Re: [CBQ] Stock Traffic, Clyde/Morton Park Yard and the IHB Congress Park Interchange

["qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Charlie,

Interesting questions. Here's some info. I am able to add from second hand sources.

A) in the 1,100 page "Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals in Chicago" there is a map of Western Ave yard that clearly shows over half of all tracks designated as inbound or outbound for the Lumber District. So by then I doubt there's room for through trains.

Also in that same volume I found a listing of movements in and out of Western Ave. I didn't see through trains originating or terminating but it was full of yard shuttles to and from the Lumber district,Morton Park,union ave,16th and 14th st.,panhandle,etc,etc

B)can't help other than to refer to the above books' map of Morton Park/Clyde map of 1911/12 which shows receiving and departure yards. The other bit I can add is that the terminal Waycar

Handling file in the BRT Aurora lodge file is full of complaints about Morton Park handling. But I don't recall any mention of Western Ave. These files go back the teens. 

C)&D) Russ Repetto used to talk about road crews delivering directly to the stock yards. If I recall correctly he had a 1948 seniority date. The schedule(union contract) had clauses covering road crews going and coming from the stock yards. 

Leo Phillipp

On Oct 13, 2015, at 8:26 AM, 'fhc925@frontier.com' fhc925@frontier.com [CBQ] <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Charlie:

Can't help you with questions A&B.  As for C I refer you to Overton's CB&Q history book.  In essence the Q caused the Chicago Union Stock Yards to be built.  The line from Western Ave. to the Yards was (and may still be) the Chicago Junction (the CJ) and is being still used.  It was owned by the Stock Yards Company for all Chicago railroads to have access to the Yards.  By agreement the CJ was operated by the Michigan Central/NYC/PC/CR/CSX.  Not sure about CSX.

D.  Not sure if that is true.  After the development of the "direct delivery" concept to speed up traffic flow through the Chicago terminal complex in the early 1960's I know that livestock for the GTW was delivered direct from the Q at Cicero to GTW's Elsdon Yard.  I also remember that the Clyde stockyards were used for "Feed, Water, and Rest" in emergency situations.  Just prior to the BN merger I was involved in a potential move of stock from Q origins to a Michigan feed lot using Clyde as a reload from car to truck as the eastern lines were not interested in the traffic.

On Monday, October 12, 2015 11:31 PM, "'Charlie Vlk' cvlk@comcast.net [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

A thread over on the Steam Era Freight Car List is discussing stock traffic through Chicago.

 

Does anyone know answers to the following:

 

A.       When did Western Avenue cease being a termination point (main yard) for the CB&Q in Chicago?

B.       Did Morton Park /Clyde function as the main yard when it was first built?

C.      The CB&Q had a line paralleling the Panhandle down to “Stock Yard Junction”.   I presume the stock was pulled off trains terminating at Western Avenue and transferred directly to the Chicago Stock Yards.   Has anyone looked into this?

D.      When Morton Park/Clyde became the main yard did ALL the stock traffic get handed over to the IHB at Congress Park or just the cars going further East?

 

Charlie Vlk

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Posted by: qutlx1@aol.com

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