Dave,
Yes, it is Washington Street in my photo of GP7 243 and the Galesburg local.
The photo was taken looking east. The switch in the foreground led around the
depot and re-entered the main line just west of Forest Ave. as a “run around”
to the south of the depot. Commuter trains, originating from Downers Grove,
would come from the yard. and stand at that location to receive passengers. The
run around track separated into several other tracks between the east switch
and Forest Ave. A couple of the tracks entered Lord Lumber Co. on the southwest
side of the Forest Ave. crossing to provide service to them. Just west of the
east switch, there was another switch leadong eastward that provided access to
Schafer Bearing Co. on the east side of Washington St. and to the right in my
photo. Somewhat after Schafer move to a new facility west of Belmont Rd., the
Washington St. facility was acquired by the town and remodeled into a new city
hall and maintenance facility that continues in that capacity today.
The runaround track on the south side of the depot proved to be in the perfect
location when the Twin Cities Zephyr accident occurred in April, 1947. The
train derailed between the east and west switch, leaving both intact. It
provided the perfect shoofly around the accident. My dad went out to the wreck
scene that evening. When the wreck occurred, all of the eastbound passenger
trains were held at Aurora. Late that evening, he said an O5 4-8-4 came
eastbound through the shoofly with most if not all of the held trains combined,
some 40 to 50 cars. Since that occurred at night, there are no photos, but
there are photos of other trains using the shoofly during the next day or two
including commuter trains and a freight with F units leading. A couple of those
photos are available. in the members only Flickr gallery on the BRHS website.
Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO
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