Old railroad crossing signal. Chicago Illinois USA. June 2005.

I took this photograph on My way home from work in June of 2005. I had to take a "Detour" that day, and actually pass through My old neighborhood where I had grown up, on Chicago's near southwest side.
This photo location on this Hot June 2005 day, is looking east on West 31st Street, approximately 4 blocks west of South Kedzie Avenue, in the Little Village Neighborhood. I was born in 1962, and lived in Little Village until 1990. This railroad crossing signal is located along the former Illinois Northern railroad line, wich was owned partially by the Santa Fe Railroad, International Harvester Corporation, and some other local industries. It was a six mile industrial railroad. In 1972, the Santa Fe bought out the I.N Railroad branch and operated it until the 1995 merger with the Burlington Northern Railroad. The latter company BNSF operated this line until 2000, and eventually sold the line to DRS Rail Services. By the time I had photographed this scene here, there was only one or two online industries left, and an old rebuilt EMD SW Series diesel locomotive swithcher behind a chain link fence. The large building in the background to the right, is the now abandoned Washburne Trade School.