Mitchell, IL: C&EI Mitchell Yard and Roundhouse

1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

While studying the Lenox Tower, I noticed a yard east of the junction. Actually, it was the roundhouse on the south side of the yard that caught my eye. The yard was abandoned by MoPac. Today the yard is just a bunch of trees.

1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Andy Zukowski posted
The Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Roundhouse at Lenox, Illinois. 1909

Kendel Robinson: This is near St. Louis right?

But no mainline this was built off the Big4 tracks? Wonder why the C&EI never built/laid their own main from Pana to St.Louis? Must’ve been cheaper to just pay the Big 4 to run over their main? But they did have their own yard at St.Louis I think? East St.Louis I guess.

Bill Edrington: Kendel Robinson - Yes, the C&EI‘s Mitchell Yard was on the south side of the Big Four‘s “Short Line” and was connected to it by leads at both ends. The Big Four’s Worcester Yard was on the north side of the Short Line. The C&EI, which was under Frisco control at the time, did explore the possibility of building its own line to St. Louis. However, by joining forces, both railroads achieved their goals at a lower cost than if they had acted alone. The C&EI wanted a Chicago-St. Louis route, and wanted to tap new coal mines being developed in Montgomery and Madison Counties. The Big Four wanted to shorten its Indianapolis-St. Louis main line and avoid the grades and curves on its “Old Line” via Litchfield, Gillespie and East Alton. So they agreed that the Big Four would (1) double-track its existing line between Pana and Hillsboro; (2) construct an entirely new, very direct, double-tracked “Short Line” between Hillsboro and Lenox; and (3) grant the C&EI trackage rights between Pana and Granite City, including the right to stop for passengers and serve industries at the towns along the route. This arrangement lasted from the opening of the Short Line in 1904 until Conrail sold Pana-Lenox to the MP (successor to the C&EI) in 1982 and abandoned the former Big Four main line between Paris and Pana, in favor of handling all its St. Louis traffic via Effingham, Vandalia and Greenville on the former PRR.

Dave Asbury: Today the area is called Mitchell Illinois and the tower controlling the interlocking was called Lennox tower which is gone now I believe

Dennis DeBruler shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dave's comment

I would not have been able to find the location of the roundhouse without this clue, https://maps.app.goo.gl/m9p8sFDoNu4svrzL9

1941 aerial photo