Looking Around the Interim Layout, Part One

     In this post, we will look at old photos of the interim layout. Railfanning the layout as it were.  .

Alco S-2 22 is spotting a load at the Curren Candy Company.  This structure was built from Art Curren's book:  "Kit-Bashing HO Model Railroad Stuctures."  

Some shots taken in the Central District.  Here, a B&O box is across the street from a parking/alleyway between the Kozy Kitten tavern and Stan's service Station.

 

Boxcab 1 is in front of the Orient Pacific Trading company building with an empty from the Schoeneman Brewery elevator.

A view down the street.  Looking pretty busy at Stan's.

Central District view of some trackage serving the Schoenman Brewery receiving and Bottling House, Midwest Terminal Warehouse, and the city Fruit Exchange.

Airial view of part of the central district showing the Schoeneman complex and the produce and merchandise team tracks.

Baldwin AS-616 A and B units leading a train past the Central District.  The track in front heads down to the West Linncott industrial area.

                 

 CY&P EMD rebuilt Baldwin AS-16m 501 seen here in Brighton Park.

 

Gulf Mobile and Ohio Alco S-2 is idling by Tower BY in Brighton Park.

CY&P 41 is an EMD rebuilt Baldwin S-12m.  Seen here rolling along behind some buildings in Brighton Park.

A view of Rock Island GP18 at Brighton Park.

West Linncott

     I had mentioned the West Linncott industrial area in a previous post.  During the rebuild to the interim layout, about a two foot by nine foot area became available.  I developed this into an industrial area  at the end of a branch.  Six industries and a couple interchange tracks are in this area.

    The name, West Linncott is an anagram of Linn Westcott long time editor and associate of Model Railroader magazine.  I saw this place name on a track plan so many years ago and thought it quite clever.   It gives me a chance to honor a giant in the hobby for me in my formative years.

The interchange tracks are at the extreme right and are under part of the layout so are not really visible and are just a drop off-pick up operation.  The turnout marked 6L on the right side should read 6R.

This view is from the East end where the 'High Line" crosses over.  The Tri-State Baking plant is on the left with the water tower and Purity food on the right.

 Viewed from the West end, the Steel Office Furniture plant is on the left.  The track in the middle is the lead into the district from a tunnel.  On the right is the Spectrum Paints factory.

Going down to ground level, looking west from the street crossing, we see the Spectrum factory on the left, the lead from the tunnel, and the Steel Office Furniture (SOFCO) plant on the right.  Spectrum receives tank and boxcars of materials and ships boxcars of product.  The SOFCO plant has an inside receiving track not seen in this photo, and dock doors for truck and rail receiving and shipping.

 

East end of SOFCO showing truck receiving dock and in back the inside rail receiving dock entry.

 

Turning to the east at the grade crossing, the Merchant's Shipping and Strorage building is seen with the Purit Food and Tri-State plant in the distance.

 

Cook County Oil is tucked in behind Merchants,  This lead also serves the inside dock at SOFCO.

Two views of the Purity Food plant showing its location just east of Cook County Oil, and the loading docks underneath the second and third floors of the plant.  CY&P 10, a Baldwin VO-1000 is at work down the line. Purity receives reefers of meat and ships reefers and boxcars of product.

Tri-State Baking on the right provides spots for bulk sugar and flour, and vegetable oil unloading, as well a dock for receiving bagged materials and packaging supplies.

This relatively small area can keep an operator hopping.  For a person with limited space, with the addition of a staging track area to the west, this might be a great stand-alone layout.