Thursday, June 10, 2010

Historic photo! Grand Trunk Western Railroad EMD SW 1200 switcher #1515 at the GTW Elsdon Yard site. (Gone,) Chicago Illinois USA. 1981.

GTW EMD SW 1200 # 1515 at the GTW Elsdon Yard. Chicago Illinois. 1981.

This classic railroad photo taken on the southwest side of Chicago Illinois back in the year of 1981, comes to Eddie's Railfan Page from My links page Fallen Flags.Org to the right of Your computer screen.

I discovered the old steam era Grand Trunk Western Railroad Elsdon Yard, when I was enrolled in Chicago's Curie High School not far from here from 1977 to 1981.

I used to love hanging out and exploring this quaint, loveable and somewhat country like Elsdon Yard back in those days. Sometimes I would take walks through here if I arrived for school too early in the morning, or sometimes just to relax outdoors here after school and watch the switching activity on West 51st Street east of South Lawndale Avenue. The railroad crews were actually pretty nice too, as long as You showed some degree of safety and responsibility and stayed out of their way.
I loved visiting Elsdon Yard.

This photo was taken just west of the 1914 built GTW Elsdon Roundhouse at approximately West 49th Street and South Kedzie Avenue. EMD SW 1200 yard switcher is viewed idling near the locomotive ready tracks adjacent to the yard. Locomotive # 1515 is wearing the black red and white color scheme introduced by the parent railroad company Canadian National in 1961. It replaced an olive green and gold color scheme from the 1950's era.

The GTW closed Elsdon Yard for good in October of 1983, and I still miss it today.

Thanks.
Eddie K.

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