Here is an aerial shot of the Bryn Mawr station in the middle of 71st Street in South Shore.
Source: Google Maps
Rich
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Illinois Railway Museumâs demonstration railroad on July 4, 2011.
The double track South Chicago branch still runs in the âmedianâ along E. 71st and S. Exchange streets, running alongside S. Commercial Avenue to about E. 83rd Pl., before entering private ROW that ends at E. 93rd. All Metra today, in the past the south end had multiple industries.
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Great photos, Dave. Thanks for posting.
Rich
I recall those cars from my treks to the ICâs station in Chicago on my trips there in the late 50âs and early 60âs. DO NOT recall the orange panels, however.
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They were added after the wreck in 1972 when an older single decker telescoped into a new double decker that missed a stop and backed up. Worst Chicago wreck ever. 45 died. Many more would have but the accident happened next to a hospital. They were literally giving blood transfusions to survivors still in the wreck.
Given the catenary supports a black car among black catenary supports on a curve was almost impossible to see from a distance. Hence the bright orange. Also didnât help that as the first train backed up the signal cleared from red to green for the following train.
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Donât know IC rules at the time.
Rules I worked under - Back up moves were ONLY PERMITTED with the authorization of the Train Dispatcher. Makes no difference if it is a 500 foot long commuter train or a 10000 foot freight train.
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Questions: Does CN have any freight customers on the South Chicago Branch? Who and where?
If all have gone, who were the last and when did they go? Now using trucks or just closed?>
Iâm not a 100% sure but I doubt it. Industry there is long gone. In fact the new quantum computing site is going on the old Wisconsin Steel site. Maybe the construction might need rail but Iâm guessing itâll be all by truck. And after that there wonât be anything to ship anyways.
I believe all the freight customers on the South Chicago Branch are gone. There are still a few scrapyards along the ROW but there are no sidings for them. When I was a kid in the 1960s there were meat packers, an industrial oil factory, lumber yards, coal yards, scrap yards, a box factory, interchange with EJ&E, and more. Most of these industries closed, like the steel mills and grain elevators that fueled the neighborhood economy.
The quantum computing site is being built on the old USS South Works site. There is an asphalt plant on the old Wisconsin Steel site which is served by Chicago Rail Link.
Thanks for the correction
Is the track connection with the EJ&E, now also CN, still in place and usable?
The IC-EJ&E connection, and nearly all EJ&E and South Works plant trackage are long gone. Not only that, the Calumet River lift bridge has been out of service in need of repair since 2009 or thereabouts.