C&WI 1905 Yard before the river was straightened

This photo has so much history that it is worthy of its own post. Some pretty big steamships made their way down the old curve of the South Branch.

Notes on the St. Charles Air Line before it was elevated has more photos of this area.

MWRD posted
The South Branch of the Chicago River and the railyard for the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad on September 13, 1905, viewed looking north from 18th Street.
Bob Lalich The swing bridge in the left center distance was the St Charles Air Line.
Dennis DeBruler It shows the two CB&Q grain elevators as well.

MWRD posted a higher res photo

This is what the C&WI tracks looked like from 18th Street after the river was straightened.

James Holzmeier posted
EMD switcher No. 358, an SW-7 delivered to the Wabash in 1951, leads a southbound transfer run alongside the South Branch in this image taken from the 18th St. bridge. The St. Charles Air Line bascule bridge can be seen in the background (date unknown; sorry, I don't know who the photographer was so I can't credit the photo)
Robert McNeill Digging the State of Maine box car in the consist.. lived in Maine as child... the locals pronounce the fruit of the earth..badaadah...with the middle aa's pronounced like trade..'.

Bob Lalich commented on James' posting
I have the photo above in my collection as well, with a date of January 1965, no info on the photographer. The photographer was on the 18th St bridge. Here is a John Barriger photo of the bridge and tracks taken in the 1930s. The bridge was rebuilt in the late 60s.

MWRD posted on Dec 21, 2022
A view to the northeast showing the South Branch of the Chicago River in an area north of 18th Street on July 11, 1900.