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Re: [CBQ] Question regarding oil tanks at the old Downers Grove commuter

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Subject: Re: [CBQ] Question regarding oil tanks at the old Downers Grove commuter yard.
From: "William Barber" <clipperw@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2022 11:00:34 -0500
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Doug,

I grew about two blocks from those oil tanks on Seeley Ave. having moved there 
with my parents in 1946 and lived there until 1966 when I graduated from 
college. I often walked the rail yard and right of way to town. There were 
actually two oil distributors adjacent to each other at that location. One had 
their storage tanks mounted horizontally (see the photo of 2844 in the Flickr 
collection) and the other vertically (see the photo of 2858 in Flickr). My 
recollection is that the west set of tanks belonged to Cities Service (much 
later Citgo) while the east tanks were Standard Oil. The stub track, adjacent 
to the tanks on the south side, as Leo stated, was for tank car supply to both 
distributors. However, I don’t ever recall seeing a tank car on that track. By 
the 1950s and ‘60s, the supply of oil was being provided by highway trucks. 
Smaller single frame trucks were used to distribute the oil locally. Each set 
of tanks had a pump house and a small office area. The track, tanks and yard 
were elevated in that area above street level. On the north side of the tanks, 
the distribution area was lower at street level along Warren Ave. The railroad 
had a lower yard in that area that included a couple of tracks. Going west from 
the lower yard was another track that went into Hines Lumber Co. As I recall, 
that track continued  through Hines and rejoined the upper yard lead somewhat 
west of Hines. Just east of the oil distribution facilities was an older two 
story house adjacent to the street. I was told that at one time, it was the 
home of the roundhouse foreman when there was a roundhouse immediately south of 
the home. The roundhouse was torn down in the 1930s and the last of three DG 
turntables was removed in the late 1950s or early 1960s. 

My good friend, Bob Campbell may be able to add more details or corrections to 
my recollections of the area. He lived with his parents on Warren Ave. between 
Montgomery Avenue and Seeley Avenue from 1946 to about 1963. He is also among 
the last people to hire onto the Q as a fireman in 1969. 

Bill Barber
Gravois Mills, MO

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