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Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
Kchi
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 25, 2013 12:10PM
Can any rail fans provide any details about the rail operations at the old Sears Catalog Plant complex at Homan and Arthington? As late as the 70s there were still some receipts or shipments by rail.
The complex was built when most of the the shipments and receipts were made by rail. Because of the size of the complex, this must have been quite a busy operation.
Any idea as to what railroad owned the tracks? Was this a spur line used only by Sears?
How many trains or rail cars were processed in a given day at its peak?
I would have to assume that as cars were filled, they had to be moved to allow the next car to be loaded or unloaded. Did the complex have its own engine to move the cars around?
If the outbound shipments were destined to the US Postal service for delivery, were the train cars presorted based on destination or did the postal service
ever operate a rail distribution center where rail cars were unloaded resorted and reloaded?
The complex was built when most of the the shipments and receipts were made by rail. Because of the size of the complex, this must have been quite a busy operation.
Any idea as to what railroad owned the tracks? Was this a spur line used only by Sears?
How many trains or rail cars were processed in a given day at its peak?
I would have to assume that as cars were filled, they had to be moved to allow the next car to be loaded or unloaded. Did the complex have its own engine to move the cars around?
If the outbound shipments were destined to the US Postal service for delivery, were the train cars presorted based on destination or did the postal service
ever operate a rail distribution center where rail cars were unloaded resorted and reloaded?
Re: Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
Bill_Baar
(---.tic.va.gov)
Date: March 25, 2013 12:49PM
It's the Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal RRs Altenheim subdivision. It started at Rockwell Yard in the East and went west on the embankment past Sears to the the Belt Railway in Cicero and then went north and west alongside the Eisenhower Expressway to Forest Park where the SOO line picked up ownership. Altenheim Old Peoples home is there hence the name I gues. There was also a White Stucco Passenger Station until the 80s there.
Here'a pic of the Wisconsin Central in 1999 on one of the viaducts in Lawndale http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwdavidson/6402655057/in/photostream/ Google around and you'll find some pics but mostly west of the BRC in Cicero. I've thought the embankment between Cicero and Rockwell would be a great candidate for a park similar to the Bloomingdale project.
Here'a pic of the Wisconsin Central in 1999 on one of the viaducts in Lawndale http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwdavidson/6402655057/in/photostream/ Google around and you'll find some pics but mostly west of the BRC in Cicero. I've thought the embankment between Cicero and Rockwell would be a great candidate for a park similar to the Bloomingdale project.
Re: Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
Business7007
(---.hsd1.fl.comcast.net)
Date: March 25, 2013 10:53PM
If you would like to know alot more about the Sears operations in
North Lawndale and how it was once a city unto itself, please follow this link.
http://www.blueprintchicago.org/2012/01/23/the-sears-roebuck-co-complex-north-lawndale/
North Lawndale and how it was once a city unto itself, please follow this link.
http://www.blueprintchicago.org/2012/01/23/the-sears-roebuck-co-complex-north-lawndale/
Re: Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
Kchi
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2013 11:33AM
Thank You very much.
Here is the link to a WTTW video made in 2009. It focuses on the tower, and it was sad to see the multi block 10 story tall catalog distribution building torn down, but it does you give you information about how huge the complex was that stretched for blocks with many buildings. There was a lab building that did nothig but test products. At one time there was a building that held nothing but groceries that could be ordered from the catalog. There were also bridges across many of the streets that held conveyor belts to move the merchandise to the shipping building.
http://video.wttw.com/video/1280907136
Here is the link to a WTTW video made in 2009. It focuses on the tower, and it was sad to see the multi block 10 story tall catalog distribution building torn down, but it does you give you information about how huge the complex was that stretched for blocks with many buildings. There was a lab building that did nothig but test products. At one time there was a building that held nothing but groceries that could be ordered from the catalog. There were also bridges across many of the streets that held conveyor belts to move the merchandise to the shipping building.
http://video.wttw.com/video/1280907136
Re: Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
Kchi
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2013 12:16PM
As usual when researching, you stumble on other websites. Here are a few more concerning the Sears Catalog complex.
Interesting website that I will have to spend some time with. Apparently it is devoted to old abandoned or razed buildings. It states that it explores America's
gritty history.
This link is specifically for the Sears complex, but it also has links to other sites dealing with Sears.
http://americanurbex.com/wordpress/?p=1744
Another website
http://www.rosenwaldschoolsfilm.org/blog/?p=637
Official Sears archive website
http://www.searsarchives.com/history/history1886.htm
Also found this book at Amazon devoted soley to the subject that I will see if I can get from the library.
http://www.amazon.com/Historic-Roebuck-Catalog-Images-America/dp/0738539775
This website has a picture that shows a rail yard with multiple tracks.
http://www.umich.edu/~eng217/student_projects/chicagoretail/searsstore.htm
This webiste shows two postcards with a picture of the rail yards, but the second shows the inside of the shipping building that shows multiple tracks.
http://www.rubylane.com/item/27950-8295a/TWO-Sears-Roebuck-Railroad-Stereo
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2013 12:38PM by Kchi.
Interesting website that I will have to spend some time with. Apparently it is devoted to old abandoned or razed buildings. It states that it explores America's
gritty history.
This link is specifically for the Sears complex, but it also has links to other sites dealing with Sears.
http://americanurbex.com/wordpress/?p=1744
Another website
http://www.rosenwaldschoolsfilm.org/blog/?p=637
Official Sears archive website
http://www.searsarchives.com/history/history1886.htm
Also found this book at Amazon devoted soley to the subject that I will see if I can get from the library.
http://www.amazon.com/Historic-Roebuck-Catalog-Images-America/dp/0738539775
This website has a picture that shows a rail yard with multiple tracks.
http://www.umich.edu/~eng217/student_projects/chicagoretail/searsstore.htm
This webiste shows two postcards with a picture of the rail yards, but the second shows the inside of the shipping building that shows multiple tracks.
http://www.rubylane.com/item/27950-8295a/TWO-Sears-Roebuck-Railroad-Stereo
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2013 12:38PM by Kchi.
Re: Sears Catalog Plant Rail - Homan & Arthington
Posted by:
FBC2618
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 17, 2013 10:37AM
My parents used to shop at the Sears warehouse in the 1960's. Basement had thrift store, boats, lights and the toy department.
Upstairs had books, vacuum cleaners and caramel popcorn.
Third floor had childrens shoes.
Does anyone have pictures of the Sears toy department there?
Upstairs had books, vacuum cleaners and caramel popcorn.
Third floor had childrens shoes.
Does anyone have pictures of the Sears toy department there?
