Z Scale Milwaukee Road in Libertyville, IL

[tom mann]

Libertyville’s first attempt to gain railroad service was in 1853, but this attempt failed (edit: haven’t been able to figure out why). In 1872, The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific built westward to a few miles east of Libertyville and called the area Libertyville Junction - now present day Rondout. However, In 1878, there was interest to continue the line into downtown Libertyville. 



Dr. Samuel Galloway organized the Libertyville Railroad Company and employed local residents to grade a line from Libertyville Junction into downtown Libertyville. This work included building the bridge over the DesPlanes river. Upon completion prior to 1880, Dr. Galloway sold his company to the Milwaukee Road. (Note: it is unclear if rail was laid, or if this was just a grading project and “handed off” to Milwaukee for track laying).

In May of 1880, the first train came to Libertyville’s shared passenger and freight terminus located at the present day intersection of East Cook and 1st Street.  Shorty after, several factories and rail-shipping industries were built to the east along the tracks north of East Church St.  The tracks and some of these buildings exist today.

First, some history. Around 1900 (note: I could not find an exact date but the new rr line appears in 1908 topographic maps), the Milwaukee Road extended the line from to Janestown, Wisconsin. This did not use the existing alignment paralleling East Church and East Cook Ave, but instead veered to the northwest via a new spur just north of Liberty Lake:



 A new passenger station was built at the intersection of Newberry and Milwaukee Ave, a few blocks north of the first passenger station (and across the street from the present day station dating from the 1960s).  The .7 mile long “old alignment” from Liberty Lake to Milwaukee Ave became known at the freight-only Libertyville Branch.





In '64, after the demise of the North Shore Line, the Milwaukee Road built a spur from this line around Liberty Lake to reach the Hough plant, a large factory that made large construction equipment. You can still see the rails in this area just north of 176.



Just a little south:



So this little several block long "old alignment" stretch still exists, and the tracks are there in the weeds and grass. I thought it would be cool to model a small 3' long diorama/switching layout inspired by this area. Track will be handlaid code 40 with custom turnouts by @Chris333

[Missaberoad]

Very exciting! I'm loving all the upper Midwest love on the forum lately...

What Era will this represent?

[Chris333]

So you really building something or just trying to keep the forum happy? 

[tom mann]

So you really building something or just trying to keep the forum happy? 

The admin’s job is to do both. 

[tom mann]

What Era will this represent?

A.D. 

It’ll be a total mixture of stuff; but probably 70’s to present.

[dem34]

A.D. 

It’ll be a total mixture of stuff; but probably 70’s to present.

Ah, the no steam engines or cell towers era.

[EJN]

Libertyville’s first attempt to gain railroad service was in 1853, but this attempt failed (edit: haven’t been able to figure out why). In 1872, The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific built westward to a few miles east of Libertyville and called the area Libertyville Junction - now present day Rondout. However, In 1878, there was interest to continue the line into downtown Libertyville. 

Libertyville is about 8 miles north of where I currently live. When I was...much younger, I used to go to Rondout
where the EJ&E crossed the Milwaukee Rd. with an interchange & small yard and watch switching.
Rondout was also a flag stop on the commuter line before it became Metra, and had an interlocking
tower there. The structure still exists, but I don't know if it is used anymore.

Also, if you take 176 west to 83 in Mundelein, there is a model railroad hobby shop there, Ron's Mundelein
Hobbies, which has been there for over 40 years.

[Chris333]

I know back in the day there was no such thing as Z turnouts. But now there are Atlas Z turnouts and flextrack.

[nkalanaga]

"I know back in the day there was no such thing as Z turnouts."

There've been Z turnouts from the beginning, although I'll admit that the Marklin ones don't look "American".  They work quite well.

[milw156]

I had asked what industries existed in Libertyville on the Milwaukee Yahoo group in 1998. a gentleman by the name of Paul Posey, in conjunction with Jon Cure of the Opsig group provided the following information
Libertyville industries:
Brown Papergoods
Coy lumber
Frank Hough Road Machinery
Kraft Foods (Foulds Macaroni)
Libertyville Lumber
Morton Mfg (steel cable)
Woolfe Distributing ( building materials)

"Foulds Macaroni had the contract for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese at the time which is why they are listed as "Kraft" and not "Foulds"

<Snip>The main Foulds building is many decades old and quite large (3-5 stories tall) with newer additions on the side. It is rather ornate, with heavily faded billboard lettering on the RR side of the building. It would make a perfect false front against a model RR back drop. Foulds frequently received (at least they did 20+ years ago) 70 & 100t airslide hoppers with flour. <snip>
Libertyville Lumber is a compact little lumber yard, with the tracks running down the center, and sheds on each side.
<snip> Only Foulds has seen any activity in recent years (as of 1998). One of the tracks serves a cement paved weed covered empty lot. I thought this might be a team tack, but after seeing the industry list, I assume it was the site of an abandoned industry"
He then went on to discuss industries further up the J line

Foulds/Fraft is obviously the taller building in your second photo, tho I don't know how many of the adjacent buildings (at least on the left side)were also theirs.

Do you have the track profile for that area? Neat area with a lot of industry in smallish area. I very vaguely remember a road trip to the area, but don't remember taking photos. I am glad that I had the foresight to save Paul's reply!
Rick

[milw156]

found this Metra ride along video, at 1:04:33 is where this diverged off the Fox lake line, or, at least, used to.....

[Chris333]

Tom should just about be finished!

[tom mann]

Tom should just about be finished!

Not quite [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well, get working

[Sokramiketes]

This thread AND  Z scale are coming back from the dead?