Does anyone know where this railroad is located? According to this picture it is in the “lumber district” in Chicago, I have never heard of that area before.
Wow! That’s one sharp loco!
Google turned it up right away:
(try looking in Peoria as well)
(and Elk Grove, if I’m thinking of the right company)
yep (and one of them had a run-in with the law in an unrelated issue)
That is one very sharp locomotive. The locomotive is parked at a spot between Halsted and Racine on Cermak Aven. I dont have much hope the locomotive will look that good very long, as the locomotive that was there prior was really tagged with graffiti. The locomotive is fenced in, so get there early to get your photos.
They do quite a bit of business in the area, there is a lumber distribution center, plus a big scrap metal company down Cermak past Ashland Ave. Interesting operation.
That is a very interesting area, both for railroading and neighborhoods. If you go there, then go to the Italian District. It is at Blue Island and Oakley, just a couple of blocks east of Western Avenue. North on Oakley and there are about 5-8 Italian restaurants in a neighborhood setting (similar to the Hill in St. Louis). My favorite is Micelli’s Deli, a combination grocery store/deli with hot plate specials, sandwitches, salads, etc. The Italian Sub is the third best I have found in the city.
ed
If anyone else thinks the paint job looks familiar, you’re right… check out the recently backdated paint job on the 1950 SW-7 at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL:
http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/research.cgi?diesel=Chicago+Burlington+&+Quincy=9255
This link should take you to the IRM web site roster page for CB&Q 9255. You can also click on the photo gallery showing the repainting process. These guys are GOOD!
Turns out that I wasn’t. The operator of former UP trackage in Elk Grove Village is the Chicago Terminal Railroad (CTM); they also operate former Milwaukee Road trackage in the Goose Island area of Chicago.
Look’s like it might be the outfit that runs the switching service at Goose Island near the Chicago Loop and Centex Industrial Part near the UP Proviso Yard in Elk Grove Village. If I’m right about this, it’s an Iowa Pacific shortline.
Hey guys, Kinda late here. I was there the day that the pics in Trains Magazine were taken. The crew painted the engine themselves, and are keeping it on a tight leash. It looked great in the snow. There are two engines in the compound, THis one, and one of its four brothers owned by the company (all were built in February of 58 for the BRC) The graffiti unit, the 1208is in really rough shape, the company is planning on parting it out and possibly rebuilding it someday, but it hasn’t run since last march. Here is a video of the 1206 towing the 1208 out of the repair siding, it was backlit, so that we could shot the Q unit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddie-chicago-railfan/3191208519/
They run monday through friday until between 9-noon, crews go on duty at 6, they are very friendly. They keep a third SW1200 a few miles away on another line. That line is owned by BNSF, and they want to abandon it, rumor has it that the third unit will be brought over, and painted the same as the 1206, and they will be MU’d.
While they were painting the engine, I was stopping by daily to see how it was coming here is a mid way through.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/franklinc55/2990406061/
Here she is on her maiden run, smoking it up with a big cut of cars uphill…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/franklinc55/2990764858/
Taken today 1-13-09
This shortline isn’t even in central Illinois. It’s in Chicagoland.
The Chicago River & Indiana didn’t get to Indiana; Toledo, Peoria & Western never reached Toledo; Chicago & Illinois Midland certainly didn’t serve Chicago; etc.; etc; etc.
This line is called the Lumber District, They have a second line, the Illinois Northern, they have a peoria division as well. CENTRAL ILINOIS. Their 1207 is also a brother to the newly painted 1206, '58 for the BRC. Then they have an ex Illinois Central SW14 on the southern end of the line.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/franklinc55/3141774781/
Both of their engines are in plain view, one being just north of west Pioneer Parkway, and one along Adams, just past the crossing.
As a downstater I had to say that:)
When I first got interested in railroads, I actually believed the Frisco (SLSF) had tracks into California. It got only as west as Oklahoma and Texas.
I am occassionally on Cermak and have encountered this railroad several times. I grabbed a shot of the repainted unit last week, crossing Ashland Avenue (as I was at the intersection).
They seem to handle quite a bit of scrap metal in and out of the company south of Blue Island Ave. Where do they interchange? Is there much lumber handled anymore on this line?
ed
No, those two are operated by Chicago Terminal Railway. However…
Actually, Carl, you were more right than you thought! Central Illinois was the previous operator of the Centex/Elk Grove trackage. I caught both operators’ power the day before the change-over:
http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/fuzzyphpfoto/rt09.htm#qda