Historic Abandoned Railroad Downtown Chicago
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Historic Abandoned Railroad in Downtown Chicago, Illinois. It was originally a Chicago & Northwestern track and later became a Union Pacific track. At the first railroad crossing the signals were already removed and at the second everything was removed! If anyone knows when a train last used these tracks, please comment below, I'd love to know. The tracks are rusted so I'm guessing a train hasn't used it in a while!
To Help Me with $1 For Traveling, Please Visit:
Patreon.com/RailROL82
Google Maps Location Link:
www.google.com...
Please Subscribe and Like! Thank you for viewing.
Instagram RailROL82
#RailROL82
#Abandonedrailroad
#Railroadcrossing
Cant wait to watch one of rollys great videos
You just did!
I am a retired CNW/UPRR engineer and I used to cross that bridge to service industry on the other side of the Chicago River. Sun Times was one of them and before the Chicago Tribune's Freedom Plant was built at Grand and the Chicago River we used to service the Tribune too. I believe that track was the original CNW mainline to its Wells Street main passenger terminal. When the new CNW Terminal was built at Madison and Canal and opened for service in 1912 the Wells St. station was abandoned. Subsequently the famous Merchandise Mart was built over the CNW tracks and we used to go underneath to get to customers. Many times people would park their cars too close to the tracks and a tow truck would be called to remove them.
It's a pleasure to read your comment sir. I could only imagine what that must've been like! I appreciate you sharing that info with the rest of us. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
Former CNW line out to Navy Pier.
Cut back from the pier by the 80's and was only serving to bring newsprint to the Sun Times.
When the Times sold the property to make way for Trump Tower the need for newsprint to make it's way over the river was no more and the line would most likely have been abandoned and scrapped save for the small issue that UP found itself the proud owner of not only a bridge but a historical landmark that they have to maintain so IIRC the tracks are technically out of service I would assume in the event UP needed to do maintance or repairs that requires something heavier than a hi rail can manage.
@@railrol82 thanks you too. Pretty much CNW was the hometown railroad and grew up around MP 25.5 on the northwest line (UP Harvard sub) so I know a bit about some of the obscure nooks and crannies of the CNW.
Can remember warm summer nights and from time to time waking in the middle of the night to hear Twin City bound freights grinding up the grade out of the DesPlaines River valley ( and few times when the power desk at Proviso didn't put enough power on the head end and they had to cut the train in half to make it over the crest just outside of town.) though these days freight is all but gone save for maybe one or two manifest freight a week to handle the remaining customers on the line and the odd grain extra or two and while I'm still in town I'm more likely to hear the rare CN freight on the old SOO tracks east of me and only if the wind is right.
So your telling me we can thank trump for this abandonment
@@garysprandel1817 so your saying you have two lines in your area. Up controlled cnw. And CN controlled soo?
@@cjstibitz2130 are you going back to Jussy Smollett's again tonight?
cj stibitz the line is not actually abandoned UP maintains bridge and lowers it once a year for maintenance
I can vouch for the track being used summer of 2000 when my new hire class took a GP15-1 from North Avenue Yard to Kinzie St. bridge. Of course the bridge was in the same position it is now. A few months ago, one of my retired co-workers posted on Fakebook several pictures from this area.I don't know if he will make his pictures public but, it would be nice to see this area from times past.
Had the privilege of watching freights cross that historic bridge. They would go under all the buildings along the Chicago river all the way Navy Pier on the lake. One time I walked the entire row up to Wacker Dr. BTW, the area under the Metra tracks used to be filled with tracks feeding into that line. They came out of an old CN&W yard on the other side. That yard is long gone.
Nice! I appreciate you sharing that info with the rest of us my friend. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
I spent many an evening sitting on CNW locomotives waiting for Lake St. tower operators to get unbusy wif the evening rush to come and drop the bridge....which by the way is known as Wolf Point. We would then proceed to the old Tribune and the Sun-times. In earlier times went went all the way to Navy pier. Railrol82 here's a job for you. See ifn you can find any RR tracks east of the old Sun-Times. My time in the entire area was all during the 1980's. Also late 70's when CNW had a yard office know as State St. a little west of that spur you walked. Another track that went straight west along past Bloomer Chocolate ended going west up to Noble Street where it join the CNW mainline. I worked and knew that whole territory like the palm of my hand .....me and many other fine upstanding railroad men. As a matter of fact my good friend was on the last Job to cross the river.
Those sound like my kind of evenings. I would love to take you up on that offer of finding those tracks, but l only came here on a trip once, I don't live here. I bet your friend who crossed the river last has some interesting stories to tell. Thanks as always for the views and comments, Freddy!
That R.O.W. is part of the first railroad track built in Chicago. Galena & Chicago Union originally built that line in the late 1840's. That bridge originally allowed trains into Northwestern Station which was first built on what is now the Merchandise Mall. The station was relocated in the 1890's to where it is now
Thanks for the info, Jim. There is so much RR history in Chicago. I'd love to visit again one day. I appreciate the views and comments.
@@railrol82 you should check out my RR history group on Facebook. It's called "RAILROAD HISTORY BUFFS OF ILLINOIS"
If you look on google maps at this crossing in the oldest view
This crossing had lights
The taller one was a small cantilever
Great investigative work on your part! I saw it too. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
Given that Chicago has nearly as much abandoned rail as some states, why not rent a bike, mount a camera and ride? There are dozens of dead rail roads from the Rock Island, to the Soo, to the Grand Trunk, to the... But the best abandoned, intact right of way is probably the New York Central Hoboken Line from the Stock Yards to the Indians border. It is truly a spectacular ride all the way to Gary Indiana
Navigating thru these city streets on a bike must be suicide! Thanks as always for the views and comments!
@@railrol82 actually there are bike paths on several abandoned rail lines in and around both chicago and New York
A few blocks from there is a great hot dog place called Fast Tracks that has tons of train stuff inside as well out outside
Thanks as always for the views and comments!
It's now closed
4:56 There used to be signals mounted on the bridge for this crossing.
Keep up Mr. Railroad Archaeologist!
How come I NOW find something like this on my youtube search list?! This was a great video to watch and memories of some of these trains were blast from the past for sure. I grew up in franklin park in the 80s and hanged around the Bensenville railyard and took pictures and videos at the engine house off of green street. Good times!
Good morning and thanks for the comment. I appreciate the feedback. I have over 600 videos of abandoned railroads and historic crossings and trains in my channel. My mission is to keep the memories of those abandoned rails alive! Thanks as always for the views and comments!
@@railrol82 appreciate your commitment for posting stuff like this! I even shared this to my cousins who are trains, planes, and cta bus fanatics. Next on my bucket list of things to do is hit the Illinois railway museum.
Great video Roly!! Super excited to see what's next! You can really tell that whole area has history in it!
@@railrol82 it really is! I've been there a couple times and between active and abandoned railroads there is never a dull moment!
@@railrol82 Happy memorial day to you to my friend!
I believe they lower the bridge once a year so a hi-rail can cross it & keep the tracks from becoming officially abandoned.
The city runs a test train on them and the bridge at times as they have interest with the line
@@BarnabasCollinsXIII I believe that the rails are no longer connected to the rest of the Union Pacific.
Turn on tune in and drop out back in time to Chicago's power of place producing era of peak world modernity.
Born during the early 60s My first access to Ariel photography allowed me to Rediscover long forgotten trunk lines and said road of Iron Rails still existing buildings shadowing Curvature shapes giving reasons portions of land had never built on. Today Everyone from Egyptian explorers to prehistoric archeology professors Use aerial photos to their advantage in this way.
Today as a professional arborist, growing collection of Google street view photography has become such a worthy tool When helping to diagnose trees.
Szuper! Szeretem az elhagyott vágányokat.
👍
Another fine piece of work! I appreciate the way you put together your work. If you ever stop in Nashville there are tons of old railroad crossings. One in specific that comes to mind is the Texas and Pacific Railroad. It was I think born in the age of the railroad when everybody who was anybody built a railroad. This one paralleled the present day Nashville and Eastern which is a very active shortline. The T&P was eventually bought out by the Nashville, Chattanooga, and Saint Louis which was bought out by the L&N which in turn was gobbled up by Seaboard Coastal Lines and finally CSX. The trackway is so cool because it starts as a spur off the CSXmain only to become a shadow in the form of a grass-covered path to an abandoned trestle. The path continues on behind warehouses that once saw boxcar loads of vegetables but now serve a different clientele. You can follow this trackway for miles as it leaves its evidence ion form old stone supports that would have held steel support beams and track. The coolest parts are the old stone columns that would have held the trestle as is crosses the stones river. From there on to Lebanon it pops out here and there until it fades into history. I appreciate what you do.
@@railrol82 I don't know about living during the industrial revolution. I'm the history of New York City and brother let me tell you the good ole day...Were terrible! You probably know the history behind the title "Brakeman". Remember they had to run across the top of the train with no safety gear, rails to hold or anything else. They had to be well balanced so that as the train was moving they didn't fall. You know falling off a boxcar while it's you're going to get hurt or killed even. One book I read talked about how they busted up unionization and they made so that if you quit your job there was always some poor guy literally right off the boat to take your job. I'm not being derogatory about but they would get whoever Irish, Italian, It was a rough time to live in but, if you look around it hasn't changed that much in little ways sure there a ton more safety regulation which comparing then to now I'll take now. We have somewhat clean water and the air isn't all that bad. Thanks for all you do. It's really funny because now as I cross a railroad crossing I instinctively look over quickly at the blue emergency contact info. Truly a LOL
I wish you had a railcart. I would have liked to have seen you take a trip down (or up) the spur. It makes me dream of what could be out there in my city. I think you found a real gem.
Depressing yet I can't stop watching!
I was railfanning at the Metra crossing over there and I saw that abandoned CNW Line
Technically it is still active because they lower the bridge once a year and send a hi rail truck to keep it in the active status. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
Cool, Roly!
Nice video, I love old Chicago & Northwestern stuff.
@@railrol82 Chicago is pretty much the freight rail capital of America. So much freight history there and still happening.
Very nice 👍👍👍like
Yes, I remember now. It was in my railroads of the world video in part 1. Thanks for finding it. In your future videos, can you explore Lincoln Illinois
Thanks for the info!
abandoned chi town rails! gold mine.
NICE VIDEO!!!! WOW that's one old abandoned track, I think at one point those crossings had LED lights and Bells but they took them off, I just uploaded my train video on UA-cam and I found a day of every week I'll upload a train video on UA-cam if you want to go watch it RailROL82, I love your abandoned train videos, keep them coming
Nice video.Always interested in railroad history. Keep up the good videos.
@RailRol82 we have alot of historical mill railroads here in Columbia SC as well as some leftover tracks for the old seaboard as well as a monument piece of what was left of one of the bridges.... Hope to c u check it out and give some insight someday. I'm curious to know more about it.
Great video
3:34 I’m with you. Those tracks can withstand years more of trains. And the rails? They were replaced in 1993! That track is fine.
No problem! I mean, my pleasure because the content is great and you’re really nice. In fact, thank you!
Here is a tip for us railroad archaeologist. The date on the rail is only the date the rail was made. It doesn't necessarily correspond with the replacement date. I've seen former mainline rail reused in the rail yard. I assumed it was new rail till i looked at the build date on the rail.
Track on curves gets more wear, so more frequent replacement
Nice find!
Can't wait for the draw bridge video.
That spur in the video above used to served the old Chicago Sun Times printing plant on the south side of Ashland Avenue and on the east shore of the Chicago River in the loop. That printing plant closed almost eight years ago and outsourcing its printings to the arch rival Chicago Tribune.
This served the Sun-Times printing plant when it was under their headquarters on Wabash and the Chicago River. The Ashland Ave. Press is further Southwest outside of the downtown area near the CN old IC Iowa Line / old Santa Fe Line North of I 55 Stevenson Expressway.
The chocolate factory still gets a few deliveries. Nothing is active past Canal Street.
Keep up the dig!!
I seen this in Chicago I can’t believer you find this, this is really cool and Metra liners goes through there
Welcome to the Chi.
Great historic Video.
The tracks do look in allright shape
They still run a little light freight once in awhile.
Is that still there in 2020?
Good question, I filmed this on a visit to Chicago in 2019 and haven't been back since. But as per Google Maps, they look like they're still there. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
Awesome video! Thanks for your efforts. 🇺🇸
I'm glad you liked it, James. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
RailROL82
Your welcome!🇺🇸
any and all railroad tracks ever laid in the USA should have been preserved.
I wholeheartedly agree as removing them shows a lack of vision. You never know when they can be useful in the future. Thanks as always for the views and comments, Pyne!
Pre 1910 CNW main line ran along Kinzie Street. When the new station at Canal & Madison opened, it had been realigned and elevated along Hubbard Street toward the station. Check Google Maps =obvious east of Ogden Ave. There was a rail yard at Des Plaines/Kinzie St. BTW, the "Wm J Cassidy" building seen in the opening moments is now demolished (350 N Canal). New buildings along Kinzie St used to be railroad property. The recent changes toward Ogden Ave in that area have nearly obliterated the past. Even Kinzie St itself was rebuilt west of the river to about Ogden Ave some time ago now.
Cassidy tire building was at the curve where the commuter trains going north out of CUS made the turn to go west toward the Western Ave. crossovers..
Speaking of CNW they used to come up by me, sadly was bought out by the UP in 1995.
@@railrol82 For sure, I never got to see em in action, but seeing the WC was always an amazing experience.
South loop is spur city, they’re everywhere. Especially around Chinatown.
China Town maps.apple.com/?address=China%20Town,%20Chicago,%20IL,%20United%20States&auid=9717408082576593070&ll=41.852573,-87.634099&lsp=6489&_ext=ChIKBAgFEAMKBAgGEAQKBAgKEAASJimubNVkfOxEQDHsYCTh9+hVwDkGiN3Sxe1EQEFklFFJMuhVwFAD&t=h
You can see those tracks across the river on caroll avenue to at least as far east as under the house of blues between Dearborn and state, maybe further
Just watched great video great to start morning
Excellent video, greetings from Poland, +
I think they last ran trains through in the early 2000s. I've been by the bridge many times starting in the late 70s through just 2 weeks ago. In 2000 or 2001 during a C&NW/UP SunTimes paper run, I remember seeing the bridge down and running over there and chatting with one of the flagmen. I got a chance to read the plaque on the head of the bridge. I waited with him until the geep came back out from under the apparel center. If smartphones were available then I'd have some pics/video. At that point they'd already cut the cord from the East/West trackage and were using the curve from the North/West trackage.
In '79 I was there with my pops, and some of the North/Soputh Milwaukee Road trackage was still there. The diamond was removed already (I think) but I didn't at the time realize the CMSTPP ran trains past there and across the river. I though it was so strange that one of the tracks ran straight North as if to go on a massive barge that might have been backed up to there! If you stop your video at 1:36 exactly that is exactly the point were the track ran.The street (and bridge) was raised in the early 90s (after the tunnel flooding-the pylon hammering that flooded the tunnels occurred on the East side of the river there), so there was no grade until then.
I chatted with a UP guy last year, and he said that on the East side of the river, the UP wasn't asked or even informed that the tracks had been removed between the Apparel Center (now Holiday INN) and the bridge. He told me that there were plans to hook that track back up and run a locomotive as far east as they could go (for trackage/property rights). We'll see if that happens!
Thank you for posting this and all your videos! You could make a really neat video of the CMSTPP (line that ran from there up past Wrigley Field and up into Evanston!
Super Video. 🇮🇳
WOW!👌🏻💯💥
I appreciate that! Thanks as always for the views and comments!
Founder of House of Blues used to use these tracks to get his private railroad car under the club in Marina City.
Nice video...So much train history in Chicago...Thanks and hoping you are enjoying the nice weather up there, it's been hot in good old Florida😄👍
cool i..in my home town//48th or 49 th and california ave south soude was a track that led to brewery and a praire land..it was a warning signal there in the 60,s ..no flashing lights
Are these tracks anywhere around the old Montgomery Wards building. I used to work at Monkey Wards for a time. Id be walking down Chicago Ave. And would cross Halstead Street. And see a bunch of tracks that ran under a bridge. Is this track part of that? Just wondering. Have a blessed Christmas 🎄 everyone
BTW, CNW is now part of Union Pacific
2014 it was still used. I believe this was also servicing blommers chocolate factory on kinzie. The tankers seemed to go and come from there in 2014
i checked google maps and followed the tracks and i found a spur with some tank cars on them so i guess union pacific still uses them
@@railrol82 yeah
@@railrol82 thanks
Please do more on chicago’s Abandoned rr’s. They are so cool, and I myself am interested in them.
amazing R you got to come visit St Louis Mo and points on you would have a field day with some of the abandon lines here awesome R you rock my train brother :-)
Hey RR Archeologist. As a conductor you the training to work on a railroad. Have you ever considered working for a class 1 railroad like BNSF, CSX or Norfolk & Southern? I was just curious I mean being on the railroad is tough in the sense that you are always on call. I have heard you have like an hour? I think to get to an assignment. The train and consist could be 50 miles away in the middle of nowhere. I'm married with a family that and my age pretty much crushed any dream I had of working for the railroad. I was born too late just like my time in the military I missed all the wars the same is true of me working for the railroad. I want to work for the railroad when I got out of the military, but they weren't hiring. In fact, they had a freeze on hiring in the late 70s and early 80s. When I found out the railroad was expanding in the mid-2000s, I already had a family and they weren't going for me quitting my job at the time and moving to Atlanta to conductor school with the possibility not being hired because of my age. I know no one discriminates because of age they simply just don't hire those of an older age bracket. I didn't mean to rant I enjoy your work. Peace out!
Awesome video. If you are ever back in the Chicagoland area, come to northwest Indiana to explore some abandoned monon railroad tracks.
Neat stuff!
Really great video Rolly! Thank you for going to Chicago. Really cool stuff.
Those bridge supports don't give one too much confidence.
@@railrol82 They are probably fine to believe it or not. I work in Washington DC and we have several bridges looking like that. I see a bridge that CSX uses heavily 7 days a week that looks similar to that condition and the build plate on it says, "American Bridge Company 1913". Still in use, heavy use. I googled American Bridge Company and they are still around building bridges and many of their old bridges are still in heavy use. They have been building bridges since the 1880s.
@@railrol82 Yes, and they still work every day. A testament to quality workmanship I guess.
Calling it "abandoned" is incorrect. The tracks are still active on the books. The lift bridge gets lowered and something like a high rail truck is driven over it once a year to keep its active status in tact.
Actually, what you show in the video speaks otherwise. That crossing on N Canal St. where the video starts with it's "Report A Problem" signs is proof it's still active on the books. Those signs would be removed if they were abandoned. Being "abanoned" suggests that they've been severed from any network all together with pave overs or developments that would forever block its use from both ends of a track segment. In this case, all that prevents that spur from having a train run on it are those wheel bumpers. Plus it is a known fact that they do run a high rail truck over them and the lift bridge to retain it's active status in the books once a year. For the other 364 days of the year, it would be correct to call the line "out of service".
By comparison, the video you did on the FEC Overseas Railway in Florida, and that short stretch of rail you found that was cut off with the waterway on one end and the removed rail on the other end, that short section of track that was left by definition would be called "abandoned". For terminology, those are how you would describe the difference between "abandoned" and "out of service".
I read the history about the track a few months back and it was abandoned in 2000 or 2001.
@@railrol82 the industry that had the railroad moved torward the south of Chicago.
6:21 Shit mud! Great video as always - Bob S.
RailROL82 keep the great content coming brother, two thumbs up!
1993...1 year year behind my birth year 😊
lol great video! i hope you got the location
There used to be lights on that crossing
Wow, Had no idea that bridge was there. I stayed at that Holiday Inn right there. If I would have walked around that corner, I would have been right at that bridge, maybe next time.....lol.
I see you premiered this video for 10am EST - I've seen that option on UA-cam, are you online at that time and seeing other viewers?
I looked for the bridge on Google Maps. It looks like the track stops at the bottom of the bridge. I am glad to hear it has been saved as a historical landmark.
@@railrol82 I've been a fan of railroads and trains for 60 years. I also like to see things of railroad history. I like to collect railroad memorabilia. I don't have much yet, but I do have a 1940's kerosene conductor lantern and was able to find the tank with the wick assembly to make it function as intended. I also have two glass insulators from ages ago, I took off a pole next to an abandoned track. I also have a rusty tie plate and a few rusty spikes. Thanks for your time you put into your videos. I will keep watching. I subscribed and hit the bell to get notified when you post a video. I also liked the one about understanding signals.
the old CNW lines going to C&NW Wells Street Station and on to navy pier
@@railrol82 no prob i helped map alot of the area in google earth from 1920's maps all lines and sidings
Great video fantastic I’m learning more and more about the railroads thank you.
UH interesting!! good video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nice from bangladesh
Lots of comments about this line being used once a year. I'm sure that is so that the railroad doesn't lose the easement by abandonment (as a legal term). If you're really interested you can look at congressionalresearch.com/RL32140/document.php
The railroad may want to retain the option to use the line again or repurpose it or sell it at some point. That is the only logical reason that they would run something on it once a year.
Right in my own backyard! Great video as always!
Would love to see a train on that track :D
Me too, like a CSX local
Love the info...thank you for the post!
Great video railrol that track has history I hope u find a railroad spike
You to railrol
This line should be turned into a Light Rail Line and then run alongside the METRA ELECTRIC and South Shore Line and serve McCormick Place, the Shedd Aquarium, Museum Of Science and Industry,and the Art Institute.
While you're in Chicago, Do a vid on the Kenwood line
How did Union Pacific get to Chicago go check out the map. ??
Good question! Thanks as always for the views and comments!
UP bought out CNW years ago.
Wasn't this one of the video's you had taken when you were hacked? Did UA-cam restore this video?
Yes sir, they UA-cam did a sensational job. Thanks as always for the views and comments, Lance!
Should have checked that pile of rail for dates.
Good suggestion! I'll keep that in mind for next time!
Another excellent video!!! Thanks for posting !!na
Bridge and line are not abandoned, but technically OSS or out-of-service. Union Pacific has not relinquished ownership west of Tr**p Tower.
"Tr**p Tower"....?????......someone having a hard time dealing with the results of the election???
@@chooch1995 Mrs. Clinton won nearly 3 million more Americans' votes and the Grabber won more Electoral votes. Exercising my First Amendment right to free speech. Too bad if that bothers you. Move elsewhere.
I'm hardly the one who appears bothered!
This may still be active
On a technicality it is. UP lowers that bridge once a year and sends a hi rail just to keep it in the active status. Thanks as always for the views and comments!
@Andrew Gray Correct
Perfect video my friend!
Best regards :-)
That L bridge is in terrible condition. And I've seen bridges for New York City Subway lines that are in crappy shape.
Great video and I want the track and preserve the rail line
l`ve seen some abandoned Railroad tracks by Valencia California. they were abandoned for decades, they tore them out, and l`ve seen some abandoned tracks they were in San Luis Obispo California. on a street Foothill BLVD they had three tracks l was still able to see the cross ties right there that are still remaining. submerged in the dirt. they now have one. track.
Love these old rail ways and that bridge is so cool! Next time I’m in Chicago I will look for it! Nice work!
Would be so great if someone would give tours actually on a train passing through all the abandon line giving the history of the area.
0:44 Isuzu NPR
I’ve seen that line before when I’m in the city. I think it’s abandoned but I’m not 100% sure. I’m 65% sure it’s abandoned
RailROL82 yep
@@railrol82 Not entirely correct. Yes, they lower the bridge once a year, but on the side of the river you were on, there are still 1 or 2 factories that receive deliveries. One is the Blommer Chocolate Company, and they still get trains once in awhile.
They have to lower the bridge and go across it once yr if I remember hearing correctly
Ummm. They wouldn't get very far. Notice the building behind the draw bridge
do they still use that line?
Blommer Chocolate still has a train that delivers tanker cars off of the main line.
2:52 I thought those were removed when the lights and bells were removed!
America Infrastructure Sucks needs serious Funding to Make much Improvement. SMFH
Yes sir, our bridges and highways are falling apart as well. Politicians need to stop stealing money and put it back into our infrastructure. Thanks as always for the views and comments, Frank!