Joliet, IL: Track Elevation Project and Track Realignments

While studying the Michigan Central route in Joliet, I discovered there was a big difference between the 1924 and 1888 Sanborn Maps. The routes changed as part of a project between 1908 and 1912 to elevate the tracks across downtown Joliet. And to move some engine and freight servicing facilities out of the downtown area.

Sanborn Map, 1924, Vol. 1, Sheet c

Sanborn Map, 1888, Vol. 1, Sheet 1

Zett has a page with some pictures of the old Rock Island alignment and some leads to ground level that are no longer used. An article in Engineering and Contracting, Volume 39 reinforces what the Engineering News map below indicates --- the Santa Fe tracks were still east of the Chicago & Alton tracks south of the Rock Island/Michigan Central tracks. So yet another realignment of tracks was done later. I went back to the 1924 map to check the track alignment, but it was uncharacteristically incomplete as to who owned which tracks.

Engineering News, Volume 69

If I get bored sometime, I can try to figure out in which year this progress report was written.