Day 32: 29 November 2012

And suddenly, the fences are down and Glenwood Ave. is reopened to traffic. The area under the Farwell viaduct is still fenced off, and there are still porta-potties and heavy equipment there, so I assume that the project is still scheduled to continue at some point. A call to Alderman Moore's office yielded no information as to the status of the substation project. If you are involved with this project and can shed some light on why the work stopped and when it will resume, please leave a comment. If i find out anything more, i will post it here.

Postscript: Is it just me, or is Glenwood Avenue an awfully grand-sounding name for this stretch of glorified alleyway?

Diversion, Day 4: 18 November 2012

The final stages of this weekend's track work. Heavy equipment runs along the track crushing and smoothing the gravel along the trackbed. 

Workers break up the last rough patches of rock and then apply grease to the tracks (or at least this is what they appear to be doing to my untrained eye).  

Diversion, Day 3: 17 November 2012

This was the scene on Farwell Ave. on Saturday as workers replaced the old ties and added gravel along the Red Line tracks. 

And one final shot of the work site looking very dramatic after dark. 

Diversion, Day 2: 16 November 2012

Late night lightshow as a Red Line train passes a worker dismantling the tracks in preparation for replacing the ties.

Diversion, Day 1: 15 November 2012

Since we are all starved for action on the substation project, here's a little something to keep us interested. Though not technically part of that project, major trackwork is being done this weekend in the same area. Since this is going to involve numerous street closings and parking restrictions in the neighborhood, here is a link to the website for the 49th Ward providing more detailed information.

Day 15: 12 November 2012

If you are wondering, dear reader, why i haven't posted any exciting new pictures here lately, it is because nothing much is happening at the moment. In fact, the only activity i've seen in the past week was a man this morning trying to secure the fence surrounding the project against the powerful winds that threatened to topple it (Sadly, i did not have my camera with me at the time, so i can't post what surely would have been a very exciting picture of a guy on a ladder in 30-mph winds). On the bright side, he was slicing openings in the fabric on the fence to give the wind an outlet; so when the project resumes, it may be easier to see what's going on. 

The only other thing i've heard was from a neighbor who heard that the project had been shut down for a month and that it had something to do with steel. But as i've said, this is just neighborhood gossip, so i don't know how reliable the information is. On the other hand, neighborhood gossip is how i found out about this project in the first place, making it so far more reliable than either the CTA or local elected official. Stay tuned. As soon as things start up again or i get more reliable information, you'll be the first to know.

Day 9: 6 November 2012

Holes have been dug and re-filled; and based on the reaction of these construction workers, i'm not quite the master-spy i like to think i am. 

Day 8: 5 November 2012

Accompanied by an ear-shattering, tooth-rattling soundtrack, this fine-looking hole in the ground was excavated this morning. I'll check again tomorrow morning to see what else was accomplished over the course of the day. 

Day 4: 1 November 2012

With two straggly exceptions, the trees are down. And the security fences are up. Fortunately, i have friends in high places and hope to be able to keep posting a bird's eye view of the action.

***UPDATE: 18 November***

I'm not sure when it happened, but sometime within the past few days, the last two trees clinging to the end of the embankment were cut down. 

Day 3: 31 October 2012

Elegy to Ailanthus Altissima

As trees go, the Ailanthus Altissima, or tree-of-heaven, is not held in very high regard. They aren't as majestic as oaks or noble as elms; they lack the flashiness of maples. In fact, some people think of them as little more than weeds. But i like them: i like most things that can carve out a means of survival in the inhospitable concrete of the city (though i do draw the line at rats and squirrels). For years, i've admired this particular stand of Ailanthus as they clung to existence on a narrow embankment beside the L. They were there this morning, but gone by the end of the day. 

Day 2: 30 October 2012

The electrical contractors arrived on site today. They removed the street lights and replaced them with ones with smaller armatures, clearing more overhead space for whatever massive pieces of equipment are yet to arrive.

Day 1: 29 October 2012

The CTA project to build a substation along the Red Line tracks between Pratt and Farwell officially began today with the ritual towing of cars and moving of dumpsters. The project is expected to last until  February 2014. My plan is to chronicle the progress of this project in photographs taken at or near the intersection of Glenwood and Farwell, so stay tuned.