Branch Junction, IL: IC vs. IC vs. Missouri Illinois

(Satellite) You can still see the tree line of where the Missouri Illinois went to the East.  According to the SPV Map, MI went through Robinett and Selmavill before it joined the UP/C&EI  on the south side of Salem. It went through Salem along Blair Street.

Jacob Hortenstine posted
Branch Jct north of Centralia Illinois Chicago main to the right charter line to Freeport Illinois straight north.
Daniel C Carroll Jr. The Illinois Central's charter from the Illinois legislature dated February 10, 1851 stipulated construction of both the main line to Freeport and Galena, and the "Chicago branch" as well. The latter wasn't an afterthought, though it obviously became more important. The IC's original "main line" has since been severed.

The Missouri-Illinois Railroad was also a participant at Branch Jct.

It would be nice if the people who posted and reposted other people's images would give credit to the original photographer. This image was shot by John W. Barriger and can be found on Flickr. Per Jon Roma

It looks like the "branch" line to Chicago has been double tracked but the "mainline" up central Illinois is just single tracked. Artists in the 1800s adding a bunch of black smoke to a smokestack wasn't always "artistic license." This smokestack shows that it was sometimes true.

Looking at the satellite image, the charter line still has track. But that track stops before the first crossing to the north, less than a mile away.