The Grand Trunk Western RR Elsdon Yard engine terminal. Chicago Illinois USA. October 1983.

The Grand Trunk Western RR Elsdon Yard engine terminal. Chicago Illinois USA. October 1983., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

I took this photo way back in October of 1983.

The Grand Trunk Western Railroad facility known as Elsdon Yard on West 51st Street, as well as the 1914 built steam era roundhouse at West 49th Street and South Kedzie Avenue....were in their final week of operation when I took this photo.

The GTW had decided to officially close Elsdon Yard, and move some of their yard switching and locomotive servicing operations, to the Belt Railway of Chicago Clearing Yard facility in southwest suburban Bedford Park Illinois.

This view looking south from the Elsdon Yard embankment, shows the GTW Elsdon locomotive servicing terminal west of the roundhouse. This would be the last time I would ever see locomotives lined up on the ready tracks at this facility. The following week, this area would become an abandoned ghost town.

The tan colored brick building with the tall smokestack behind the locomotives, is the large K Mart store at West 51st Street and South Kedzie Avenue, wich opened in 1982.
This building was formerly a factory known as Rapid Roller Company.