Ray-
I am working on a history of the Aurora Branch, Chicago & Aurora, and CB&Q line (the East End / “Racetrack”) Aurora – Chicago which will be titled “Mileposts to Chicago”.
The CB&Q likely did not have to move many, if any, buildings when it acquired its ROW in 1862-64 for the building of the “Chicago Branch”.
Prior to the railroad being built there wasn’t much of anything between Aurora and Chicago in the way. Naperville was probably the most developed town and the railroad came through considerably north of what was then the town center. The CB&Q paralleled the Chcago,. St.Charles and Mississippi Air Line (Galena & Chicago Union / C&NW) almost to Western Avenue so even in Chicago there was very little built up areas in the way. Lyons (Riverside) developed with the railroad so there was no problem there.
Prior to 1900 most of the depots had second stories for the agent’s quarters. Downers Grove and Hinsdale were not much before the railroad came through.
The records of when stops were established and stations built are either non-existent or flawed. The extent the railroad was involved in the process when a developer wanted to build a station is not clear but there were very few “standard” CB&Q designs on the East End. The depot at Hollywood was built by Samuel E. Gross, a major Chicago developer who also built Grossdale (Brookfield) and West Grossdale (Congress Park). Other developers were behind most of the depots on the line beyond the ones built by the railroad when it opened.
The Chicago Fire in 1871 probably destroyed some early equipment and Aurora Branch/Chicago & Aurora information; but much more loss happened with the 1922 General Office Building fire probably as they only recreated records for facilities and equipment in use at that time so much of the history literally went up in smoke!
It is maddening how few photos exist of the line. There are many stations that NO photos have turned up.
Most people living along the former Q have no idea how slow development of the suburbs took. I was born in 1945 and through grade school there were whole sections on the north and south sides of Brookfield that were vacant lots (what we called “prairies”). Many of the streets were not paved until the 1960’s. Even closer in
Now one has to drive past Sandwich to get away from a constant array of Starbuck’s, McDonald’s, and other highly developed varieties of urban spawl!.
Charlie Vlk
From: CBQ@groups.io <CBQ@groups.io> On Behalf Of trains@davidstreeter.net
Sent: Friday, September 2, 2022 11:24 AM
To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Suburban Commuter Stations
Hollywood is well beyond the Chicago city limits and the mandate for grade separation. The Q came down to grade by Cicero.
--
David Streeter
On 9/2/2022 10:45 AM, Ted Schnepf wrote:
When any railroad built out of the city Chicago, The 100' right of way had to be cleared of buildings, to construct the grade. I imagine the frugal Q having purchased all these buildings on its future right of way, that needed to be moved, tried to sell them off and have them moved, rather than tear them down. Maybe the best structures became future depots. Latter during the grade elevation, If additional ROW was needed and more homes were purchased.
I know on one Milwaukee line in Chicago, they used the best homes as depots, with the upstairs being the agents living quarters. Other nice homes became minor RR officers homes, when moved to the edge of the ROW or to a Vacant lot.
I grew up in Berwyn and rode the Q a lot to CSU and often west to Brookfield, LaGrange, Hinsdale, etc. Recently, I came across a photo of the Hollywood Station and it made me wonder about the design. The stations on the race track between Aurora and CSU looked like a typical suburban station. But Hollywood looked more like someone's 2 story home. Why 2 stories? Why did the Q build it as a 2 story home rather than a typical station, such as Berwyn, or Riverside or LaGrange, etc?
What's the history behind the Hollywood station; what year was it built, was a station agent assigned to it and if so what years, what was the purpose of the 2nd floor?
Ray
San Jose
You receive all messages sent to this group.