Saturday, January 14, 2017

Joliet, IL: CN/EJ&E's Joliet Yard, Roundhouse and Shops

Canadian National has been tearing down a lot of the buildings in this yard because they also have IC's Markum Yard and EJ&E's Kirk Yard in the Chicago area. Fortunately, this older Bird's Eye View still shows the roundhouse and repair shops The O&O building is at the bottom, and they started tearing it down May 5, 2016. (O&O stands for either Office and Operations or Operations and Office.)

(Update: Kevin Piper posted a history and photos of this yard. (The referenced H Yard.)
Kevin Piper posted a history and photos of several engine classes:
information concerning the "H" Yard has been moved here.
)

Bird's Eye View, looking West
EJEarchive has a higher resolution download
;;
Stuart Pearson posted
This was part of the Joliet Yard of the once beloved EJ&ERY.
[Some comments indicate it was taken from a private airplane.]
Stuart Pearson shared
Dan Tracy: The yard was also used as a SIT ((Storage In Transit) for Industries out of East Morris.

Bill Molony posted
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad 2-8-2 Mikado #718 on the Joliet, Illinois turntable - 1932.
Photograph taken from the overhead electric light tower. Photographer unknown.
This locomotive was constructed by Alco-Dunkirk in 1913 for the Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad. In June 1909, the EJ&E leased the property of the CLS&E and assumed all responsibility for its operations. The CLS&E was merged into the EJ&E on December 30th, 1938.
Jeff Lackman: Surprised they had road pilots instead of a switching style pilot.
Rick La Fever: Jeff Lackman Interesting catch. There still was lots of road switching in 1932(except for Great Depression closures) I have pictures of EJE 765(The engine "stuffed" in Gary, Indiana) I will need to check the pilot out on that.
Jeff Lackman: Rick La Fever the pilot looks very WWI and before but the connecting railroads in Chicago used equipment until it dies.
 
Bob Huffman posted
Sean Muno shared

Terry B. Carlson commented on Sean's post
It was a 31 stall RH. Sadly, it was demolished sometime between 2008 & 2010.
Google Earth Imagery Date: April, 2008
Location: 41°32'15.63" N 88°03'30.06" W

Terry B. Carlson commented on Sean's post
Same location, May, 2023

These pictures were taken looking north from the US-6 Bridge. Unfortunately, it had only one pedestrian crossing, and that was on the south side. Fortunately, it did not have a chain link fence on the north side.

20150418 0242, west part because yard is too big for my 18mm zoom
East part
Unlike some of the Class I railroads, CN has not been quick to repaint the equipment that it has absorbed. The Grand Trunk engine on the left would be from its original Grand Trunk Western subsidiary in the United States. The Wisconsin Central boxcar near the right is from the former SOO assests. (Not the SOO assets that Canadian Pacific bought from the Milwaukee Road's bankruptcy.) The BNSF engines indicate that this yard probably interchanges with BNSF. There were also three Union Pacific engines parked on the far western track.

Even though it was a Saturday, two side-loaders were actively loading containers. The China Shipping container had been coming down the west side of the cut of deep-well cars while the brown container on the right started down the east side.


This picture allows you to see that the side-loaders have different designs. You can also see in the background that they are storing containers three high.


20150523 1693
During a later Sunday visit, there wasn't any intermodal action, but there was a lot of train action, including flat switching. The picture on the right is looking south from the pedestrian crossing of US-6. As you can see, you have to take pictures through a chain-link fence. Note the ties and ballast are fresh, even the yard drill leads in the middle. The train on the right is southbound. The train on the left is northbound. Both trains are through trains and went past the yard. The train ending with a tank car has been flat switching the yard. You can see a worker in a yellow vest walking back to the train.
On the right is an earlier view when the worker will uncouple a tank car. Note that a covered hopper car will be next. Then the tank car we see above is third in this view.
They are kicking the cars. This catches the first tank car I watched rolling down a track just to the left of the split in the middle of the barrier.
While I was watching the tank car roll down its track, I noticed the covered hopper started going down its track. You can still see the switchman on the left near its switch stand.

It is testament to the efficiency of roller bearings that the hopper rolled most of the way down the track even though its starting speed was not real fast. The hopper is near the right in the picture below adjacent to a couplet of cars. On the left is the tank car that was next in the cut rolling down its track.

In this next picture you can see the hopper has rolled a few more feet and the black tank car has coupled to the white tank car. The fact that the speeds are rather slow makes it even more remarkable that the engineer can kick it at just the right speed to make it roll most of the way down a track without going past the end of the track. I never saw a brakeman riding any of the cars down the track.

But the yard must not be as flat as it looks. I did not notice it until I studied the pictures on the laptop, but the hopper then started rolling backwards!


In addition to a GT engine and a WC boxcar, I spotted a couple of BN covered hoppers. Also note the caboose near the upper-right corner. It is probably used as a shoving platform for local trains.
1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
[Note, there used to be two roundhouses.]
Frank Smitty Schmidt The second one in the 1939 aerial photo was taken out sometime between 1946 and 1952.

Tim Starr posted
Smaller railroads had interesting shops as well as the Class I railroads. The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern was a belt line around Chicago that interchanged with multiple trunk lines to facilitate freight to the industries. Its main shops were in Joliet (seen here in 1965).
 
Dennis DeBruler commented on Tim's post
Most of the buildings have been torn down to make room for an intermodal yard.
 https://maps.app.goo.gl/grB1qRqn6Tbq9wbk8

Bill Molony posted
The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad's East Joliet Yard, not too many years ago.

Larry Burk posted
Joliet, IL.   October 1968   Elgin, Joliet and Eastern 
Dave Regittko photo    John DePauw collection
Joseph Obrien shared
Bill Molony shared

Paul Musselman posted
EJ&E enginehouse in Joliet..
Clayton Hartford: What were the RTA cars hanging around for?
Paul Musselman: Clayton Hartford This photo was taken in the mid 2000's....the building was being used as a repair spot by a third party company...`
Bryan Howell: Paul Musselman I want to say it was Ed Burkhardt's Rail World International that was leasing/purchased the space. They refurbished the cars for resale and rehabbed some F40PHs that were purchased by the Iowa Northern. It looks like one of them in the photo. The building came down in 2004.
Jack Morgan: Paul Musselman it was demolished in 2013 to make room for an intermodal facility.
Dave Ladislas Sr.: Jack Morgan ,we all got a good chuckle when they built that dinky Intermodal facility, used by our WC pig trains, long story on it. Not sure if this is the same building but,I know they tore one down and had all kinds of welders, sandblasters, etc. that went for nothing or real cheap. I'm retired from IC in Markham. In the Hunter era, he had all kinds of great old stuff just scrapped. In his words: They're an eyesore.
Mike Heiligstedt: Locomotive shop

Stuart Pearson posted
I captured the destruction of this Landmark EJ&E Building very early in the morning thus the darkened Sky.It truly SADDENS ME. I used my Zone VI 4" X 5" Wooden Field Camera. Mounted on a Zone VI Wooden Tripod to capture this image.
Stuart Pearson shared
Carl Zusag: This is the locomotive shop. My job assignment took me into this building many times to get wheel sets for freight car truck repairs on the RIP track. Always wanted to work in this shop but I was a member of a different union and could not cross over.
Daniel Metzger: IIRC that building was torn down shortly after the CN took over.

The shop buildings were removed to make room for the intermodal yard. But this office building is probably being removed just to reduce the property tax.

Dillon Harrison posted
O&O at East Joliet as of this evening. [May 5, 2016]
I was surprised that the Google Map still shows a turntable because its images are generally less than a couple of years old. Robby Gragg indicated the turntable is gone.

Michael Bachmann posted
Joliet yard Southend looking north.
Ken Luzbetak Maybe the flood of 1957?
Michael Bachmann Ken Luzbetak we had two such floods like this in my tenure. They were I think in the eighties.
Michael Steffen Ken Luzbetak the box cars don’t appear to have the billboard EJ&E on the sides as they would have in the 50’s. I believe this was the spring creek flood of the 80’s. Car Department personnel did roller bearing inspections for a month.
en Luzbetak I was looking at the speakers in the yard and didn't think they were there so late, hence I thought it was the 57 flood.
Michael Steffen Ken Luzbetak the yard speakers were still there into the 80’s, maybe even a little later for some. I can’t remember when they were removed or what year the elevated yard master towers came down.
Ken Luzbetak So much stuff gone from the J's heyday.

Dan Tracy posted
Someone asked a little while ago for roof detail shots on the C-415's. Here's mine at the EJ&E's Joliet yard in June of 74.

Dan Tracy posted
Pulled this one out of my Rock Island files just to show the way it was back in June of 74. The Rock transfer has delivered to Joliet Yard and is returning to their own yard in this shot from the old Jackson St. bridge. The yard was pretty full in this shot.
Craig Cloud See SW1001 in background
Bill Molony posted
Back in 2004, the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern's shop building at the East Joliet Yard was leased to an outfit that was reconditioning retired Metra cars.
Today, this site is occupied by a Canadian National inter-modal facility.
Bill Molony posted
This ex-Milwaukee Road E9A was used as a switch engine by the outfit reconditioning their retired Metra cars at the East Joliet locomotive shop building back in January of 2004.
Bob Tarlini They sent it to the roundhouse to get it running and ready to go to work, but when I went to put water in it they had removed all water plugs and it would pour out the bottom as fast ad I put it in the top.

Gary Sturm posted
EJ&E #307 at Joliet, Illinois in May 1975.
Mike Heiligstedt: The locomotive shop !

Greg Schmuldt posted
EJ&E 663 resting outside old J roundhouse
fall of 2000

Marc Malnekoff posted
Joliet, IL. 1/29/2009
A UP GE pokes it's nose out of the now gone roundhouse.
Michael Q Quagliano: What was up with the UP?: It was in the system for a bit in 09.
Marc Malnekoff: Coal train power that came onto the "J"

Richard Stewart posted
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway, Joliet, Illinois. May 02, 1981. As seen from the center of the turntable, both switchers and road power are seen awaiting outside the EJ&E's Joliet roundhouse. Tom Golden photo. Narrative and photo credit: Sam Beck collection. http://www.railpictures.net/photo/655187/
Greg Schmuldt posted the following three photos with the comment: "the old J roundhouse in joliet, pictures from 2002."

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Lance Wales posted
EJ&E 663 posed on the East Joliet turntable from a special, invite-only, exclusive visit from April of 2009. Its all gone now!
Stuart Pearson commented on the above posting
Here's my view looking out from inside the Roundhouse. At the time I captured this image I was told that there were only certain areas that were SAFE as the Ceiling/Roof was crumbling, and I'd have to wear a Hard Hat and sign a Waver holding the "J" harmless in the event I suffered any Physical Injury, or Damage to my Camera Equipment. This is a 35MM view, however I had wanted to go into the Roundhouse with my 4X5 Camera to record the Roundhouse in Documentary style.
Stuart Pearson posted
Richard Schwanke commented on Dillon Harrison posting
Mark Llanuza posted
Here is a before & after shot at Joliet round house 2009 and 2014 such a big change
A photo during the construction of the intermodal yard.

Since they have now torn down all of the buildings, I saved a Satellite image (Feb 5, 2017) that still shows them so that I can track when images are updated.

Satellite
Frank Smitty Schmidt posted
EJ&E Joliet in the early 1950's.
Kevin Piper also posted
This undated photo shows the massive expanse of EJ&E operations that once were in Joliet, IL. By the mid-1970's, much shown here was already gone. The wye tracks in the 4 o'clock position lead to the Joliet wire mill and downtown interchange with the GM&O (ICG.) This view is looking southeast. Waukegan is to the bottom left, and Gary, IN, is to the upper right. PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN
Kevin Piper Hard to determine the date here. Silver Cross Hospital is not there yet, built during the 1950's. There are at least two steam engines near the roundhouse and no diesels around. The last J steam was 1949.
[I contributed to the comments in this posting.]
Al Pawloski also posted

Michael Bachmann posted
Okay, since I am in the mood, here is overview of the J in Joliet.
Ted Martin Silver cross hospital, too
Erick Paul commented on Michael's post
From ejearchive, you can see the two distinct towers behind the roundhouse.

Paul Barwan posted a different exposure
Ej&e roundhouse. Picture is looking north from south side of roundhouse. 1920s i believe. The J used to have big events and based on that Steam Engine in center im guessing everybody came out to see a new model. Woulda loved to be around back then! Notice the ford model a and t sitting in foreground...just way cool
Paul Barwan Omg i just zoomed in and there are people sitting on the roundhouse roof just behind and left of engine. Holy Hell, allright all of you are outa service and im gonna need pin numbers and a statement explaining this unsafe behaviour lol. Call osha lol.
Paul Barwan Yes those are water towers you see on left to supply the roundhouse for filling locomotive water tanks. Before cn took over the roundhouse, and water tank footprint pad was still there along with some piping and other buildings. They just came in and destroyed joliet history like they do everywhere they go.

Stuart Pearson commented on Al's posting
Here's what it resembles after the Old Jackson St. Bridge was removed.

Jerry Jackson updated
Andy Puch Joliet yard on the old EJ&EMark Bilecki Sr. Nice assortment of railroadsMark Bilecki Sr. Actually 6 railroadsScott Slager Thanks for choosing my photo for the group photo
Bill Molony posted
The EJ&E's locomotive shop building in Joliet.
Bill Molony We don't have an exact date, but it was around 1920.


The Blackhawk Railway Historical Society posted
The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad's shop building at the East Joliet Yard.
Michael Steffen Locomotive shop, built in 1912.

BRHS posted

Stuart Pearson commented on Bill's posting
Stuart Pearson commented on Bill's posting
Stuart Pearson posted
Bill Molony posted
The Joliet Locomotive Shop Building being demolished in February of 2004.


Kevin Piper posted
Joliet had extensive freight car building, repair, and painting facilities. Gondolas especially were in a constant state of repair and rebuilding at Joliet. Here a string of reconditioned and painted orange 40' boxcars pose in front of the big steam-era locomotive backshop. PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN
Kevin Piper Those cars were rebuilt around 1960.
Kevin Piper posted
EJ&E VO-1000 480 is switching the middle yard at East Joliet on 8-29-66. LOUIS CERNY PHOTO
Jake Jones posted
Joliet IL July 2003
Kevin Kelleher Great shot on the girl racks....
[Unfortunately, I don't know what "girl racks" means. But I do know this shows a couple of sand towers.]
Kevin Piper posted
The 913 is arriving at East Joliet with a train that was more common on the EJ&E, mostly gondolas! Gondola cars outnumbered other types of equipment on the roster about 6 to 1. The track on the far right was the South Yard switching lead, while the one up the middle was the lead from the Middle Yard. 4-2-66 LOUIS CERNY PHOTO/KEVIN PIPER COLLECTION
[Probably taken from the old truss bridge for US-6, which didn't have a chain-link fence. The overpass for US-30 is in the background.]
Same part of the East Yard, but looking north instead of south.
Kevin Piper posted
Here is an interesting view of East Joliet Yard looking north toward the old Jackson Street bridge from U.S.30. The two Centercabs are inbound with a train from Gary. The Baldwin switcher in the distance is working the middle yard. East Joliet Yard actually had three sections. South, middle, and north. The north yard mostly was used as a westbound arrival yard, and was switched by a north end job. When business was good, the south and middle yards were flat switched at the south end by separate jobs working side by side. The trails of sand on the tracks show where each job pulled and shoved long cuts. There were once three yardmasters on duty each shift, a north, south, and a general, working out of two towers, and the main yard office. The north tower was closed by the late 1970's, and that job was abolished. There was a big MOW supply storage area to the right of the train. 4-2-66 LOUIS CERNY PHOTO/KEVIN PIPER COLLECTION
In the following, you can see the small yard that has maintenance-of-way equipment. The red rectangle shows where the south yard tower was. You can see it below in Al's photo.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
Today's view looking south from US-6:
20150523 1692
Al Pawloski posted
Al Pawloski Gee Bob, I really don’t know, but I remember working it when we couldn’t get a yardmaster at the south end, the north tower too, and then being the general, and I learned so much by having to fill in for the experts back then. Not just in the towers but, I had to work as a switchman, brakeman, conductor, and engineer. Talk about some humbling experiences! I cannot imagine these kids today that come out of college and become train masters. I’m not saying I was so great, but boy the more times I had to do their jobs, the more I appreciated their knowledge.
[Note the two cranes putting the BN car back on the tracks. Some of the comments in another posting joke about who was to blame --- Transportation or MoW. I gather that the Transportation department was the train crews.]

Matt Covarrubias posted
What A Rail Yard!
Kevin Piper posted
It's railfan day at East Joliet Yard as the 915 gets ready to depart with an eastbound. The white building on the left is the south end crew room. There was a floating card game going on inside 24 hours a day. I began my railroad career at this exact spot over 39 years ago. 1-8-72. LOUIS CERNY PHOTO
Bradley Brown Dad said something about those card games
Robert Daly posted four photos with the comment: "EJ&E Joliet Yard: Baldwin switchers at work, October 12 1969, and Baldwin center-cab units and caboose, January 3 1970."

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[The  Great Northern mountain goat herald is a reminder of when reailroads owned their own boxcars and were proud of them. And the vandalism of graffiti had not started. Note the EJ&E herald has its slogan of Chicago Outer Belt. Later US Steel quit servicing bridge traffic and passengers and operated the EJ&E as a long industrial track.]
Dillion Harrison posted
As seen from the Jackson street overpass this morning [10-13-18], At the former EJ&E’s East Joliet Yard... A Pair of “Deathstar” SD70’s make up their train before heading East.
Thomas Healy Wow, when I stopped in about a month ago when 765 ran, this yard was pretty depressing. I see things are a bit healthier!Andy PuchAndy and 42 others joined Chicagoland Railfan within the last two weeks. Give them a warm welcome into your community! It ebbs and flows
[The big deal is that CN still has some locomotives with their old IC "Deathstar" livery.]
These three photos are from a PM from Dillon Harrison:
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From after the roundhouse was demolished... But prior to the CN tearing out the engine servicing track. Believe this was in 2011

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From after the roundhouse was demolished... But prior to the CN tearing out the engine servicing track. Believe this was in 2011

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January 2014
Mark Llanuza posted
EJ&E round house the year 2009 and 2017
Michael Bachmann posted
Joliet Steel Car Shop, 1924. It is one of very few original J still standing and maybe not for long.
Michael Bachmann posted
Building the Locomotive Shop at East Joliet
Michael Bachmann posted
Billy Bacon posted
Good shot from mine and dads collection. Not sure if he took it or was a company photo. Anyway, seems to be one in solid white!!! (668)
John Govednik Lots of peripheral details we never get to see. Trucks with no wheel sets? What's that putrid green thing on the left?
Michael Steffen This was the Locomotive Back Shop. The locomotive appears new as the plow is clean and not dented or bent. The putrid green device on the left may be the conveyor for the wheel shavings from the wheel true lathe. There is a lighted Christmas tree in the rear right of the photo.

Stan Sienicki Baldwin commonwealth truck from the center cabs on left.Richard Schwanke Looks like they were just delivered and they are in the Locomotive shop for final outfitting to "J" specs.
Sandy McCann enhanced a photo posted by Michael Bachmann
Taken from the old Jackson Street bridge in the 80's.
Michael Bachmann In my tenor I remember 3 times that the yard flooded and I know it was not the one from the early 90's where we lost track on the IRL and W. Chicago. As info, one of the reason for so much water in the yard was the constriction. Spring Creek ran under our yard through what we called the barrels, two concrete type culverts. Also the car shop bridge and Walnut Ave. bridge created a dam like effect. More water than they could handle and it would flow around and over the top.Dennis DeBruler It is harder to get photos of the yard with the new bridge: http://dldreference.blogspot.com/.../20150523-veterans...
Michael Bachmann posted
Found this picture of as another flood sometime in early 2000. This was taken by the Joliet truck garage, south end looking at south yard. I say early 2000 because of the sign. Maybe someone can assist.
John George I was thinking maybe a bit earlier say the flood of 1996 that hit Joliet with 13 inches of rain in 24 hours.Ron Harris I believe you're right on the time line, but I think we got more rain than13 in. It started raining Wed. eve. and stopped at roughly 7 AM. Thursday. I lived 4 houses east of I-55, on September Dr., 1st st. south of Caton Farm Rd. Look in the Joliet Hearald. on Friday 29, July, and you will see a photo of my house, the worst damaged in the flood. The data was 17-18 inches of rainfall!
Mark Llanuza posted
Its the year 2009 at the [Joliet] EJ&E turntable
Mark Llanuza posted
Its 2009 were at Joliet Round house
Ray Weart commented on Mark's posting
04-24-2005

Mark Llanuza posted
he year 2009 EJ&E crews pose for me at the round house
Stuart Pearson posted
I found this image when going thru some of my photos. Taken close to Woodruff Rd.
Donald Herron It was nice when the switches were lighted it sure made it easier to see which way you were lined up
Thomas J. Mozden responded to my question as to when and where the tower was located: "If I remember correctly it was where the red asterisks are or maybe just a bit north of that."
Dennis DeBruler Thanks. So it must have been the tall, rectangular building (long shadow) in this 1993 image. It existed in 10/2009, but was gone in 6/2010.

10/2009
Bill Molony posted
The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern shop building at the East Joliet Yard - January 2004.
Mark Llanuza posted
Its the year 2010 the EJ&E car shops at Joliet.

Bob Dodge posted
Joliet Illinois early 1970's
Bob Tarlini 475 One of the old VO-1000 Baldwins. The only one with a top-mounted radiator fan.Bob Tarlini Edward Martis yes, I remember it well. Looks like it was later in the day as there are no cars parked at the loco shop.

Michael Bachmann posted the comment:
You know I was pondering about the Joliet Yard the other day, I mean the yard in the early 70's when the blacksmith shop, powerhouse, locomotive shop, car shop, rip track, roundhouse, north and south end towers, mill yard office, north end switch man's building and more, all gone (car shop still there on borrowed time). I worked on all those structures. But what started this thought process was thinking about the whistle that use to blow at noon at the powerhouse. Wish I had tried to get a hold of that whistle, anyway there are just a few of us left that has to go into the furnaces on hot summer days and reline the wall with asbestos bricks having no maskes, dusty and a dirty environment but it was our job. By the way these furnaces were right under the two big smoke stacks. The powerhouse made steam for all the Joliet Yard and had a huge compressor that fed air to all the train lines as well as the message system tubes that ran to all the buildings in Joliet. Each one of the for mentioned buildings has a story on what part they had in making the J operate. Carmen çould talk about how deafening it was in the car shop hot riveting while building railroad cars or the heat and noise in the blacksmith shop while they fabricated tools, car parts etc. Just some passing thoughts, enjoy.
Dennis DeBruler Just the list of facilities that used to be there is interesting. Making a paste with asbestos and then using that paste hurts the brain. I'll have to start looking for two smokestacks in old photos of the yard.
Bob Tarlini Dennis DeBruler actually, it was three smokestacks, the center boiler was retired in the early 70s but the smokestack was still there. And we had two compressors, one large one and one smaller one.
Bob Tarlini [The whistle] blew at 8:00 AM, 12:00 noon,12:30 PM and 4:30 PM
Andrew Greg Kurtyak Anyone know what year they stopped using the whistle.
Bob Tarlini Andrew Greg Kurtyak probably the year they shut down the loco shop somewhere around 85, I think.

Bob Tarlini marked the location of the powerhouse.

Greg Thomas posted three photos with the comment: "669 Primed for painting at joliet roundhouse. It will be sent to the WC in leithton to be painted at the WSOR shops. 10/2003"
Joe Mergenthaler A long time ago that engine had a black stripe on top and had 1 control / operating panel, I believe it used to be an old Bessemer engine, very cool , miss the J.
Greg Thomas yea the 658 670 came like that too, then same with the 671-675 in 2002.
Joe Mergenthaler Greg Thomas that’s awesome, yes they used to give my friend and I rides in the mid 80s when they would switch out cars every Monday , weds and Friday, we rode all of them from 650-669 and even the cabooses back then, those were good times growing up.
Steven Suhs 669 was old BLE 891. Came to the J in 1980 had one one control stand. Had composition brake shoes. Had to be careful when she was in the lead cause it needed 64 lbs of independent brake pressure where as the J ‘s has cast iron brake shoes and needed only 40 lbs pressure.
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Greg Thomas posted two photos with the comment: "Sitting on the pit in joliet 2005."
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[Not only is this a good shot of the sand towers, you can see the roundhouse in the background.]

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Marc Malnekoff posted seventeen photos with the comment:
Just before the EJ&E was about to disappear into the CN I decided to drive in one weekend and ask if I could shoot some photos of the roundhouse, someone there told me it would be torn down once CN took control. Much to my surprise the hostler came over ask what I was doing there, I told him and he said to stay by my car and not to walk around. He told me they were going to be assembling a power consist for a coal train. I took these photos and thanked the guy for allowing me to preserve this piece of the "J" I had never seen up close. He said many of them were leaving after the merger and he wasn't planning on staying either. Never did get the gentleman's name. It's hard to believe this was 12 years ago already. Today the roundhouse is gone and yard and surrounding area has changed quite a bit. I had forgotten about these photos and stumbled over them today while going through my files. Joliet, IL 2008
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1 of 5 photos posted by Marty Bernard
EJ&E 921 at Joliet, IL on August 12, 1964. A DT66-2000 built 1948 as #121. Rebuilt in 4/57 w/EMD 1200hp 567C engines, new dual control stands, and modified EMD switcher hoods, at La Grange. MU capable with all EJ&E units. Sold: 7/76 to Industrial Maintenance Service.
Detailed roster information from the ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN Railroad Archive at: [www.ejearchive.com]

Gary Sturm posted
Rock Island #4902 with caboose #19163 at the EJ&E Joliet yard (Illinois) in 1975.
James Ward: Would this have switched onto the J from the old RI spur that ran to the coal yard, or from where the two lines intersected, south of Cass?
Greg Benco: James Ward Interchange track south of Cass St.
Dennis DeBruler shared
 
Stuart Pearson posted
EJ&ERy Joliet Yard ~ Aerial View late 1980's
Stuart Pearson shared
Dillon Harrison: Today it’s basically empty. And 90% of all the buildings are gone.
Chris Czerwonka: One train a day of intermodal, and some switch out on the line that’s about it!
[CN moved all of the Chicagoland classification work to Kirk Yard.]

Access "East Joliet" near the bottom of a maps page for a description of the parts of the yard.

Marty's Flickr photos: from inside the roundhousean overview of the yardinterior view of the roundhouse.

I included some photos in the comments on this posting to help explain what a "switchman" does.

Brian Skrabutenas posted 26 photos of the backshops including interior and demolition shots.

Joseph Clayton posted nine photos.

Andrew Urbanski posted 20 photos from March 2009. A couple of them catch part of the roundhouse.


Edgerton, KS: BNSF Kansas City Logistics Park (Intermodal Yard)

(BNSF Intermodal History; Satellite)
Dennis DeBruler shared
It is a shame it took a collapse of their oil and coal business to force them to pay attention to other customers. I guess better late than never.
I do hope these additional parks will remove container traffic from I-55 and I-80 near Joliet. I noticed they built an overpass for LPKC before they dumped a lot of trucks on the local roads. Maybe they learned from Elwood that it is not good business to screw the local town. Elwood, IL learned they paid a big price by agreeing to intermodal yards next to them ---- lots of trucks backed up at a train crossing in the town.
I wonder how they load containers with grain. Is there a machine that will turn them 90 degrees so the doors are at the top so they can just pour the grain in?
Daniel Perry I've hauled DDG (Dried Distillers Grain, a livestock feed byproduct of the ethanol industry) into Elwood, Il. and assorted other places. To load it in containers they back them into a dock where they build a wooden bulkhead just inside the back doors, that's about 6 foot tall, then extend a long conveyor up to the front of the box and fill'r up. The conveyor retracts back into the building as the container fills, generally the container and chassis usually sits on scales in the loading dock so they can load them quickly right to maximum allowed weight. They can load cans as fast as they can dump hopper trucks coming in to deliver the product.

Daniel Perry They can load almost any grain or bulk feed product into containers like this, there is a HUGE demand for livestock feed materials in countries like Japan, Korea and other such industrialized nations we trade with as agricultural land is in short supply and they are population dense nations hungry for locally raised meat and poultry.
BNSF from Progressive Rail Roading

BNSF from Progressive Rail Roading
Update:
safe_image for BNSF tests autostrads to improve intermodal operations[autostrads is short for automated straddle carriers.]
"BNSF is the first railroad in the world to use "autostrads" that carry containers larger than 40 feet and the first U.S. rail carrier to implement the technology at an inland intermodal facility, BNSF officials said in a website post."
[In other words, someone has already automated the handling of international containers and some coastal yards already have some automation.]
Michael Schwiebert commented on Lucas' post
Automated straddle carriers. They take the container off the chassis and drive it either to the loading area for loading on to the rail car or to a holding area for later unloading (obviously the reverse can happen too for getting the container from the rail car to a truck). In this instance the straddle carriers are unmanned.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Jackson, TN: GM&O Iselin Backshop and WTNN Yard

Keith Bunner posted
GM&O GP35 #632 Jackson,TN 1970
Randy James Iselin shops. It's still there, at the intersection of Magnolia & Iselin streets, Owned by Williams steel now.

According to Google Map, the railroad is now West Tennessee Railroad (WTNN).

Satellite
3D Satellite
Update:
Randy James posted
1970 Ariel photo of Iselin shops Jackson Tennessee, note the giant 1,000,000 gallon diesel fuel tank in the lower right hand corner.
Charlie McCarty posted three videos from a tour conducted by railroad people who used to work there. He also posted four photos with the commnet: "Williams Steel Former GM&O Locomotive Shop, Jackson, TN."

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Randy James posted
gm&o's former Iselin shops, Jackson Tennessee, view from the southwest, looking northeast, 7-1-17
It is good to see that WTNN is maintaining the yard:
Randy James posted
New ties installed on yard track 6 , Iselin yard, Jackson Tennessee, 7-1-17
Dave Lloyd It's about time. Down in the middle of the bowl track 6 was all tore up. Couldn't flier through the yard on track 6
Randy James posted
Illinois central gulf's former gm&o Iselin shops September 1977
Randy James posted
gm&o gp38 #713 ,gp35 #637, & gp38 # 701, rests in front of iselin shops in 1970 awaiting for their turn to be serviced, the shop was nicknamed "the glass house"
Randy James posted
Illinois central gulf's former gm&o Iselin shops 1973, about a year after the ic & gm&o merged, the shop would be shut down & sold to Williams steel in 1986
Randy James posted
icg's former gm&o Iselin shops Jackson tn 1975,
Randy James posted
Gm&o rs2 #1518 at Iselin shops in Jackson TN, June 1968
Dennis King We used her in Mobile in the 1970's.


A photo showing locomotives from several railroads because they were bought to be rebuilt by the Iselin shop.

Sterling, IL: Lawrence Brothers (barbwire then door hinges)


Street View
Lawrence Brothers now exists as Lawrence Hardware on the web. They do have a history page that confirms the company was founded by the Lawrence brothers. But the history omits the manufacturing locations because they have probably moved out of the country. The locations they show in Chicago and Ontario are probably just sales and, maybe, engineering.

The company was founded in 1876 by the Lawrence Brothers to make barbwire. They transitioned to making door hinges and some related hardware. By reading the comments of the pictures in a photo album, I learned that this factory was built in 1906, it was sold to outside interests in 2001, and it was closed rather suddenly in 2006.

I understand the city now owns this building and the National Manufacturing Company across the street from it. Unfortunately, a lot of waste cleanup will have to be done to redevelop these properties into valuable waterfront  resources.

Street View
A 1930 photo of the factory floor.
1930 is a rather late date for such an extensive line shaft design to still be in operation.

Deb Fultz posted
Abandoned factory in Sterling, IL
Scott VanOosten Back in the glory days Sterling Illinois was called the hardware capital in the USA.
Deon Clevenger Lawrence Brothers, across the street to the west is National Manufacturing which is also abandoned now, then to the west of that is the old Northwestern Steel and Wire.

8 photos of machinery inside the building

I presume this photo was taken from one of the upper stories of the boiler house.

Elgin, IL: C&NW Lake Geneva Line cut through town

(Satellite)

Bill Molony shared
America in the 1950's... Chicago & North Western 4-6-2 #1608 (E) passes the Hotel Fox in downtown Elgin, Illinois. Photographer unknown.
Bill Werst The engine is on [crossing] Division St coming onto N Douglas. The C&NW station is behind the photographer.
[A correction from Bill's share below:
David Schnell Dennis DeBruler This was a Railroad Club of Chicago Circle Trip that took place on May 7, 1950. The East Elgin station was demolished on March 2, 1950. So, there was no station behind the photographer on that date.]
Kendall Hastings Most of that route is a bike trail today.

Buzz Baxter posted
40s downtown Elgin IL.
David Schnell The year is 1950. This was a special railfan excursion. It commemorated the 100th anniversary of the first train coming to East Elgin in January of 1850. Also, in April of 1950 the last passenger train on the C&NW passed through on the High North Western On March 3, 1950, the East Elgin passenger station was torn down
David Schnell That photo needs to be credited to George Krambles, Peterson-Krambles Archive.

Bill Molony shared again
David Schnell The photo is by George Krambles and needs to be credited to the Peterson-Krambles archive.
Alfred Fickensher Very coincidentally, this photo taken in the east side of Elgin is complimented (at least for an hour or so till Facebook rearranges the postings) by the 1933 CNW newspaper advertisement, posted by Jerry Jerry Hund, about a day trip on the CNW up to Lake Geneva. This branch line of course ran from Fox River Switch (junction) located right next to the MILW line at the east bank of Fox River, all the way up to terminate at Williams Bay on Lake Geneva and is the line pictured in this Elgin photo. Alf in Iowa BTW, probably abandoned within a couple years of this photo because none of the line to Lake Geneva is referenced in the 2/54 Official Guide.
David Schnell The year is exactly 1950. That segment remained in service until 1997. The segment between Crystal Lake and Elgin was abandoned about 1985. Regular passenger service ended in 1932.
Alfred Fickensher David Schnell thanks for filling in the details of this piccy. Adding a bit of trivia, in digging around the bookshelves and the rusty brain yesterday I was reminded that the MILW interlocking where this Elgin east side line crossed the MILW D&I right of way was named B-35 in the MILW timetable. That at-grade interlocked crossing was just fifty feet or so from CNW’s Fox River Switch, the junction where this Williams Bay line departed from the Freeport line. And for those younger than fiftyish or so, Elgin Watch Co. was located close to if not on, this line maybe a mile north of that switch and B-35. Lotsa Elgin BW Raymond watches in old rrers’ bib pockets, probably second only to Hamilton. Thx again David. Alf in Iowa
David Schnell Yes, the Watch Factory was located on line at National St There is still a station building called Watch Factory. As for B35, it called FORIS, which was the telegraph acronym for Fox River Switch. Even after the tower was torn down, the machine was still called B35 by the Milwaukee Road, Soo Line and Metra

The building in the right background in the 1950s photo is nicely preserved.
Street View
The Fox Hotel has also been preserved.
Street View
And this is the gap that the Valley Maid sign covered.
Street View

John Smith commented on Buzz's post
think that would be looking south on the line from Division street

John Smith commented on Buzz's posting
 the fox hotel building along with the building with the bays still stand


In this satellite view, the Hotel Fox building is the one north of Division. The building at the corner of Division and Douglas existed back then so naturally its rear is on a diagonal to accommodate the C&NW RoW. What is interesting is that the building east of the RoW is new, but they paid a higher construction expense to exploit their property right up to the diagonal boundary.
Satellite
This leaves the question of who owns the "alley?"
Street View
A block south, the yellow poles show the curve we see in the passenger train in the 1950's photo.
Street View

A work train going through the north part of Elgin.
Junior Farmer posted ten photos, but the sixth one was a duplicate. His comment is:
Part 2 .  Last time I was on the East Elgin spur.  After finishing up our 3 day track repair job, I coupled up all of my cars and headed west to the run-a-round track . Since I was still without a conductor or helper ,(at this time I don't remember why) I had to put my crane on the east end of my little work train to see to travel back to Dog Town. Since I was on the west end of the cars, I of course, "had" to go to the very end of the track to see what was left of the line . Pictures of my caboose on your right denote me traveling west down the spur . I never saw a red board denoting end of active track so I continued till coming upon a brand new utility pole smack in the middle of the track with workers up on a high manlift attaching electric insulators. I did what any self-respecting railroad man would do . With all my bright headlights on, 5 chime Nathan express train horn blaring, Detroit 671 diesel screaming , the loud whoosh from dumping the air , and the priceless look on their faces. Look carefully to the left side of one of the pictures you will see the pole and man lift. I jokingly told the workers that a mile long coal train was coming behind me , they have to move the pole. LOL. After running around my cars , I headed west, crane now in front, though backwards which was no problem cuz I have backup mirrors on both sides of the crane giving me good visibility. I stopped along the way to get shots figuring I may never come this way again. One shot is of what's left of a single truck, track scale that I had weighed my crane on, a decade before. Last shot is of my crane squeezing through downtown Elgin which "was" for the very last time. All these pictures were taken between MP 42.5 and 44.
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About MP 43.70 near Lincoln avenue East Elgin .

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Junior Farmer commented on Photo 9
Dennis DeBruler: Junior Farmer https://maps.app.goo.gl/K6Skv4bQjoRfeYAV9

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Junior Farmer commented on Photo 10
Dennis DeBruler: Junior Farmer https://maps.app.goo.gl/9UqBimRwLTuVrJsQA

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Peru, IN: Wabash Turntable

Satellite
Don DeWald posted a picture that shows the turntable pit is still intact. It is easier to sort out where Wabash stuff was because the Norfolk Southern still operates this route.
1951 Peru and Bunker Hill Quadrangles @ 1:24,000