Chicago Potato Yard

[Mike Aufderheide]

All,

There is an interesting article about the Chicago Potato Yard in the current issue of the CNW Modeler magazine; available online here:

http://www.cnwhs.org/modeling.htm

If I recall, the Monon ran to this location from South Hammond.  Ring any bells?

Mike Aufderheide

[Bob Lalich]

Thanks for the link Mike. Most of the eastern railroads ran transfers into and out of the potato yard, also known as CNW Wood St Yard.

[Eric Reinert]

Does anyone know what the routing for the Monon into Wood St. yard was, and/or when that job was active out of S. Hammond? Pictures of Monon engines at the Chicago Produce Terminal or Wood St. Yard are exceedingly rare I guess. I've never seen one that I can remember.

[Bob Lalich]

Eric, most of the eastern railroads accessed Wood St Yard by using the CJ. The Monon most likely would have gotten on the CJ at 40th St on the C&WI, west past the stockyards and Ashland Ave Yard, north through Brighton Park, Ash St and 26th St to the west end of Wood St near 14th St. Here is a photo showing EL and N&W light trains about to head back to their own yards.

The B&O train is leaving Robey St Yard which was adjacent to Wood St to the north. B&OCT's Western Ave Tower can be seen in the right background behind the Santa Fe boxcar. A short CNW train on the left appears to be waiting for the B&O train to clear the Wood St Yard leads. This was a very busy location and virtually every railroad entering Chicago could be seen there.

[Eric Reinert]

Thanks Bob. I guess the CJ makes sense considering the alternatives. I wonder what percentage of jobs to Wood St. got back to South Hammond in the scheduled time? That's a lot of junctions to get through. Thanks for posting the photo Bob: It sure looks like it was a busy place even in 1968.