Galesburg "City Job"

[Cajonpassfan]

As part of my research, I recently picked up this book through a friend. I highly recommend it. It is a great work.

Thanks for sharing this. And what an awesome, iconic cover.
Otto K.

[bdennis]

Would like to be following this thread .. However.
Am getting an error when IE or Chrome looks to the link for the pictures.
Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /gallery/albums/userpics/11767/DSC_2986.JPG on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Perhaps there is a permission thing happening where pictures can only be viewed from within the US.. Im on the other side of the planet.

thx.

[w neal]

Fear not. You're not missing much Brendan.

I'll try to forward you some Jpegs later.

[svedblen]

Perhaps there is a permission thing happening where pictures can only be viewed from within the US..

No, at least not generally. I'm in Sweden and have no problem seeing the pictures. And I'm not a member of 'railroadfan.com' or anything.

[Specter3]

OK, so I figure I can look for this because I am putting off some housework. I found some early maps and a 1940 aerial photo but they are too early for you.

I also found some early sanborne maps. There are some that require a CARLI login. you may know someone with one. That last Sanborne map on the right could be helpful.

[w neal]

Thanks Spectre3.

The photo appears to be of Linwood Ave area?, which is just west of my area.

I do not know anybody with a CARLI login, unfortunately. Do you have a link to the website? I think I googled it up once, but didn't keep the link. A friend is looking into a 1950 Sanborn map for me. They are helpful indeed. It'd be great if there were some photographs of the buildings also out there. Ah well, keeping hope alive.

[Specter3]

CARLI Link. It looks like anyone at a major university in Illinois with a library account should have access.

https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/search/collection/sanborn/searchterm/galesburg/field/city/mode/exact/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc/cosuppress/1

Link to aerial photo

http://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/knox/flight2/atch03053.jpg

Based on what I was looking at I thought the snip was your area but things are definitely different in 1940.

[w neal]

Upon closer examination, you were right Specter - the closeup is indeed my area. I have one from later period which hints at some kind of aggregate - type of operation where blank fields are in "your" picture.

Thank you for the links!

Oh, and ease up on James Bond, eh?

 

[w neal]

I just received some good information:

My mystery industry that I thought was an aggregate dealer was in fact Galesburg Concrete Materials Company located at 1050 Monmouth Blvd. That confirms my suspicions and gives me some idea about the "bunkers" that can still be seen there today. Vunderbar!

Here, in what I suspect is a 1950s era view, one can see some aggregate - style silos and a couple buildings that remain on the spot today (and look at those residences - now gone):






Are those old boxcars repurposed?


I'm really glad that at least a couple structures remain from that time. I gotta get to town and get some measurements! Even though my modeled area is quite compressed, I may try to sneak in some representations of these buildings and perhaps some of the "bunkers". Hey, at least I know for sure now what was there.

[Specter3]

In the pic it really looks like the circled places are cement block supports for the cars. The second car behind the first car is probably on the spur. The cars on blocks may be unloading docks/temp storage. That would explain somewhat the curved track in it's place if that car is the unloading dock for the curved track. I just wonder what they would be shipping in boxcars that could be unloaded like that. there were covered hoppers by this point that cement would come in unless they were buying pallets of bags of cement? Your buildings for the heating and air place seem to be original. That is helpful.

This is fun!

Ryan

[w neal]

Got my hands on some 1950s Sanborn maps. Struck gold!







Bingo! Tons of information I needed on this and other industries. Now, I want to build more modules - sometime! 

[GaryHinshaw]

Nice!  Nothing like fresh inspiration.

[Specter3]

Great! I hoped that since there was a Sanborne map of the right time frame it would have the info you needed.

[w neal]

Had FUn at the St. Louis RPM meet. It was a grueling task getting there: up at 5 am for work, a few hours of last minute layout work after, leaving the house at 10 pm to meet Jim, arriving at his place at 4 am, then driving 2+ hours to Collinsville, then rushed to get the layout set up by 9 am, show all day till 8pm. But other than that, it was great fun. No one asked to operate on our layout, although we expected to be asked. We made up switch lists and worked that layout several times during the 2 - day show. That is to say, when not conversing with others, we were operating. Fun to meet & talk with so many in the hobby. It was nice to be another N scale layout there! Our thanks to the show's hosts for welcoming us.





Jim had another frustrating time getting his paved area ready for the show. It is giving him fits. He is ready to tear it up & start over. His temporary structures were there again to give us something to park cars next to. His "real" structures are well on the way. I have great hopes!













He took the time to make some nice signs for us to recognize industries.

















Take note here of his first structure at the Butler complex: the office building (in red). It comes complete with interior and will be lit as well.

















My "major" structure are these "bunkers" - allegedly for storage of different material to make concrete. Ha! Well, it was a simple project I could get done easily while dealing with other tasks at home. I did get some covers done for my modules to help protect them from damage during transport. I now carry five "coffins" in my little car when heading to a show (not pictured). Tee Hee. They are not pretty, but they keep small details from being knocked off during transport & moving.




















"My yard" was again quite full and often switched.



















A view down the length of the City Job. An exciting moment for us was meeting a fellow who had actually worked the City Job during the 1990s. He confirmed some of the trackage for us.



















Trouble on the lineside poles...



















Jim took the time to make up switch lists for us during the show. We had a great deal of fun operating. One fellow commented "Its kind of like chess with trains." Indeed.











Now a break, for a couple months until the next show in Wisconsin. Maybe I can get some more structure work done...

[mcjaco]

Trainfest???