Friday, October 31, 2014
Pacing a northbound Canadian Pacific freight train alongside Lehigh Avenue. Glenview Illinois. October 2014.
Approaching the Chestnut Avenue railroad crossing at 40 MPH.
Modeling American railroad mergers from the past inH.O Scale. The 1968 merger of the New York Central, and the Pennsylvania Railroad, that created the Penn Central. (1968-1976)
Photographed at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O
Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois. OPSME on
Facebook.
A southbound Union Pacific Railroad unit grain train waiting on a hold order. Northbrook Illinois. October 2014.
Photographed facing east, on top of the Willow Road viaduct.
Preserved / operational railroad steam crane on display by the sawmill. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. September 2010.
Used together with the operating demonstration sawmill, during
special events at the museum. www.hesston.org
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Backing the former Chicago Brookfield Zoo train to the car barn. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. Saturday, September 27th, 2014.
One of the volunteer operating crew members at the Hesston
Steam Museum in northwest Indiana, takes a pause in the
action, as the locomotive engineer prepares to back the former
Chicago Brookfield Zoo train, in to the museum car barn
for the night. This photo was taken near closing time.
A former G,M & O locomotive acquired through merger in 1972, pulls a 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad freight train.
During the 1970's and in to the late 1980's, there were several
yet unrepainted former Gulf, Mobile & Ohio locomotives in
service, puling freight trains for the Illinois Central Gulf R R.
My Atlas G,M & O EMD GP 38-2, is viewed recreating the
ICG trains of the 1970's era, at the Oak Park Society of
Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in the -
village of Oak Park Illinois. OPSME on Facebook.
A former Burlington Northern Railroad locomotive working the south hump, at the BNSF Railway's Corwith Yard. Chicago Illinois. Late October 2014.
I took this photograph facing west on South Archer Avenue, just
east of the diagonal intersection of West 47th Street, in Chicago's
Brighton Park neighborhood.
This former Burlington Northern cascade green EMD SD 40-2
and one other locomotive in BNSF orange and dark green paint
out of view to the right, are busy working the south hump at the
former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Corwith Yard in Chicago.
That underpass viaduct, is in pretty sad looking shape today.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
Monday, October 27, 2014
A Canadian National freight train idling on top of the West Lawrence Avenue viaduct. Schiller Park Illinois. October 2007.
Basking in the brilliant morning sunshine.
A westbound BNSF Railway auto rack train. Riverside Illinois. December 2013.
Passing though town on a bitterly cold winter day.
The Ringling Brother's and Barnum & Bailey blue unit circus train. Chicago Illinois. November 2007.
Photographed near the Metra, Hanson Park commuter rail
station near North Central and west Grand Avenues.
A two train meet on the club layout.
Photographed at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O
Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.
OPSME on Facebook.
I found this classic 1930's or 40's era Chicago streetcar photograph, at a Facebook page entitld "Forgotten Chicago". (A really nice photo site.)
I liked this photograph so much, that I also shared it on my own
Facebook site "North Side Chicago."
This classic double ended Chicago Surface Lines electric streetcar,
was photographed at the northeast corner of West Armitage and
North California Avenue, on the north side of Chicago.
A southbound Canadian National freight train rounding the Hawthorne Junction interchange curve. Chicago / Cicero Illinois. October 2008.
I took this photograph one lovely autum afternoon, back in
October of 2008.
A southbound Canadian National freight train has just left
the nearby Canadian National ex Illinois Central Hawthorne
Yard in west suburban Cicero Illiniois, and is now entering
the interchange connection track to the Belt Railway of
Chicago's north-south line at Hawthorne Junction.
Hawthorne Junction, is located immediately on the Chicago
city limits border at Cicero Illinois.
Friday, October 24, 2014
A miniature railroad crossing signal at the Kiddieland Amusement Park. (Gone-Demolished.) Melrose Park Illinois. June 2008.
A fun seasonal family attraction in the greater Chicagoland area
that is sadly no longer with us, was the Kiddieland Amusement
Park, located at the northwest corner of North and First Avenues
in northwest suburban Melrose Park Illinois.
Kiddieland closed in September of 2009, after a long legal battle
between the family members who owned the amusement park.
Seen here during the final years of Kiddieland, is a rusty and well
used miniature railroad crossing signal in the east parking lot,
from the park's popular Miniature Railroad ride.
A 1960's era Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe freight train rolls by.
I took this photograph at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,
H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois a few years ago.
One of my favorite railroads I remember when I was growing up in -
Chicago, was the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. I -
mostly model the Santa Fe's freight trains from the 1960's and 70's
era, but recently began including some early 1980's era ATSF as well.
In this photograph, My Athearn EMD GP 35 painted in the Santa Fe's
1960's era "Dress Blue" or "Book Ends" color scheme used from 1960
until 1972, pulls a string of 1960's era period freight cars, circa 1968.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
My 1970's era Santa Fe auto parts train crossing the urban viaduct.
Photographed at the OakPark Society of Model Engineers,H.O
Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois. Oct 2014.
The BNSF Railway's bloc signals at Mc Cook Junction. Mc Cook Illinois. October 2014.
View facing west / southwest on the former Atchison, Topeka & -
Santa Fe Railroad mainline, near the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
crosstracks.
Stopping for water on the miniature 14 inch gauge railroad. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. Saturday, September 27th, 2014. www.hesston.org
I took this photograph during a recent September 2014 visit, to
the Hesston Steam Museum in northwest Indiana, near the border
town of New Buffalo Michigan in La Porte County.
A recent addition and improvement to the operations at the museum,
is this working model of a wooden steam era water tank, used on the
museum's miniature 14 inch gauge live steam railroad at Hesston JCT.
Volunteer steam locomotive engineer Ted, is viewed lecturing the riders,
as he refills the tender of the former Kiddieland Amusement Park 4-6-4
streamlined steam locomotive near Hesston Junction on the museum
grounds.
Sharp clear railroad reporting marks on an Athearn H.O Scale GTW gondola car.
I took this photograph a couple of weeks ago, at the Oak Park
Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club
in Oak Park Illinois. OPSME on Facebook.
Model Railroading has come a long way in recent years, with
the amazing technololgies and spectacular amounts of detail
available on many of the miniature model trains offered today.
Believe it or not, those railroad reporting marks, are actually
on a 1/87 H.O Scale model railroad freight car offered by a
company known as Athearn.
This looks a lot like the Grand Trunk Western Railroad freight
cars I use to see at the GTW Elsdon Yard on West 51st Street
in Chicago during the 1970's and early 80's.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Eddie Blazonczyk Sr, - Chicago Bears Polka
This You Tube video, is dedicated to all the viewers of my site, who are
also Chicago area sports fans as well. (Pass the nachos and hot wings please.)
Although the Chicago Bears lost 27 to 14 yesterday against the Miami Dolphins...
I am still a Chicago Bears fan, no matter what the fans of that green and yellow
team north of Milwaukee have to say.
Go Bears! Better luck next week!
Thanks.
Eddie K.
Stopping for water on the miniature 14 inch gauge railroad. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. Saturday, September 27th, 2014.
I took this photograph during a recent visit to the Hesston Steam
Museum, located in the town of Hesston Indiana near the border
town of New Buffalo Michigan in La Porte County.
Many improvements have been made in recent times at the museum,
one of them being this working model of a steam era wooden water
tank on the museum's miniature 14 inch track gauge railroad. It quenches
the thirst of the steam locomotives, just as the prototypes did.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
BNSF Railway block signals at Mc Cook Junction. Mc Cook Illinois. October 2014.
View facing west on the BNSF Railway's former Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railroad mainline in near southwest suburban Mc Cook
Illinois near the town of Lyons.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
A Union Pacific Railroad advertising slogan on the side of a modern diesel locomotive. Northbrook Illinois. Thursday, October 16th, 2014.
Photographed looking up along the east side of the Willow Road
viaduct, in north suburban Northbrook Illinois.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
A Chicago Surface Lines Route # 56 / Milwaukee Avenue streetcar in the north terminal at North Milwaukee Avenue and West Imlay Street. Chicago Illinois. Early 1940's?
I found this photograph at my Link page, the New Dave's Railpix,
which is located to the right of your computer screen.
Prior to 1951, the Chicago Transit Authority's Route # 56 / Milwaukee
Avenue transit route, was operated with electric streetcars from the former
Chicago Surface Lines Company. Car # 522, viewed at the north terminal
at the Chicago city limits border adjacent to Niles Illinois, at North -
Milwaukee and West Imlay Street, in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood.
Today, this is a transit bus terminal.
An early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad local freight train passes the tower.
Photographed at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O
Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.
OPSME on Facebook.
A volunteer conductor punching the train tickets prior to departure. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. Saturday, September 27th, 2014.
This operating railroad museum, is located near New Buffalo Michigan
and is a very fun and family oriented attraction worth visiting in N W
Indiana. www.hesston.org
Friday, October 10, 2014
A unique 1970's era Santa Fe caboose hop in H.O Scale.
I took this photograph last month, at the Oak Park Society of Model
Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.
This group also has their own Facebook page known as OPSME
My recently acquired Atlas H.O Scale model of an Atchison, Topeka
& Santa Fe Railroad EMD SD 24 roadswitcher diesel locomotive, is
viewed pulling three Athearn Santa Fe cabooses in two different ATSF
cupola models and color schemes. The rear caboose in the plain box car
brown color scheme, represents an unrebuilt Santa Fe caboose in the pre
1966 color scheme.
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad EMD SD 20 # 2924. Riverdale Illinois. October 26th, 2003. Mike Rapchack Jr photograoh.
I found this photograph from the Chicago area railroad known
as the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad at my Link page Fallen -
Flags.Org, which is located to the right of your computer -
screen at www.rr-fallenflags.org
Railfan photographer Mike Rapchack Junior, photographed IHB
EMD SD 20 roadswitcher locomotive # 2924 at work, switching
auto rack cars at the IHB's Riverdale Yard near Blue Island Illinois.
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
An early 1970's era Illinois Central Gulf Railroad gondola train.
Photographed at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O
Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois. OPSME on
Facebook as well.
Putting the former Chicago Brookfield Zoo train away for the night. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana. Saturday, September 27th, 2014.
The patronage was running a little on the light side late in
the afternoon on Saturday, September 27th, 2014, at the -
Hesston Steam Museum in northwest Indiana near the border
town of New Buffalo Michigan, and the crew decided that it
was time to remove one of the museum's two operating former
Chicago Brookfield Zoo narrow gauge trains from service, and
put it away for the night in the museum's car barn prior to closing.
The train's crew, is viewed backing the train to the car barn.
American railroad box cars from the former Boston & Maine (Left) and the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad. The Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club. Oak Park Illinois. Tuesday, October 7th, 2014.
I took this photograph last night, at the Oak Park Society of Model
Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club in Oak Park Illinois.
This group also has their own Facebook page known as OPSME
Rounding one of may curves on the club layout, are a 40 foot Box
car painted in 1960's era Boston & Maine Railroad markings, and
a modern 1970's and 80's era yellow Chicago & NorthWestern -
Railroad double plug door box car.
Fallen flag American railroads of the past, are alive and well at this club.
Thursday, October 02, 2014
Welcome aboard Eddie's Railfan Page, from the city of Chicago Illinois USA!
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad EMD SW 1 diesel switcher locomotive
# 8406 at Cranford New Jersey. April 1973. Carl Greffchen photo.
This and many other wonderful vintage railroad photographs, can
be seen at my Link page Fallen Flags.Org, which is located to the
right of your computer screen at www.rr-fallenflags.org
The north terminal for the Chicago Transit Authority Route # 52 / Kedzie - California Avenue bus line then and now.
The Chicago Transit Authority's north terminal for the Route # 52 /
Kedzie - California Avenue bus line, located on North California
Avenue approximately two city blocks north of West Roscoe Street,
has seen few if any changes. Located in an industrial and residential
district on the north side of Chicago, this was the "end of the line" for
the predecessor company Chicago Surface Lines during the electric
streetcar era, and later for the successor company Chicago Transit
Authority, with the later addition of a much safer "Off Street" -
terminal loop along the west side of North California Avenue.
Standard double ended electric streetcars were used on this line until
May of 1954, which required passengers to board and disembark in
the middle of city streets. Although some locations featured concrete
boarding safety islands, they were still largely unsafe due to some
of the local careless driving habits by some motorists in Chicago.
Apparently...not much has changed in Chicago traffic safety wise.
In May of 1954, the Route # 54 / Kedzie-California transit route,
was converted to gasoline powered transit bus operation, utilizing
1940's era White gasoline powered transit buses, based out of the
CTA's Archer Garage located on the southwest side of the city, at
Archer Avenue and Pershing Road in Chicago's Mc Kinley Park
neighborhood. (Closed. Demolished in 2014.) With the overhead
wires already still in place and on route electrical substations, this
transit route was converted to electric trolleybus operation in
December of 1955, and operated as such until March of 1969,
when it was converted to diesel and propane bus operation.
I found the streetcar photograph on the internet, while the modern
bus photograph was one I had taken, in January of 2007.
Thanks.
Eddie K.
An early postwar era City of Chicago garbage truck.
I found this photograph recently on a few Facebook photo pages.
Before there was today's big City of Chicago Department of Streets
And Sanitation, there was the "Chicago Department Of Sanitation."
This photograph which was more than likely taken during the late
1940's era, shows how back then, municipal city garbage trucks once
had a large loading scoop on the back of the truck, which was then
connected mechanically via linkage, to a lid on the top of the odd -
shaped enclosed disposal body, that would open or close depending
on the movement of the rear loading scoop. When it was time to go
and unload the full truck at a local municipal waste transfer station
or incinerator facility, these were enclosed dump trucks that would
tip to unload at the city dumping facility or landfill operation.
I was born in Chicago during 1962, and I fondly remember that the
City of Chicago garbage trucks, were painted a dull utilitarian solid
orange color scheme, with maroon front grills, wheels and fuel tanks.
This is more than likely what this truck was painted in as well in this
vintage Chicago photograph. Around 1967, the City of Chicago Dept
of Streets and Sanitation, began painting their vehicles including the
Street sweepers and dump trucks, in to the light blue and copper color
scheme that is still in use today.
Notice in the photograph, that there are early electric powered exterior
lights that were similar to ones used on buildings. Notice also the -
complete lack of rear view mirrors. ( A big "No No" today.)
Thanks.
Eddie K.
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