Rory,
Frt classification work moved out of the Hill Yd starting in 1916 as part
of the Aurora elevation project. More or less by the end of the elevation
project in 1921 all frt work was at Eola except for cars going to the Aurora frt
house,Aurora storehouse,Aurora shops power plant and local nearby
industries.(There are couple upcoming articles on this in more detail). I
believe the first 6 trks at Eola were laid in what is now the west yd in
1916.
In 1952 the Hill yd was expanded to also handle the dinkies that had
previously been stored at Downers Grove.
See Zephyr 59.
Aurora layover dinkies were stored in three places,the depot coach yard(see
upcoming artilce in Zephyr 63),what were called the "hole tracks" between the
Hill yd and the Aurora Rdhse(basically next to what is now the transporation
center) and in the Hill yd. As a geenral rule dinkies going to the depot
the next morning were stored on the hole tracks and dinkies heading east in the
morning with first stops other than Aurora were stored in the Hill yd.
The photo you're looking at is most likely a weekday afternoon with all the
dinkies in Chgo.
Leo Phillipp