Aban/C&NW/CGW
Marc Mcclure posted three photos with the comment: "Lincoln Iowa. The last wood elevator built by Todd & Sargent."
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
The Street View car did not go into the the town, but it looks like it is still standing.
 |
| Street View |
Friday, May 31, 2019
Lincoln, IA: Big Grain Elevator Built With Wood in 1966
(Satellite)
Aban/C&NW/CGW
Marc Mcclure posted three photos with the comment: "Lincoln Iowa. The last wood elevator built by Todd & Sargent."
The Street View car did not go into the the town, but it looks like it is still standing.
Aban/C&NW/CGW
Marc Mcclure posted three photos with the comment: "Lincoln Iowa. The last wood elevator built by Todd & Sargent."
The Street View car did not go into the the town, but it looks like it is still standing.
Charlotte, IL: Grain Elevator on BLOL/IC+Wabash
(Satellite)
Bloomer is a rather famous shortline because it uses a CB&Q inspired livery.
Ken Morrison posted three photos with the comment: "Bloomer Line train spending the holiday weekend in beautiful downtown Charlotte, IL (NOT NC, lol)."
Paul Jones Just wait till Tuesday when 4 motors and 70 cars head south to Sibley to scale and top off before heading back to the CN in Gibson City.
Dennis DeBruler Thanks for the insight that not all rail served grain elevators need railroad scales.
Paul Jones Dennis DeBruler Bloomer and Alliance Grain are looking into up grading two elevators and the tracks to them so cars can be loaded to full capacity at each instead of part way then topping off at another. Probably won't happen for a year or so but is in the planning stage as of now.
Dennis DeBruler Paul Jones I forgot that it is not just a scale issue. The track needs to be able to handle 286,000 pound cars for full capacity.
When a railroad still exists because of a grain elevator, the elevator doesn't need a loop track to serve unit trains because the whole mainline of the shortline is available as a siding to serve that elevator. However, loading a train must block the local roads for a while.
Update:
This is not only another example of an Illinois town that is more elevator than town, it has the functionality split by the "mainline."
Bloomer is a rather famous shortline because it uses a CB&Q inspired livery.
Ken Morrison posted three photos with the comment: "Bloomer Line train spending the holiday weekend in beautiful downtown Charlotte, IL (NOT NC, lol)."
Paul Jones Just wait till Tuesday when 4 motors and 70 cars head south to Sibley to scale and top off before heading back to the CN in Gibson City.
Dennis DeBruler Thanks for the insight that not all rail served grain elevators need railroad scales.
Paul Jones Dennis DeBruler Bloomer and Alliance Grain are looking into up grading two elevators and the tracks to them so cars can be loaded to full capacity at each instead of part way then topping off at another. Probably won't happen for a year or so but is in the planning stage as of now.
Dennis DeBruler Paul Jones I forgot that it is not just a scale issue. The track needs to be able to handle 286,000 pound cars for full capacity.
 |
| 1 [That pile of rail gives true meaning to the term "railfan."] |
 |
| 2 [The wooden elevator is north of IL-9.] |
 |
| 3 Siding occupied by weed-sprayer. Absent a speeder, probably towed by hi-rail truck? |
When a railroad still exists because of a grain elevator, the elevator doesn't need a loop track to serve unit trains because the whole mainline of the shortline is available as a siding to serve that elevator. However, loading a train must block the local roads for a while.
Update:
 |
| Junior Hill posted Bloomer Line RR 7549 is getting ready to pull on a big cut of mtys at Alliance Grain, Charlotte, IL. 1/13/2011 |
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Alton, IL: Flood of 2019: Ardent Mills is surrounded by water
(see below for satellite)
It appears that the casino buildings may be designed to float given that the covered access ramps look like they are hinged. The casino can always power wash the parking lot after the waters go down.
Update:
 |
| John Foster shared Flooding in Alton, Illinois as of 5/28. |
 |
| Satellite |
Update:
 |
| John Foster posted Alton, IL flooding as of yesterday [6/7/2019]. Steve Abramson This has been going on for a few weeks. What a terrible flood. Andrew Tuttle shared David Budka The Mississippi River is making things tough for Ardent Mills! Both the Alton and Chester, Illinois mills are flooded! Danny Farnsworth Is the red line on elevator the last flood level? Charles Windham The Army Corps of Engineers says it expects water releases from reservoirs on the Missouri River to be above average through the summer and possibly until November. Currently, the release of water is more than twice the average for this time of year. That will worsen flooding downstream, where many levees have been damaged due to recent high water. Eric Miller This was taken last year when I drove thru Alton, on the way to Chicago. I was on Hwy 100 following the river up to another highway and stopped to look back and take this photo. All of this would be way underwater now, too. https://www.flickr.com/.../in/album-72157688860450040/ |
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Cuba, IL: CB&Q and TP&W Depots
(Satellite, CB&Q went north/south through here and the depots were in the southeast quadrant)
There used to be a huge coal strip mine east of this town. The mine was initially served by CB&Q and then later by TP&W. The CB&Q route is abandoned, and the TP&W route is now owned by the Keokuk Junction Railway.
There used to be a huge coal strip mine east of this town. The mine was initially served by CB&Q and then later by TP&W. The CB&Q route is abandoned, and the TP&W route is now owned by the Keokuk Junction Railway.
 |
| Roger Kujawa posted Cuba, Illinois post card. Toledo Peoria and Western and the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroads. The Q depots were usually brown so I think the Q depot is on the right but not sure. You can see TPW cars on the interchange track in the back. The Burlington Line was originally the Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railroad from Galesburg to Havana Illinois. Part of the line survived into the 1980’s to serve local coal mines. John Stell Both depots were in southeast quadrant of the diamond. Dennis DeBruler United Electric Coal's Cuba #9 Mine was first served by CB&Q and then later also by TP&W. https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/.../cuba-il-united... |
 |
| Andy Zukowski posted CB&Q and TP&W Depots in Cuba, Illinois. C.1910. Photo by C.U. Williams Thomas Whitt shared Chuck Morris: Does anyone know what year CB&Q/BN abandoned this line? John Carson: Chuck Morris Abandoned from Fairview to Galesburg in late 1930s. BN abandoned the line from Lewistown to Fairview in the early 80s. I remember getting caught by a short coal train at the Il. Rt. 95 crossing near Cuba in the late 70s. John Carson: Wow! What a great find! Way back when you could take the TP&W west all the way to Keokuk or Warsaw, and east to Canton, Peoria and parts east. Even stopping at Civer! Or, take the CB&Q up to Fiat, Fairview, Ellisville Station and other stops all the way to Galesburg. And south to Lewistown and connect all the way to St. Louis! What memorable train rides those would have been for us enthusiasts of railroad history! C.U. Williams was a big producer of Post Cards, the social media of their day! Train stations and other public builings where always a good subject. Back in the day when many places had both morning and afternoon postal service, and some places had local morning, noon and afternoon posts. You could write a post card and have it delived locally the same day, for pennies. Trains were the primary carrier of mail between towns., and most of the time, they got there the next day! A far cry from today, where it takes four days for a local to local letter to get delivered, and costs 79 cents. |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Roger's post They are now a clump of trees. The track in the foreground was the TP&W so I agree that the white depot is TP&W and the darker one is CB&Q. https://www.google.com/.../@40.4906482,-90.../data=!3m1!1e3 |
 |
| 1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
 |
| Andy Zukowski posted Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Depot At Cuba, Illinois. 1907 Zach Malcolm shared |
 |
| Chris Tippey commented on Andy's post I believe this is the same depot, but the details are different. |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Andy's post 1948 Lewistown Quadrangle @ 1:24,000 |
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Galva, KS: Grain Elevator with recent expansion and UP loop track
(Satellite)
Bob Summers posted three photos with the comment: "Another facility capable of loading 100+ hopper cars in central Kansas. This one is on the UP about 15 miles east of McPherson between Canton & Galva."
Dennis DeBruler It looks like there is a lot of ground storage in that first photo.
Update: the current (captured Dec 2019) satellite image shows the construction has finished and the ground piles are being loaded.
Bob Summers posted three photos with the comment: "Another facility capable of loading 100+ hopper cars in central Kansas. This one is on the UP about 15 miles east of McPherson between Canton & Galva."
Dennis DeBruler It looks like there is a lot of ground storage in that first photo.
 |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| 3 |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Bob's post The jump form bins have been built in the last few years because they don't show on the satellite image. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4... Bob Summers Looks like construction equipment on site and no railroad tracks so I believe this image was made during the initial build was nearing completion. |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Bob's post You've taught me to look for gaps between the bins to confirm jump form construction. https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m6!1e1!3m4... |
 |
| Garry Bley, Oct 2016 |
Update: the current (captured Dec 2019) satellite image shows the construction has finished and the ground piles are being loaded.
 |
| Satellite |
 |
| Bob Summers commented on his post My original post last may featured the jump form annex to this train loading elevator on the UP between Canton & Galva Kansas. This view shows the original slip form structure, built less than 20 years ago I think. Rich Reed So a brand new elrvator custom designed for unit trains hmm. Bob Summers Exactly Rich Reed With the exception of a few old terminal elevator facilities that are located in grain producing areas, and capable of handling a very large number of inbound truckloads, and also capable of loading unit trains - virtually all of the grain train loading facilities are new facilities! |
Silica, KS: Grain Elevator with tile and jump-form bins
(Satellite)
Bob Summers posted a couple of photos with the comment:
The rail line is still there but apparently used to store railcars as from the highway appears to be cars for several miles with breaks where the township roads cross the tracks. Connects with the K & O just east of Ellinwood.
Bob Summers The rail line is still there but apparently used to store railcars as from the highway appears to be cars for several miles with breaks where the township roads cross the tracks. Connects with the K & O just east of Ellinwood.
Bob Summers posted a couple of photos with the comment:
Another example of the evolution of country elevator design over the years. Slip form concrete costs were prohibitive at the country elevator level except for the highest volume locations until after WWII. The industry needed fire proof alternatives to the lower cost wooden country elevators. Bolted or welded steel bins was one option. There were also some country elevators built of tile or brick. The original part of this elevator was built pre WWII with small concrete tiles reinforced with the metal bands on the outside. When we (Garvey Grain) bought the former Bosse Grain facilities in the late '70's we put in a faster leg, grain drier and I think a year or two later we added the 2 corrigated steel bins. The current owner, Gavilon Grain, added the two jump form bins on the right of the photo.Bob Summers
The rail line is still there but apparently used to store railcars as from the highway appears to be cars for several miles with breaks where the township roads cross the tracks. Connects with the K & O just east of Ellinwood.Bob Summers
The rail line is still there but apparently used to store railcars as from the highway appears to be cars for several miles with breaks where the township roads cross the tracks. Connects with the K & O just east of Ellinwood. |
| 1 |
 |
| 2 |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Bob's post That is the first time I have seen a fall protector in the truck scale area. I've just seen them over the railroad hopper loading area. https://www.google.com/.../@38.3518409,-98.../data=!3m1!1e3 For trucks, they use a remote controlled probe while they are on the scale. (Oct 13, 2014) |
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Cleveland, OH: 1876 Union Station
(Satellite, it is now the parking lot south of the NS tracks.)
That was an impressive structure for 1876. In 1930, it was replaced by Union Terminal.
In addition to the NYC/LS&MS and B&O #464 Bridges, this photo shows the Union Station.
That was an impressive structure for 1876. In 1930, it was replaced by Union Terminal.
 |
| Rick Fleischer posted Cleveland Union Station 1876. |
I saw a map that labeled the location of the long, skinny rectangle that is west of 3rd Street and below the NS/NYC/LS&MS tracks as Union Sta. (Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw that map.) It seems to be the union of two NYC railroads, (LS&MS and Big Four). The Big Four used the track that curves south and crosses the river down by Carter Road. Did Pennsy also use this station? (Update: yes. In fact they continued to use it after the Cleveland Union Terminal was built. [case])
 |
| 1953 Cleveland North and South Quadrangles @ 1:24,000 |
In addition to the NYC/LS&MS and B&O #464 Bridges, this photo shows the Union Station.
 |
| Wayne Koch posted Cleveland OH Railyard NYC PRR 1949. Geoffrey Morland shared |
B&O and Erie had their own stations south of Detroit Avenue.
 |
| Thomas Wentzel posted Cleveland Ohio 1928 looking north and east towards Cleveland Union Terminal Tower. Two other train sheds are showing. The one on the left is at the Erie RR passenger station. The other at center-right is a two-level shed at B&O passenger station. |
I found confirmation of the Union Station location and that the other long skinny rectangle further west was the Union Freight Depot. (Back in 1896, 3rd Street was named Seneca.)
 |
| Key via 1896 Vol 1 via "cleveland+cuyahoga" |
 |
| Dennis DeBruler commented on Jim's share Thanks for the identification. This 1876 station was west of 3rd Street between the NYC/LSMS+Big Four tracks and the Pennsy tracks. It is now a parking lot: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5022553,-81.7021068,446m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu 1953 Cleveland North and South Quadrangles @ 1:24,000 |
 |
| Abigail Kingsley posted 1906 The Harbor, Cleveland, Ohio Vintage Old Photo. Tom J. Cassidy: More mail/baggage cars than I would've expected. Morton Tucker: One wonders how much transfer of dry freight to lake boats was still going on here at this time. [I don't think of 1906 as modern, but when it comes to water vs. railroad transport of freight, it is modern.] Brian Wolf shared Cleveland, OH 1906 |
 |
| Richard Shulby commented on Brian's share GREAT SHOT! Thanks for posting! Taken over the roof of the Union Passenger Station shed the area including and to the right of the coal loading trestle near the lakefront is PRR trackage (originally Cuddy-Mullen Coal Co tracks). The next 2/3 of the lakefront area is LS&MS trackage with the last small portion being PRR again (Cleveland & Pittsburgh RR). Just left of center in the distance against the lakefront is a water tower. Just in front of that is the 9-stall brick LS&MS brick roundhouse- built 1896, and lasting until sometime between 1952 and 1962. Attached is a 1912 Cleveland Historical maps image showing the trackage layout. |
Schenectady, NY: NYC Coaling Dock and Union Station
Tower: (If you can find it in the airiel below, please leave a comment.)
Today's station:
It was built in 2017:
We have two NYC railyards to check for the coaling tower. I don't think it is in the northern yard, but I included it to document the location of a roundhouse. I'm surprised that this topo map doesn't mark any roundhouses. Most topo maps do record their location.
This is the southern yard. Note that I included the D&H roundhouse near the lower-left corner. The Union Station is near the upper-right corner. The coaling tower is large enough that I would expect to be able to find it on a photo of this resolution. But I have not been able to find it.
Station: (Satellite)
This is a unique combination of coaling dock and coaling towers.
This is a unique combination of coaling dock and coaling towers.
 |
| Paul Garrow posted (source) A new and powerful J-1 d awaits the call for service in December, 1929 shortly after being constructed by AIco-Schenectady. Vance Roth Photo -NYCSHS Collection) — with Jimmie Wright and Mickey Wright. Dick Mackinnon When you look at the size of the coal pockets and then throw in the water tanks, etc. you can see how attractive dieselization was to the railroads and the avoidance of all the maintenance which came with steam. These engines also had to be pulled from service several times a year and were inspected and then rebuilt. A great but dirty, grimey technology with which many of your parents worked. My paper route on Eastern Avenue and Wendell encompassed the homes of many boiler makers from ALCO and who frequently were on strike. |
.jpg) |
| Cape Cod And Islands Railroads And Trains History posted Union Station, Schenectady, N.Y. - Date Circa 1914 - Location Schenectady, N.Y. |
 |
| Cape Cod And Islands Railroads And Trains History posted Union Station, Schenectady, N.Y. - Date Circa 1908 - Location Schenectady, N.Y. John Ruth: When was it demolished? Robert Wullschleger: John Ruth 1971 |
 |
| Adrian Sherrill posted Please can anyone point me in the direction of dimensional and architectural information about this former incarnation of the Schenectady, NY train station? Thank you. |
 |
| Cape Cod And Islands Railroads And Trains History posted Interior Of New Depot - Date Circa 1908 - Location Schenectady, N.Y. |
 |
| Cape Cod And Islands Railroads And Trains History posted Interior Of New Depot - Date Circa 1908 - Location Schenectady, N.Y. |
Today's station:
 |
| Street View, Aug 2021 |
It was built in 2017:
 |
| Street View, Jul 2017 |
According to this topo map, The Delaware & Hudson as well as the NYC went past this station. The tracks on the left near the bottom were D&H tracks.
 |
| 1954/1957 Schenectady Quad @ 24,000 |
We have two NYC railyards to check for the coaling tower. I don't think it is in the northern yard, but I included it to document the location of a roundhouse. I'm surprised that this topo map doesn't mark any roundhouses. Most topo maps do record their location.
 |
| Apr 16, 1952 @ 24,000; AR1ZC3760060372 |
This is the southern yard. Note that I included the D&H roundhouse near the lower-left corner. The Union Station is near the upper-right corner. The coaling tower is large enough that I would expect to be able to find it on a photo of this resolution. But I have not been able to find it.
 |
| Apr 16, 1952 @ 24,000; AR1ZC3760060372 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)