Nostalgia & History > Mundelein Train

A view from the (Merchandise Mart)?  Taken 1961.

Ed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/16 18:04 by Auburn_Ed.

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What a piece of history! The angle is amazing because of all the normally unseen details.
Bob

Neat shot Ed.  If the shot is out a window of the Merchandise Mart then we are looking at the EL structure above Franklin Street going due north from the Mart.  Close to the Mart the area was more built up.  See attached photo of Ravenswood trains taken from the CTA offices in the Mart looking up Franklin in 1975 and one from further north above Franklin looking back at the Mart (and the under construction Sears Tower) in 1972.  Were you up in any other tall buildings on the near northside?

Your shot is really excellent.  Love it. A three car train headed north.  The shadows say it's about 10:00 a.m. whch seems a little late for a Mundelein train.  By then the midday shuttles should have started.  Could be a Milwaukee train that will drop cars at Waukegan.

Marty Bernard



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/25/16 19:24 by MartyBernard.

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It is definitely not from the Mart. The L structure there is much wider, spanning the street. This structure is narrow, spanning an alley. There is a lot of empty / parking lot space in the picture. I can't think of anywhere that the L would be on a narrow two track structure, would have that much empty space around it, and would have a North Shore train except south of the loop. If it was south of the loop, what is the high place to shoot from? I don't remember anything. After a trip to historicaerials.com and some searching looks like it was shot from whatever the tall building was at 8th and Wabash, facing north. The foreground street is 8th. Whatever that building was, it's gone now, replaced by a modern apartment/condo building.

TAW

I am trying to figure the location of this picture as well.  If it was looking north from 8th St., wouldn't there be the S curve (which is now straightened out) in the picture?
Given all the cars parked, I presume it is near the loop.  Possibly just south of Harrison St. looking south?  Or that late of a date, an excursion or special train of some sort?

Chris

ctjacks Wrote:
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> I am trying to figure the location of this picture
> as well.  If it was looking north from 8th St.,
> wouldn't there be the S curve (which is now
> straightened out) in the picture?
> Given all the cars parked, I presume it is near
> the loop.  Possibly just south of Harrison St.
> looking south?  Or that late of a date, an
> excursion or special train of some sort?

I think I have the right place. The S curve was farther north than it is now. It is just out of the picture.

www.historicaerials.com search 800 s state st chicago il and look at the 1962 image.

TAW

Wow! So cool!

- Jeff Carlson