We seem to remember reading that this long, unused concrete freight (corrected) track line, as seen from Montrose (left), will be demolished as part of the Truman Parking Garage construction project. This old line runs adjacent to the red line for just about the length of two city blocks (see the aerial map above, the section in red is set to be removed). We hope the trees that have sprouted from the top of the tracks will be transplanted somewhere nice. Their will to live is pretty amazing. (aerial map via Google)
Are you sure that this was an "unused L track line?" I think it might have once belonged to the North Shore interurban line that ran from Chicago to Milwaukee many years ago. It was the north-suburban equivalent of the South Shore Line, and old brochures from the railroad show upscale passenger cars with food & drink service. Wilson Station was one of its Chicago stops.
ReplyDeleteGayle-
ReplyDeleteWe just confirmed with the Chicago-L website and according to the map from 1985 we just linked to, that elevated concrete track was actually a freight line. The post has been corrected.
the trees probably wouldn't survive transplanting...
ReplyDeleteOK, UU, so in other words the North Shore tracks were completely dismantled long ago. What a shame; wouldn't it be interesting if some old photos of the line could be displayed in the refurbished station.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is looking for some more info on the train line that ran through Uptown take a gander at dis'.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chicago-l.org/stations/buena.html
I could hyperlink, but some of you are unworthy.
What a shame. History and Railroad buffs considered that a valuable piece of Chicago history.
ReplyDeleteWell they've already taken half of that down because the parking garage stands on it's right-of-way. The construction of the elevated decking is so old school american; robust and solid even after all this time. I do like the appearance of that last little section isolated between the garage and Montrose. I feel like finding a way up there so I can walk it like I walked the Bloomingdale Trail.
ReplyDeleteBTW, for all those that didn't know the CTA used to run freights, that's why north of Lawrence the entire L runs on a solid embankment and not an elevated steel structure like the rest of the L. The steel couldn't hold the weight of the freight, thus solid embankment was chosen.
-Brian
You are correct Brian. Most of the tracks have been removed to make way for the parking garage. A smaller section than we originally thought still remains.
ReplyDeleteYou should get your hike on soon! They already patched and repaired the last remaining piece of decking on the other side of Montrose next to the Graceland wall.
@Uptown, I saw that, and thought it was strange that Graceland spent that kind of money to repair the concrete retaining wall that used to form the other embankment for the bridge over Montrose. I'm surprised they didn't just flatten that part of land and get rid of the wall entirely. I'll keep an eye out for a semi-easy way to get up there.
ReplyDelete-Brian