The Archer Avenue yard was only about a mile from Dearborn. By contrast, C&NW and MILW’s yards were about 3 miles out, 51st St was about 5, NYC’s 61st St. was about 7, and IC’s loop about 9 miles away from their respective stations.
During B&O control of the Alton (before GM&O), the Alton’s trains were serviced at B&O’s Robey St. yard. Trains were wyed and then taken out to Ash St crossing before backing south onto the B&OCT and heading north to Robey Street. After B&O control ended, the trains were serviced at the GM&O yard at Brighton Park near Ash Street.
The Alton (and later GM&O) was the tenant at Union - the station was owned by CB&Q, MILW, PRR and PCC&StL(PRR), resulting in PRR owning 50%. PRR successor (via PC and Conrail) NS still has freight rights to the North Joint approach (PRR+MILW), though the last customer there closed a number of years ago.
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