Stopped by a switching movement. Franklin Park Illinois USA. January 2007.

A suburban Pace handicapped bus, had to stop and wait at the Scott Street railroad crossing, while a Canadian Pacific locomotive performs a yard switching move. The Canadian Pacific through here is a very busy railroad line.

Old black and white steam locomotive photo. The Norfolk & Western RR. Circa late 1880's.

Periodically through the years, I have come across treasures at various flea markets, and post card / stamp collectors shows around the greater Chicagoland Area.

This is an old photo from the Norfolk & Western Railroad. Judging by the box headlight -wooden cab -capped smokestack -shiny boiler jacket-airbrakes- and not a trace of automatic knuckle couplers, I would say that this photo is from the late 1800's.
Possibly 1888 -to 1892. On the locomotives pilot or "Cowcatcher" as some people called it, appears to be an early version of todays automatic knuckle couplers. Freight and passenger trains were becoming longer and heavier around this time, and this small to mid sized looking 4 -6 -0 ten wheeler type, was actually considered a "Big" engine around this period of time. This may have been a passenger service locomotive.

Going downtown. An eastbound Metra commuter rail train picking up passengers. River Forest Illinois USA. November 2006.

I took this photo in a thick morning fog, in November of the year 2006. I was doing a little railfanning, at the Metra River Forest Illinois commuter rail station. This depot, is located on the Union Pacific west line to Elburn Illinois.
River Forest is a very scenic and upscale community, located between the suburban towns of Oak Park and Maywood Illinois. Once the passengers are aboard, the train will proceed eastbound, and arrive at the Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center on west Madison Street in downtown Chicago Illinois.

Eastbound Amtrak passing through Cicero Illinois USA. June 1986.

An eastbound Amtrak train, is seen racing through west suburban Cicero Illinois enroute to Chicago Union Station. I took this photo looking west, from the Cicero Avenue commuter rail station near west 26th Street.

Breakfast at the Park Restaurant. April 1990.

Hello everybody!
Welcome to Eddie's Railfan Page.
Once again, I found some more old Chicago area railroad photos from the 1980's and early 90's, and I thought that You might enjoy seeing them.
Here I am, Your host and photographer 17 years ago, in April of 1990. ( Was that really Me?)

I was out enjoying breakfast with some of My friends at the Park Restaurant, wich was located at the intersection of Archer and Kedzie Avenues in Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood. We had many happy memorys and tasty meals here. I recall that for awhile, we had a lovely waitress from Lithuania named Daiva, who always took great care of us when we would eat there.

Metra Electric commuter train at the Vermont Street station. Blue Island Illinois USA. May 1990.

See here at the end of the line on the Blue Island branch, is a Metra Electric train of former Illinois Central electric Highliner commuter coaches. When I had taken this photograph on location in May of 1990, these coaches were still wearing the former Illinois Central orange and brown passenger color scheme, but with Metra logos.

Eastbound Burlington Northern RR freight train. Riverside Illinois USA. June 1985.

An eastbound Burlington Northern freight train, is seen racing past the old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad station in Riverside Illinois.

Riverside Illinois, is an upscale village located in Chicago's western suburbs between the towns of Berwyn and Brookfield Illinois, alongside the scenic Des Plaines River.

Different sized rail lines. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana USA. June 1990.

I took this photo near the Hesston Junction depot, at the Hesston Steam Museum in northwest Indiana. The large green side tank steam locomotive, is a meter guage 0-4-0 T
from Czechloslovakia. The smaller locomotive, is a miniature live steam 14" guage 4-6-4 Hudson type steam locomotive. The Hesston Steam Museum has displays of antique vechicles, fire equipment, farm tractors, a working steam powered saw mill, and three different steam train rides through the woods on the property.
The Museum is located a few miles south of the city of New Buffalo Michigan USA.

Northbound GTW freight train waiting on a hold order. Alsip Illinois USA. April 1990.

I took this photo looking southeast from west 123rd Street, in SW Suburban Alsip Illinois. I was passing through this area on a quiet Sunday afternoon, in April of 1990. This was a cloudy afternoon with intermittent light rain showers.
A northbound Grand Trunk Western freight train, is seen waiting for clearance to proceed on Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad trackage, at west 123rd Street west of south Pulaski Road.

A summer scene from northwest suburban Schiller Park Illinois USA. August 2006.

I took this photo on west Irving Park Road, in the village of Schiller Park Illinois USA. A northbound Canadian National Railroad freight train , is seen on the viaduct, waiting for clearance to enter the railroad yard. I work as an outside sales representative for a local Chicago soft drink company, and the village of Schiller Park Illinois is part of the area that I service.
I have always been impressed by the lush plant life, and clean appearance the village takes pride in maintaining on their city streets. Very nice.

Old black and white steam locomotive photograph.

I bought a set of old black and white steam locomotive photographs, at a flea market during
the late 1980's. I do not know what locomotive or railroad carrier this is as the engine is unmarked.
The locomotive shown here, appears to be a pre 1900 2-8-0 type consilidation locomotive, normally used in freight service. It appears that there are some passenger cars in tow, indicating that this may be a shortline railroad, or a secondary , local mail service branchline train.
This locomotive design appears to be from the 1890's, when freight trains were getting longer and heavier, but the steam locomotive superstructural proportions, were still on the small side.

Westbound Norfolk Southern transfer train. Elmwood Park Illinois USA. December 2006.

I took this photo one cloudy December morning in the year of 2006. I spotted this westbound Norfolk Southern Railroad freight train, approaching the northwest suburban Elmwood Park Illinois Metra commuter rail station. This transfer / run through train is proboubly heading to the CP Rail Bensenville Yard near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The train is on the normally "Eastbound" mainline, and was proboubly dispatched onto the wrong mainline because of heavy rail traffic on the former Milwaukee Road mainline.

The Santa Fe Corwith yard enginehouse. Chicago Illinois USA. March 1986.

I took this photo on location, at the former Atchinson ,Topeka & Santa Fe Corwith Yard engine terminal on Chicago's southwest side.
The Santa Fe engine service terminal, was located on the northwest corner of Corwith Yard at approximately west 41st Street, about 4 blocks east of south Pulaski Road. This area is in a large industrial park setting.

Orange PCC electric streetcar operating in Kenosha Wisconsin USA. September 2000.

I took this photo in the city of Kenosha Wisconsin USA, in September of the year 2000. Kenosha's electric streetcar in the orange and cream color scheme, is seen heading east on 56th Street, on the grass island private right of way. Kenosha Transit has 5 former Toronto Transit Commision PCC electric streetcars from 1951, that have been refurbished, and provide service on the demonstration shuttle trolley line downtown.

Chicago Surface Lines car # 144. The Illinois Railway Museum. Union Illinois USA. June 2001.

I took this photo at the Illinois Railway Museum, located in the town of Union Illinois , in Mc Henry County.
The electric streetcar shown here, was built by the Pullman Standard Car Company of Chicago Illinois in the year of 1908, and worked in daily transit service for the Chicago Surface Lines Company (pre CTA), until May of 1954.

This beautiful old electric streetcar from pre transit bus times, has been lovingly restored,
and has been operating at the Illinois Railway Museum for many years.

A scene from Chicago's neighborhoods past. January 2007.

I took this photo after work in January of 2007.
This is a scene of timeless urban americana. I was lucky to find an old Rexall neon sign from decades ago, at the northwest corner of north Western Avenue and west Augusta Boulevard on Chicago's northside. Best of all...it was still in working order too. These little street corner drug stores were once the daily way of life in Chicago and many other citties across the nation. These neighborhood drugstores were once a place where you could get a prescription filled, and have a hot lunch or ice cream soda at the counter.
The big corporate pharmacy's have largely put these quaint neighborhood stores out of business.

The CSX Transportation 16th Street industrial local leaving Cicero Illinois USA. Late January 2007.

I was heading west on 16th Street after work one day in late January of 2007. I spotted the headlights of the very elusive CSX 16th Street local heading eastbound across the Chicago border on south Cicero Avenue. This industrial switching local was returning to Chicago, after spotting and picking up cars, in west suburban Cicero Illinois USA that cold afternoon in January. West 16th Street in the village of Cicero Illinois USA, is a factory / industrial district served by CSX Transportation as needed.

The Metra Edison Park commuter rail station. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo on a bitterly cold January morning in 2007. This is the Metra commuter rail station, located just west of Oliphant Avenue, on Chicago's far northwest side near the suburban village of Park Ridge Illinois. The station is located just south of Northwest Highway, just west of Oliphant Avenue. This is on the Union Pacific / Metra Northwest line to Harvard Illinois USA. The station was undergoing remodeling at the time of this photo.

Westbound Union Pacific Railroad container train. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

The crossing gates have lowered, and the electronic bell is ringing at the north Kilbourn Avenue grade crossing at west Kinzie street.
A Union Pacific intermodal container train is seen here speeding westbound on the former C&NW
West line.

Employee parking sign. The Berwyn Illinois Metra station on Oak Park Avenue.

I took this photo after work, in January of 2007.
This BNSF Employee Parking Only sign, is at the Metra station on Oak Park Avenue and Windsor Street, in
the west suburban village of Berwyn Illinois USA.

Oak Park tax dollars at work. Sanitation workers on west Chicago Avenue. December 2006.

I had just walked out of Villager Foods across the street on Chicago Avenue near Harlem, and spotted these two very dedicated and hard working Sanitation workers on a collection run.
The suburban village of Oak Park Illinois, is currently employing these unique "Side Loading" garbage trucks, for curb side trash collection.
It is a constant stop and go operation, but a very important operation required to keep Oak Park clean. The village and the people involved is what makes a small city beautiful.

Metra electric highliner cars laying over at University Park terminal. May 1990.

I took this photo at the end of the line terminal in University Park Illinois USA. I was on a chartered fan trip, with the Central Electric Railfan's Association that day. We toured the entire Metra Electric system. At this point in time, the cars were still wearing the Illinois Central Railroad's brown and orange colors.
The 3 Metra Electric lines were originally owned and operated by the Illinois Central Railroad, and for many years after the formation of Metra, were referred to by Railfans and Local Chicagoans as the "I.C Electric".

An outbound Metra commuter train arriving at the Forest Glen depot in Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo at the Metra Forest Glen commuter rail depot, on Chicago's far northwest side. This flagstop depot is located on an elevated embankment above Elston Avenue just west of Foster Avenue. This railroad line is owned by the Canadian Pacific Railroad. The line sees daily Amtrak Hiawatha service to Milwaukee Wisconsin, and Metra commuter rail trains to Fox Lake Illinois. Prior to 1985, this line was owned by the Milwaukee Road Railroad.

Activity at the IHB Argo Yard. Summit Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo on a cold but dry January day, in early 2007. An Indiana Harbor Belt maintenance crew is discussing things with a supervisor, while two diesel locomotives in the black and orange scheme are ideling in wait for a freight train to pass through at any minute soon.

Inside the shops. The East Troy Electric railroad and Museum. East Troy Wisconsin USA. September 2006.

I took this photo in the repair shops, at the East Troy Electric Railroad and Museum, in scenic East troy Wisconsin. My Wife and Myself had just gotten married in June of 2006, but held off until September to take our much deserved Honeymoon Vacation, in nearby Lake Geneva Wisconsin. I work as an outside sales rep in the soft drink industry, and I was overbooked during our summer busy season with working day career commitments.

The car on the left, is a 1959 vintage 5-50 series rapid transit car, from the Chicago Transit Authority. These cars were used primarily on the Evanston branch , wich is known today as the CTA Purple line to Linden station in Wilmette IL.

The old Zayre Department Store on Southwest Highway in Chicago's Wrightwood Neighborhood. Chicago Illinois USA. May 1983.

Hello everyone!
Welcome to Eddie's Railfan Page. Today I will be showing You a selection of My Chicago area railroad photographs from the Retro 1980's.

This photo is very special to Me, and could be considered a local forgotten obscurity. This is the old 1960's era Zayre Department Store that used to exisit on Southwest highway, in Chicago's Wrightwood Neighborhood Community.

While I did not work at this particulair Zayre store, Zayre was My first job after I graduated Curie High School, and I worked at the 26th Street store in the Little Village Neighborhood. I worked in Houseware, Hardware, and Auto.

A 7 and 1/2 inch guage live steam train ride. The Hesston Steam Museum. Hesston Indiana USA. August 1984.

I took this photo in August of 1984. I was on a chartered excursion with the Railroad Club of Chicago. Our fantrip departed from Chicago's Randolph Street Station (now Millenium Park) on the Chicago, Southshore & South Bend electric railroad, and 2 motor coaches took us to the nearby Hesston Steam Museum. The space between the rails on this miniature line, is only 7 and a half inches. These miniature live steam locomotives are fast and powerful just like their prototypes were many years ago. This little blue engine operates on coal and water too. The Hesston Steam Museum is located in rural La porte County Indiana, approximately 2 miles south of the village of New Buffalo Michigan. This is a nice place to visit with Your family.

An H.O Scale Illinois Central Gulf container train. The Salt Creek Model Railroad Club. Elmhurst Illinois USA. June 1986.

I took this photo while visiting the Salt Creek Model Railroad Club, in the NW suburban village of Elmhurst Illinois back in 1986. This club has a very impressive model railroad, with lots of mainline miles to be travelled in miniature.

Switching activity on the south hump. Santa Fe's Corwith Yard. Chicago Illinois USA. April 1984.

A rebuilt EMD 1950 vintage GP-9, is seen switching a train with a red caboose at Corwith Yard. I was actually on the embankment just north of the bridge over Archer Avenue and w 47th Street, but nobody seemed to mind. I smiled and waved to the crews, and they did likewise. I was a responsible railfan, and knew My limits as to what I actually could do here.
It was a much different world back then for Chicago area railfans. The times were better.
Railroad security never approached Me, and I never gave them a good reason to either.

GTW locomotive line up. The former GTW Elsdon Yard. Chicago Illinois USA. June 1984.

I took this photo looking south on the curved track were engines were staged by w 51st Street.
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad closed the Elsdon Yard and engine terminal in October of 1983. However...for approximately 3 years afterwards, This curved track by the little yard office building on the north side of w 51st Street was used to stage locomotives between runs. Sometimes the railroad would call for a tractor / trailer tank truck to come to this location and refuel the locomotives on site. Although the yard itself was closed and the depot demolished, there was still a little bit of life left at the old place. In the background can be seen a southbound piggyback train leaving the former Elsdon Yard.

Privately owned antique Chicago fire pumper. Chicago Illinois USA. October 1986.

I took this photo looking east on w 31st Street near south Sacramento Boulevard, in October of 1986. Seen here loaded on a Chicago Fire Department flatbed trailer, is a privately owned antique steam pumper from the 1800's.

An older Chicago Fire Department officer had just recently made the news in the Chicago Sun Times newspaper, for displaying his pumper at various local civic events around Chicago.

I spotted his pumper on w 31st Street near the Chicago Fire Department maintenance garage.

Eastbound BNSF / UPS trailer train racing past Mc Cook Junction. Mc Cook Illinois USA. January 2007.

I stood out in a bitterly cold wind coming out of the west to take this photograph on location.
This is an eastbound BNSF Railway / UPS trailer train racing toward Chicago Illinois. The dispatcher has given this priority train a green signal, and it is seen racing past the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad's crosstracks at Mc Cook junction, near the village of Lyons Illinois. Prior to the year of 1995, this was the former Atchinson,Topeka & Santa Fe mainline.

Northbound Union Pacific RR auto rack train. Mc Cook Junction. Mc Cook Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this late morning photo, on a cold morning in early January of 2007. Heading north on the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad line, is a Union Pacific unit train of tri leval auto racks. The train is seen passing over the crosstracks of the BNSF Railway. Mc Cook Junction is located on a service road in an isolated industrial area between the suburban towns of Summit and Lyons Illinois.
Heavy snows would pelt Chicago within the next two weeks.

A BNSF Railway covered hopper still in predecessor Burlington Northern markings. Hawthorne Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. January 2007.

I took this photo on a sunny but bitterly cold late January morning, in the year of 2007. We are looking west on Canadian National Railroad trackage, at Hawthorne Junction, on the Chicago city limits just east of suburban Cicero Illinois.

Seen here is a northbound Canadian National train traveling over the Belt Railway of Chicago north / south line. We are looking at a 54 foot covered hopper still rolling around in 1970's era Burlington Northern markings, 12 years after the merger with the Atchinson ,Topeka & Santa Fe that created todays BNSF Railway. The best part of all was that this veteran car was relatively un grafitti tagged after all these years in service. A rarity in todays urban railroad environments.

Mid day action at the BNSF Clyde Yard. Cicero Illinois USA. January 2007.

A very busy rail hub in the greater Chicagoland area, is the huge BNSF Clyde Yard facility in west suburban Cicero Illinois. I took this photo looking west from 26th Street, wich runs along the north side of the yard. The large overpass bridge in the background, is Laramie Avenue. It was a beautiful crystal clear day, but sunglasses were a definate requirment.

Reflective safety materials. The Union Pacific Railroad's M-19 Diesel Shop. Chicago Illinois USA. October 2006.

The evening sun was setting in the city of Chicago Illinois USA, and another beautiful Autum day was coming to a close in 2006.
I spotted this line up of Union Pacific diesel locomotives, on the ready tracks at the company's M-19 Diesel Locomotive Shops.
Seen here is an example of the Union Pacific's use of red reflective materials used for the frame stripe , cab side numbers -and corporate name, wich for some reason or another, hasn't been applied to the side of this EMD yard switcher yet.
The two industrial smokestacks in the background, are from Chicago's Northwest waste to energy plant on Kilbourn near Chicago Ave.

Westbound Metra commuter train arriving at the Hanson Park depot. Chicago Illinois USA. October 2006.

I was working in the area near Central and Grand Avenues, on Chicago's northside. I briefly stopped by the Hanson Park flagstop depot just west of the Central Avenue bridge to see if anything was happening on the CP Rail line. I arrived just in time to spot a westbound Metra train to Elgin Illinois stopping at the Hanson Park station stop.

The Chicago Greyhound bus maintenance facility on Halsted Street. Chicago Illinois USA. October 2006.

Hello everyone!
Welcome to "Bus Day" here at Eddie's Railfan Page. I took this photograph along the Chicago River from the north Halsted Street bridge near west Chicago Avenue. This is the large maintenance facility utilized by the Greyhound Bus company. Several long distance interstate style coaches are being attended to here on this early autum day in the windy city.

Comemorative Pace bus on a rainy afternoon. Bellwood Illinois USA. October 2006.

Seen here out of My cars front window, is a suburban Pace bus in a special color scheme.
The bus says "Pace. 20 years and still going places". The Pace bus agency started up in 1984, and this coach is in a comemorative Aniversary color scheme with message for all commuters.
It was a soaking wet day with heavy downpours and occasional thunderstorms, but worth the effort taking this photo heading south on Manheim Road, U.S Route # 12 / 45.

State Street in downtown Chicago USA. September 2006.

I took this photo heading north on south State Street, in downtown Chicago Illinois USA. This was a scene I had photographed in early September of 2006, while I was stuck in heavy traffic. State street is a populair destination for tourists visiting the windy city.

Northbound evening Pace bus. LaGrange Illinois USA. September 2006.

I took this photo around sunset. while visiting downtown La Grange Illinois USA. The afternoon and evening rush hour period was just about over, as a northbound Pace Route # 330 bus to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport stops to pick up passengers.

Jed's Texaco station. N.E corner of west 27th Street and south Kedzie Avenue. Chicago Illinois USA. Late March 1986.

I took this photo in Chicago Illinois USA, in late March of the year 1986. This scene is one of timeless Americana. The old neighborhood filling station of decades past, was about to disappear. This is Chicago's "Little Village" neighborhood where I hail from originally. I had just gotten word a day or two before from the Chicago Sun Times newspaper, that the chain of gasoline service stations known as Texaco, were going to be leaving the state of Illinois. I went out with My trusty camera, and took a few snapshots of My old 1940's era Texaco station across the street, before it was too late. In approximately one month after I took this photo, The station changed hands, and the old Texaco banjo sign was painted over. I passed by here recently in 2007. The gasoline pumps and little office are gone.
The service garage was saved, and it is now a privately owned Auto Repair Shop.

Interior View of a 1970's era GMC bus from Milwaukee Wisconsin USA. May 2000.

I was on a special bus fans charter in the city of Milwaukee Wisconsin USA, in May of the year 2000. I had spent the day touring Milwaukee Wisconsin, with a group from the Midwest transit Bus Museum, and the Omnibus Society of America. Both groups had chartered this 1970's vintage GMC fishbowl bus, from the Milwaukee County Transit System. On June 8th 2001, the 1970's GMC bus era in Milwaukee would end with a last run fan trip. Some of the former Milwaukee GMC's were bought by private individuals. One is on display today, at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois USA.

The Intersection of Archer Avenue and Pulaski Rd. Chicago Illinois USA. June 1986.

I took this photo from the southwest corner of Archer and Pulaski, in early June of 1986.
A westbound Rt # 62 Archer CTA bus, is seen at the bus stop by Mount Pindo's Restaurant. Once the light changes, the bus will continue west to the terminal 1 block east of south Harlem Avenue.

Chicago's NorthWestern Station. May 1984.

This is one of the last photos I had taken of the old 1911 built NorthWestern Station, located on west Madison Street in downtown Chicago IL.
Deolition preparations were already in place along the Canal Street side of the building. Demolition of the old NorthWestern station began in June of 1984. The building was replaced by a tall glass and steel office building originally called The NorthWestern Atrium Center. This site today, is now known as the Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center.

Northwestern Station. Chicago Illinois USA. May 1984.

An elderly EMD E-8 in pre Metra RTA markings, is seen idling between commuter runs at Chicago's NorthWestern Station. Approximately one month after I had taken this photograph, the old 1911 built NorthWestern Station was being demolished. The old station concourse building was replaced with a tall glass skyscraper office building, originally called The NorthWestern Atrium Center. Sometime after the 1998 Union Pacific / Chicago & NorthWestern Merger, the building was renamed to the Richard B. Ogilvie Transportation Center in honor of the late Illinois Govoner. This scene looks virtually timeless.

Atchinson,Topeka & Santa Fe old picture postcard circa 1890's.

This is an old picture postacrd I had purchased at a local stamp collectors show about 10 years ago.

The train shown here, is the Santa Fe's California Limited. The California Limited was a "First Class" name train with all the extra fare type of amenitties wealthy people came to expect. The link and pin couplers -oil headlight -wooden cars
and smaller proprtions give this photo an 1890's sort of look. A nice publicity photograph.

Westbound Union Pacific RR transfer train. Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. April 1987.

Seen here on a lovely spring afternoon in 1987, is a westbound Union Pacific Railroad transfer train heading to Clearing Yard. When I photographed this scene at Hayford junction, The north / south Grand trunk Western mainline was still a double track mainline. The following year, the GTW would reduce their mainline through here to a single track line. The Union Pacific train is passing over the GTW crosstracks over Belt Railway of Chicago trackage. On the head end of the Union Pacific transfer, are two late 1970's vintage EMD GP-15 light roadswitchers. Hayford Junction is located at west 76th Street and south St. Louis Avenue in Chicago's Ashburn neighborhood, not far from Richard J.Daley College.

Belt Railway of Chicago caboose. Clearing Yard. May 1987.

I took this photo looking east from the south Cicero Avenue bridge. This little Belt Railway of Chicago caboose, was spotted on an industrial branchline lead track that serves the spur sidings of several on line industries. This is the eastern section of Clearing Yard, on the Chicago side of the border with suburban Bedford Park Illinois.

Approaching eastbound Belt Railway of Chicago transfer train. Hayford Junction. Chicago Illinois USA. April 1987.

I took this photo back in April of the year of 1987.
I had ridden My bicycle to Hayford Junction on a lovely Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful Chicago spring day with temperatures in the low 70 degree range and a little hazy sunshine. Seen here in the distance to the west, is an approaching transfer train from the Belt Railway of Chicago. The train is being pulled by an EMD cow and calf set of diesel switchers.