Tag Archives: Railroads

Track Depression construction, 1941.

“D” is for Depression of the Tracks

Gazette Article by: Trish Early Appeared in the Gazette: Spring 1996 Upon hearing of the tragedy last fall when a school bus was struck by a train in Fox River Grove, we in Winnetka were again grateful for that prudent decision to separate the grade of the streets and the tracks in our community. Unfortunately, […]

“X” is for Railroad Crossings: The “Big Ditch”

Gazette Article by Bean Carroll, Fall/Winter 2002 In 1854, the first trains arrived in Winnetka. With the building of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad, Winnetka began its long history of train travel to and from Chicago. At the beginning, there were only two tracks in the Village with two trains a day. At that time, […]

Winnetka’s “North Shore Line” Electric Inter-urban Service

Gazette Article by: James A. Sprowl Appeared in the Gazette: Fall/Winter 2005 Fifty years ago, an inter-urban, electrified railroad known as the Chicago, North Shore, and Milwaukee Railroad (the “North Shore Line”) ran its last trains through Winnetka. The North Shore Line had begun regular service through Winnetka, traveling between Evanston and Waukegan, in 1899. […]

Why Does Our Train Run on the Wrong Track?

Gazette Article by: Tom Hermes Appeared in the Gazette: Fall 1996 There is no easy answer to the question, “Why does the Chicago & North Western Railroad run on the left track?” In fact, the entire original system is left-handed. Although it is the only one of its kind in the United States, no records […]