Venturing into Chicago's hidden tunnel system
In front of us is the entrance to Chicago's unique 46-mile freight tunnel system.
And we can't go in.
From 1906 to 1959, this underground world was filled with small-scale locomotive trains on narrow-gauge tracks, hauling freight between buildings in and near the Loop and carrying away ashes from coal-burning furnaces. At one point, there were 59 miles of tunnels extending nearly to Chicago Avenue on the north, out past Halsted Street on the west, to 16th Street along the edge of the Union Stock Yards on the south and nearly to Lake Michigan on the east.
When digging began in 1899, the underground system was supposed to be for phone lines, but the tunnel company -- which had ties to the corrupt Gray Wolves faction of the Chicago City Council -- secretly began installing a railroad. Upon discovery, there was a bit of a dust-up, but this being Chicago, an ordinance was passed to make the illegal train system legal.
No other city in the world had a similar system. And, over the decades, the companies that owned the network occasionally gave promotional tours to reporters, railroad buffs and assorted other rubberneckers, including sex siren Mae West.
But since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, access has been strictly limited.
Read entire article at Chicago Tribune
And we can't go in.
From 1906 to 1959, this underground world was filled with small-scale locomotive trains on narrow-gauge tracks, hauling freight between buildings in and near the Loop and carrying away ashes from coal-burning furnaces. At one point, there were 59 miles of tunnels extending nearly to Chicago Avenue on the north, out past Halsted Street on the west, to 16th Street along the edge of the Union Stock Yards on the south and nearly to Lake Michigan on the east.
When digging began in 1899, the underground system was supposed to be for phone lines, but the tunnel company -- which had ties to the corrupt Gray Wolves faction of the Chicago City Council -- secretly began installing a railroad. Upon discovery, there was a bit of a dust-up, but this being Chicago, an ordinance was passed to make the illegal train system legal.
No other city in the world had a similar system. And, over the decades, the companies that owned the network occasionally gave promotional tours to reporters, railroad buffs and assorted other rubberneckers, including sex siren Mae West.
But since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, access has been strictly limited.