I took this photograph one overcast autum morning, back in October of 2006.
An eastbound Chicago Transit Authority green line train, has just departed from the west terminal at North Harlem Avenue and West Lake Street in Oak Park Illinois, and is viewed traveling over the grade seperated embankment alongside South Boulevard in west suburban Oak Park Illinois.
I took this photograph, back in August of 2008.
Seen here in our backyard, is our then recently adopted Chihauhau dog Jasmine, who was just under a year old and still quite the puppy.
Jasmine always greets me with a big warm welcome whenever I come home from work, and I enjoy spending time with her.
Sometimes...I even slip her a little snack or two if she has been a good dog. She is surprisingly polite when she sits next to me or other family members, and begs for a taste of whatever we are dining on.
However....she actually does enjoy a dish of dry kibble dog food as well.
She is a smart dog, and we love her.
Thanks.
Eddie k.
I took this photograph during my recent June 2013 vacation to San Diego California.
One of the big red modern San Diego Trolley light rail trains, is viewed at an unknown location near downtown San Diego.
I made a wrong turn enroute back to our hotel, and had a pleasant chance photo encounter or two in traffic, viewing the San Diego Trolley trains.
I took this photograph one lovely autum morning, back in October of 2007.
An eastbound Metra morning rush hour local commuter train, is viewed approaching the Franklin Park Illinois, Metra commuter rail station.
I took this photograph, way back in October of 1989.
A westbound Burlington Northern Railroad / early Metra commuter train, approaches the Riverside Illinois Metra commuter rail station on a lovely autum afternoon.
I took this photograph at the former Kiddieland Amusement Park in Melrose Park Illinois, way back in September of 2006.
Summer is over now, and Kiddieland is now only open on the weekends until the end of the season, until late October when the park closes for the winter off season.
With early darkness during shorter seasonal daylight hours, the Kiddieland Limited train ride, departs for another run around the park's perimeter approximately an hour before closing time.
Kiddieland closed for good in 2009, and now this is the site of a Costco wholesale warehouse club store at North and First Avenues in Melrose Park Illinois.
I took this photograph, way back in late October of 1990.
An Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad transfer train being pulled by a trio of 1st generation EMD yard switcher locomotives, is viewed traveling east / southeast over the West 127th Street viaduct bridge, in south suburban Alsip Illinois.
I took this photograph, during a June 2013 visit to the Volo Auto Museum in Volo Illinois.
The museum has a unique collection of "one of a kind" custom built cars . I am not sure, but I believe that this giant hot rod roller skate car, was used by a roller rink in California for various promotional events.
I took this photograph on a chilly and overcast late winter afternoon, back in early March of 2007.
A Union Pacific Railroad EMD model GP 15 light roadswitcher diesel electric locomotive, is viewed backing down and returning from the Belt Railway of Chicago interchange, near North Kilbourn Avenue and West Kinzie Street, in Chicago's NorthWest Industrial Park.
Public service vehicles are a popular transportation subject, and have a cult following of their own.
This CCC garbage truck from the Evanston Illinois department of Sanitation, was photographed passing through Glenview Illinois.
Memories of the former New York Central Railroad, are alive and well today at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.
The former NYC began using this jade green color scheme on some of their box cars and cabooses beginning during the late 1950's. NYC cars rolling around in this color scheme, were a common sight on American freight trains during the 1960's.
During the late 1960's and through a good part of the 1970's, there was this unique fast food Chicken take out chin of stores in Chicago Illinois known as "Chicken Unlimited".
With their tasty and cost effective menu selections, as well as their distinctly unique architecture, they once could be found in many Chicago neighborhoods.
Chicken Unlimited eventually went "Defunct" by the late 1970's and very early 1980's, but several of their former take out store location buildings are still standing today in Chicago, now serving any number of local businesses from auto insurance agencies, electronic stores, auto parts stores, and even other kinds of restaurants.
This former Chicken Unlimited building that has long since stood the test of time, now serves inexpensive Chinese take out food in Chicago's Dunning neighborhood today.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
I took this photograph one morning on my way to work last year.
Seen here, is the large Shell convenience gasoline station, at the southwest corner Harlem and Higgins Avenues in Chicago, near neighboring northwest suburban Harwood Heights Illinois.
Life in the 5AM hour indeed.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
I took this photograph one springtime morning, back in April of 2007.
An eastbound Chicago Transit authority blue line rapid transit train, is viewed heading toward downtown Chicago via the I-90 Kennedy Expressway median near Park Ridge Illinois.
I took this photograph last November in Hammond Indiana.
A unit train of auto rack cars, is viewed passing through Hammond Indiana near the Horseshoe Casino. Notice the former unrepainted Burlington Northern auto rack car in the consist.
I took this photograph during a group photo outing last year, to the far southeast side of Chicago, and neighboring Hammond Indiana.
Seen here on East 83rd Street in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, is the huge Saint Michael's Catholic Church, with it's magnificent European cathedral architecture from past decades.
Many years ago, cigarette advertisements were just about everywhere in Chicago.
Although there are still some to be found here and there, there are fewer these days in the windy city compared to past decades.
I photographed this Marlboro cigarettes billboard on the west side of the former NorthWestern Station in downtown Chicago, the year before it would be demolished.
I took this photograph during my June 2013 vacation to San Diego California.
A local sightseeing tour bus company that appears to be a local "Play on words" itself, is the Sun Diego Charter Company.
I spotted one of their International sightseeing limo buses, in the parking lot of the Birch Aqarium at nearby La Jolla California.
A "New" Pace paratransit mini bus program that was started during the summer of 2013, is the "Rosemont Free Lunchtime Circulator", which operates out of the First Transit / North Cook garage in Glenview Illinois.
This service is sponsored by the village of Rosemont Illinois. For more information, log on to www.pacebus.com
I took this photograph last month, in north suburban Glenview Illinois.
Two utilitarian but stylish GMC mini school buses from the nearby Cremem de la Creme special needs people school and workshop, are viewed parked in a local Glenview Park District parking lot on a hot summer day.
I photographed this digital live sound video one evening after work, back in August of 2010.
A northbound Chicago Transit Authority Rt # 56 / Milwaukee Avenue bus, passes the intersection of North Milwaukee and Nagle Avenues near Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood. This bus is near the end of it's run, and will soon arrive at the bus terminal at North Milwaukee Avenue and West Imlay Street, near the border of adjacent Niles Illinois.
I took this photograph during a rainy springtime afternoon, back in May of 2012.
An eastbound Metra local commuter train enroute to Chicago Union Station from Aurora Illinois, departs from the Riverside Illinois Metra commuter rail station.
I took this photograph after work one evening last year around sunset.
The Union Pacific Railroad had these important pieces of self propelled track maintenance equipment parked just north of Dempster Street, west of Wolf Road, in northwest suburban Des Plaines Illinois.
This equipment was being staged along the former Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad's freight only cut off line.
I found this photograph on the internet.
Unfortunately...I do not remember what web site it was on. However once I dofind out, I will make sure that the photographer gets the proper credit for it, as this isn't one of my own photos.
One of my all time favorite railroad color schemes I fondly remember growing up in Chicago during the 1960's and 70's, was the "Jade" or "Empire" green originally used by the New York Central and later Penn Central railroads. This Penn Central green boxcar was photographed way back in 1976.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
To some local southside Chicago railfans...there was nothing like the early years of the big merger that created today's mega CSX Transportation Company Railroad as we now know it.
I took this photograph on a chilly morning, back in early March of 1990. Fellow Chicago railfan Bob Cliff, is viewed photographing a westbound set of former Seaboard System General Electric roadswitchers now working for CSX Transportation Company, as they cross the single Grand Trunk Western crosstrack at Hayford Junction, traveling over the Belt Railway of Chicago tracks.
I took this photograph during a May 1983 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois. www.irm.org
A few passengers are viewed boarding Illinois Terminal lightweight interurban streetcar # 415 at the East Union depot, for a run on the museum's mainline.
The south suburban village of Evergreen Park Illinois, lost a local neighborhood recreational institution this summer.
Bleeker's Bowl on West 95th Street, was always a fun and very colorful place to visit in Evergreen Park Illinois. However...after a steep loss in bowling league business due to hard economic times in recent years, the decission was made to sell the business and close for good on Saturday, August 10th, 2013.
This photograph was taken inside during the very last day of operation.
Bleeker's Bowl will be grealy missed by many.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
