Mason City, IL: IC and GM&O Depots, Grain Elevator and Tower: IC vs. GM&O

Junction Tower: (Satellite, southwest quadrant of the crossing)

IC Depot: (Satellite, house 507 Main St. has reused the land)

GM&O Depot: (Satellite, building 125 Tonica St. has reused the land.)

IC Depot

Roger Kujawa posted

C.R.Childs RPPC Illinois Central Train Station Depot. Mason City, Illinois

The Illinois Central crossed the GM&O here. 1914 written on back.

Dennis DeBruler shared
This 1914 photo is so typical of the Midwest in that a scene that has a depot also has a grain elevator in the background. Both the IC and GM&O routes were branches and are now long gone. But the elevator has grown considerably.

Ross Brocksmith posted

Illinois Central RR Station

Mason City

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From Grassel’s volumes titled PEORIA AREA SOUTH

Imagery via the Ernest Grassel Collection - Local History Collection - Downtown Branch of Peoria Public Library

Richard Fiedler shared

Richard Fiedler shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Roger's post

It looks like the depot and tower were in the southwest quadrant and the elevator was in the northeast quadrant, so the photographer is looking East.

https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/.../0bxc03140.jpg

Dennis DeBruler commented on Roger's post

The grain elevator for the C&A was on valuable downtown property, so it is this IC elevator that survived and grew.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer...

GM&O Depot

Mark Adler posted
Jimmy Fiedler posted "CHICAGO & ALTON RR MASON CITY IL DEPOT"

Dennis DeBruler commented on Mark's post
GM&O went north/south, and the IC went east/west. 1949 Mason City Quad @ 62,500

Dennis DeBruler commented on Mark's post
I can't reconcile the ground and aerial photos. The aerial photo has the grain elevator on the east side of the tracks and the depot on the west side of the mainline. In this excerpt, the IC depot is in the lower-left corner and the grain elevator is near the upper-right corner.
 https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/mason/flight9/0bxc03140.jpg

Dennis DeBruler commented on Mark's post
Today's Hernan's Plumbing & Heating occupies the depot's land. Nov 30, 1973 aerial. [AR1VDIY00020143]

A different exposure.

Richard Fiedler posted
Chicago and Alton depot Mason City IL on the Jack Line.
Richard Fiedler shared

John Woodrow posted
GM&0 75 at Mason City Illinois 1-3-1970  (Edward Wayne Bridges photo)

Dennis Smith: Bloomington train crews worked these jobs.

[Some comments discuss when it was abandoned.]