Taking it to the next level...

[Tom L]

This EBay photo came up in my feed because of the reefers but I was thinking the whole scene with the ramp was interesting. Very “model railroady”. I was thinking it would good way to have a switching area above a partially hidden storage yard.

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Tom L
Wellington CO

[Chris333]

Back in the day everything was model railroady.

[Englewood]

I wonder what that grade is?

[dem34]

I wonder what that grade is?

%3-4, take into consideration it looks like the foreground track is going downgrade into the yard and exaggerating the incline.

[Tristan Ashcroft]

Beside "somewhere on Long Island", any idea where that is?

[nscalbitz]

There are a couple of more slides of that scene- perhaps I've snaffled copies- that wall is continuous and winds back around that structure to reveal more 'at level' sheds/ warehouse loading IIRC... d

[Tom L]

Beside "somewhere on Long Island", any idea where that is?

The listing says W Vanderbilt Ave Yard, Brooklyn NY

Tom L
Wellington CO

[Chris333]

https://www.arrts-arrchives.com/vdyd.html

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/before_after/Vanderbilt-Ave-Passenger-Yard_MP54-Electrics-left-along-Pacific-St._1959_Huneke.jpg

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/before_after/Vanderbilt-Ave-Passenger-Yard_ViewE_9-1980_BillMangahas.jpg

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/flatbush/McCauley-Potato-Co-Warehouse_Vanderbilt-Ave-Yard_06-1959-ArtHuneke.jpg

http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/flatbush/Yard%20View%20-%20VD%20-%20Bklyn-View%20SE-%2005-11-79%20(Madden-Keller).JPG

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Vanderbilt+Avenue,+Brooklyn,+NY/@40.6822029,-73.9724832,283m/data=!3m1!1e3
But if you look from a different view all these building have been torn down. Just a pile of rubble:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6827342,-73.9737791,3a,15y,102.78h,89.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sSP-pVsX1EOTUE9IDfO0OtQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Turning it into a parking lot
https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2010/11/30/1100-space-parking-lot-at-issue-in-latest-atlantic-yards-fight/
Long term they plan to build a deck over the yard and put a bunch of buildings up:
https://thebridgebk.com/developer-admits-pacific-park-project-will-take-until-2035/


1952

[pedro]

Here’s another one... BNSF Union Ave in Chicago, ramp to the St Charles Air Line and CN/IC. It’s another case of “it’s not as bad as it looks,” due to the BN main and coach yard lead being on a steep down grade. Also, only a relatively short part of the coal train is on the ramp. The rest of the train is on a down grade all the way from Western Ave. I made this trip many times, and it’s one of my favorite transfer runs. Pic is circa 2007. Searchlights: gone. Coal trains: endangered. Blue Metra engines: endangered. BN trains going up the Air Line: scarce. SD70MACs same. I have a video I’ll get uploaded one of these days...

[CRL]

From the “It’s not as steep as it looks” comment in the previous post to “Yes, it IS as steep as it looks!”

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Here’s the photographer’s notes: The first of two Hill jobs on this October morning drops down the 4.5%+ slide above the site of the former Shannon Smelter. Earlier in the morning the job switched the Acid tracks at the massive Morenci copper works and then made a straight shot down the mountain to meet the Arizona Eastern at Clifton. The train is on one the steepest sections of line. The four motors wear a variation of Freeport McMorans "modern paint scheme". The second camouflage unit honors the veterans working the largest copper mine in America.

[C855B]

... ramp to the St Charles Air Line and CN/IC. ... BN trains going up the Air Line: scarce. ...

I thought the Air Line was history already... maybe not. I recall a few years ago much hay being made about its upcoming demise and that Amtrak in and out of Union Station from the ex-IC was going to re-route via the ex-EJ&E loop, adding 1-1.5 hours. Did those plans change?

[learmoia]

How bout a switch back to an industrial spur.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6oQEz3KX92mxAu1H8

[pedro]

I thought the Air Line was history already... maybe not. I recall a few years ago much hay being made about its upcoming demise and that Amtrak in and out of Union Station from the ex-IC was going to re-route via the ex-EJ&E loop, adding 1-1.5 hours. Did those plans change?

Amtrak 58/59 still uses it, along with Metra switch moves between the BN and Rock Island. Not sure on the plans to reroute Amtrak. Probably the last thing they’re worried about now...
Remaining coal traffic moves on NS and CSX. We used to run at least two trains a day up there; a coal train and the Galesburg/CN interchange traffic. Haven’t seen any freight go that way in a long time. Hazmat concerns with all the South Loop condos; that’s some pretty sketchy track. CN interchange is at Eola now.

[Chris333]

I like how on the other side of the river they filled in under the bridge, but left the bridge...

[C855B]

Amtrak 58/59 still uses it, ...

39x Carbondale trains, IIRC, at least the last time we rode (3-4 years ago).

EDIT: Found the answers here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Charles_Air_Line . Apparently the re-route is dependent on a big project still in the design phase, putting the trains from the ex-IC on NS while CN moves their stuff to the ex-EJ&E. The 'J' routing is not without controversy due to concerns about hazmat transit through suburban neighborhoods, i.e., the usual NIMBY-isms.