Corwith Yard facts for kids
Corwith Yards is a very important place for trains in Chicago, Illinois. It's a big train hub where different types of transportation meet. Imagine a giant puzzle where train cars, trucks, and ships all connect to move goods around the country! This special place is called an intermodal freight terminal. It's located in a neighborhood called Brighton Park.
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A Look Back: Corwith's History
Corwith Yards was built a long time ago, in 1888. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway company created it. When it first opened, it was the biggest train yard in the whole world! A train yard is a place where trains are sorted and put together. Today, the biggest train yard is Bailey Yard, which is owned by another company called Union Pacific Railroad.
What Corwith Yards Used to Do
In the late 1800s, Corwith Yards was the final stop for many trains. These trains carried important goods from the western United States. For example, trains brought livestock (like cows) from places such as Dodge City, Kansas. These animals were headed for the Union Stock Yards in Chicago. Trains also carried grain and other valuable cargo.
Corwith Yards Today
Today, Corwith Yards is known as the Corwith Intermodal Facility. It's still a very busy place! It handles much more freight now than it did when it first opened. The BNSF Railway company operates it.
How Goods Move Now
Most of the goods moved through Corwith today are in large shipping containers. These are the big metal boxes you see on trains, trucks, and ships. Special machines called container cranes lift these containers. They load about 1,900 containers every single day!
Smart Ways to Sort Cargo
To make sure all these containers go to the right place, Corwith uses smart computer systems. These systems help sort and route the containers quickly and efficiently. It's like a super-smart brain that knows where every package needs to go!
Corwith Yards covers a huge area, almost a square mile of land. It includes many buildings and parking areas. It continues to be a vital part of how goods travel across the country.
