Be sure to visit the River Grove Public Library on Monday, July 9th 2007. Eddie K. from the popular Chicagoland transportation blog site
I took this photo at the Kettle Moraine Railway in Northlake Wisconsin, during an August 1985 fantrip with The Railroad Club of Chicago. This was My one and only visit to this now defunct tourist railroad. Seen here at the Northlake depot, is steam locomotive # 9 and train waiting for departure. Locomotive # 9 was built in 1901 by the Baldwin locomotive Company, and pulled logging trains for the Mc,Cloud River railroad in Northern California. This locomotive is a 2-6-2 prairie type, and was equiped with two different whistles, at least in tourist railway service.
I took this photo at the Illinois Railway Museum during a September 1982 visit. During this time, the museum had built up quiete a surplus of equipment that wasn't needed. Some of it belonged to private individuals who had a lack of any place else to store it. Locomotive # 2 seen here, was a Baldwin 2-8-2 logging type from the Polsen Lumber Company, and in recent years...was hauling tourist trains on the now defunct Kettle Moraine Railway in Northlake Wisconsin. To raise much needed funding, the museum held a Grand Auction of their surplus equipment. Locomotive # 2 went to the Mid Continent Railway Museum at North Freedom Wisconsin, and hauled tourist trains into the 1980's and 90's. It is currently undergoing a lenghty mechanical overhaul at North freedom Wi.
I took this photo of the famouse NKP # 765 prior to departure from Chicago Illinois. On September 7th 1985, Chicago's 20th Century Railroad Club ran this chartered mainline excursion from Chicago to Sterling Illinois, over the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad. The steam building up in the locomotives boiler was nothing compared to the outside temperatures that day. It was the HOTTEST day of the year in Illinois, with temperatures topping 100 degrees farenheight, and an air conditioning system that didn't work at all in My 2nd class coach. I spent most of the ride in the vestubule with an open dutch door to get some circulating air. It was miserably hot outside, but still a nice charter trip.
I took this lovely Springtime afternoon photo, on Chicago's northside back in mid May of 2007.
I took this photo, on a lovely springtime morning in May of 2007. Seen here approaching the Maple Avenue grade crossing in west suburban Brookfield Illinois, is a Metra all stops commuter local, enroute to Chicago Union station. The train has just left the tiny Congress Park flagstop shelter style station approximately 4 blocks west, and will soon be taking passengers to their places of employment in the greater Chicagoland area. Morning rush hour rail commuting.
A trio of EMD locomotives from various railroads, are seen in a small terminal yard in Schiller Park Illinois. These locomotives were sitting on the ready tracks, with the sounds of their internal engine blocks softly idling away.
I took this photo one morning in May of 2007. A Metra commuter local to downtown Chicago Illinois, is seen departing west suburban Maywood Illinois. This is on the Union Pacific West line to Elburn Illinois. On any given day, this line is very active with numerous freight and commuter trains keeping dispatchers busy.
I took this photo after work one evening in May of 2007. This view is looking east from the South Central Avenue bridge just south of the U.S Route I-55 Stevenson Expressway. A large cut of tank cars is seen being moved back and forth on the east end of the former Illinois Central Glen Yard on Chicago's southwest side. Out of view to the left, is a bl;ack and white former Illinois Central EMD Roadswitcher still in late 1980's and early 1990's Illinois Central logo and markings. The Canadian National Railroad merged and absorbed the old I.C in 1999.
I took this photo on Chicago's westside. This is alongside north Kenton Street between West Lake Street and west Kinzie Street. Seen here traveling southbound on the Belt Railway of Chicago, is a slow moving Canadian Pacific Railroad transfer train. The train is passing over the Union Pacific Railroad's former Chicago & NorthWestern RR West line, out of view to the right. With a great abundance of freight train yards and terminal operations in and around the city of Chicago Illinois, transfer service freight trains are a very common site in the windy city.
The River Grove Public Library will be presenting a Chicagoland Railfan Slide Show on Monday night, July 9th 2007 , hosted by
There is nothing more happier, than seeing an active outdoor swimming pool on a hot day in the greater Chicagoland Area. After many months of staring at bare trees , brown grass, putting on jackets, and hoping for some sunny warm weather....It finally showed up! This outdoor public swimming pool, is located in downtown franklin Park Illinois near the Metra commuter rail station. the sounds of laughter and splashing now fill the air with the happy sounds of summer.
This is the elaborate, spacious, and relatively new Metra commuter rail station ,in southwest suburban Oaklawn Illinois near West 95th street. I can recall during the 1990's before this big station was built, that the station that stood here then, was nothing more than a 3 sided plastic bus shelter type of structure with the platforms and a bench or two. This is on the Norfolk Southern Railroad line. In recent times, the Metra trains only went from Chicago to Orland Park Illinois on a very limited schedule. Now the trains run from Chicago to Manhatten Illinois in Will County. These trains still only run 5 days a week, only now there is more trains during the weekdays.
Lovingly preserved as part of a park display, is the historic Tower B-12 in downtown franklin Park Illinois, near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Tower B-12 was used as an active interlocking junction tower into the late 1990's.
I took this photo looking north from West 123rd Street , in south suburban Alsip Illinois. This northbound CSX Transportation train was tying up traffic on West 123rd street. I took this photo while I was waiting, of these two UPS "Pup" trailers riding on the piggyback flatcars.
I spotted this group of various types of railroad tank cars, on a siding track in Mc.Cook Illinois one morning in May of 2007. This is in an industrial park setting west of South Lawndale avenue near Joliet Road. This is on the BNSF Railway mainline, and there is frequent train traffic daily on this former A,T & S ,F RR line.
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.
A hot June afternoon in 2007, finds a slow moving Canadian Pacific transfer freight train crossing 25th Avenue in downtown Franklin Park Illinois. Two weather beaten former Soo Line EMD Diesel locomotives are on the head end. Franklin Park is a very busy railroad town.
