A last look at what was left of the GTW operations at the former Elsdon Yard. Chicago Illinois. August 1986.

A last look at what was left of the GTW operations at the former Elsdon Yard. Chicago Illinois. August 1986.
Originally uploaded by Eddie from Chicago

I took tis now historic Chicago railroad photograph, way back in August of 1986.

I discovered the former Grand Trunk Western Railroad Elsdon Yard on West 51st Street, while I attended nearby Curie High School from 1977 to 1981. I enjoyed hanging out at this quaint railfan friendly train yard back in those days.

The Grand Trunk Western Railroad closed Elsdon Yard in October of 1983. The 1914 built roundhouse at West 49th Street and South Kedzie Avenue was abandoned, and would be demolished in late 1987 to make way for a strip mall. The 1888 built two story wooden Elsdon Depot on west 51st Street, was demolished in November of 1983.

For some unexplained reason or another, the GTW actually operated this little section of the former Elsdon Yard on West 51st Street just east of South Lawndale Avenue, as a makeshift locomotive and crew terminal until September of 1986. Sometimes I would see GTW locomotives being fueled here on site by tanker trucks.

I knew that time was running out for what little was actually left of the GTW Elsdon Yard, when i took this photo looking north from West 51st Street in August of 1986.

Sure enough, this little segment of Elsdon closed for good as a locomotive terminal the following month. I took this photo just in time.