Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Illinois Northern Railroad. My old neighborhood railroad I grew up with in Chicago, before I was born. Chicago Illinois, early 1950's era.

 
Hi Everyone! This is Eddie K, Your host and photographer
here at Eddie's Railfan Page.
 
I was born in Chicago Illinois, during the year of 1962. I grew
up in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood near West 26th
Street and South Kedzie Avenue, on the west / near southwest
side of the city during the 1960's thru 1990.
 
An icon of my old neighborhood, was the former Illinois Northern
Railroad, which was an industrial short line railroad, that had once
serviced the numerous industrial / factory spur sidings in my gritty
old blue collar industrial neighborhood. I vaguely remember the
1960's era I.N, which operated with a fleet of Alco S4 switchers, that
wore the 1950's era Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad's black
and silver "Zebra Striped" color scheme. During the year of 1972,
the parent railroad Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, bought the I.N
outright, and operated the neighborhood I.N local from Corwith Yard
Monday thru Friday, with Santa Fe diesel switchers.
 
This photograph, shows what kind of locomotives had served the
Illinois Northern Railroad, prior to dieselization in 1953.
 
The old Illinois Northern branch is now abandoned through my
old neighborhood, and the tracks and crossing signals have since
been removed. Still...this was my neighborhood railroad.
 
Thanks.
Eddie K.


 

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