I took this photo after work on a rainy evening in August of 2009. Located east of South Cicero Avenue between West 55th Street and South Archer Avenue, are the crosstracks owned by the Belt Railway of Chicago known as 55th Street Junction. The BRC line leading to the west end of Clearing yard just east of South Harlem Avenue at approximately West 68th Street in Southwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois, cross the BRC tracks leading to and from the north entrance wye at approximately West 68th Street and South Kenneth Avenue.
Prior to the abandonement by the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad in December of 1988, the IHB Stockyards branchline ran adjacent along the northside of the east and west Belt Railway of Chicago line. A brick interlocking tower stood here along the interchange curve until 1990 when the CTA Orange line was under construction.
I used to hang out at 55th Street Junction while I was attending nearby Curie High School from 1977 to 1981. Unfortunately...I did not own My first camera yet. I could remember the IHB Stockyards branch trains, as well as transfer trains passing through here from the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Milwaukee Road, the Soo Line, the Burlington Northern, and the Belt Railway of Chicago transfer trains and switching locals too.
I bet that this place must have been something else during the steam era!
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