West Chicago, IL: C&NW Depots

(The content concerning the EJ&E Depot has been moved to here.)

1869 Depot: "West Chicago, IL: 1869 C&NW and 1893 CB&Q Depots"

Previous Depot: (3D Satellite)

Current Depot: (3D Satellite)

Streeet View

Andy Zukowski posted
Chicago Northwestern Depot. West Chicago, Illinois. 1939
Jerry Hund: Yes it is. Depot St. On the right was the Chicago Aurora and Elgin that ran to Geneva and St. Charles up until 1937.

William Shapotkin posted

In June 1981, an E/B C&NW "Commuter Streamliner" (with a mixed consist of C&NW and RTA-painted equipment) arrives at West Chicago station. Although still-standing (as a the local Chamber of Commerce (?)), trains now stop at a more modern facility located just to the east of this location.

One of the "oddities" that most people in contemporary times could not understand was why the depot (the canopy of which is visible at right) was located so far away from the tracks. The reason was that when built, tracks of the Freeport (now Belvidere Sub) and Williams Bay Lines occupied the track spaces immediately in front of the depot. Those tracks were removed (sometime after psgr service to Freeport was discontinued circa April 1955 (?)) and a connection to that line was constructed about 1/2 mile west of this point (beyond the CN&W/EJ&E xing). View looks west. Photographer Unknown/William Shapotkin Collection. (Shapotkin081)

Paul Musselman: I believe the old freight depot is still on the N side of Washington St., where the C&NW tracks used to cross, many years ago before realignment.

Jon Roma commented on William's post

Here is the rough layout of this area of West Chicago from a 1944 Sanborn fire insurance atlas. I added annotations (in blue).

Please note the compass at right center on this page: The map is NOT oriented with north at the top.

Dennis DeBruler commented on William's post
The public library now sits on the RoW.
1953 West Chicago Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

Dennis DeBruler commented on Paul's comment
Because it is at an angle with the road, because it has a couple of freight doors bricked up and because it is "old," I'm pretty sure this is the freight house.. CORRECTION: I now think the building in the street view is the C&NW depot that was built in 1869.
[Street View, Oct 2018]

This was my first attempt to get a street view of the depot because I wanted to get the bay window. But it was skunked by a coal train. I saved that view because loaded coal trains are quickly becoming history.

Street View, Sep 2018