| The photo is looking north and just slightly west. The street along the top of the photo (mostly on a bridge) is West Grand Avenue running due east/west. The old bridge has been replaced. The ground-level tracks at the bottom crossed the North Branch of the Chicago River just east (right) of the picture; went under the Merchandise Mart, State Street, Michigan Ave., the Outer Drive, and other buildings and streets; and ended on Navy Pier. The bridge over the river was always in the up position in the 1970s and may still be. The area where the box cars are and on the other side of the viaduct has been built up with what look like condos. The six tracks on the viaduct at the lower right corner lead directly into the CNW Terminal. About at the nose of the C&NW F-unit four tracks diverge to the northwest and four to the west and become the West Line. The ones to the northwest later divide to become the North Line and the Northwest Line. The coach yard is on the West Line at Western Av. The tower next to the train is (I think) called Clinton St. I think the interlocking the diesel and the first car are in is remotely controlled from CNW's Lake Street Tower which is not far below the lower right corner (Union Station also has a Lake Street Tower). If I had aimed the camera just a little lower the north leads to Union Station would be visible. |