I worked this job a few times as a Soo Line employee. Once when I was a student engineer in 1995, we were headed to Peerless Candy (as we called it) to exchange a load for an empty. As we slowly worked our way north with our one car train, we came up on a row of about ten plastic trash bins that belonged to the residents of the relatively new townhomes next to the tracks. Since the tracks are in the street, the bins were pretty much just off from the west rail or the tracks, but still in the way. I slowed the GP9 locomotive down expecting the conductor riding on the right front side of the engine to stop me and get off to move the containers. Instead, he looked back at me and yelled out somewhat angrily, "don't slow down, we're going bowling for dollars!" So, I opened the throttle a notch and we literally knocked down each of them and spilled much of their contents on the street. Then, after spotting Peerless (and getting a free, large bag of hard candy) we came back to find the containers neatly lined up again in the same places, but empty (apparently, the City of Chicago garbage truck came through). Once again we went bowling for dollars. Admittedly, it was a bit fun knocking the "pins" down both going to Peerless and coming back.
that's funny... fast forward to today if that happened you'd be all over social media getting "trash cart shamed" or some other kinda stupid "...shamed" for knocking them carts over... btw, there's a vid of a soo geep making moves over this line complete with a soo caboose to
@@25mfd Occasionally on this line that ran though the street at different places, autos would be illegally parked directly on the tracks or close enough where we couldn't take a chance and possibly sideswipe them. We drew the line here and didn't knock them out of the way like the trash containers. The RR provided us with a cell phone to call a towing company to remove the vehicles blocking our right-of-way. You'd be amazed at how fast that tow truck would arrive just after the call!
@@WAL_DC-6B HA... yeah those tow truck companies operate on a tow by tow basis so yep they are there split seconds after you call LOL... i worked for the CNW and i to worked jobs with cars too close to the tracks... we'd go in the bar "...hey whos car is that"... dude running out the front door grabbing his keys... it was funny
We've lost so much. When I was younger in the late 90's early 2,000's I remember going by Morton Salt and watching them switch out the scrap yard with gondolas as well as Morton Salt. Then they would go down by the steel mill down the street and cross over using the turn bridge to do the switching over here in this video. All of it is gone now the salt yard, scrap yard, and the factory in this video are all gone out of business. Glad I was able to enjoy it when I could I even got to ride in one of the GP 15-1 UnionPacific's for a few days while the engineer and conductor switched out cars at Morton Salt and the scrapyard that was fun.
Two different railroads. The C&NW, later UP, switched Morton Salt on Elston from its North Avenue Yard. The Milwaukee Road, and later Soo, then finally Chicago Terminal, used that swing bridge over the Chicago River and switched out the General Iron scrapyard and other industries on Goose Island and east of the river.
I might have captured a shot of your father in the background in this scene at Peerless. www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/20423854333/in/photolist-DnJMnv-Ek8tta-DnJMkX-Ek8tuH-Dnp4LU-EhNthQ-zob2Bw-z8pnXF-yQMRr1-yxyX1J-z8pnZ4-yPeDvE-yxyWP1-xT8VRo-yMRp7o-xT8VVw-xM4AHS-x7MAkx-y2meeu-xHZbji-x4xHtg-xHPJW1-xZy9EJ-y26wSF-xZy9rh-xZy9A5-x4pJfU-y26x1r-xZy9C9-xHPJDN-x4xHs4-xHNU4J-xY7myf-wZEQea-wXrCz6-xUYtrH-xUYtvv-xUjC6r-xTsz7h-xBHfqS-wXizkh-wJCniv-xG7X1c-xG7X2K-xoTpE1-xoTrC1-wJtXA7-xG7WPa-UN3Wbd-W5pqQp
And another shot of your father at Peerless in this view. www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/38115248426/in/photolist-2157BrC-YvHRsN-LiHihj-GyFbC6-GgZ4fg-DnJM8n-Dnp4xh-Ek8tta-DnJMkX-Ek8tuH-Dnp4F3-DnJMix-DnJMbZ-DnJMnv-Dnp4LU-EhNthQ-zob2Bw-yQNzCJ-yQMRr1-z8pnZ4-z8pnXF-yPeDvE-yxyWP1-xT8VVw-yxyX1J-xT8VRo-yMRp7o-x7MAkx-xM4AHS-y2meeu-xHZbji-x4xHtg-y26wSF-xZy9EJ-xHPJDN-xZy9C9-x4xHs4-y26x1r-xZy9rh-xZy9A5-x4pJfU-xY7myf-xHNU4J-wZEQea-xUjC6r-xUYtvv-wXizkh-wJCniv-xoTpE1-xG7X2K
@@arthurgerber thank you so much for sharing this video and link, brought a tear to my eye. My father is not in any of the photos but still, I can't wait to view photos with my siblings and mother whom also worked at Peerless from the early 70's to 2005. Thank you again Tom.
My dad worked at peerless confectionery for 45 years It’s torn down now we live that right wooden receive moved out in 1977 moved to Logan Square I could still smell the candy it will come on his clothes
To bad Lincolnpark was rapldy Gentrifying by the late 1980s by 2005 tracks were still in use now 2021 Finkl steel Etc factories along Clybourn ave and tge Chicago river have been Leveled for the upcoming Lincoln yards Disappoints me seeing it go General Iron was the most recent to shutter its Clybourn Ave Facility 12/31/20
Lol did you really blame “gentrification” due to manufacturers not being able to make a profit anymore in America. Really for the last 40 plus years. Put down the cnn bro.
This is amazing. So many memories. My mom used to work at Peerless for so many years.
I worked this job a few times as a Soo Line employee. Once when I was a student engineer in 1995, we were headed to Peerless Candy (as we called it) to exchange a load for an empty. As we slowly worked our way north with our one car train, we came up on a row of about ten plastic trash bins that belonged to the residents of the relatively new townhomes next to the tracks. Since the tracks are in the street, the bins were pretty much just off from the west rail or the tracks, but still in the way. I slowed the GP9 locomotive down expecting the conductor riding on the right front side of the engine to stop me and get off to move the containers. Instead, he looked back at me and yelled out somewhat angrily, "don't slow down, we're going bowling for dollars!" So, I opened the throttle a notch and we literally knocked down each of them and spilled much of their contents on the street. Then, after spotting Peerless (and getting a free, large bag of hard candy) we came back to find the containers neatly lined up again in the same places, but empty (apparently, the City of Chicago garbage truck came through). Once again we went bowling for dollars. Admittedly, it was a bit fun knocking the "pins" down both going to Peerless and coming back.
that's funny... fast forward to today if that happened you'd be all over social media getting "trash cart shamed" or some other kinda stupid "...shamed" for knocking them carts over... btw, there's a vid of a soo geep making moves over this line complete with a soo caboose to
@@25mfd Occasionally on this line that ran though the street at different places, autos would be illegally parked directly on the tracks or close enough where we couldn't take a chance and possibly sideswipe them. We drew the line here and didn't knock them out of the way like the trash containers. The RR provided us with a cell phone to call a towing company to remove the vehicles blocking our right-of-way. You'd be amazed at how fast that tow truck would arrive just after the call!
@@WAL_DC-6B HA... yeah those tow truck companies operate on a tow by tow basis so yep they are there split seconds after you call LOL... i worked for the CNW and i to worked jobs with cars too close to the tracks... we'd go in the bar "...hey whos car is that"... dude running out the front door grabbing his keys... it was funny
We've lost so much. When I was younger in the late 90's early 2,000's I remember going by Morton Salt and watching them switch out the scrap yard with gondolas as well as Morton Salt. Then they would go down by the steel mill down the street and cross over using the turn bridge to do the switching over here in this video. All of it is gone now the salt yard, scrap yard, and the factory in this video are all gone out of business. Glad I was able to enjoy it when I could I even got to ride in one of the GP 15-1 UnionPacific's for a few days while the engineer and conductor switched out cars at Morton Salt and the scrapyard that was fun.
traingp7 so that Morton salt is out of business?? if it is when was the last train to go there?
Two different railroads. The C&NW, later UP, switched Morton Salt on Elston from its North Avenue Yard. The Milwaukee Road, and later Soo, then finally Chicago Terminal, used that swing bridge over the Chicago River and switched out the General Iron scrapyard and other industries on Goose Island and east of the river.
@@sirbuffles2353 Yes it closed recently. www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/46245272521/in/photolist-EnYd48-PGqxPV-2dsx7mR-2dsx7ip-PGqxNn-xDW5eJ-wZwVFj
For awhile they were all part of the same switching operation.
Finkl steel relocated to Burnside in 2014 1355 E 93st Sims metal management near 31st ashland General iron at 1909 Clifton remains
@ 6:30... the fringe benefits of having a customer that makes something you can readily use... nice to get a free box of candy lol
I loved how that one suv was in the way and it had to have the train horn blow to make it get the hell out of the way
Why would someone stop on tracks when a train is clearly visible
I remember this so well. At the time I lived on the Southside, but worked North. Now I live less than half a mile from here.
Great upload. Thanx.
My father worked at Peerless and he actually had the task of unloading the syrup from trains.
Too bad he's not in this video.
I might have captured a shot of your father in the background in this scene at Peerless. www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/20423854333/in/photolist-DnJMnv-Ek8tta-DnJMkX-Ek8tuH-Dnp4LU-EhNthQ-zob2Bw-z8pnXF-yQMRr1-yxyX1J-z8pnZ4-yPeDvE-yxyWP1-xT8VRo-yMRp7o-xT8VVw-xM4AHS-x7MAkx-y2meeu-xHZbji-x4xHtg-xHPJW1-xZy9EJ-y26wSF-xZy9rh-xZy9A5-x4pJfU-y26x1r-xZy9C9-xHPJDN-x4xHs4-xHNU4J-xY7myf-wZEQea-wXrCz6-xUYtrH-xUYtvv-xUjC6r-xTsz7h-xBHfqS-wXizkh-wJCniv-xG7X1c-xG7X2K-xoTpE1-xoTrC1-wJtXA7-xG7WPa-UN3Wbd-W5pqQp
And another shot of your father at Peerless in this view. www.flickr.com/photos/39092860@N06/38115248426/in/photolist-2157BrC-YvHRsN-LiHihj-GyFbC6-GgZ4fg-DnJM8n-Dnp4xh-Ek8tta-DnJMkX-Ek8tuH-Dnp4F3-DnJMix-DnJMbZ-DnJMnv-Dnp4LU-EhNthQ-zob2Bw-yQNzCJ-yQMRr1-z8pnZ4-z8pnXF-yPeDvE-yxyWP1-xT8VVw-yxyX1J-xT8VRo-yMRp7o-x7MAkx-xM4AHS-y2meeu-xHZbji-x4xHtg-y26wSF-xZy9EJ-xHPJDN-xZy9C9-x4xHs4-y26x1r-xZy9rh-xZy9A5-x4pJfU-xY7myf-xHNU4J-wZEQea-xUjC6r-xUYtvv-wXizkh-wJCniv-xoTpE1-xG7X2K
@@arthurgerber thank you so much for sharing this video and link, brought a tear to my eye.
My father is not in any of the photos but still, I can't wait to view photos with my siblings and mother whom also worked at Peerless from the early 70's to 2005. Thank you again Tom.
Thanks for posting! Great work.
My dad worked at peerless confectionery for 45 years
It’s torn down now we live that right wooden receive moved out in 1977 moved to Logan Square I could still smell the candy it will come on his clothes
To bad Lincolnpark was rapldy Gentrifying by the late 1980s by 2005 tracks were still in use now 2021 Finkl steel Etc factories along Clybourn ave and tge Chicago river have been Leveled for the upcoming Lincoln yards Disappoints me seeing it go General Iron was the most recent to shutter its Clybourn Ave Facility 12/31/20
Lol did you really blame “gentrification” due to manufacturers not being able to make a profit anymore in America. Really for the last 40 plus years. Put down the cnn bro.
What on earth was that white SUV doing?!