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<DIV>Back in 1950, there were at least six tracks from the 21st St Crossing to the bridge across the South Branch of the Chicago River (in the northeast quadrant of the Ashland/Archer Ave intersection) near Bridgeport .  On the west side of the double tracked bridge were the double tracks of three railroads whose tracks merged to use the bridge  From north to south, they were the IC from Iowa, the Santa Fe from points west, and the GM&O (which used to be the C&A before it became the Alton) coming up from Brighton Park.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The C&A was first to get to Bridgeport, then the IC, and then the Santa Fe.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On the east side of the bridge, the order of railroads were reversed.  The C&A tracks were the most northerly, and the IC tracks were the most southerly.  When this reversed order first occurred I do not know, but I think it occurred as the various roads started using the bridge.  This reverse order helped in the sorting of trains at 21st Street.  The C&A's double track swung north to get on the Pennsy's double tracks to Union station.  The Santa Fe was headed for Dearborn Station, and the IC did not need to cross either of the other two as it swung northeast toward the St. Charles Air Line.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And that gets me to think that the tracks in the diagram posted by Richotrain and Wanswheel have the tracks mislabeled on the EAST side of the PRR tracks.  The Santa Fe tracks should lie to the <EM>north</EM> of the IC tracks, not to the <EM>south</EM>.  The Alton had no property east of the junction; its freight house was not on that side either. It would be interesting to see where those tracks led to.  Dollars to doughnuts, the tracks labeled Alton would wind up at Dearborn Station; and the tracks labeled IC would lead to the Air Line.  But where would the bottom two tracks labeled AT&SF end up? Sure would like to know!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Why the mislabeling?  That's the way they were on the west side? Perhaps the draftsman wasn't railroad savvy? Who knows?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Art</DIV>
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