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Images: #TBT Gallery looks back at suburban railroads

In this week's #TBT Gallery, we look at railroads in the suburbs.

With Chicago being the hub of the nation's railroad system, several lines radiate from the city to the suburbs and beyond.

During the mid-to-late 1800s, commuter rail lines were established, which led to the growth of the suburbs, particularly from the 1950s onward.

The Chicago and Northwestern, The Milwaukee Road and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy had a half-dozen commuter lines between them serving the North, Northwest and West suburban areas, and these lines continue to operate under Metra.

The SOO Line and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern were freight-only by the 1960s, and were both important to the growth of the suburbs as well.

Got an idea for a suburban #TBT Gallery? Share your ideas and photos with us at tbt@dailyherald.com. Share your favorite and memorable #TBT photos with us on Instagram using #tbtsuburbs.

Chicago and Northwestern class R-1 steam locomotive 1385 leads the "Prosperity Special" train through the Northwest Suburbs during May, 1982. Daily Herald file photo
Jim McAlpin of Northbrook adjusts his cap while working as an Illinois Railway Museum volunteer during May, 1984. Daily Herald file photo
A Class-E Pacific type locomotive leads a three-car eastbound Chicago and Northwestern commuter train at the Arlington Heights station in this circa 1950 view. C&NW photo
A two-car Chicago, Aurora and Elgin electric interurban train passes through Wheaton in this circa 1950 view. The line ran parallel to the Chicago and Northwestern in Wheaton. Courtesy of Wheaton Historical Society
A Chicago, Aurora and Elgin electric interurban train arrives at the Wheaton station during 1928. Chicago Historical Society photo
Nick Kallas of Arlington Heights, a volunteer at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, stands on top of one of the museum's steam locomotives during May, 1984. Daily Herald file photo
Chicago and Northwestern class R-1 steam locomotive 1385 leads a train near Palatine during September, 1983. Daily Herald file photo
A 'Piggy Packer" machine lifts a trailer onto a flatcar at the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville Yard intermodal facility circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
The operator of the control tower at the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville classification yard watches as cars are pushed over the "hump" circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
View inside the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville diesel house circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
Spare wheel sets rest outside the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville car shop circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
A car shop worker uses a torch while repairing the draft gear of a freight car at the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville Yard circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
A car shop worker uses a torch while cutting metal to repair the draft gear of a freight car at the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville Yard circa 1970. Daily Herald file photo
SOO Line ballast cars have derailed at Wheeling on November 29, 1962. Daily Herald file photo
Members of the public view the result of a Chicago and Northwestern freight train derailment that has left cars scattered across Main Street in Mount Prospect on October 21, 1959. Daily Herald file photo
An October 21, 1959 derailment of a Chicago and Northwestern freight train leveled the platform rain shelter and damaged the Mount Prospect station. Daily Herald file photo
SOO Line wrecker X5 re-rails a ballast car at Wheeling on November 29, 1962. Daily Herald file photo
A Wisconsin Central track maintenance worker welds the railroad's crossing, sometimes referred to as a "diamond" because of its shape, with the Union Pacific Harvard Subdivision which hosts the Metra Northwest line at Deval tower in Des Plaines, Illinois during November, 1997. Daily Herald file photo by Joe Lewnard
A worker lifts the uncoupling lever between gondolas loaded with scrap steel as cars are classified at the Milwaukee Road's Bensenville hump yard circa 1972. Daily Herald file photo
The operator at Chicago and Northwestern's Deval Tower in Des Plaines, Illinois moves the forks on the train order stand during the summer of 1974. Daily Herald file photo
Pistol-grip type levers which control switches at signals are part of the interlocking at Deval Tower in Des Plaines, Illinois, shown during the Summer of 1974. Daily Herald file photo
An outbound Chicago and Northwestern commuter train passes Deval Tower in Des, Plaines, Illinois during the Summer of 1974. Daily Herald file photo
The operator at Chicago and Northwestern's Deval Tower in Des Plaines moves the forks on the train order stand during the summer of 1974. Daily Herald file photo
The operator working the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift at Chicago and Northwestern's Deval Tower in Des Plaines is seated at his desk during the Summer of 1974. The movements of trains on three routes were controlled from the tower. Daily Herald file photo
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