"Gritty Palace" @ 47th Street

It seems Metra had been hiding a private car at 47th Street for years according to the Daily Southtown. It was once owned by a veteran Metra board member, and was stored at 47th Street for almost 20 years. It's too bad Metra did not use the car before it left Metra property yesterday bound for Minnesota.

The whole story can be read here:
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown ... 011nd4.htm

this was mostlikely the car that i saw being towed to the northside of union station

I have a pic of it peeking out from under the roosevelt bridge at CUS

http://community.webshots.com/photo/359 ... 8224CgdfWV

taken 6/1/05

Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 10:57 pm Post subject:

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On the way downtown today there was METX 5 with a Green Bay Western heavyweight just north of 47th. Why?


That was the car I saw. I thought it was a former Rock Island coach. Thanks for helping clear that up.

I wonder how many heavyweight coaches are on Metra property. There's the mystery CB&Q coach in KYD. There's 557 up on U.P. The Rock Island Mail/baggage car in Burr Oak yard. Anything else. Seems strange a commuter railroad would have ANY heavyweight coaches taking up room in yards. Makes me also wonder... What else do they have tucked away at 47th?????

That GBW heavy was part of a special train for a convention that was held last weekend - the guys from StL came up with their green ex-Marc/MBTA F10's and some other coaches - the train went to Milwaukee I think. I also saw Caritas and two other PV's at CUS that may have been on this train.

The National Restaurant Association trip to Milwaukee was two weekends ago (May 21). The Caritas and ten other private cars were used on an excursion this past weekend over the EJ&E (May 28), IHB and BRC (May 29).

MikeF I think it's time to change your username to "Answer Man" - I thought I was in tune with the Chicago scene, but you sir have it nailed down pat!

The real reason for this post - I have stumbled on some trackage to store private railcars on. Details: Fenced, with security, former railcar facility. Not under roof. Probably asking $600-700/month, but not totally sure. Likely capacity 10-15 cars. Lots of people in this indusrial park still, so there's not time for vandals to slip over the fence and steal bits.

The Car is now in Milwaukee at the Amtrak Station in July.
Note I took this Photo http://www.railroadforums.com/photos/sh ... 500&page=9