Friday, June 30, 2017

Dearborn, MI: Fordson Tractor Plant

Dearborn Historical Museum posted four pictures with the comment:
The Fordson Tractor & Dearborn During World War 1
Dearborn's most important contribution to the World War 1 war effort was the production of the Fordson Tractor. Thousands of tractors were produced in Dearborn during the war for customers in Great Britain and the US which helped increase food production. This large scale production of tractors created a need for local housing resulting in the eventual construction of Ford Homes & other West Dearborn neighborhoods. The tractors themselves were produced at a factory near Oakwood Blvd south of Michigan. Ford Engineering Laboratory was later built at the same site.
Note: this post on the Fordson Tractor was published today because numerous museums across the US are having a World War 1 Social Media Day.
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Peter Dudley shared the post with the comment: "The Fordson Tractor plant in Dearborn MI was served by Michigan Central Railroad (M.C.R.R.)."

Tom Stechow commented on Peter's share
Peter Dudley That triangular pond is still there, near the northwest corner of Greenfield Village. East of the tractor plant, Detroit, Delray & Dearborn Railroad (DD&D) junctioned with M.C.R.R.'s Michigan Line, until some time during the 1920s. This long-gone M.C.R.R. branch line went through the middle of today's Ford Proving Grounds (the one-time Ford Airport) and Greenfield Village, paralleling the northeast side of Oakwood Boulevard.
Tom Stechow commented on Peter's share
And later became the Ford Engineering Laboratory which is still standing
Anthony J. Rzucidlo Located at Okwood & Elm. Since I retired, Ford gave the building to the Henry Ford Museum. However, from what I understand is that half of the building is used for storage by the Henry Ford and the other half is FoMoCo, Also I have been told that the interior of the building has been restored to when it was first buuilt i.e. open skylights. When I was still working at the R&E Center they restored Henry Ford's office as it was back in the day. Some other very interesting history in that building.Tom Stechow If you are interested in the history of FEL a former colleague of mine wrote a book about FEL http://mtpublishing.com/.../def.../ford-lab-standard.html...
Tom Stechow commented on Peter's share
Tom Stechow commented on Peter's share
Recent picture of the latest renovation of FEL
Michael Huth  commented on Peter's share
Here's my grand-dad on his Fordson in NW Wisconsin!

Monday, June 26, 2017

Monee, IL: IC MX Tower

Bill Molony posted
The Illinois Central Railroad's MX interlocking tower at Monee.

Monee, IL: IC had four tracks going north.

Photos of the depot in the cut also show the 4-track mainline.
Jim Arvites posted
Famous Illinois Central photo of IC flagship train "City of New Orleans" passing by two coal trains on four track mainline near Kankakee, Illinois on March 26, 1954.
(Hedrich Blessing Photo)
John Petit Was 4 tracks to Monee, 3 tracks south to Otto, then 2 tracks from there, this is the sb City of New Orleans
Denis Johnston https://alongtherails.wordpress.com/.../single-tracking.../
Bruce Rogers I believe that tracks 1&2 were the passenger mains and 3&4 the freight mains.
Joshua Bauer This was shot at Monee IL looking north in the morning. Route 50 is on the west side of the tracks as it crosses the line in Monee, behind the photographer. I forget what train that is, I believe it's the Panama, but it could have been the CoNO. Whichever that train is, there was supposed to be both the Panama Limited and the CoNO for the photo shoot. One of the trains hit a car at Stunkel Road in University Park and didn't make it so they took the photo with just the two locomotives.
Joshua Bauer Everything else is correct, 1954 sounds right given the power and the looks of things.
Mark Bilecki Sr. Looks like its near Monee Il. with old route US 54 now Il 50 along side.

Jim Arvites posted again
Pete Fileca This down to 1 track now ?
Dennis DeBruler It looks like just one: https://www.google.com/.../@41.4465081,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3
There are lots of comments about the location of the above photo. My theory was that it is looking South from the Mill Street Crossing that existed in 1953. And we see the S. Governors Hwy Overpass in the background. But that theory contradicts Jim's comment that the "City of New Orleans" was southbound. Google Earth shows that overpass was removed between 1994 and 1999.

John Petit explains in a comment on a post: "This train is the City of New Orleans, this picture is taken north of Monee, Il., it is southbound and it is in the morning, how do i know this, i know the area and i know the schedule plus the shadow is a giveaway."

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
So the four track mainline was not real close to Kankakee. I'm surprised that some parts of the mainline still have four tracks. And it is still triple track part of the way to Otto, IL.

Update: Normally, I would skip a railfan photo. But the comments about the number of tacks are interesting.
Nick Hart posted
On a sunny morning, CN train M371 heads south through Monee, IL with BC Rail C40-8M 4626 leading the way to Champaign. Trailing is a former CSX C40-8W, now working for lease company GECX.
Matt McClure The single-tracked ex-IC. The Mainline of the Midwest is a shadow of its former self. Hard to believe this was the dominant railroad in Chicago, Illinois, and the old south for 150 years.
Lawrence Smith The B+O single tracked across Indiana and West Ohio then they doubled it again later - too much traffic for one track.
Denis Johnston Sort of an older article, but I found this interesting. https://alongtherails.wordpress.com/.../single-tracking.../ Just south of where I live (Olympia Fields) At one time, the mainline was 6 tracks across.

Bill Molony posted
Illinois Central 4-8-2 Mountain-type #2426, passing through Monee, Illinois with New York Central train #4, The James Whitcomb Riley.
This was the NYC's daily streamliner that operated between Chicago and Cincinnati via Kankakee and Indianapolis.

Bill Molony posted
Illinois Central 4-8-2 Mountain-type #2426 at track speed with the New York Central's James Whitcomb Riley at Monee, Illinois.
Undated, but circa 1950.Bill Molony The James Whitcomb Riley was the New York Central's daily streamliner operating between Central Station in Chicago and Union Terminal in Cincinnati, via Kankakee, Lafayette and Indianapolis. It was equipped with reclining seat coaches, a dining car and an observation lounge car.

Jurnior Hill posted
For a while the CN used a slug set of power to run the daily Markham-Kankakee local. Here they are highballing south through the big Monee Cut. At one time this cut held 5 tracks, now we have just one. 3/11/2008
Thomas Dyrek I remember seeing that slug sandwiched between two GEs the first time I ever went railfanning in Homewood, probably around the time you took this.
Junior Hill Thomas Dyrek Wow, between 2 toasters never woulda guessed..
Jonathon Leese I didn’t realize any of the GTW Geeps were set up to be Slug mothers.
Harvey Kahler CN doesn't seem particularly cooperative with Illinois or Amtrak to restore 2nd main or passing tracks for OT performance and add a Memphis RT.
[Matt McClure commented with the photo above that was also posted by Jim Arvites.]
Junior commented on his post

Bill Johnson's Flickr Photo shows that Monee still had two tracks in 1979.

Todd Novak Flickr of 1969 "Photo by Robert Malinoski, Novak Collection" The link was posted by Jim French with the comment: "This has to be one of the all time best photos of the IC's C636's."

Mark Kowalski posted the comment:
Those of a certain group would know this ( 50 + in age) what is now called the MONEE RESERVOIR was once owned by the IC RR as a lake they used to refill their steam engines.
Wayne Parker During that same time, the ICRR made a cut in Monee to help save money and energy on their steam locomotives. The tracks used to be level with the town (paralleling Oak and Chestnut Streets). They cut down about 25-30 feet for about a mile through the town and north and south. The pond, now part of Will County’s Forest Preserves was a major steam engine water replenishment point about 36 miles south of Chicago.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Lakeville, IN: Vandalia Tower: Wabash vs. Pennsy

(Satellite)
Michael C Kelly posted
Where was Vandalia tower in Indiana on the Wabash? Protected a crossing with the PRR. Image is of a Michigan RR Club excursion 4-12-59. Photog unknown
Eric Reinert Yes, 4th District, at Lakeville, IN. This trip was written about in Victor Bairds book on the 4th Dist. This trip also went up the NJ I&I at Pine.
It is always a bit of a challenge to find where a junction was when both railroads have been abandoned for a while. But if you zoom out a bit, you can still see tree lines where the routes were. The yellow line was the Wabash and the blue line was the Pennsy.

Satellite + Paint

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Herington, KS: Rock Island Double Tank

Larry L Byers posted
A DOUBLE-TANK water storage tower existed in the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad yard in Herington, Kan., 100 years ago. Also note a wooden coal chute in the background at lower right. I obtained this snapshot from a Herington resident many years ago. It is believed the photo was taken sometime between 1918 and 1920.
(Photo from Larry Byers collection)
Jason Dickerson Cool never seen a double tower
David Dolar Only on the R.I
something different

Friday, June 23, 2017

Hackberry, LA: $6B LNG Plant Construction

Alex Stebbins posted
Are there any operators on here working at the hackberry job w CB&I? Got the call and was wondering how the job is? And how long it took to hire in and be workin, etc? Thanks much for any info. That's a pic of hackberry job from outside, a guy sent me. Is this aight, Ben Stalvey
AirIndKnows
more than 75 cranes are operating on the project
The construction is a $6B project. [nola]

I read just this past week in the Chicago Tribune about an Eastern European country (Poland, I believe) receiving their first ship load of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) from the USA. It was considered very significant because it reduces their dependence on Russia for natural gas. But I could not find that article to properly reference it.


Thursday, June 22, 2017

Cumberland, MD: B&O Depot, Yard, Roundhouse, Locomotive Shop, Mexico (M) Tower and Baltimore Street Tower

Depot: (Satellite, the land is now occupied by the Post Office)
Old Roundhouse: (Satellite, now the Cumberland Shopping Center)
Yard: (Satellite)
Roundhouse: (Satellite)
Shop: (Satellite)
M Tower: (3D Satellite)
Baltimore Street Tower: (Satellite)
 
Marty Bernard posted
B&O Queen City Station and Division Offices, Cumberland, MD on July 27, 1970, Bill Howes photo.
Marty Bernard shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Marty's post
It appears that the land is now occupied by the Post Office.
https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5...
[AR1VBLB00010123]


Bruce Lagree posted
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Cumberland Md 1862
FrTimothy J Ferguson: Looks like St. Luke's Lutheran Church [the Clock Tower church] in the background - that was my Shaffer ancestors home parish. My 2x Great Grandfather George Shaffer helped build the church circa 1850. Thanks a lot for posting - I glad to have the photo.
Tom Dunne shared
Tom Dunne commented on his share
B&O tub coal cars...

B&O used to have some very picturesque roundhouses.
Michael McKenzie posted five images with the comment: "The first Roundhouse / Shops in Cumberland were located at the end of George Street. In the area of present day McDonalds and Rose's Department store."
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I presume that the roundhouse in the lower-left corner belonged to Western Maryland.
1901 Frostburg Quad @ 62,500

This is the third of three photos posted by Mark Hinsdale with the comment:
"Cumberland's SD50's"
During my time on the CSX Cumberland Coal Business Unit, (1993-1996) which presided over the former B&O and WM coal routes in northern West Virginia, the SD50 was the mainstay of our assigned locomotive fleet. Deemed troublesome throughout their careers on Chessie and Seaboard, they finally found an application that they were suited for, as long as the mechanical pros at the CSX Cumberland Locomotive Shop could keep them close and look after them. SD50's were extensively used on both the daily coal and empty hopper trains across the torturous Mountain Subdivision between Cumberland and Grafton, as well as regular use on merchandise trains Q316 and Q317 between Cumberland MD and Russell KY. Here are a few images of the EMD's at work.
3) A view of Cumberland Yard and a typical SD50 trio about to be assigned to an empty hopper train for Grafton WV, taken from the Administration Building window... 3-94
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Satellite
I notice it still has part of its roundhouse. It also has a hump yard. I can't remember if this is one of the CSX hump yards that Hunter Harrison has closed.
MP Rail Photography posted
The CSX Cumberland Locomotive Shops and roundhouse in Cumberland, Maryland.
August 21, 2022
Cumberland, MD
MP Rail Photography shared

James Carl Trivett III posted
CSX Cumberland MD shops, 9-11-2023

Timothy Yarnall Sr. commented on James' post
My home for 38 years! Best years of my adult life. The knowledge, talent, work ethics under those roofs world class!!!
 
Mike Lusher posted
Cumberland Shops, 1961.

Scotty Fahnestock posted
 
Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
Nerve center of Cumberland yard. West Hump still is. Building in tact, hump is gone.
Dave Ori: Per the 1966 Metropolitan Guide for Cumberland B&O operated 55 through trains daily plus an additional 20 extra trains such coal, ore and grain making it up to 75 trains daily. Of course, the volume of traffic fluctuated day to day.
David Robey: I do believe that building is now closed. There is actually a formula the use to figure if a hump yard is efficient if I recall a hump operation needs to handle 12 to 1500 cars a day to be profitable. Another thing that didn't help Cumberland was the age of the infrastructure and current traffic flow not alot of manufacturing going on in the east anymore.
Bill Rettberg Jr.: I saw the reasons why Cumberland hump was closed, and no doubt it had lost traffic, but they were classifying both eastbound and westbound trains. now those same trains are pulled apart and assembled by one remote controlled unit, and the process takes much longer. I really don't go there to watch trains anymore, but I do get to the area to hike and play golf. Watching the inefficiency on display now is painful. On my radio, they still refer to the yardmaster by calling West Hump. If that building is closed, where does the yardmaster operate from these days?
David Robey: Bill Rettberg Jr. A lot of what CBL does now is actually block swaps on trains that are switched other places and reassembled in CBL the YM is in the old Callers Building near the safety stop


Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
Cumberland ready tracks, 1967
Bob Lemmert: Right to left, Tabby, Middle and Piker out bound tracks, middle still covered with snow.. The inbound freight track fuel spots has all the engines on.
 
BobLemmert commented on Bill's post
1970's view from Sand Tipple.
 
Eric M Ziegler posted
Mexico Farms, Rebuilding the East end of Cumberland Yard, 9-5-10
Eric M Ziegler posted, same comment

Michael McKenzie posted seven photos with the comment: "Inside Cumberland locomotive shop."
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Dale V Rockwell
: Look at all that asbestos.

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Timothy Yarnall Sr.: This shot is cumberland looking east.
Dan Sobieck: Was never put back in service. These pictures were taken when word came down from Baltimore to stop spending on steam locomotives. Major class repairs were done. Only running repairs were performed until the end of steam.


Jeff Hill posted
Cumberland Locomotive Shop, 1985. Taken by Jeff Hill.
It's a crappy day in the Mid Ohio Valley today, so I randomly grabbed a slide carousel to post some pictures.
Timothy Yarnall Sr.: Applying a traction motor on T3 drop table. T3is the Q line. At those dates locomotives had home point assignment for maintenance.

Jeff Hill posted
1985 Cumberland locomotive shop. Taken by Jeff Hill.

Jeff Hill posted
Cumberland Locomotive Shops, wheel truer, 1985. Taken by Jeff Hill.
 
Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
Inside of the Cumberland shops before the railroad decided not to allow this anymore.
 
Blaz Long commented on Bill's post
I love it there, amazing.

Michael McKenzie posted ten images with the comment: "1913."
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Greg McDowell posted
CSXT 6009, a former Chessie System (B&O) GP40-2 sits outside the Cumberland (MD) Locomotive Shop in May of 1990.
[Comments discuss illegal copying of photos and the identification of 6009.]

Bob Weston posted
Photo of CSX's (former B&O, Chessie) Mexico Tower at the eastern entrance to the Cumberland, Md. yard. Photo by R J Weston, 23 July 1994.

To confirm the tower near the left side of this aerial was the Mexico Tower, I searched further East all the way to a former underpass for a branch line.
EarthExplorer: Apr 6, 1947 @ 35,400; AR1DS0000040038

But when I looked on a satellite map to find the location of that tower, I discovered it would be in the middle of today's hump yard. So, for once, I looked at the newest aerials, instead of the oldest, to find the tower. I spent over an hour looking for it because the 1984 maps were high resolution and each map covered a small area. And then I discovered that it is still standing!
Dennis DeBruler commented on Bob's post
It is still standing north of Mexico Farm Road.
 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.6010277,-78.7394945,85a,35y,270h,39.48t/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

The tower is obscured by the signal bridge.
Street View, Sep 2019


I must of made a mistake searching and I wrote notes for this depot a second time.


Bill Rettberg Jr. posted three photos with the comment: "Three images from a trip I made by train back in 1968. I took an RDC car out of Camden Station, down to DC, and west to Cumberland on the Metropolitan. I would spend the day shooting around the yard and shops, and return on the eastbound Metropolitan, and an RDC back to Baltimore. Long day, but fun for a 17 year old. Even more fun is that I would ride up front with the engineer on the Baltimore bound RDC. I was the only revenue customer one time. Top photo is the westbound Capitol in Cumberland. The other two shots were taken on the west end of the yard at Virginia Lane."
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[Note that train orders are being hooped up.]

1949 Cumberland Quad @ 24,000

Depot:
EarthExplorer: Apr 6, 1947 @ 35,400; AR1DS0000040093

Railyard:
EarthExplorer: Apr 6, 1947 @ 35,400; AR1DS0000040093

Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
Not many manifest trains bypassed Cumberland yard. but this one did. 396 was hot! Auto parts for Baltimore and Wilmington GM plants.
Chuck McAbee: 396 had a caboose in the middle of the train - it was the 'cut' car between the Wilmington and Baltimore auto parts. At Bayview a yard crew would go out on #1 track to make the cut behind the cab that let head end of the train depart to Wilmington. Yard crew would then crossover at Bayview behind 396 and go couple up to the Baltimore set off that was on #2 track an pull it down to Penn Mary and switch out any Ordered cars and take all the unordered cars down to Grays Yard.
Steven Ford: Chuck McAbee There's not one auto assembly plant left on the East coast . From Tarrytown to Norfolk all gone.
Michael Reel: Remember this train coming into Willard and being one of the hottest trains out there next to the Baltimorean and Philly trailer trains.
Daniel Valentine: 396, 397, 376 and 377. All heavy, all bypassed Cumberland.
Dennis Parks: 396 had a limit out of Walbridge, cars left over went on 398 which left GTW Lang yard and pick up at Walbridge.

Bill Rettberg Jr. posted two photos with the comment: "Two classics from my early days. These were taken on my second trip to Cumberland in June of 1968.Photo on the left is my favorite all time photo of a railroad scene without a train in it. This is Baltimore Street. It had a full time operator and a crossing watchman. The operator is coming out to wave an eastbound through town. he will be using a green flag. If it were westbound, flag would be yellow. Crossing watchman is getting ready to stop the vehicle traffic. Guy leaning on rail was a local. Shot below is crossing watchman at Baltimore Street. Train is eastbound."
Michael Rembold: Great pics! The old Queen City hotel in the first pic, and check out the pick ups on the auto car in the second.
Michael T. Kubes: Michael Rembold ,my grandad James Edward Kubes worked that crossing for many years (50s-60s) I liked to visit the “shack” ,especially in the winter with the pot belly stove👍👍👍..TNX for sharing the “”pics”….There is a large wall picture at the Rocky gap hotel/ casino (basement floor) of the Baltimore st. Crossing and guard…(about 1954)👍
Steve Johnson: That’s my dad with his back to the camera in the second pic!
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Dennis DeBruler commented on Bill's post
It appears the concrete slab on the left side of this view was the foundation of the tower.   https://maps.app.goo.gl/JP59GeH58c7sYXVh8

Neither aerial photo above of the depot went far enough north. So I downloaded them again. In this case, the newer photo had a better view of the tower.
EarthExplorer: Apr 10, 1966 @ 24,000; AR1VBLB00010123

I noticed that Michael called Old Queen Hotel is gone.
Street View, Jul 2023

It was gone in the Sep 2019 view, but appears in this view. I used this to confirm that I had the correct crossing.
Street View, Oct 2015