyond the financial capacity of the city. The decision was made to impel the railroads to elevate the tracks at their own expense. The process began in 1892 with the raising of the Illinois Central tracks in Hyde Park in preparation for the World's Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park. On May 23rd, 1892 the Council passed an ordinance that required the IC to raise their tracks 18 feet above street level between 51st and 67th Street. Thus began an over two decade process of forcing and cajoling every railroad to raise their tracks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBTYdDZ_WIfi7SUaPO3DcJv_K4A-OSTgXLSPvc9i262t_g7OdbeCGGxNsc97KyUhM8nXF4VoH-1YYXR9D-6yh6GIvtUb2lWkDesgU-yG2SYgRCS1unxxVSm5X-MErFV8DuBpcc9cGj2I/s1600/apf2-08485r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBTYdDZ_WIfi7SUaPO3DcJv_K4A-OSTgXLSPvc9i262t_g7OdbeCGGxNsc97KyUhM8nXF4VoH-1YYXR9D-6yh6GIvtUb2lWkDesgU-yG2SYgRCS1unxxVSm5X-MErFV8DuBpcc9cGj2I/s1600/apf2-08485r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">IC tracks pre-elevation.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The IC tracks post-elevation.</span></b> </div>
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The legal arguments for the city's right to pass such ordinances were hazy at best. While compliance was considered voluntary, the assumption was the railroads would benefit from increased efficiency of operations. If a railroad balked at the expenditure the City was not above using threats to have it's way. The Pennsylvania and Baltimore & Ohio were given the option of compliance or having police posted to stop the trains at every crossing. The City would further threaten to build the necessary causeways and viaducts and the bill the railroads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhiUkf8g0lXIbI0FJhsb0Iuz1oDK1HngxVMdKIWnahkN1amFu1ygVJSiRzH4sIq5Rx3E-aLswIUvLtE9J9denh-sUKPy2ISSHkFjcvrXB8xoqZOjN08WEwp1WMTXwVZDJs8c_36dc2OM/s1600/00142982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhiUkf8g0lXIbI0FJhsb0Iuz1oDK1HngxVMdKIWnahkN1amFu1ygVJSiRzH4sIq5Rx3E-aLswIUvLtE9J9denh-sUKPy2ISSHkFjcvrXB8xoqZOjN08WEwp1WMTXwVZDJs8c_36dc2OM/s1600/00142982.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elevation fill in progress near 18th and Halsted</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">'Little Englewood' station remains in use while track elevation work progresses. The station will eventually be demolished and replaced.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Recently completed elevation and crossing at Englewood Junction.</b></span></div>
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Grade separation efforts became some of the greatest privately funded public works projects in the City's history. By 1919 the railroads had collectively spent $95 million dollars elevating close to 550 miles of track, eliminating 963 grade crossings. The track elevation also meant the demolition of existing stations and construction of new ones at above grade level. Some railroads used this opportunity to eliminate station stops, especially in areas served by other transportation options such as streetcars and rapid transit. In the case of the Chicago & North Western they jacked up their stations to the new track level and built new foundations underneath them. The IC on the other hand chose to demolish numerous magnificent stations, replacing them with nondescript staircases and wooden platforms.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoapgvyFYqPaNe7Twxf3IrGaNKOnWjB49JIxJGvH5Tl1Z9bPkPd3j0XBDHztK7oBEzPIz0bYmxUmaji3DY2oNqby0k2pXS5nMxbqt-E64MdW4t-ukH8kCFxjAsMaEXYiu-UqBLTwir5YQ/s1600/L1030291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoapgvyFYqPaNe7Twxf3IrGaNKOnWjB49JIxJGvH5Tl1Z9bPkPd3j0XBDHztK7oBEzPIz0bYmxUmaji3DY2oNqby0k2pXS5nMxbqt-E64MdW4t-ukH8kCFxjAsMaEXYiu-UqBLTwir5YQ/s1600/L1030291.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">The C&NW Station at Rosehill Cemetery had been raised to bring it to the new track level.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">This Victorian gem at 57th Street in Hyde Park succumbed to the </span></b><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">wrecker's ball sometime after grade elevation.</span></b></div>
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The Great Depression effectively ended the track elevation program. Further grade separation and crossing protection programs began to be funded jointly through public highway and railroad monies. The tracks in certain neighborhoods, like Beverly, Morgan Park, South Shore and Fernwood remained at grade. One of the unintended consequences of track elevation was the division and isolation of communities. Fewer streets were bridged, with many cut off for the sake of cost savings. The embankments were unattractive, monolithic walls of concrete. Beauty was forsaken in an era of expediency, and no attempts were made by the railroads to mitigate the visual effect of 'Chinese Walls'. Racial boundaries were established by the presence of the physical and psychological impediment of the track elevations.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">An unrelenting wall of concrete on the Bloomingdale Line.</span></b></div>
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In the case of one elevated rail line, it's abandonment brings promise of linear parkland in an area of rising income and property values. The Bloomingdale Line, built by the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (CM&StP) will now be turned into greenspace that will include a bike and running path. Rather than removing the physical presence, it will be upgraded, repaired and enhanced at City expense. In this case, the legacy of grade separation will benefit the community in a new way.<br />
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A complete list of grade separation ordinances can be found <a href="https://www.chicagorailfan.com/elevate.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Concept drawings for the new Bloomingdale Trail.</span></b></div>
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Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-45087540288167468882014-03-12T00:30:00.001-07:002014-04-13T12:59:22.530-07:00The Little Railroad That Didn't<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not every railroad venture in Chicago's history turned into a success. The history of Chicago railroads is often the tale of the big fish swallowing the little fish. The great players in the railroad industry were often the product of mergers with, or take-overs of, smaller, less profitable entities. This was not the story of the Chicago & Evanston Railway.<br />
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The C&E was the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad's attempt to directly compete with the Chicago & North Western Railroad in the north suburban commuter market. The C&NW had already established themselves with train service operated out of their Wells Street Station. Despite their seeming monopoly on this market, there was dissatisfaction and complaints about the quality of the service. The 'Milwaukee Road' saw this as an opportunity to provide the C&NW with some some competition. The project was probably doomed from the start.<br />
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The Milwaukee Road acquired the dormant franchise of the Chicago, Evanston & Lake Superior Railway, and began the process of land acquisition. This met with immediate opposition from the C&NW and some local officials. Service between the city and Calvary Cemetery began in 1885, and by the end of 1889 the tracks only reached 14 miles north of the city to the suburb of Wilmette. Seven years of construction had not yielded a great return for the Milwaukee Road, and the line lost money from the very beginning of service. The goal of connecting with the mainline at Roundout was never achieved.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Evanston Station near Davis Street </span></b></div>
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Where the C&NW had fewer stations, the C&E stopped at 20 stations, 7 of them in Evanston alone. The combined populations of Evanston and Wilmette were not enough to support both railroads, and the expansion of the cable cars and elevated rapid transit further depleted the potential customer base. Add to this the circuitous route the line followed from Union Station to Wilson Avenue, all at grade, that made the task of timely service difficult if not impossible.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Typical Lake View home from the late 1800's.</b></span></div>
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The Milwaukee Road spared no expense when it came to the design some to their 'suburban' stations in the community of Lake View. The most impressive was Sheridan Park, designed by the architectural firm of Holabird and Roche. The rusticated stone structure with a prominent tower was suited for the then well-to-do community of gracious homes. The station would survive a few years following the end of steam passenger service in 1917 as a church. It would succumb to urban expansion after independent Lake View was annexed by the city. The area is now known as Uptown.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sheridan Park Station near Wilson Ave. </span></b></div>
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In 1899 the Milwaukee Road sold a portion of the line to a predecessor company to the North Shore electric interurban, with the remainder of the tracks north of Wilson Avenue becoming part of the Northwestern Elevated. Beginning in 1907 both steam trains and electric transit operated on parallel tracks until the end of steam passenger service. Milwaukee service was truncated to Sheridan Park (Wilson Ave) and passengers traveling further north now transferred to the Elevated. By 1910 the ground level tracks between Wilson and Howard Street were elevated on an embankment.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grade level rapid transit prior to track elevation</b><b>. C&E track on the left.</b></span></div>
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With the demise of passenger service the remaining portion of Milwaukee Road trackage was downgraded to freight-only to service the industries that had sprouted up along the line. Those businesses north of Wilson, such as coal and lumber yards, were serviced by the Elevated. An interchange was established at Wilson Ave. for the transfer of these cars. This unique arrangement lasted until 1973.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Electric locomotive used for Elevated freight operations.</span></b></div>
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The Milwaukee Road, and successor Soo Line/Canadian Pacific, continued to service the few remaining customers along what became known as the Lakewood Branch. The tracks have been successively cut back as businesses closed because of residential encroachment. The line is now serviced by the Chicago Terminal Railroad.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> From industrial to upscale residential, the end was near for this scene.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> Abandoned Graceland Cemetery Station prior to demolition.</b></span></div>
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The rails have been paved over in many places. In 2012 the City of Chicago tore out a large portion of the tracks on Kingsbury Street as part of a streetscape improvement project, but they can still be found here and there, often causing curiosity as to their origins. They are a fading visual reminder of the Little Railroad That Didn't.<br />
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-62284811728806649702014-03-09T21:40:00.002-07:002014-04-12T08:26:58.166-07:00The World's Most Dangerous Railroad Crossing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Postcard view of Grand Crossing. "Smashboards" swung across tracks were used to stop trains.</b></span></div>
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A visit to what is known today as Grand Crossing would not reveal any of the history of this area, including the first railroad accident in the city's history. The one-time suburban area, known as Brookdale, would become the crossing point for three railroads. The first railroad through the area was the Michigan Southern (MS) which enjoyed a monopoly of the landscape until the arrival of the Illinois Central (IC), which had forged a financial alliance with the Michigan Central (MC) the third railroad in this drama. The IC sought permission from the MS to build a crossing in Brookdale, but the bitter rivalry between the MS and MC gave rise to a refusal. To emphasize their determination to prevent this, the MS posted a 24 hour guard at the location to prevent all unauthorized construction. The ever resourceful IC kidnapped the night guard (after supposedly getting him drunk) and quickly cut in the crossing.<br />
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In this early era of railroading, crossings like this operated on a 'first come, first served' basis. The first train to arrive was given right of way over other trains. This of course led to engineers speeding up in order to reach the crossing before their rival. On the night of April 25, 1853 this game of chicken would end with the collision of two trains and the deaths of 21 people. Here is how it was covered in a newspaper of the era:<span lang="EN" style="color: #323232; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 140%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From the Democratic Press.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Collision at the Crossing of the Michigan Central and Southern Michigan Railroad!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sixteen Killed and a Large Number Injured !!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monday evening, as the people of Chicago were retiring to rest, a scene of appalling horror, of excruciating suffering was occurring at the crossing of the two Michigan roads, some eight or ten miles from the city. The emigrant train on the Central was coming in and the Express train on the Southern going out when the two came in collission [sic] under full headway, the Express train passing through the other, literally tearing it into fragments, and strewing the killed and wounded together with the wreck of the cars in heaps of indiscriminate ruin. Three emigrant cars, and the locomotive, tender, baggage car and one second-class passenger car of the Express train received the brunt of the shock, and their inmates were nearly all either killed or wounded. One of the first-class passenger cars of the Express train was also thrown from the track, but fortunately, none of those within it were very seriously injured.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To give our readers some idea of the manner in which the collision occurred, it is necessary to state, that for some eight or ten miles from the city, the Southern Michigan road lies west of the track of the Central. At the distance named, they cross each other at an acute angle - the track of the Michigan Central lying east, or rather south of the Southern for some miles, when they again cross. It was at the first crossing the accident occurred.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Immediately after the collision occurred the locomotive of the emigration train was detached and brought news of it to the city. In as brief space as possible, DRS. PALMER and CLARK were sent for and conveyed to the scene of the disaster. These gentlemen administered to the suffering with their accustomed energy and skill. Towards morning the survivors were brought back to the city. Of the horrors of the night which they had passed none but themselves know; but to them it will be an ever present reality.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The place at which the collision occurred is flat and swampy, and was covered to the depth of several inches. Some of the passengers were undoubtedly drowned. The locomotive and cars that went over were partly submerged in the water and mud, and some of the dead will hardly be recovered until these shall have been removed.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupG6hyphenhyphenLVvymm35_XtxD-Vq1ir0NCTsZsyJf4hYwxSsK2iJ5kU6uSjrHQiJh6F8iOvF2-JgltfbTN_qiIn0bnPbhJJmFiSTG50Y49iq-lLdzdWF8HUGd7ALqEcsDSu3xyYjLorc-N_VV0/s1600/Grand_Crossing_1912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupG6hyphenhyphenLVvymm35_XtxD-Vq1ir0NCTsZsyJf4hYwxSsK2iJ5kU6uSjrHQiJh6F8iOvF2-JgltfbTN_qiIn0bnPbhJJmFiSTG50Y49iq-lLdzdWF8HUGd7ALqEcsDSu3xyYjLorc-N_VV0/s1600/Grand_Crossing_1912.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Photograph shows the progress of the massive grade separation project</b></span></div>
<br />
The tragedy led to the application of more stringent rules governing the movement of trains. The eventual solution to the problem was a grade separation of the various tracks. Some of the track connections have disappeared with abandonments, and Grand Crossing is now a somewhat desolate area in a troubled community. There are no markers of remembrance or reminders of the tragedy at Grand Crossing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvu8YYJezgD9WfraUXnWo7gLoUiKHOQLmiu0pNJjrr2_w3vvROiQ9n_OTTp7A5ErpoDZAQmtbxn8ieao22Seei35Q2rrqcTYwz3jJka23GnGbJw6oYHtwWnpqcGVVR_sxLtPOKVLtZzY/s1600/2974166097_3d1848b844_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvu8YYJezgD9WfraUXnWo7gLoUiKHOQLmiu0pNJjrr2_w3vvROiQ9n_OTTp7A5ErpoDZAQmtbxn8ieao22Seei35Q2rrqcTYwz3jJka23GnGbJw6oYHtwWnpqcGVVR_sxLtPOKVLtZzY/s1600/2974166097_3d1848b844_z.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grand Crossing today looking south from the Metra 75th Street Station</b></span></div>
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<br />Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-13130582954472955022014-03-09T16:56:00.000-07:002014-04-12T08:30:19.720-07:00In the beginning.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2XLfoOmg090ZrjwkJd6lo761VuY8aakPVThMW4b6-kdFsVULdypHuM8JABeMDr02iIpc9_crtdVZWb3dMxWfsSVM7mTCvCy0mHwWaLNL7b7FGI2k3ioGtSv1hJIvSwfr1N_YIMutmio/s1600/pioneer-locomotive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2XLfoOmg090ZrjwkJd6lo761VuY8aakPVThMW4b6-kdFsVULdypHuM8JABeMDr02iIpc9_crtdVZWb3dMxWfsSVM7mTCvCy0mHwWaLNL7b7FGI2k3ioGtSv1hJIvSwfr1N_YIMutmio/s1600/pioneer-locomotive.jpg" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>The Pioneer was preserved by the C&NW Railroad, later donated to the Chicago Historical Society</b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It was a humble
beginning. Chicago was a late arrival to the railroad mania that was
sweeping the Eastern part of the country. The foundation of Chicago's
rise to preeminence as the railroad center of the nation was a diminutive, used
wood burning locomotive. The Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was the
brainchild of Former Mayor William B. Ogden. When Ogden was in New York,
he strongly advocated construction of the Erie Railroad and, after moving to
Illinois, often discussed with businessmen the possibility of a railroad
westward from Chicago. Most of Chicago was not interested in his railroad. The
city's prosperity depended on shipping from the Great Lakes, the Illinois and
Michigan Canal, and the network of plank roads in the city. Merchants told Ogden
railroads would ruin the city, and he received little support from inside
Chicago for constructing his railroad. Chicago's merchants defeated an
ordinance that would have let the railroad come through Chicago. Nonetheless,
he persevered. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He took his idea of the
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad to the farmers living along the plank road.
He promised that they would prosper from the railroad because they would not
have to go to town with all their goods. Ogden set out to connect the town of
Galena to Chicago because Galena had lead mines. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The locomotive, renamed
Pioneer, arrived by schooner in 1848. Built by Baldwin in 1837 it had
previously labored on the Utica & Schenectady and Michigan Central
Railroads. It was antiquated by the standards of the day. The
locomotive was quickly put to work carrying materials for construction of
railroad.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">On November 20, 1848 the
railroad assembled a train of baggage cars with temporary seats, then invited
dignitaries, politicians and the press on November 20, 1848 to take a free
inaugural run west from Chicago. Returning from the area that became the suburb
of Oak Park, the train hauled a farmer's load of wheat and hides as a
demonstration. The new railroad proved an instant success. Investors who
had been reluctant to put their money into frontier railroads in 1847 stampeded
to the new mode in 1850, and money poured in from as far away as Europe. By the
eve of the Civil War, just 12 years after the Pioneer's first trip, Chicago was
a terminal to 10 railroads and a network of track that stretched for 4,000
miles.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">That network boosted
Chicago's meatpacking, lumber, and commodities industries, as well as a host of
other manufacturing and wholesale businesses. It created a string of suburbs
for well-to-do residents who desired to flee the bustling city for the relative
quiet of outlying towns from which they could easily commute on the train. It
turned the city into the nation's transfer point, with 25 million passengers
funneling through the city's railroad stations in 1913.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Galena & Chicago
Union would become part of the Chicago & North Western Railroad. It
would never reach Galena.</span><br />
<br />
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<![endif]-->Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-737676598036018277.post-59200992176332485442014-03-09T13:33:00.001-07:002014-03-11T20:39:21.779-07:00Ode to a City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman;">CHICAGO</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> <b> HOG Butcher for
the World,<br />
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,<br />
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;<br />
Stormy, husky, brawling,<br />
City of the Big Shoulders:</b></span><br />
<b></b><br />
Thus begins poet Carl Sandburg's ode to the great City of Chicago. By good fortune of location, and the bravado of it's citizens and leaders, the city would become the Railroad Capitol of the United States. The rails that radiated away from it's location at the southern tip of Lake Michigan would reach every corner of the country. It's packinghouses and grain elevators would transport food to a growing nation. It's manufacturers would ship machinery and goods to eager customers on the twin steel rails of progress. The railroads would alter the city's landscape, bisecting neighborhoods and creating massive yards and servicing facilities to meet their demands. Thousands of men and women labored in a multitude of jobs to ensure that the railroads remained an efficient transporter of raw materials, finished goods and passengers. Grand temples of transportation sprouted up around Chicago's downtown, those great stations that ebbed with the daily flow of travelers and commuters. With Chicago at it's heart, the veins and arteries of the railroads flowed with the movement of trains day and night.<br />
<br />
The purpose of this blog is to explore the history of Chicago and its relationship with the railroads.<br />
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Dave Daruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10090787021964651919noreply@blogger.com0