Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad

[richhotrain]

The Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT) is a terminal railroad operating in the Chicago area. It was created by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) in 1910.

Its predecessors were many, but its immediate ancestor was the Chicago Terminal Transfer Railroad (CTT). Way back sometime before 1886, the Wisconsin Central formed the Chicago & Great Western Railroad to connect to the Wisconsin Central at Forest Park in Illinois and build a line into the city of Chicago. The destination for passenger trains became the Grand Central Station built in 1890. In 1910, the B&OCT bought the CTT and Grand Central Station.

The purpose of the B&OCT was twofold: to switch freight trains for other railroads and to carry passenger trains to Grand Central Station. The B&OCT connected to the B&O line (with the Pere Marquette sharing track rights) in Gary, Indiana at Pine Junction. From there, it split into two lines, one line running northwest to South Chicago and the other line running west to Barr Yard in Riverdale, Illinois.

At South Chicago, the line turned west to Forest Hill at 81st Street. From Barr Yard, the other line turned south to Chicago Heights and north to Forest Hill where the two lines joined and continued north through Brighton Park and on to Robey Yard (east of Forest Park) where it turned east to Grand Central Station. The Soo Line and the Chicago & Great Western Railway (not to be confused with the Chicago & Great Western Railroad mentioned earlier) were granted trackage rights into Grand Central Station by the B&OCT. Trains reached Grand Central Station by crossing the South Branch of the Chicago River on a double track bascule bridge owned by the B&OCT adjacent to the St. Charles Air Line double track bascule bridge.

Source: Wikipedia

The B&OCT’s largest freight terminal was Barr Yard. By 1950, the receiving yard could handle 345 eastbound and 500 westbound cars while the main classification yard held a capacity of 1,144 eastbound and 1,209 westbound cars.

Barr Yard also contained locomotive servicing facilities, including a turntable, roundhouse, RIP tracks, and a servicing yard. B&O, the B&OC parent, also used Barr as its primary maintenance facility for road locomotives operating into, and out of, Chicago.

The B&O’s South Chicago passenger station was located approximately at 94th Street and Commercial Avenue, slightly to the southwest of the Calumet River’s opening to Lake Michigan. The B&O’s 63rd Street Station was the company’s other passenger station within Chicago carrying passenger trains to Grand Central Station.

The B&OCT played a critical role in coordinating the switching activities of the myriad number of railroads that used Chicago and surrounding suburbs for their freight and passenger operations. Along with the Belt Railway Company of Chicago (BRC), the Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) and the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E), the B&OCT made Chicago railroading work.

Today, the B&OCT still exists, owned by CSX, the successor of the B&O.

Rich

[ATLANTIC_CENTRAL]

As a B&O modeler I know a little about the B&OCT, thank you for the additional details. Today the importance of the B&O seems to be lost to modern railroading and the glamor of bigger lines like the PRR, NYC, UP, etc.

But the B&O was very important and has a rich history of leading the way in the industry.

Sheldon

[richhotrain]

@ATLANTIC_CENTRAL

But the B&O was very important and has a rich history of leading the way in the industry

Could not agree more, Sheldon.

I wonder if there is a single book out there, or some sort of encyclopedia, that covers all of the Class I railroads or at least the largest of them. Obviously, it would take a mammoth effort to describe the origins, the routes, the connections and interchanges, but it would be a hugely useful reference.

Rich

[richhotrain]

This is an excerpt from Wikipedia about the B&O Railroad.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was the first steam-operated common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 until 1987, when it was merged into the Chessie System. Its lines are today controlled by CSX Transportation.

Rich

[BaltACD]

My family history goes back to the owner/wearer of this badge at the laying of the first stone of the B&O Railroad.

My Grandfather had 47 years, my Father 37 years and I put in 51 years. My children have not followed my footsteps.

[richhotrain]

@BaltACD

My family history goes back to the owner/wearer of this badge at the laying of the first stone of the B&O Railroad.

My Grandfather had 47 years, my Father 37 years and I put in 51 years. My children have not followed my footsteps.

Wow, that is so cool. Thanks for sharing.

Rich

[rcdrye]

Some notes about the B&OCT:
The “passenger line” from Pine Junction to Beverly (the curve on Metra’s Rock Island District Suburban Line west of 89th and Ashland) was jointly owned by B&OCT and CRI&P. Pere Marquette trains used the New York Central east of Pine Junction, not the B&O. PM trains did not stop in Gary Indiana, but B&O trains did.

B&OCT’s Robey Street Yard was south of 14th Street on either side of Damen Avenue (Robey Street). Damen runs under track level for over a quarter mile under the yard area. The engine terminal (over thirty stalls) was on the southwest corner of 14th and Wolcott (Lincoln) The Lincoln Avenue Coach yard was south of 14th Street between Wolcott(Lincoln) and Wood St.

C&NW’s Middle Yard and Wood Street Produce Terminal (“The Potato Yard”) sat south of Robey Street Yard. Street access to the Produce Terminal was at Wood Street, but the Terminal itself was west of Wolcott(Lincoln). C&NW bought the Robey Street and Lincoln Avenue yards in 1983, creating the “Falcon’s Nest” intermodal yard out of the four yards. The site is now UP’s Global 1 intermodal yard.

The Forest Park Branch, the Altenheim Sub) is named after the cemetery on the west end of the branch just south of Madison Street in Forest Park. The main line to Madison Street was built by the Northern Pacific-controlled Wisconsin Central as the Chicago & Northern Pacific in the 1880s. An extensive network of industrial track along 16th street west of Kenton, intended to serve a never-built Rogers Locomotive Works plant, was part of the C&NP to CTT transfer. The B&OCT bridge over Des Plaines Avenue north of the CTA bridge had a B&O emblem attached at least into the 1970s. B&OCT had trackage rights on the CGW from Forest Park to the IHB in Bellwood but seldom exercised them.

The steam dummy Chicago Harlem & Batavia (which ran on 40th (Pulaski Rd), Randolph Street (Washington Blvd in River Forest) and Park Avenue in River Forest to the same Altenheim Cemetery became part of C&NP, though it was eventually leased to the Suburban Railway for streetcar service, and to the Lake Street Elevated Railway for in-street operation of “L” trains. The Suburban even operated streetcars to Thatcher Woods in River Forest via the Wisconsin Central. “L” and streetcar operation ended after 1902, with the former CH&B tracks removed soon after. Park Drive’s curve between Washington Blvd and Park Avenue is a remnant of the CH&B.

The other curved streets in Forest Park (Brown and Circle Avenues) are remnants of a connection to the C&NW from the IC Iowa Line, apparently planned and maybe completed by the St. Charles Air Line - but that’s another story.

[MP173]

rcdrye:
Thanks for the history, particularly of Robey Yard. I always wondered where it was located. In my career I travelled probably 100 times on Damen Ave under the rail lines (and yard) at 14th Street, knowing it was the UP intermodal, but didnt realize the history.

Also recall in the early 90s the B&OCT in Forest Park, crossing Madison Street. I believe, but would testify to it there were B&O CPL signals there.

Barr yard is still in use by CSX, every once in awhile when in the area, I would sneak in off of Halstead. I was always in a suit and tie and no one paid attention. Didnt trespass much, would look from my car, then head out to next appointment.

CSX still uses the Pine Junction connection quite a bit. The old PM route is used by CSX to access Grand Rapids with their daily M326/M327 trains and the Amtraks to Grand Rapids, plus a coal train or two daily.

Ed

[richhotrain]

@rcdrye

The “passenger line” from Pine Junction to Beverly (the curve on Metra’s Rock Island District Suburban Line west of 89th and Ashland) was jointly owned by B&OCT and CRI&P. Pere Marquette trains used the New York Central east of Pine Junction, not the B&O. PM trains did not stop in Gary Indiana, but B&O trains did.

Yep, I misspoke when I said . . .

@richhotrain

The B&OCT connected to the B&O line (with the Pere Marquette sharing track rights) in Gary, Indiana at Pine Junction.

Thanks for that correction of my parenthetical. The Pere Marquette did not have trackage rights granted by the B&O. My bad.

Rich

[amflyer1]

Thanks for starting the post Rich, and thanks to all who have posted love the B&O

Chuck

[DSO17]

In the 1970s B&OCT power was used around the B&O system. Here is B&OCT 8416 at Wilsmere DE on Nov. 5, 1979. Almost as far as it could get from Chicago and still be on the B&O. (My photo)

[richhotrain]

@DSO17

In the 1970s B&OCT power was used around the B&O system. Here is B&OCT 8416 at Wilsmere DE on Nov. 5, 1979. Almost as far as it could get from Chicago and still be on the B&O. (My photo)

Very cool photo. Thanks for posting.

Rich

[pennytrains]

@richhotrain

if there is a single book out there, or some sort of encyclopedia, that covers all of the Class I railroads

This book has short histories of most class ones but obviously it’s more about power than anything else.

[BaltACD]

When I was ATM in Baltimore Terminal there was a SW-1 assigned to Locust Point Yard for use on the Key Highway job that worked out of Riverside Yard and matriculated down Key Highway, Light Street and Pratt street along the waterfront and served a number of maritime customers as well as McCormick Spice Co. My memory is foggy on if the engine was the 8408 or the 8414.

When not in use Locust Point yard engines were parked on tracks that served the United Fruit banana pier that were adjacent to the crew room. One night a crew had the task of weighing a heavy electric transformer that was loaded on a heavy duty depressed center flat car on the track scale in Riverside Yard. One of the brakemen was on the car operating the hand brake - unfortunately the brake was defective and the car rolled away down the East end lead of Riverside Yard, over the road crossing at McComas Street past the yard office and on down to the Fruit Pier lead where the engine was parked. The impact snapped the ‘front porch’ just ahead of the protrusion at the bottom of the radiator. Solid steel about 10 inches to a foot thick and drove the engine about a car length form where it was originally parked. The transformer remained attached to the car, however, after cursory testing it was sent back to its European manufacturer for repair.

[John_Keatley]

Exactly what is a “steam dummy” I admit that I have never heard of the term.

[richhotrain]

@rcdrye

Pere Marquette trains used the New York Central east of Pine Junction, not the B&O. PM trains did not stop in Gary Indiana, but B&O trains did.

I wanted to understand this connection better, so I researched it a bit further. The Pere Marquette ran from New Buffalo, Michigan to Porter, Indiana, allowing the Pere Marquette to reach Chicago via trackage rights on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway which later became part of the New York Central Railroad system.

Rich

[richhotrain]

@MP173

Thanks for the history, particularly of Robey Yard. I always wondered where it was located. In my career I travelled probably 100 times on Damen Ave under the rail lines (and yard) at 14th Street, knowing it was the UP intermodal, but didnt realize the history.

Yep, of all the Chicago junctions that I am familiar with, Robey Street has remained somewhat of a mystery.

Rich

[richhotrain]

@MP173

Barr yard is still in use by CSX, every once in awhile when in the area, I would sneak in off of Halstead. I was always in a suit and tie and no one paid attention. Didnt trespass much, would look from my car, then head out to next appointment.

Yep, you can stand on the overpass and watch trains all day. Years ago, my wife and I lived in an apartment in Riverdale and took our young kids in strollers to that overpass to watch trains.

Rich

[richhotrain]

@MP173

CSX still uses the Pine Junction connection quite a bit. The old PM route is used by CSX to access Grand Rapids with their daily M326/M327 trains and the Amtraks to Grand Rapids, plus a coal train or two daily.

I have to say, I had never heard of Pine Junction until I started researching some of the rail connections allowing trains to reach Chicago. Thanks for that additional information.

Rich

[amflyer1]

Not in Chicago but thought I would share.

Chuck