Thanks Louis, I’m always amazed what shows up from those 30,000 photos in the BRHS flicker. Thanks again to the three of you who devoted yourselves to creating this wonderful treasure available to BRHS members.
R.L Moore shared that when he left for WWII the Aurora roundhouse was full of men taking care of the dinky power. When he returned the ranks had shrunk dramatically. He decided to go “firing” as he saw no future in the roundhouse mechanical trades. He never regretted giving up his mechanical trades seniority.
Which brings me to a question of when did suburban steam power maintenance move from Aurora roundhouse to Eola’s ? The photo documents it in 1950. Wonder how much earlier it was relocated ?
Leo Phillipp
On Feb 5, 2021, at 4:45 PM, Louis Zadnichek via groups.io <LZadnichek=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
February 5, 2021
Leo - Attached is an image from the BRHS Flickr Gallery showing Class S-1-A No. 2858 being coaled at the Eola coal chute on a chilly winter day in 1950. The 4-6-2 is equipped with an oversize turbo generator on top its boiler meaning the locomotive was assigned to Suburban Service at the time. This must be one of the dinky locomotives assigned to the Eola roundhouse during the time frame that you mention - Louis
Louis Zadnichek II
Fairhope, AL
In a message dated 2/5/2021 3:56:33 PM Central Standard Time, qutlx1=aol.com@groups.io writes:
David,et al ,
Possibly I should explain further on the new runaround near Dart on the old West Batavia line. It is south of the tollway as is Dart. The bridge over the tollway at Rte 31 was removed so as to widen I88 . There was no reason to replace it as a train hadn’t gone north of Dart since 1976-77 when Datsun used the old NIFA grounds to store cars while the unloading facility at Nabisco was built/enlarged.I do believe the track in the bridge was long gone. The “head room” between the south facing switch off the main and the tollway bridge wasn’t used.
But now that I think about it, awhile back I saw a crew shove south from Dart with six or seven pellet CHs rather than runaround them on the new runaround, which surprised me.
The Pepperidge track holds about four PD type covered hoppers and it is usually full. Even if a piece or two of MOW equipment could fit,I doubt Pepperidge or operations would want MOW equip. Blocking access.
Actually The Moser track has been gone for decades, it came off the Burlington Park/downtown spur eastward as a dead end stub. Dropping the Moser boxcars,even towards the main,was the scariest move made by the east end wayfreight. In fact the riskiest switch move I remember on any job. There’s a sidewalk/parking lot on it. You are right about a very short stub of the old spur to Burlington Park left. I forgot about it.
By the way Charlie, I didn’t say anything about EOLA being the dinky terminal. I was discussing the “Eola End of Line” moniker that you and I have discussed before.
But now that stated, an old memory of conversations past has come to mind.
On at least two occasions very senior enginemen told me that for a period of time in the late 40s and maybe up until the end of steam on suburbans in Sept. 1952, at least two jobs terminating at Aurora would run the engines lite all the way to Eola roundhouse for servicing. Likewise the morning they ran lite back to Aurora. I guess in a way Eola was kinda a dinky terminal for awhile.
Leo Phillipp
[Actually responding to several people...]
On the Rt. 31 exit project, the new siding was probably cheaper than a new bridge would have been.
Pepperidge Farm still has a track, doesn't it? And I believe the former Moser Lumber siding at Naperville (at one time the connection to the line down to the quarries and other businesses along the river in downtown Naperville) is still in place and occasionally used for maintenance equipment storage.
I can personally testify to the need for more lanes on that stretch of 294. I drive for Renzenberger and frequently go that way, most often taking crews from Eola to the BRC Clearing.
Eola East Yard can be empty, or it can be totally full. More than once, I have had to wait at Eola because the crew I was picking up couldn't bring their train in until another train left. Happened this week.
It occurs to me that BNSF could have asked for the siding just so they could give it away and let the towns feel like they won something.
I find it interesting that the news articles linked early in this thread claimed (or at least implied) that 294 was being widened ONLY between 88 and 55, whereas it actually continues farther south. There is a new bridge over the Santa Fe at Hodgekins/Willow Springs, and the Tollway even built a brand new Hodgekins yard office because the old one was in the way.
From my observations driving under it, the shoofly (I was surprised that train crews didn't know that term when I mentioned it to them) bridge is the same length as the old bridge that was removed, so I don't see how part of it can be used for a siding later. I believe I saw in the plans somewhere that the finished abutments will have space for a 4th track to be added, which is also the case on other bridges along the line.
--
David Streeter
On 2/4/2021 1:54 PM, Leo Phillipp via groups.io wrote:
So before Moderator Dave shuts this thread off as not Q related. I’ll try and add some Q related comments,FWIW.
There’s numerous precedents for BNSF requiring improvements in return for working with government agencies on road projects.
1) on the West Batavia branch when the tollway wanted to improve the exit and entrance lanes from I88 to route 31 in North Aurora not only did the tollway and Feds(our money directly) pay for removal of the unused bridge over the tollway they paid for a nice new a approx. half mile runaround built to 30 or 40 MPH standards where there had been nothing before. On the Irish Mail job we used to shove back from Dart(the customer located there) over crossings to the old cooperage runaround a good 3/4 mile.
2) somewhat related, when Amtrak(our tax $s) and the state of Illinois (many of us on here tax $s) wanted to add the Quad cities trains BNSF got the expansion of yard tracks at Eola paid for so the Galesburg main would be clear of parked freight trains so Amtrak could use both mains w/o big delays. I went over the Eola road bridge last week and Eola yard looked as empty as a church parking lot on Monday morning.
The new project to widen I294 is just another case. BNSF has removed ever single side track on the entire east end except for a couple yard tracks at Downers Grove and Congress Park. I’m sure a nice new double ended spur at I294 would be a great operating aid. By the way since I294 is an interstate there’s no doubt that Federal money(here again our tax $s at work) is paying a goodly portion of this project.
But in defense of the project I294 is a parking lot during both the morning and evening rush hours.
Hey, just maybe this project will uncover the long rumored steam engine that sank in soft soil way back when and was simply used as fill !?
Leo Phillipp
Maybe BNSF is fibbing to avoid public outcry from the NIMBY community, Lol.
Mike SchattL
On 2/4/2021 1:20 PM, Charlie Vlk wrote:
Mike-
No joke….unfortunately.
You would think so but when somebody else is paying the bill cost is not an issue!!
The linked writeup specifically stated the MOW siding is part of the plans and that there is considerable citizen opposition to it.
Charlie Vlk
I doubt the fourth track is for MoW storage, LOL!!! Perhaps a passing siding but any MoW track could've been located east or west of the new bridge IMHO as bridges are super expensive to build.
Mike SchattL
On 2/4/2021 12:50 PM, Charlie Vlk wrote:
David-
The MOW extra track bridge will be part of the new bridge construction and is shown south of the main lines. They may even be considering using the main 3 temporary bridge for it….but that would make too much sense.
BNSF may not be getting the project out of tax dollars but rather out of the Illinois Tollway Authority, whose bonds were supposed to be paid off through toll revenue and the toll roads turned over to the state as free access interstates. The tolls are paid by taxpayers either directly or embedded in the cost of goods carried in trucks.
Charlie Vlk
I've seen the videos too, and I don't recall the storage track being there.
Technically, taxpayers have nothing to do with it. This is a Tollway project and paid entirely out of toll revenues.
--
David Streeter
On 2/4/2021 11:43 AM, Charlie Vlk wrote:
Erik-
Thanks for the information! Interesting that the BNSF is trying to get the taxpayers to build an additional bridge and fill (that is where the fun will begin!!) for MOW equipment. Bet they wouldn’t spend big bucks to dump fill in that troublesome area and build a new, separate bridge just so they don’t have to inconvenience themselves running rail mounted MOW stuff to the next siding as they have been doing since 1864!!!
Charlie Vlk
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Site preparation for tollway widening expected in August, despite contin...
Kimberly Fornek
The Illinois Tollway is moving forward with plans to widen Interstate 294 through Hinsdale and Western Springs w...
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'That is a tunnel of noise': Western Springs residents talk sound walls,...
Kimberly Fornek
Western Springs residents want a better sound wall on their side of Interstate 294 as part of the Illinois Tollw...
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On Thursday, February 4, 2021, 11:01:38 AM CST, Charlie Vlk <cvlk@comcast.net> wrote:
Does anybody know what the construction is at the Illinois Tollway between
Highlands and Western Springs? I have seen a video taken from a Dinky on
uTube going both ways and wonder what the details of the project are.
I am not normally interested in any BN/BNSF/Metra events but as this is
taking place in the area that gave the CB&Q fits with sinking roadbed during
the original line construction of the two track grade and when they added
the third track I was wondering why they are doing what looks like a bridge
replacement and if there have been any problems with the fill for the shoo
fly or the new construction.
<CBQ2858EolaIL1950.jpg>
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