Varna, IL: GM&O/Chicago & Alton Depot

(Satellite)

Roger Holmes posted
On February 7th, 1972 Gulf, Mobile & Ohio RS1 #50 was in charge of the Dwight to Washington local but ran into problems just west of Streator. RS1's were not much good at bucking snow...at least the 50 wasn't. The snow got up on top of the traction motors, melting causing ground relay problems. Two days later the local had an F3 on the point which would do very well in hitting some high drifts further down the tracks. This is where I first caught the plow, er F, at Varna. The train, the 885A, box car, dead RS1, a covered hopper and ex-M&O wooden caboose, would take the curve, the track to my right. The other line went to Lacon. I apologize for the fact that this photo could have been, or should have been of much better quality, especially in composition! I think that I might have chosen this spot to show the station with the bay window which was farthest away from the tracks. Didn't do it! Had I moved to my right I would have accomplished that and the lighting would have been much better and I would have not gotten the shadow of the tree on the nose of the F. But what do expect from a college kid shooting with an Argus C3! © Roger A. Holmes.
Phil McCall The station was in town, on the east-west portion of the line, and was torn down around 1985.

The east/west route left the C&A mainline at Dewight, IL and went west through Streator and Varna and terminated at the river in Lacon. C&A had another branch that went north from Washington and terminated at the turnout the F-unit is taking. That branch had trackage rights on the TP&W to get into East Peoria.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP