For anyone interested in Clearing, I recommend this fine book:
A little known story of the land called Clearing : a book of the people, whose deeds history has recorded, by the people, who have helped through countless interviews over the years, and for the people, who seek this unknown land of the past / by Robert Milton Hill.(published 1983)
Available at these libraries:
Suburban libraries: Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Oak Lawn Local History, Prairie Trails, Stickney-Forest View, and Summit.
Chicago Public libraries: Clearing, Garfield Ridge and HWLC 6th Floor.
daveg,
Couldn't tell you about volume 30 years ago, but it isn't much different from 12 years ago. That's as far as my personal knowledge goes back. Seasonal swings, economic ups and downs, and who interchanges with who come and go, but overall I would say about the same.
As far as rail served local work, there was never all that much to begin with. Of the thousands of cars procesed each day, a hudred, max, are locals. Chatting with BRC guys, and just seing places closed or go entirely to trucks over the years, there might have been a couple of hundred local cars spoted around here durring the Clearing hayday. It has always been mostly interchange at BRC Clearing.
According to Wikipedia, The Belt Railway of Chicago is the largest switching terminal railroad in the United States, the vast majority of which is located in the Clearing Yards:
And as far as the Clearing Book, the Clear-Ridge Historical Society is putting the final touches on a repint of this wonderful book (with permission from the Hill family) complete with photos which Robert Hill was unfortunately unable to include in his original book. If all goes well it should be for sale on Amazon soon.