This is one of My personal -all time favorite railroad photos I took on location during the 1980's in the city of Chicago Illinois. I took this photo on an early Spring afternoon, back in March of 1987. Heading southbound enroute to Clearing Yard, is a Belt Railway of Chicago switching local. The train is being pulled by an elderly 1950's vintage EMD SW-7 yard switcher locomotive, and is seen crossing over the Illinois Central Gulf crosstracks at Hawthorne Junction.To the right and out of view in this photo, was an old wooden interlocking tower, wich was demolished in 1990. Back in 1987, the interlocking tower was refered to by nearby working railroad crews as ICG / Belt -Tower.
2 comments:
Eddie,
I model the ICG Iowa Division in HO. Do you have any photos of Belt Tower/Hawthorne Tower before it was demolished?
kjrafacz@aol.com
Hi there fellow railfan.
Yes, I do have one photo of the tower that stood there untill 1990. I wish that I had taken more.
I grew up in the Little Village neighborhood, one mile north of the Illinois Central Gulf Iowa Division mainline at South Kedzie Avenue and West 26th Street during the 1970's and 80's. I could hear the Illinois Central and Santa Fe freight trains hitting the crosstracks 1 mile away at 2 AM.
I would love to see some photos of Your layout or models. I too am a fan of the old Illinois Central.
Thank You.
Eddie K.
edwardpk04@yahoo.com
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