Thursday, May 28, 2020

Terre Haute, IN: CP/Milw Roundhouse and CSX/C&EI Baker Yard

Milw Roundhouse: (Satellite)
C&EI Baker Yard: (Satellite)

Kenneth Jackson posted four photos with the comment:
First three photos are of the foundation of the Milwaukee Rd. roundhouse in Terra Haute. This is located on the north side of Hulman Ave. on the west side of the C&EI/CSX tracks that lead into Baker yard. The last photo is facing west on Hulman from the round house site. The red Ford is sitting approximately where the north east corner of the car shops would have been. Passenger station would have been directly north across Hulman. Does anyone have any pictures of the Milwaukee Station in Terra Haute?
Larry Graham Was this razed in the early '80's? Or mid-80's possibly?
Kenneth Jackson From what I can find, SOO did it right after their take over, so 85.
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I saved a satellite image because someday this land may be developed.
Satellite

CSX Baker Yard is of interest because it is about the only railroading left in this neck of the woods.
1958 Terre Haute Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Chicago, IL Depot: C&WI Burnham Station

(Satellite, not only is the depot gone, but so are the C&WI tracks)

These notes are more for the diagram below than the photo of a depot.

BRHS posted
This depot once stood on the far southeast side of Chicago, but I'm not sure which railroad owned it.
Jon Reece I believe this is the C&WI station. The NKP station did not have such broad eaves (at least it did not in a 1919 pic I have seen).
Bob Lalich Yes, this was a C&WI station and was used by Erie and Monon for a relatively short period of time.

Bob Lalich commented on the BRHS post

Dennis DeBruler commented on the BRHS post
It is interesting how the streets have changed since the diagram was made. This 1929 topo shows the contemporary street pattern. I don't know when the street names changed.
1929 Calumet Lake Quadrangle @ 1:24,000
The diagram answers the question I had about the industry that was west of the tracks: Western Steel Car and Foundry Co. I'm learning that a lot of rail cars, both passenger and freight, used to be built in the Chicagoland area.

Dennis DeBruler commented on the BRHS post, photo resolution
Judging by the shadows, the depot was gone by the time this 1939 aerial was taken. The building that was north of the depot is still there.
https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/.../0bwq10065.jpg

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Ocheyedan, IA: Early Slip Form Grain Elevator with Construction Photos

(Satellite, the town has a more modern elevator)

John Harker posted, cropped
Old elevator in Ocheyedan Iowa
Still in use
Built in the early 59s
A Tillotson build I believe.
One of the 1rst slip form jobs built in NW Iowa from what I've been told. Douglas Harding has some neat early history on this
Rich Reed Is all that concrete cracking bad?
John HarkerAuthor No
Rebar is the key
Much concrete back then was batched on site .

So quality control was not up to today's standards.
The cracking follows the patterns of the rebar.

My 2005 SPV Map shows this was a Rock Island route that was operated by IANW (Iowa Northwestern) between Allendorf and Superior. But looking at a satellite image, the route is now abandoned. In fact, I wonder why track still exists in the satellite image east of Ocheyedan.
Aban RR Map

John Harker shared
Ocheyedan Iowa
Looking NW
Rock Island line was still very active
Notice the yellow and blue/black Two story Rock Island Depot behind the concrete elevator.
One of the 1rst slip form elevators in NE Iowa
Built by Tillotson in the early 50s
So much personal history in this picture
Todd Taylor: John the depot depending on year would have been yellow and red or blue white.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
Here it is under construction. The history: Farmer’s Elevator Company began operations Mar 1, 1906 as a stock company. In 1926, these shares were paid off and it was reorganized as a true cooperative with one $10 share (issued in 1941) per member and dividends were paid out on the basis of patronage and not on the amount of shares as before.

$5,000 was raised to purchase the elevator holdings (buildings) of BB Anderson. The elevator was originally built in 1892 by Tom Jenkins, who sold it to Moreland and Shuttleworth. Anderson owned it only for a short time before selling it to farmers in the area. They shipped 40,000 bushels of oats in their first year.

Built 265,000 bushel concrete elevator in 1950. 200-ton per day feed mill built in 1956. Three steel tanks holding a total of 400,000 bushel of grain were added in 1970. IN 1978-1980 a new 2 million bushel grain complex was built in the northeast part of town with 5,000 bu. per hour grain dryer and fast load out facilities enabling employees to load out 75 car trains (3,500 bu. hopper cars) in a ten hour day. A 600,000 bushel bunker was constructed in 1986, giving the elevator 2.9 million Bu. Total storage capacity. The association handles grain, feed, seed, fertilizer, lumber and merchandise.

The brick office building was built in 1958, and lumber office constructed in 1975.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
View from the top.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
Aerial view from 1960, has been colorized.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
Another construction photo.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
 Proof Tillotson built it.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
View of downton Ocheyedan from the top during construction.

Douglas Harding commented on John's post
Looking at the east Elevator.
John HarkerAuthor Douglas Harding steel tanks are ClarkTaylorMade
Out of Worthington Minnesota
Very common in NW Iowa and SW Minnesota,

4 of 19 photos posted by John Harker.
a, cropped

b

c, cropped

d, cropped


Sunday, May 24, 2020

Cincinnati, OH: 1933 Union Terminal (CUT)

(3D Satellite)

William A. Shaffer posted
Cincinnati Union Terminal. (Circa 1930s)
What an iconic terminal. I have heard rumors that it might be once again opening up for passengers.
(Photo by Floyd Richards - Collection of William A. Shaffer)
Sue Callahan Impressive structure. Hope it returns to passenger travel.
[She may have her hope:  
Amtrak to bring staff back to Cincinnati Union Terminal for overnight train
It has passenger travel (Cardinal), but it is was the busiest of 15 stations that lost station staff in 2018.]

Corlandra Jones posted
CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL
Jim Kelling shared

The station temporarily lost passenger service to a temporary structure when the Union Terminal building was renovated in 2018. [GreatAmericanStations]

Jason Leverton posted
The Cincinnati Union Terminal, fresh off a major rehab project.
James Giannotti

2 of 3 photos posted by Joseph Tuch Santucci with the comment: "This morning [Sep 10, 2023] at Cincinnati Union Terminal"
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Jason Leverton posted
The interior of Cincinnati Union Terminal.

Amtrak posted
Cincinnati Union Terminal is out here doing the most.
J.B. Rail Photog shared

It looks like the museum that is now using the building is a natural history museum in the "largest half-dome in the western hemisphere." Actually, the building houses three museums. And you can visit the original control tower. [CincyMuseum]
Thadd Fiala, Jan 2020

One of the museums is the Duke Energy Children's Museum. In addition to the usual ball pit and water play areas and other exhibits, it has an exhibit about dental care.
Photo: Laura Hoevener via CincinnatiUSA
Amtrak uses the former C&O route to the East and the former B&O+Erie route to Chicago. Of course, both of these routes are now operated by CSX.
AmtrakGuide

CincyMuseum
"The Rotunda's interior dome spans 180 feet, with a height of 106 feet."
A fraction of its platform space.
CincyMuseum
"The station was designed to accommodate 17,000 passengers and 216 trains a day."

I find it interesting that the depots in Chicago are called stations when, in fact, they are terminals. No passenger train runs through Chicago. Yet this depot is called a terminal when, in fact, it is a station. Even in its heyday, very few passenger trains, if any, would have terminated here, which is wrong. Please read JohnP's comment.

One of 18 photos shared by Albert R Brecken
Cincinnati Union Terminal Tower A on April 8, 2012.
Photo by Don Wetmore

Rick Shilling posted two images with the comment: "Back view of Union Terminal, Cincinnati, Ohio  shows 8 platforms and 16 tracks servicing 7 Railroads: B&O,C&O,L&N,NYC,N&W,PRR and SR."
Thomas Wentzel shared
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A different exposure of the above.
Jon Talton posted
Cincinnati Union Terminal, one of the finest pieces of Art Deco architecture in America. Opening in 1933, CUT was served by the New York Central, Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio, Chesapeake and Ohio, Louisville and Nashville, Norfolk and Western, and Southern railroads. Amtrak pulled out in 1972 in favor of a nearby "Amshack," but returned with the Cardinal in 1991. Today, Union Terminal has been lovingly restored as the Cincinnati Museum Center.
Eric Godfrey: Restored but unfortunately truncated – as the photo shows, the impressive concourse (from which I boarded C & O's "George Washington" many times as a teenager) was lopped off. I think its murals went to CVG (the Cincinnati airport). As a young person I found the whole station awe-inspiring, and still remember the boarding announcement echoing through the vast spaces of the concourse.
Arthur House: The photo shows the demolition of the concourse portion of the structure.
[Jack Finke provided the three interior photos below as comments.]
Rod Davis shared
Randall Hampton shared
Randall Hampton shared
Deacon Glide shared
 
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Rick Shilling posted
1952 EUnits of C&O,PRR,NYC and L&N idle on ready tracks by Union Terminal Roundhouse, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Thomas Wentzel shared

Rich Shilling posted
1930's Union Terminal Railroad Roundhouse, North of Western Hills Viaduct, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
1. Roundhouse and Turntable under construction. 
2. Completed Union Terminal Roundhouse & Turntable. 
3. Roundhouse under water from great 1937 flood.

Rick commented on his post
Yellow dot by Viaduct is a Turntable that is still there. It was built to primarily serve passenger Locomotives at Cincinnati Union Terminal. The red dot a little NE of yellow dot was location of Cincinnati Union Terminal Roundhouse which is all gone.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Rick's post



Pagtrick Fuchs commented on the fifth photo
The building was designed with a pretty extensive lane system under to guide in taxis, busses, and I believe even trolleys to drop off and pick up passengers.



Saturday, May 23, 2020

Milwaukee, WI: 2016-2023 Sold/COFCO/Nidera/Continental Grain Elevator

(3D Satellite)

(Update: another salty docked at this elevator)

Shawn Conrad, Oct 2016, cropped
[The four ship cranes that are turned out of the way indicate that this is a general purpose "salty." Not a specialized bulk carrier.]

Jeff Wojciechowski posted
COFCO Intl grain elevator. Port of Milwaukee, WI
For clarification the domes in the foreground are for salt storage 😉
4/4/2021

Jeff Wojciechowski posted three photos with the comment: "Port of Milwaukee, WI  Soybeans being transloaded to a barge   5/22/2019"
Dennis DeBruler Like the Nidera/Continental B House in Chicago, this elevator is now owned by COFCO. I understand it is a Chinese company.
https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4...
https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/.../cofcocontinent...
Dennis DeBruler Since they are loading barges in Jeff's photos, they evidently export via the Illinois Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico rather than the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Dennis DeBruler They sometimes use salties.
Ray McCollough posted

Ray McCollough posted

There are some more views of this elevator in this photo collection.
safe_image for 12 vintage photos of Milwaukee's Harbor District at work
Milwaukee at work in what is now being redeveloped and transformed as the Harbor District. This was a major Lake Michigan waterfront industrial area.

Association for Great Lakes Maritime History posted
An image of the canal-sized freighter William Schupp at the grain elevator on the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee, Wis. on Nov. 23, 1934 (Image Source: Milwaukee Public Library Digital Collections). The ship appears to be loading grain bound for Poland. The original caption indicated that it was “discharging (a) cargo of Polish grain.” However, ship unloading equipment was not installed at the elevator until 1940 (see below).
[Ship history has been deleted.]
Additional Historical Information – Kinnnickinnic Elevator
In 1916, the Chicago & Northwestern Railway built a grain elevator on the banks of the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee, Wis. The structure was located near the point where the river empties into the Milwaukee River shortly before that river flows into Lake Michigan. 
Soon known as the Kinnickinnic Elevator, it consisted of a workhouse and 72 circular concrete storage bins each 15 feet in diameter and 90 feet high. Total storage capacity was 1.5 million bushels. Grain would arrive by rail in 40-foot box cars, be transferred to storage bins and then transferred to ships bound for ports in the Great Lakes region and beyond. 
Updike Grain of Omaha, Neb. operated the facility until 1921 when Donahue-Stratton, a Milwaukee-based grain dealer, acquired Updike’s lease. An annex was completed in 1930 just north of the original structure. It included 48 circular concrete bins with each bin 25 feet in diameter and 90 feet high. This increased total storage capacity at the site to 3.5 million bushels. 
Donahue-Stratton would become Stratton Grain in 1935. In 1938, company officials declared the Kinnickinnic Elevator to be one of the fastest grain handling grain facilities in the U.S. It could transfer grain into ships docked alongside at a rate of up to 700,000 bushels per eight-hour day. 
The next major improvement was the installation of a marine leg in 1940. The device extracted grain from vessels and could unload 15,000 bushels per hour. The elevator was now able to handle both incoming and outgoing shipments of grain by water. 
In its first test, the system transferred 250,000 bushels of wheat from a ship originating at Duluth, Minn. to rail cars bound for Chicago, Ill. At the time, lake-rail shipping costs through Milwaukee were competitive with those of an all-water route to Chicago.
In 1960, New York-based Continental Grain replaced Stratton Grain as the operator of the elevator. By then more grain was arriving by truck, so Continental invested in a high speed “truck dump” system that could empty ten trucks per hour. In 1979, a second dump was added that allowed the elevator to handle up to 30 trucks per hour.
The Chicago & North Western Railway offered to sell the Kinnickinnic elevator to the City of Milwaukee for one dollar in 1970. At the time, it was the only elevator in the port accessible to oceangoing vessels and had handled 217,000 tons of grain in 1969. City officials declined the offer and Continental Grain ultimately acquired the operation.
In 1999, Minneapolis-based Cargill acquired Continental’s commodity marketing business. Concerned with market concentration, the U.S. Justice Department approved the deal only after Cargill agreed not to buy several facilities, including Continental’s Milwaukee elevator. 
In late 1999, the structure was sold to Chicago & Illinois River Marketing, a subsidiary of Dutch grain trader Nidera. The elevator received its last inbound cargo by ship in 2014. In 2017, Nidera was acquired by the China Oil and Foodstuffs Corp. (COFCO). 
Several years later, COFCO announced that it would be closing the Kinnickinnic elevator and sold the site to Ozinga, an Illinois-based concrete supplier. On Jan. 23, 2023, the last of the grain stored in the elevator was removed and loaded into the bulk freighter John J. Boland for delivery to Chicago.
Information Source:
Fred Bultman: She is loading grain for Montreal most likely, where it would then be transshipped to Poland.

OnMilwaukee
Kinnickinnic elevator circa 1925. (PHOTO: Milwaukee Public Library)
"The century-old Kinnickinnic elevator could not compete with the new Agricultural Export Facility, financed primarily by taxpayer dollars, scheduled to open later this year....(NOTE: From 1958 to 1989, Cargill owned and operated Elevator E built by the Milwaukee Road along the South Menomonee ship canal. Because this channel was narrow and shallow, larger oceangoing vessels could not access the Cargill elevator.)....The $40 million facility is being funded with money from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Port Infrastructure Development Program ($15.89 million), Wisconsin Department of Transportations Harbor Assistance Program ($9.53 million across three years), Port Milwaukee ($5.7 million) and the DeLong Co. ($8.88 million)....The facility is expected to be completed by late April and opened in May."
[This article includes a photo of a freighter unloading barley from Denmark into trucks in Oct 2014. I guess there are still some breweries left in Milwaukee. Those trucks hauled the barley 800' to this elevator. Ozinga bought the elevator for $4m. Can they store cement in the existing silos? Or are they willing to tear it down to get dock space?]

Sep 14, 2023:
Jeremy Whitman posted
A calm morning in Milwaukee’s inner harbor for a fist time visitor the Onego Bayou. This is the second ship ever to load at the new Delong facility.
Steve Miller: What are they loading.
Jeremy Whitman: Steve Miller distillers grain.