Crossing gate operators tower. GTW Elsdon Yard. Chicago Illinois USA. October 1983., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.
I took this photograph way back in October of 1983.
It was the final week of operation at the Grand Trunk Western Railroad's Elsdon Yard in Chicago Illinois, and I was actually paying my final respects to an old high school friend.
We are facing west on West 51st Street, just one block east of South Lawndale Avenue. The GTW Elsdon Yard was a once busy 14 track freight yard, that crossed West 51st Street between South St. Louis Avenue to the east, and South Lawndale Avenue to the west.
With all the frequent back and forth switching movements, this old fashioned wooden elevated railroad crossing operators tower, manually controlled the railroad crossing tracks on West 51st Street during busy times. It was located on the north side of West 51st Street, just across the street from the Elsdon train station. There was also another one just south of here at West 55th Street, which was taken out of service during the early 1980's.
This tower was demolished on site, one week after I had taken this photograph.
thanks.
Eddie K.
1 comment:
As a kid, I used to sit on the bench across the street at the station and think the guy in that tower had one of the coolest jobs ever!
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