Two views in the same location on Goose Island in Chicago
Top: CP Rail train with Soo Line GP9 locomotive working the nearby AKZO salt plant. Spring 1997
Bottom: August 2017
Photos by Tom Burke
“A view from the swing bridge looking across North Avenue on a cold February day back in 1989. The Milwaukee Road (by then Soo Line) C&E Lines switcher is getting ready to cross onto Goose Island.”
February 2, 1989
Photo by John Smatlak
Source: flickr.com
Switching the Salt
“Soo GP9 2407 is switching Akzo Salt on Goose Island and is almost at the end of track along North Branch Street near Halsted.”
Chicago
June 1996
Photo by Lou Gerard
Source: Flickr / 5632
Soo Line Crossing Cherry Street Bridge at North Avenue Chicago 1990 by Tom Burke “On an August day the Soo Line job is heading back across the canal that creates Goose Island and is about to cross North Avenue. This bridge was movable at one time to allow ships to pass. When this photo was taken there were still some six active rail-served customers on Goose Island. Now this bridge is only for pedestrians since Big Bay Lumber closed in 2015 and shortline Chicago Terminal lost its fight to retain access to the former Milwaukee Road North Side freight lines.”
Source: flickr.com
Then and now: three views of trains crossing North Avenue in Chicago at the Cherry Street bridge across the Chicago River at Goose Island:
Top: “Milwaukee Road MP15AC No. 474 shoves across North Avenue on the Goose Island Line.” Photo by D.W. Davidson.
Middle: “Milwaukee Road / Soo Line C&E Line switcher 1512 (originally MILW 446) crossing North Avenue, heading back to the yard on Goose Island with a few empties picked up at Wallace Press and on Kingsbury. The unique ‘beaver tail’ swing bridge is still in place today ...” August 24, 1990. Photo by John Smatlak.
Bottom: “Chicago Terminal employees flag North Avenue during the rush hour as 900 comes across, as a driver complains to deaf ears.” October 2, 2017. Photo by Lou Gerard.
For more info:
#Chicago#Illinois#Goose Island#North Avenue#cherry street bridge#bridge#railroad bridge#then and now#Before and After#urban#urban change#RR#rail#rails#railroad#railroads#railway#railways#Train#trains#trainspotting#track#tracks#traffic#milwaukee road#MILW#chicago terminal#freight train#locomotive#diesel locomotive
There has been a lot of rail movement on and around Goose Island lately. The following articles give details:
For comparison, here are two photos taken over 30 years apart showing rail movements across the Chicago River swing bridge that leads to Goose Island:
Top: “Milwaukee Road C&E lines switcher 485 about to cross the snow-dusted swing bridge on the way back to Bensenville.” April 15, 1986. Photo by John Smatlak.
Bottom: “Chicago Terminal 900 comes slowly across the Chicago River bridge and will yard its train at UP’s North Avenue yard.” October 2, 2017. Photo by Lou Gerard.
Note that in the bottom photo, the Finkl Steel building on the left is now gone. The developer that owns this land is trying to attract Amazon’s attention to the site for its second headquarters:
#chicago#illinois#goose island#urban#urban change#then and now#before and after#amazon#train#trains#trainspotting#track#tracks#development#rr#rail#rails#railroad#railroads#railway#railways#locomotive#diesel switcher#diesel locomotive#milw#milwaukee road#chicago terminal#chicago river#railroad bridge#bridge
Caption: "Reconstruction of Halsted Street and its bridge over the eastern channel of the North Branch of the Chicago river revealed tracks hidden for decades. The pair of tracks on Halsted belonged to the Chicago Surface Lines (CSL) streetcar system while the single spur track that crosses them was used by the Milwaukee Road to service Peanut Specialty on the east side of Halsted. Peanut Specialty was a candy company known for Boston Baked Beans."
Caption: “The Milwaukee Road / Soo Line Lakewood branch switcher at work on Goose Island. Crossing North Ave.”
Chicago
February 2, 1989
Photo by John Smatlak
Caption: “Milwaukee Road / Soo Line switcher crossing the Chicago River onto Goose Island at North Ave.”
Chicago
1990
Photo by John Smatlak
Caption: “SOO LINE backs out of the Peerless Candy company at Diversey and Lakewood St. This is the Goose Island branch line of the Milwaukee Road.”
Chicago
1989
Photos by Mark L Lanuza
Milwaukee Road - Goose Island Branch by d.w.davidson on Flickr.
A Milwaukee Road switcher pushes a single boxcar off of Goose Island onto the Cherry Avenue bridge, across North Avenue, and onto Kingsbury Street in Chicago.
MILW 814-1 Goose Island IL 10-65, By RNS by thevlbg on Flickr.
Long before being known for its brewery and gentrified housing, Goose Island in Chicago was a busy industrial district. Here is a Milwaukee Road switcher at the Lissner Metals plant in 1965.
Photo by Russ Strodtz