Nostalgia & History > C&NW at Highwood and Milw at Rondout, Illinois Movie Footage

Just before dad retired from the military my baby sister and I tagged along on a trip to what I believe was the Naval Base north of Chicago. Dad had to get some tests for his hearing disability and do some paper work. I talked him into dropping Renee and I outside the gate at the Highwood Station where I filmed C&NW push-pull commuter trains. (We were living at Selfridge Air Force base while dad taught ROTC at the University of Detroit. It was his last assignment after he had returned from Vietnam.

At the time, the toilet flushings  from the commuter cars were still dropped on the tracks. Renee asked what the brown splotches with white paper were on the tracks near the depot. My response was something like, "What do you think they are?". She figured it out and remarked, "Gross!"

Also, on the way back, I spied Rondout from the highway and talked dad into letting me view the location as I alway liked interlocking towers. I got some Milwaukee Road footage. It was the first and last time I saw that railroad in operation.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

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Really enjoyed the commuter operations!  Thanks for posting.
ALLEN

very nice

Very cool!

- Jeff Carlson

Great memories for me. I lived in Deerfield 1963-68 (high school years mostly) and saw the Milwaukee in Deerfield and the NW through Highland Park our neighbor 'burb all the time. My dad rode the Mil every morning and night for his work at the Merchandise  Mart in the city.

the Hiawathas used to thunder past my high school a couple times a day with their very cool obs cars on the ends. They'd really be hauling through Deerfield headed north!

Rondout is significant to me as there was a grungy little bar back in there somewhere that would serve cans of beer to us 15-16 year old kids. Very exciting and very illicit!  Alas, we did fully appreciate what a significant railroad spot it was.

thanks for the memories!