Rare photograph! An eastbound Indiana Harbor Belt switching local passing CTA Orange line construction scene. Chicago Illinois USA. May 1990.

This is a very "Rare" photograph, of life after the abandonment of the IHB Chicago stockyards industrial branch. The old Indiana Harbor Belt Railroads Stockyards branch was abandoned in December of 1988, and the rails pulled up the following year. The photo shown here was looking west around sunset from South Lawndale avenue near West 49th Street. The Chicago Transit Authority Orange Line to Chicago's Midway Airport was already under construction. The Indiana Harbor Belt switching local, was now traveling over the Belt Railway of Chicago owned track that connected to the Santa Fe Corwith Yard. The IHB Stockyards branch wich ran adjacent to the right of this line, was poorly maintained and in terrible shape. Average train speeds were 5 to 10 miles an hour over kinked rails and rotted ties. Slow speed derailments were a common site on the worn out branch.
This rare photograph was taken on Chicago's southwest side near Curie High School.