The idea of the four mains was to start at Union Ave Tower and run to West
Eola. After the elevation was completed in Aurora there was designs in a very
nice book printed by the Railroad to elevate the main line from Cicero to Eola
but the city farther along the line did not want the Great Wall of the
Burlington built thru their towns that and the Depression stopped the elevation
work. Thru Aurora there was to be 5 tracks with two more built to the
west/right of the present elevation as noted by looking at the present
elevation. The east/left side has a more finished look while the other side is
straight and also is more open as this was the side the tracks were kept on to
run while the elevation was put up. Then it was to be used for the foundation
and more elevated tracks as preDepression traffic forcasts were in the
neighborhood of 200+ trains a day.
Larger locomotives and cars with larger capacities dropped the number of trains
and the Depression slowed the growth of traffic. Being able to move more
traffic with CTC also helped to preclude the need for more tracks. A lot of
what we see today is not what it use to look like.
Steve in SC
________________________________
From: "qutlx1@aol.com" <qutlx1@aol.com>
To: cbq@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, March 5, 2011 9:02:43 AM
Subject: [CBQ] Fourth Main
Rupert,
There have been a couple prior discussions on the fourth main but here is
what I have found over the years.
In Overtons Burlington Route,Chapter 18 page 338 is a short
discussion..."as an indication of the density of traffic on the main stem east
of Aurora,
a fourth track was laid down over the twelve miles between Downers Grove
and Eola in 1929-30".
I seem to recall that prior posts reported this 4th main to have lasted
only about 4 years due to removal as cost reduction move in the great
depression.
Now from personal observations the track was on the North side as evidence
by the stubs that were in place at Naperville up until the 70's and the
bridge footings at the Du Page river west of Naperville,Salt Creek just west
of Lisle and the wide opening under the EJ&E at Eola. Also the company
service road that runs along the North side for much of this distance was where
the tracks were located.
Also check out Simpkins map of Downers Grove yard in the article in Zephyr
59 showing the remnant there being used in 1947.
Just as an aside when I went to work on the RR in the early 70s noone
recalled the 4th main and when I would bring it up; it was hotly disputed
until I would bring up the above points. Of course most of even the oldest
guys
at that time had late 30s or early 40s seniority dates. That's why it's so
important to record history as it is otherwise lost as us mortals pass on.
Leo Phillipp
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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