CSX Bedford Park Intermodal Yard

(Satellite)

I added red lines to this photo of the BRC Clearing Yard to show where the CSX intermodal yard is. Max is in an airplane that has just taken off from Midway Airport and the photo is looking East.

Max Anderson posted

 This must be a popular flight path into Midway.

Cean Graham-White posted
BRC Clearing Yard & CSXT Bedford Park Intermodal 11/13/23

This yard is isolated from the trunk lines that became part of CSX such as B&O, C&O, PM, Pennsy, L&N, etc. So I assume CSX got this land because of B&OCT.

Thomas Bonner commented on a post
I worked at CSX Bedford Park...

Kevin Michnius commented on a post, cropped
Csx intermodal Bedford park IL
[I learned about Konecranes just this week because Broadwind in Manitowoc, WI, is helping them build some shipyard cranes. I see that container cranes is another product line.]
Thomas C Stathis Jr.: I was there when that overhead crane collapsed back around 2003-04. I was first on call for all track issues and derailments for a looooong time there, and 59th St. I was even around when CSX leased Park Manor from NS over around 63rd and Michigan.
Kevin Micknius: I started in 06. I did hear about the crane that collapsed on the triples.
Andrea Lemick: It was scary seeing that crane down on the ground

John Clegg commented on a post, cropped
[I don't know if this is Bedford Park. If not, it is certainly similar.]

Mitch Bell commented on a post, rotated
CSX Bedford Park

Evidently CSX did not convert a railyard but purpose built this yard for intermodal work because the land was vacant until after 1980.

1980 Berwyn Quad @ 24,000

Sean Graham-White posted two photos with the comment: "CSX Forest Hill Intermodal (top) and Bedford Park Intermodal (bottom) facilities on 9/1/95. You could fit a couple of Forest Hills in Bedford!"

Ronnie Scalf: When CSX opened Bedford Park, intermodal facility. They assigned the departure train air brake testing to the trailer/container loading contractors. Thier goal was to load equipment up to the last minute and expedite on time train departure This action placed the fox in charge of the hen house resulting in unqualified personnel going thru the motion of air brake testing. This endangered the train crews and public! It took a couple of years to finally award the air brake testing to qualified Carmen. It should never be a struggle to do what is safe and right?

Joseph Tuch Santucci: Ronnie Scalf when profits come first all safety is overlooked until something goes wrong. Then management looks for someone within the rank and file to blame.

One note, this was actually Seaboard System that opened this ramp, not CSX. They moved their operations from the facility they shared with MoPac at 37th/Canal Street in Chicago to here in 84 if memory serves correct. They couldn’t expand 37th Street plus MoPac wanted to move out of there as well so CNW bound handle UP trains in and out of there.

Forest Hill was actually a B&O facility and remained as such until well after the component roads of the Chessie and Seaboard were actually merged into one railroad. Forest Hill was in the same situation, no room to expand. Bedford Park has been expanded at least twice since it opened. I believe SP leased Forest Hill for a time after the B&O trains moved to Bedford Park.

Larry Graham: I recall issues of bad communication with the lift contractor at times. The ramp yardmaster was trying to do 15 things at once, constantly switching radio channels, while also driving crews around. Even with a blue flag being taken down, you still double checked to make sure a LaTeurno or MiJack crane wasn't still fiddling with your cut. Name from the past just hit me: Billy Martin. Former C&O Rockwell guy who landed at Bedford. Want to say he was an Alabama transplant on top of that.

Larry Graham: Bedford was switched by Belt lease crews. Up until around 2000 when Shurstad ditched those jobs. Couldn't stand the idea of us working for CSX officers who, by and large, treated us better. All the BRC had to do was sit back and collect the lease crew payments. Couldn't have that, it was all about control.

Forest Hill leased to the SP during this period. With BRC lease crews handling the trains in and out of there.

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