Colfax, IL: Lost/IC Depot and Water Tower

(Satellite, the depot was in the northwest quadrant of Center Street and the tracks and the water tower was about a half-block west of the depot.)

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Depot and Water Tower in Colfax, Illinois. C1910
Harold Hails: Only 2 wooden water towers left from New Orleans to Chicago on the CN RR, one is in Centralia, IL, and Kinmundy, IL.
Richard Fiedler shared

Thanks to the bend in Brook Street, it is easy to correlate this photo with today's satellite images.

1940 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

I see four wood grain elevators in this photo.

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Yards in Colfax, Illinois, circa 1920
Paul Jones: Bloomer Line still runs there and loads corn & beans at the elevator dumps Potash at the Potash center on the east edge of town.
Pat Harmet: I'm surprised it's still double track through town and even out of town going east for a little. It looks like it ends at the creek east of town. I don't think there is a single structure standing today in the picture. I live around Sibley, IL.
Dennis DeBruler: Pat Harmet The second track allows the engine to runaround the train after it is full (grain) or empty (potash). I'm trying to figure out how the townspeople get across the tracks when a grain train is loading.

 

David Thompson commented on Andy's post
My mom's hometown!, West end of town looking East, the depot is hidden behind the water tower. I believe it was taken from where the west coal shaft was loaded. attached is the 1945 IC Track chart which shows 1925 date on it . Credit JonHabegger wx4 site.

This town was on the lower branch of the Kankakee & SouthWest that used to connect to the IC mainline at Otto Tower. It is now served by the Bloomer Line.

illinirail