Notes: Steam locomotive #523 looks to be getting water at the front tower. The structure behind that may be for locos, or may also be for transferring material from truck to rail cars. You can see where the little elevators look like they haul the material up to the top.

Notes: This is the old USS coke plant along the Des Plaines River, as seen from atop Bridge 198 on the EJ&E main. This is looking NE towards the plant. The EJ&E did switch this plant when it was running.

Notes: These two shots are the same location as above, but seven years later. As you can see, the coke plant had mostly been demolished by that time. These shots were also taken from Bridge 198 on the EJ&E main. Notes on the photo read: "Industrial Property, Old Joliet Coke Plant - Public Relations Dept., EJ&E Railway, Joliet, IL". The J stored cars here at one time.

Notes: The ship is seen at the Cass Street Bridge. This info is taken from notes on the photo. Not sure why this was with the railroad stuff, but it's nice. Actual developing date on the print is October 1954 though. If you look closely, you'll notice the deck houses are taken off and on the deck. Researching the ship, this must have been when the ship was being brought up to the lakes for the first time after being built. The same gentleman shot the Jackson Street Bridge being built as well.

Notes: Info on the photo says "Spring" but it looks like there might be some snow on the ground. A train with auto racks is in the yard.

Notes: This is one of my favorite shot's in the collection. The photo had a hand written note that just said the date and "Flag Raising". This is looking North at the back side of the Joliet Roundhouse. A caption for a similar photo in the book "Joliet Transportation and Industry" claims that this was a ceremony to open the EJ&E baseball league. A high school band is playing by the roundhouse. Speeches were given, nine flags were raised, then salutes given by Co. E of the IL National Guard. Everyone sang "America", then moved to the park on the hill near Silver Cross Hospital. America had just entered WWI the month before. Check out those autos. Amazing.

Notes: Note on photo reads: "North from Chicago Ave. - East Chicago". But it actually looks to have been taken from the tower looking North. There is no date given. But what's interesting, is that someone hand wrote notes on each track, indicating who it belongs to, and then gave a dollar amount "per mile". EJ&E is listed as the highest amount. You can just barely make out what looks to be a J RS-2 on the EJ&E track, indicating it would have been after 1948. The Columbus Drive Bridge can be seen in the distance, which went over the Michigan Ave. Yards of NYC/IHB.

Notes: A rare look inside the giant old loco shop. Center Cabs #916, 102 and 707 are in the shop, representing all three number series that they used.

Notes: Info written on the photos gives the dimensions; Length: 301' 9". Width: 87'. Height at Ridge: 23'. Height at Eaves: 19' 10". The second photo is listed as the South End. The shop seems to mainly have cabs in it. Notice the curving track, which looks to possibly be narrow gauge, for equipment moving.

Notes: All info comes from notes on the photos. Shot #1 "Looking east showing machines & transformer room". #2 "Looking southwest showing riveting yokes". #3 "Looking west in 3rd bay from south". #4 "Looking west in 2nd bay from south". #5 View looking northeast showing machinery and transformer room".

Notes: These two shots had a slightly different date than the ones above. Notes on photos: Shot #1 "South bay looking west". #2 "Third bay from south side looking west". These are all great shots.

Notes: It's assumed this is a railroad property... Possibly a residence? No info is given on the photo. The building in the background could be a clue.

Notes: Note on the photo says the street car is on Collins Street. A caption for the same photo in the book "Joliet Transportation and Industry" claims that the trolley belongs to the Chicago and Joliet, and they are loading kids to take North to Delwood Park in the late 1920's. It says that they just crossed the EJ&E tracks that go into a steel mill complex (on the left) at Ward St. This would have been the tracks coming off H Yard and going into what would be USS Joliet.

Notes: A string of box cars is sitting on the east side of the shop. They look to be new, or newly painted. Their numbers left to right: 60011, unknown, 60136, 60137, 60138 and 60139? Also notice the little shack on the left... That was for the scale to the rip track.