The decision to build a railroad through
Bensenville, Wood Dale and Itasca may have been influenced by production of dairy products
in these communities. By 1874, the railroad was hauling 300,000 gallons of milk a year
from Bensenville to Chicago. The local farmers had to get up early to milk their Holstein
cows and strain the milk into eight gallon cans. It was taken to the depot to be loaded on
the 9:00 AM train to Chicago. At 3:00 PM the train from Chicago returned with the empty
cans to be used the next day.
This photo shows the Milwaukee Railroad roundhouse in 1941. The roundhouse was used
for maintenance of the steam engines. After the fire died out, the ashes were taken
out, then the front of the engine was opened so it could cool down. Heat from the
firebox ran through hundreds of tubes used to heat the water to make the steam. Soot
from the burning gases collected in these tubes. The railroad men used 30 foot long
brushes to clean out every pipe. It was a messy, dirty job, but was one of many jobs
necessary to keep the railroad running.
For
more information and photos about the railroad, go back to the Main Menu and click on
Businesses. One of the photos you will find is a picture of the day maintenance crew
taken in the Bensenville yards in 1938.
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