Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago

7:30 pm Central Daylight Time
Friday, September 15, 2023

Do not arrive before 7:15 pm.

Our next meeting will be both an in-person meeting and a Zoom meeting; the Zoom meeting invitation is at the end of the message. If enough people from outside the Chicago area attending Zoom meetings become Club members, this will encourage the Club to make hybrid meetings a permanent feature. Dues are $20 which includes four glossy newsletters sent by mail. The dues renewal is sent with the fourth newsletter. We still have slide shows which will not be presented via Zoom.

Here are details about joining Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago:


In-person meeting location
Chicago Union Station
Room 107A
500 W Jackson Blvd (enter between Clinton and Canal)
Chicago, Illinois

Steel Rails Across Berwyn
by David Wilson

Well-known railroad lecturer and author David Wilson will take a look at the railroad and industrial development of Berwyn Illinois. Railroads from both east and west could get to Berwyn, which led to industrial development and freight interchange.

Upcoming programs:

October 20, 2023:? Indiana Harbor Belt by Bill Gustason
November 17, 2023: The C&EI to Evansville, IN (and a quick look at St. Louis, too) by Bill Shapotkin

December 15, 2023: to be announced
January 19, 2024: to be announced
February 16, 2024: to be announced
March 15, 2024: to be announced
April 19, 2024: to be announced
May 17, 2024: to be announced
June 21, 2024: to be announced

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago meets on the third Friday of the month at Chicago Union Station except in July and August.

For program announcements, please subscribe to our groups.io mailing list. Send a blank email message
To: [email protected]

Web site:
Email: shortlinechicagoHS@...
Facebook:

Phone number answered during the program: 312 725-0432. At other times, leave message with your name and telephone number to receive a call back.

Topic: Steel Rails Across Berwyn at Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago

Join Zoom Meeting


Meeting ID: 893 0850 3955
Passcode: 072004

---

One tap mobile
+16469313860,,89308503955#,,,,*072004# US
+13017158592,,89308503955#,,,,*072004# US (Washington DC)

---

Dial by your location
646 931 3860
301 715 8592 (Washington DC)
305 224 1968
309 205 3325
312 626 6799 (Chicago)
646 558 8656 (New York)
253 205 0468
253 215 8782 (Tacoma)
346 248 7799 (Houston)
360 209 5623
386 347 5053
507 473 4847
564 217 2000
669 444 9171
689 278 1000
719 359 4580
720 707 2699 (Denver)

Meeting ID: 893 0850 3955
Passcode: 072004

Find your local number:

September 11, 1916 During its second construction attempt, the center section of the 987 metre (3,239 ft.) Quebec Bridge collapses. It falls into the river as it is being raised into position, killing 13 workers (some sources say 11). At first, German sabotage is suspected but later investigation will show it was a construction-related accident.

?
Mark Tomlonson

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago

7:30 pm
Friday, September 15, 2023

Do not arrive before 7:15 pm.

Chicago Union Station
Room 107A
500 W Jackson Blvd (enter between Clinton and Canal)
Chicago, Illinois

Steel Rails Across Berwyn
by David Wilson

Well-known railroad lecturer and author David Wilson will take a look at the railroad and industrial development of Berwyn Illinois. Railroads from both east and west could get to Berwyn, which led to industrial development and freight interchange.

This is the first program in Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago's twelfth season.

Upcoming programs:

October 20, 2023:? Indiana Harbor Belt by Bill Gustason
November 17, 2023: The C&EI to Evansville, IN (and a quick look at St. Louis, too) by Bill Shapotkin

December 15, 2023: to be announced
January 19, 2024: to be announced
February 16, 2024: to be announced
March 15, 2024: to be announced
April 19, 2024: to be announced
May 17, 2024: to be announced
June 21, 2024: to be announced

Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago meets on the third Friday of the month at Chicago Union Station except in July and August.

For program announcements, please subscribe to our groups.io mailing list. Send a blank email message
To: [email protected]

Web site:
Email: shortlinechicagoHS@...
Facebook:

Phone number answered during the program: 312 725-0432. At other times, leave message with your name and telephone number to receive a call back.

September 6, 1918 The Canadian Northern Railway is nationalized. Later it will become part of Canadian National.

?
Mark Tomlonson

September 5, 1960 Grand Trunk drops its year-round passenger service to Portland ME. Summer only service will continue through 1967.

?
Mark Tomlonson

CN 500 is about to runs around its GTW caboose in the Port of Montreal on Friday.


Michael Berry

September 4, 1987 Grand Trunk Western sells its Durand to Muskegon MI line to the Central Michigan Railway.

?
Mark Tomlonson

CN 2515 leading CN 100 in Montreal last Wednesday morning.



Michael Berry

September 1, 1856 The Detroit & Milwaukee (later GTW) is completed from Detroit to Millpoint (later Spring Lake). Lake steamers will dock at Spring Lake until track bridges and docks can be completed at Grand Haven. (Some sources say 1858)

?

September 1, 1909 In preparation for a new facility, the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada begins tearing down the Ottawa Central Station. A temporary facility has been constructed.

?

September 1, 1933 "AB" style air brakes are required on all newly built cars.

?

September 2, 1857 The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad (later GTW) is completed from St. Johns to Ionia MI.

?

September 2, 1903 The Illinois Central places the first steel-frame passenger cars in the U.S. into service near Chicago IL.

?

September 3, 1878 The Detroit, Mackinac & Marquette Railroad (later DSS&A, SOO, WC, CN) is incorporated to construct a line between Marquette and St. Ignace in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

?

September 3, 1916 President Wilson signs the Adamson Act, which creates the 8-hour, 100-mile standard workday for railroad employees. Railroad labor unions do not like the Act because it includes no overtime provision. Railroad Managers refuse to accept the Act and file appeals with the courts.

?
Mark Tomlonson

August 29, 1907 Due to faulty structural design, the cantilever railroad bridge over the St. Lawrence River at Quebec City collapses while being built. Seventy-eight workers are killed. It will take 10 years to restart and complete the project. Canadian National now owns the span.

?

August 29, 1916 Unable to get the railroads to agree, President Wilson goes before Congress seeking passage of legislation that would create a standard 8-hour day for railroad employees.

?

August 29, 1935 The Railroad Retirement Fund is created, allowing retirement at age 65 and pensions paid out of fund revenues.

?

August 29, 1963 Control of the Ann Arbor Railroad is transferred from the Wabash to the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton. (some sources say August 31 or September 3)

?
Mark Tomlonson

I was looking for a basic chart of the RTC desk assignments in Homewood. If anyone has a list, it would be appreciated as I have given up on Google searches for it. I tried piecing together a list, but got scant, sometimes conflicting info. The Wabtec PDS (Precision Dispatch System) is supposed to be completed this year with a total of 37 desks.


I saw a mention that the EJ&E was originally Desk 2 (a later report of Desk 2 radio traffic in the Edgewood cutoff area). But now it may be 10 or 11, either way the Joliet dispatchers got moved. This is from various resources:
--
Grateful Fred
Sugar Ridge Tower MP40 CC&P

开云体育

CN 526 lifting boxcars at Groupe Goyette in Boucherville, Qc on Tuesday afternoon.


Michael Berry

August 26, 1929 First use of a diesel on a Canadian National Passenger train: #9000, a two unit 2660 hp locomotive that is the first large diesel seen in North America. It draws the assignment of the second section of the International Limited between Montreal and Toronto.

?

August 26, 1951 Canadian railroads adopt the Uniform Code of Operating Rules.

?
Mark Tomlonson

August 22, 1950 A nationwide rail strike hits Canada. Only U.S. - owned companies continue to operate during the strike. Canadian-owned subsidiaries continue to operate in the United States, owing to different unions representing workers. Canadian National trains continue to operate in Maine, but the loss of connecting traffic causes steep reductions in volume.

?

August 22, 1951 The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton begins using diesels on road freights. Diesel yard switchers had been in use since just after World War II.

?
Mark Tomlonson

In the current issue of "Classic Trains" (Fall 2023) the main feature is on Central Vermont and Canadian National operations at Island Pond VT.

Mark Tomlonson

August 16, 1851 First international U.S.-Canada train, Laprairie PQ to Rouses Point NY. The train set to a ?5 1/2 foot gauge, has traveled on the Champlain & St. Lawrence Railroad (later M&NY, GT) using a third rail as the C&StL is standard gauge.

Mark Tomlonson

?

August 15, 1904 The Grand Trunk Railway agrees to acquire the capital stock of the Canada Atlantic Railway.

?

Mark Tomlonson

August 10, 1857 The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad (later GT) is completed to Ionia MI.

?

August 10, 1910 The Chicago & Kalamazoo Terminal Railroad (owned by the Grand Trunk) is completed.

?

August 10, 1972 The Gulf, Mobile & Ohio merges with the Illinois Central to form Illinois Central Gulf.

?
Mark Tomlonson

August 9, 1943 The “Queen Mary” brings Winston Churchill to Halifax Harbor for negotiations with President Roosevelt in Quebec City. Canadian National will provide two trains to carry the Prime Minister and his entourage from Nova Scotia to the conference site.

?

August 9, 1955 Canadian National opens its part of Walkley Yard in Ottawa.

?

August 9, 1958 Last run of the Canadian National "Moccasin", running between Montreal and Brockville. It had served that route almost since the beginning of rail service.

?
Mark Tomlonson