I ride the METRA UP North line and am wondering how UP moves freight trains into the North Avenue yard. Do they come down from up north or do they run them almost into Ogilvie from Proviso and then up?
Also, now that CP (ex-Soo) pulled up their tracks and crossing at North Avenue, how do the CP trains get to North Avenue? (There’s usually a CP switcher sitting by the yard office.)
Thanks.
They come in from the northwest, via Deval.
About 2AM or so,there is a train that heads to North Avenue yard with boxcars of paper for the Chicago Tribune,some hopper cars as well as some interchange traffic. It varies from 15 to 40 cars or so…The traffic for CP usually consists of a tank car or two for Peerless Candy,some lumber cars for Big Bay lumber,some gondolas for Finkl Steel,etc…
Now,the boxcars for the Chicago Tribune go down about a mile or so down further and just beyond that is a cookie/candy factory that has a boxcar or two as well as some hoppers…
Anyhow,the train originates at Proviso and returns to Proviso via Deval Tower…
Hope that I could be of some help…
Cway
My understanding is that UP brings down the CP traffic as well. The CP engine then does the jobs at Peerless, Big Bay, Finkl and Sipi Metals. It’s always in the North Avenue yard unless it has to go to Bensenville for servicing. Lately it has been a refurbished MP-15, although a couple of months ago, I saw an MP-15 at North avenue that was still in Milwaukee Road paint with just “SOO 1547” painted on the cab.
UP provides newsprint service to the Tribune’s freedom center plant and Sweeteners to Blommer Chocolate on Kinzie.
These Are Some Old Post Which I Would Like To Give You Some Information About The Line Now:
The Union Pacific Railroad Would Come From Northern Illinois And Southern Wisconsin Which None Run To The Metra Station And The North Avenue Train Yard Had No Connection With The Proviso Train Yard.
The CP Dedicated Goose Island Train Would Provide When Needed Train Movement Around Goose Island Which The Train Would Be Based Around The North Avenue Train Yard Which Would Be A Union Pacific And Canadian Pacific Train Yard.
When The CP Would Finish Around Goose Island The Train Would Continue From Goose Island Across The Metra Track Which Would Be The Track Metra Would Use Which CP Would Handle To The Bensenville Train Yard On The CP Track Around There.
Around Now There Is No CP Track And No Track Which Would Cross Over The UP/Metra Track Which The CP Goose Island Area Had Been Purchased From Iowa Pacific Which Iowa Pacific Would Service The Area Tuesday And Thursday And Service The 2 Remained Business. (Metal And Lumber Yard).
Iowa Pacific Would Be The Hold Business Of The Chicago Terminal Railroad Which Would Provide Service To Bensenville And Elk Grove Town And Goose Island On Another Division.
Not quite sure what you’re trying to say here, B-Daddy, but–take this from someone whose job at Proviso included creating a block for North Avenue and switching out cars from North Avenue–if you’re contradicting all of us who said that the cars for North Avenue came from Proviso via Deval, you, sir, are mistaken. Deval is out beyond the Des Plaines station on the Northwest Line, but that’s about as close as the cars get to coming from Wisconsin.