DeKalb, IL: Junction Tower: CM&G vs C&NW + CGW

(Satellite, all three routes are now abandoned.)

Matt Overstake posted, William Shapotkin collection
DeKalb Jct. 1908
William Shapotkin also posted

Did you know that the MILW once operated a rail line betw Rockford and Delmar (Momence), IL? Commonly known by its predecessor name, the Chicago Milwaukee & Gary, this line operated in a N/W-S/E diagonal route betw the above-named cities.

The line crossed the D&SI (interurban), CGW (De Kalb-Sycamore branch) and C&NW (Northern Illinois Line) at a point N/E of De Kalb, IL at a placed called "De Kalb Junction." Here is a picture of the tower this little-known location, which once controlled the MILW xings of the CGW and C&NW. Sadly, of the four railroads mentioned, none remain at this rather remote location today.

Raymond Storey posted
Mike Breski posted

A different exposure and cropping:

Andy Zukowski posted
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific] Watchman's Tower, DeKalb Jct, Illinois. 1908 Photo by Waite Embree

There was a C&NW branch between DeKalb and Sycamore and a CGW branch from Sycamore to DeKalb. These two branches and the CM&G are now abandoned. The C&NW branch was part of C&NW route that went from South Beloit to the coal country of Spring Valley. The segment form DeKalb to Troy Grove, IL is still served by UP because of the sand mines in that area.

Note that Matt's posting also has photos of three CM&G freight houses.

Evie Bob Bruns posted the facts: "Dekalb (CGW) Union S&S. permit/opened 3/23/1905. 18 levers."

Update:

Jason Leverton posted
This photo shows some remaining track on the CM&G right-of-way on the east side of DeKalb. Going northwest from Peace & Pleasant, there is about a quarter-mile of track that remains intact. This was kept in place for the C&NW to serve the GE plant at Peace & Pleasant after the Milwaukee pulled out. The track my son is walking on would have been the wye to connect the C&NW to the CM&G. Note the three pole lines - these are on the right-of-ways of three north-south rail lines that were once here in addition to the bisecting CM&G route: the C&NW line up to Sycamore and beyond, the Chicago Great Western branch into DeKalb from Sycamore, and an electric interurban line that once connected DeKalb and Sycamore.

The title should have been CM&G vs C&NW + CGW + DKSI where DKSI was the DeKalb Sycamore & Interurban Traction. According to my SPV Map, that would be the order of the routes from east to west. It appears that after C&NW acquired control of the CGW, they abandoned their own tracks and kept the CGW tracks.

The above picture is significantly more recent than 1908, but it is still rather old because all four routes in this crossing are now abandoned. The GE plant closed in 2015.

A Flickr photo of GM&G's water tower, pump house with derrick on top, and a wooden coal trestle. (posted: Wayne DeMunn Actually, The Junction crossing was just south or south-east of these structures but it was all part of the same locality.)

See the 1936 view of the Wurlitzer Piano Factory for a view of the tracks between DeKalb and Sycamore still being intact. Also note that the plant was on the edge of the town at that time.

Peter Zimmerman shared a Flickr link of the same tower that is pictured in the top photo on this page. Peter's comment:

Picture says De Kalb Illinois on the description. This would be the interlocking plant of the East-West Chicago & Northwestern Railway main line with the Spring Valley to South Beloit coal line of the Chicago & Northwestern.
The coal line still exists from De Kalb to Troy Grove but from De Kalb to nearby sycamore was abandoned in 1984 and from their north to near South Beloit was abandoned back in 1942.
De Kalb was also home to a branch line of the Milwaukee Road and Chicago Great Western Railway, both these lines are long gone. De Kalb also had 2 electric interurbans, the Chicago Aurora & De Kalb Railroad which from Aurora to De Kalb and was abandoned in January 1923 and the De Kalb & Sycamore Traction company, abandoned in 1924.

Peter's comments would put the tower here. But because of the rural surroundings of the tower and the angle of the tracks, I'm sticking with Matt's interpretation of the location.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

This topo map indicates the tower was in the east quadrant. The CGW branch was northwest of the parallel C&NW branch.

1937 Sycamore Quadrant, 1:62,500
Dennis DeBruler commented on Raymond's post
It was in the east quadrant of where the Milwaukee/Chicago, Gary & Milwaukee crossed branches of the CGW and C&NW.
1937 Sycamore Quadrant, 1:62,500

I used the topo map to confirm that Peace Road uses the CG&M route between Pleasant Street and IL-38.

One of seventeen photos posted by Wayne DeMunn
Looking north-east, the Gary line coal dock , water tower and engine house can be seen near the center as line approaches the DeKalb Junction. Floyd Ritzman Photo dated 1936. — in DeKalb, Illinois.

One of seventeen photos posted by Wayne DeMunn
C&NW and CGW lines to Sycamore, The Gary line junction and Tower can be seen in the distance, Wurlitzer to the right. Floyd Ritzman photo Circa 1936. — in DeKalb, Illinois.
Wayne DeMunn For those who don't already know, the Wurlitzer building was recently demolished.

A closeup of the coaling dock, water tower and junction tower

Wayne DeMunn shared
A 1996 aerial of the DeKalb Junction, aka,"The B" . The angle is looking northward towards Sycamore Rd (Rt 23), before the area filled in with homes and businesses. The Gary line ran along the tree line to the left and the CNW and CGW ran to the right. All of these lines were no longer running at the time of the photo.

Bill Angus posted (source)
In 1910 the CM&G used the CGW depot and their own freight house. This according to an article by Charles Stats published in the Winter 1992 issue C&NW historical society magazine.