Willow Springs, IL: Lost/Santa Fe Depot

(Satellite, the tracks have been elevated since this 1970s photo.)

Gregory Russell posted
Willow Springs Santa Fe depot. I recall taking picture late 1970s.

Dennis DeBruler: Do you recall where it was in Willow Springs? I see the town stretches between IL-83 and US-45 and that the downtown is on the other side of the river and canal.

Gregory Russell: Dennis, recall just west of willow springs road on north side of river.

Richard Fiedler: Dennis DeBruler just one or two hundred feet west of Willow Springs Rd on the North side of the tracks. I passed it frequently on the way home from work and around 1981 or so one day it was gone like it never was there. It was painted in fading and peeling yellow paint then.

Dennis DeBruler: Richard Fiedler I noticed a wider embankment, https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y3EqBFcVveHEdqZJ6. Although in Gregory's photo it looks like Willow Springs Road was a grade crossing rather than an underpass.

Richard Fiedler: Dennis DeBruler the time frame I went by was 1980-83 and it looks like everything there changed. If I got my directions right its was in the clearing near the trees in the NW quadrant. There was no yard there then either.

Richard Fiedler: Back in the early 80’s it was at grade.

Dennis DeBruler: Richard Fiedler I remember reading an article about the new intermodal yard that BNSF built for UPS. An employee that was interviewed said that they shipped in a lot of rock to elevate the yard so that they did not have to worry about flooding. Now I understand that it was indeed an immense amount of rock.

Mark Bilecki Sr.: Dennis DeBruler on the west side of the tracks south of Willow Springs road.

Ron Rodriguez: There was a Santa Fe employee who lived just south of tracks in early 80’s his name was Bingo I think?

Richard Fiedler shared

Andy Zukowski posted
Santa Fe Chief Diesel Train when at Willow Springs, Illinois. 1940’s
Edward Kwiatkowski shared

Gregory Russell commented on the above post
Willow springs in late 1970s.