UP/C&NW West Chicago Yard

(See below for satellite information)

The original railyard in West Chicago was east of West Chicago's downtown.

Marty Bernard shared a Roger Puta photo
CNW 1657 (GP7) switching the West Chicago Yard in May 1962.

The red engine behind the two flat cars must be DIT (Dead In Tow). That is, it is just another freight car. Note that boxcars still dominate in 1962 and that they have their running boards. Also note that there must be a caboose storage track off to the left.

This yard still has a lot of tracks. Probably because of the automotive facility next to it.

Satellite

The Google satellite image shows quite a few cars parked waiting to be put on trucks and sent to dealers in the Chicago area. The Bing satellite image showed even more cars in the parking lot. The Bing birds-eye view (below) shows autoracks in the unloading zone. A Trains Magazine article said car manufactures load five autoracks at a time, but I notice UP is using cuts of six cars. West Chicago is rather isolated from the Interstate highways in the Chicago area but, looking at a map, I guess none of the C&NW routes would have cheap land near an Interstate. I wonder how many trucks going to and from car dealers parade through West Chicago each day.

Birds-Eye View

Tom Rutkowski posted two photos with the comment: "West Chicago yard looking west. 8/23/18"
Jacob Metzger Am I crazy or is that a C&NW unit?
Tom Rutkowski Yes it is
Jeff LewisJeff and 1 other manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Chicagoland Railfan. There are still a few patched units in service yet to go into the paint booth.
[I don't see it.]

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2

Chicago & North Western Historical Society posted
A full house of CNW commuter power awaits assignment at West Chicago IL.  Dennis Hertrich captured this scene June 1978.  130256
Edward Kwiatkowski shared
[This means that the commuter service used to terminate in West Chicago. It now terminates in Elburn.]