Chicago issue - then and now

[jamesedwbradley]

Receiving the July "Chicago" issue, my mind immediately thought of the (Aug.) 1948 Chicago issue which oddly enough is never mentioned. I went right to my files and fished it out. That one had only 36 pages of coverage v. the 61 now; there were also articles on freight interchange and the usual great photos (all b/w then). The '48 article by A.C. Kalmbach discusses interchange, then takes you on a hypothetical "ride" on a transfer run past all the yards. Mike Blasczak instead points out the increase in intermodal and the CTCO cooperative agency. Both issues had articles on Chicago's stations- Frank P. Donovan had about 35% more text and no color photos, covering the same ground as Kevin Keefe. A "commuter" article by Willard Anderson has no counterpart in the "towers" article now. The '48 issue included the famous TRAINS Chicago railroad map (twice-an abbreviated commuter version and the full 2-page spread). The '03 issue has plenty of maps and more junction diagrams. Just thought at least one photo and a mention should have appeared in '03.
James E. Bradley Hawk Mountain Chapter N.R.H.S.

[Anonymous]

Well James, I can't tell if your posting is meant as a gripe or not, but I thought that the recent coverage of Chicago was great. As always, I wi***he magazine was twice as thick, with less advertisements, but that's the way it goes....
I'm just glad we weren't sent another issue that re-hashed the cajon pass for the umpteinth time again. In my 30+ years of reading Trains magazine, I can probably recognize every single inch of cajon pass, and I've never even been there! Nice to see a few recent issues that acknowlege midwestern railroading as well.
Yes, there are railroads east of the rockies! I'm glad that the folks at Kalmbach are starting to recognize that!
Todd C.

[dknelson]

If you get a hold of a 1948 volume of Trains to read that Chicago issue in July, check out the April issue which features "Milwaukee City of Streamliners." It has a tremendous map which even today is the best available on the track that used to be (sniff) all over this city.
Heh heh -- I once paid a pretty fancy price for the April 1948 issue at a swap meet. When I got it home I learned that someone had carefully cut the Milwaukee article out of the issue! Caveat emptor!
Dave Nelson

[edblysard]

Shoot, Hoss,
We even got us some of them railroads south of the Mason Dixon line.
Ed

[Anonymous]

Todd,
I agree. Seems like Trains in the past few years has been more interested in tailoring their articles to fit the photography. And, since they seem to think that the west is the only place for good photography, we get Cajon Pass, Tehachapi, ad nauseum.
I thought the Chicago issue was great. It also showed something I haven't seen in a while: pictures from pre-"Classic" era railroading.

Scott L. Mineral Point, WI

[eolafan]

While this issue of Trains was certainly very interesting and good reading, I wi***hey had taken it one step farther and included a section on the "Now" portion...i.e. railroading and railfanning in and around Chicago today.

[jamesedwbradley]

Thanks for all your posts. I should have added that while the 2003 issue is technically better, with color photos and large maps, the bygone names and 'bygone faces' - steam, early diesel, and private passenger trains - shown in 1948 tug at the heart! I think Trains is doing very well making an industry which is less interesting than in 1948, still interesting in 2003, 55 years later.
James E. Bradley Hawk Mountain Chapter N.R.H.S.

[Anonymous]

Well, they did, "kinda-sorta", but they concentrated that coverage on what Amtrak was planning to do with the Union Station fiasco.
You have to realize though, with the constantly changing stance of the freight carriers, any attempt at an up to date analysis of Chicago freight operations would most likely be "dated" by the time the magazine was distributed.
Todd C.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Being a native Chicagoan, I found the Chicago issue to be quite interesting, especially the chronological maps which show which lines were built at what time. Since I live about a mile from Clearing's hump and not too far from several intermodal terminals, the article about interchange helped explain a few things that I see every day.

[Anonymous]

James, you hit the nail on the head. Its pretty hard to warm up to the NSC or CSX these days. A whole lot easier to root for the Erie, CGW, CRI&P, Wabash, CNS&M, CA&E, NKP, GTW, PRR, NYC, AT&SF, Milw Rd., SOO, C&EI, C&NW, Monon, B&O, IC, CB&Q, GM&O, etc etc. The industry has lost its diversity, much like the rest of the country in these days of Walmart and McDonalds.

[citidude]

But at least there is still the South Shore!!!!!

David in Pittsburgh

[Anonymous]

You are sooooo right David. We can be thankfull for that!
Long live the South Shore Line! An island of diversity in a sea of uniformity!!