While on vacation a few weeks ago, we crossed numerous railroad sites that I could photograph and explore. Here is what we came across on our journey. Note: this is a very long blog post!
Meredosia, Illinois
This is my wife's hometown. It is a small town of about 1100 people located on the banks of the Illinois River about an hour west of Springfield, Illinois. It has some rich railroad history, but has now dried up for the most part except for a local that runs up out of Bluffs, IL (from the Norfolk Southern Mainline Chicago to Kansas City) to service a handful of industries on the south side of town.
Ex-Wabash Railroad Depot in town. The line crossed the Illinois River here and was the last place running Steam Locomotives on the Wabash for many years.
The rail bridge in Meredosia was constructed too light to handle a locomotive. The Wabash kept a few small 2-6-0 Steam locomotives to make the run from Meredosia to Quincy. The last train crossed the bridge in Meredosia in January 28th, 1955.
Around the same time, the Wabash upgraded the mainline from Springfield to Valley City and over to Hannibal. Curves were straightened, grades were cut down and heavier rail was installed. A new lift bridge was installed at Valley City in 1959. The Meredosia bridge crossing the Illinois River was dismantled shortly afterward.
In 1838, the Northern Cross Railroad was the first railroad to operate in Illinois, originating in Meredosia. It eventually extended both east and west to the state borders.
One of the more fascinating early industries, was the Meredosia Button Factory. They stamped buttons out of clam shells dug up from the Illinois River. We have a basket full of these in our living room that were dug up in my in-law's backyard. The plant operated from 1926 to 1948. Once buttons were stamped out, the remaining portion was just used as backfill throughout the community.
Bluffs, Illinois
Small town about 40 minutes west of Springfield, Illinois on the Norfolk Southern Mainline to Kansas City.
Local power for the Meredosia Local
Caboose on the Meredosia Local in Bluffs, IL
Former Norfolk & Western 40' Box Car - Used for Storage - Bluffs, Illinois
Old Grain Elevator - Bluffs, Illinois
An eastbound freight stopped in Bluffs before heading up the bluff toward Jacksonville and on to Springfield, Illinois.
Naples, Illinois
Consolidated Grain & Barge Elevator - Naples, Illinois
It's beautiful scenery out west. I love stopping to take photos along the way.
Valley City, Illinois
Here the Norfolk Southern mainline to Kansas City crosses the Illinois River.
Railroad Lift Bridge over the Illinois River
Switch Heater for Derail before the bridge.
A side view of the Bridge from I-72.
Griggsville, Illinois
Continuing west on the Norfolk Southern Mainline. This is the next town you come to after crossing the Illinois River. United Feeds Grain has a large elevator here, but it is hard to photograph due to the sun angle.
Hannibal, Missouri
Continuing west on the Norfolk Southern main, it crosses the Mississippi River at Hannibal, Missouri.
The Norfolk Southern mainline across the Mississippi River via a lift bridge.
My wife's grandfather painted this bridge when he worked as a Bridge Painter for the Norfolk & Western Railway back in the 1970s.
As you can see the water is really high. The river is at flood stage.
Here is a view of the bridge at track level. Once it crosses the Mississippi River, the line crosses the North-South Burlington Northern line and goes into a tunnel making a sharp turn to the south where the tracks run parallel to the BN tracks for a short bit before heading west.
The Burlington Northern / Norfolk Southern Crossing.
The Norfolk Southern tunnel that goes into the bluff and makes a sharp left turn heading south.
A view from the tunnel.
The water is coming in under the Burlington Northern mainline.
The Flood Walls have been installed. Water is seeping in underneath.
A view from the levee looking South.
A view from the levee looking north. These are Burlington Northern's tracks here.
The water seepage under the flood wall.
West Quincy, MO
Departing the Norfolk Southern Chicago to Kansas City mainline, we move north up to Quincy, Illinois which is also located along the Mississippi River. Burlington Northern Santa Fe has a small yard here that also serves as a crew change point. The line from Kansas City splits in Central Missouri. Both lines reconnect in Galesburg, Illinois and on to Chicago.
Amtrak's Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg trains from Chicago to Quincy terminate here. I have seen it on occasion either sitting in the yard or turning on the wye just north of the highway crossing out of Quincy, Illinois.
There is a BN line that splits off in West Quincy and heads up to Keokuk and Fort Madison, Iowa following the Mississippi River. The line also travels south to St. Louis along the river.
Canton, Missouri
The line travels through Canton, Missouri where my wife's aunt and uncle live. Here are some photos of the line here. It was closed due to flooding when we visited.
The Burlington Northern Mainline from St. Louis - West Quincy to Keokuk - Fort Madison, IA
As you can see the Mississippi River is in flood stage.
This was a beautiful park that overlooks Lock & Dam #20 that I took my kids to last September, but now under water.
The Ex-Burlington Quincy, Missouri Passenger Station
The flood wall has been installed.
Looking back north over to where I took the first photo by the park.
Dubuque, Iowa
Moving further up the Mississippi River, we found ourselves in Dubuque, Iowa. When rolling into town from the Illinois side, we found a small yard in East Dubuque, Illinois. I photographed the train and light power there, but before we left, we photographed a westbound traveling through as it made a turn to run north up along the river following the western edge of Wisconsin into Minnesota and points west.
Westbound train sitting in yard waiting to head Northwest up to Minnesota and further west.
In Dubuque, Iowa, we checked out Eagle Point Park that provides a great overlook of the Mississippi River, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. Very nice! On our way back into town off the bluff, my wife spotted some locomotives to the west of us. She directed me down to the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) Railroad (a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railroad) yard in Dubuque.
A southbound sitting in the yard.
While in Dubuque, we explored at the Mississippi River Museum which is at Dubuque Junction (junction between the DM&E and Chicago Central Railroad) which is also the old Burlington Station and Freight house.
At the back of the museum was the old William M. Black dredge steam boat. We explored it and was able to snap a photo of a returning DM&E local at Dubuque Junction in front of the Mississippi River Museum.
Rochelle, Illinois
After our trip on the former Rock Island territory, we headed up north to Rochelle, IL and into Wisconsin before spending the night in Rockford, Illinois. We stopped in at the Rochelle Railroad Park, but unfortunately no trains were present or lined up coming soon. My plan was just to make a brief appearance here and hope for the best for a train. It was a Monday so I'm guessing operations were a little slower than it would have been later in the week. I met some nice guys from Wisconsin that had been watching trains since sunrise. I believe they were up to 24 by around 2:30pm or so. It is a nice park to catch some serious action. Too bad we couldn't stay longer to hang out.
Elizabeth, Illinois
The following day, we traveled west to visit Elizabeth, Illinois which is now part of the Chicago Central Railroad which runs from Chicago west and splits to Sioux City, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. This line was the former Milwaukee Road line as well. We wanted to visit this small town in honor of my daughter Elizabeth.
Galena, Illinois
We continued west toward Dubuque and came across a really neat old historic town named Galena, Illinois. The Chicago Central travels through here as well. This town is full of Civil War History and will definitely top our list to return soon to explore further.
Historical Information found at Ulysses S. Grant's Home in Galena, Illinois.
Looking east on the Chicago Central at Galena, Illinois
The station at Galena, Illinois
Looking west on the Chicago Central at Galena, Illinois
Amtrak will be returning service to this region with the new Black Hawk train. It will transport passengers from Chicago to Dubuque, IA via Rockford, IL. It's expected to begin in 2015. Amtrak originally ran service here between 1974 and 1981.
It was pretty neat to come across this jewel. Neither my wife nor I have explored this part of Illinois. It is some beautiful countryside with nice large rolling hills and vistas where you can see for miles!
Pawnee, Illinois
On the way back home to North Carolina, we stopped to photograph an eastbound BNSF coal train approaching Pawnee, Illinois.
Litchfield, Illiniois
On our way home, we also made a quick stop in Litchfield, Illinois assuming this locomotive was parked where I had seen it once before. Here is the Illini Terminal Locomotive of Respondek Railroad Corp.
This ended our railroad adventures on this 12 day trip across the Midwest. My original intentions was to only explore the Rock Island lines near where I modeled, but happily gained the opportunity to see so much more. It was a really great trip that I will remember for some time. I really look forward to one day when my wife and I can just hit the road and explore America seeing whatever we might come across. No schedule, no agenda, just whatever strikes our interest.
