In a message dated 1/17/02 9:24:50 PM Central Standard Time, qutlx1@a...
writes:
> Mike I have interviewed several former switchman who worked the Alley over
> the years. One thing stayed constant right up until the end.Conflicts
> between
> autos and trains.Bones Mathers often told of how many cars had to be towed
> in
> the North end of the alley to get to Miller Packing and Magill Beverage.
> Besides these 2 here's just a sampling of the customers that the "Alley
> Job"
> served: Western Untied Gas and Electric(becam N.I. Gas(left in '57 for
> Joliet),Griswold Feed,Aurora Fruit and Produce,The Beacon,McCredie
> Oil,Standard Oil,White and Todd Lumber,Randall Lumber,A Texaco Distrubutor
> whos' name escapes me at the moment, a scrap dealer directly opposite the
> Beacon,IH, Burro, Crane Plumbing Supply,Steck Coal,the Allied Warehouse,
> the
> CN&W interchange and many more that I need to refer to my notes on. Per Al
> Spencer, Richards Wilcox was switched by the 4:00 PM depot job.
> Per my grandfather (who worked the job for several years during steam days
> they would routinely leave Eola with 40-60 cars and then make another trip
> back to Eola for more.
> Per Bones they would switch out the cars in the River St yard and then
> shove
> down the Alley w/The Northwesterns leading.He said they took everything for
>
> the alley with them and then worked the industries on the way back
> south.Just
> imagine shoving down the alley across every downtown street in Aurora !
>
> Leo
>
>
Leo, thanks for all the info, I had no idea that they served that many
businesses. I would love to have a copy of the track diagram if that is
possible. Another business that was served on the alley job was the Pictorial
Paper and Box Company. My late grandfather worked there for 35 years. He told
a few stories of the trains in the alley. Again, thanks for the info
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/heartland/8114/littleq.html";>Little Q Model
Railroad Club</A>
President: Mike Griesmann
(Supchief17@a...)
843 Lebanon St.
Aurora, Illinois 60505
630-897-6513 evenings
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