Material Services was a Col. Henry Crown outfit. They would supply the Rock Island with ballast, and from what I've heard it was an inferior material for that. But, in an effort to appease their largest bond holder and most vocal critic, the RI continued to buy it.
Jeff
Sent from my iPhone
Leo,
I believe the operation that you are talking about belonged to Material Service Corp. My late father apparently had some interest in this line and photographed it on two occasions. This link to one album on my Picasa web page provides the photos that he took at that time. https://picasaweb.google.com/109517272707102411928/MaterialService02? I do not know exactly when he took the photos, but I believe that it was in the 1970s. I tried to find a map of the Material Service system, but have been unsuccessful. Somewhere, I did find that apparently, MS had two operations in the area. One was closer to Joliet and the other is this one near Plainfield. As I recall, at one time, you could see glimpses of the RR from I-55 close to where IL 126 exits. The last six photos in the album pertain to another site. I believe it was a coal fired power plant near Joliet, but an not certain. I have no idea what my dad’s interest in this line was, but he was a model railroader and my have used the photos for a presentation to an NMRA group. If you have more questions, please feel free to contact me off list at clipperw@gmail.com
Bill Barber Gravois Mills, MO
Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:50 pm (PST) . Posted by: Today I was in Plainfield and Lockport, IL on business. As I have many times over the years,I noticed clear signs of former rail Spurs to the now flooded pits along Rte 126,Renwick road and Rte 30. Clearly these pits were served by the "J". The 1945 and '56 "J" employee TT's show a station .75 miles east of Plainfield named Gravel Pit with capacity of 119 cars. This would place the station southeast of Plainfield. There are, to this day, clear signs of of a North/ South spur crossing Renwick road just east of Rte 30. There are numerous signs of Spurs on both sides of rte 126 east of Plainfield of more Spurs. Neither Dorins or Eagans recent books on the "J" mention this area. I have not been able to find Sanborn maps or a Will county plat map showing these Spurs. My gut says these were dug to supply Chicago gravel for cement,etc but would love to have more information about who operated the pits,when,where did the gravel go,etc,etc,etc. Thanks to anyone in advance who can help. Pictures would be just about priceless ! You Q guys bear with me as I am hoping som regional historian on "our" group can also add onsite. My guess is these "J" pits date to the same time period as the Q Spurs at Montgomery and Sugar Grove,Hazelhurst,etc. Please feel free to add Qutlx1@aol.com to any responses. Thanks, Leo Phillipp
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Posted by: Jeff Worones <jworones@yahoo.com>
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