Memphis, TN: CN/IC Harrison/Johnston/Nonconnah Rail Yard

(Satellite)

Their Walker Street Shops were closer to downtown.
See the IC Coaling Tower and Roundhouse post for additional views of the yard. The following photo that has the coaling tower is also worthy of a yard posting also.

Robert Tomb posted, cropped

ICRR - Nonconnah Yard, looking east toward A Yard from the hump yard tower. This was taken after the hump was cut down, probably late 1940's or early 1950's. From my collection, photographer unknown.

[Unfortunately, I'm having to guess that Nonconnah was another name for the IC yard in Memphis.]

Joe Marascalco Thanks for sharing, do you remember how those RIP tracks were numbered?

Robert Tomb IIRC, they were numbered from right to left, Rip1 thru Rip 3, from the coal chute.

Jerry Younger In the big shop it was 41 thru 50, with no 49 track .. If my memory serves me correctly ..51 & 52 were up on the hill & used for clean out ( wash out ) tracks for hopper cars ...

Henry R. Pleasants Sr. 31 to the hump!

Judging by the location of the coaling tower, this view is in the opposite direction of the above view.

Illinois Central/Gulf Mobile & Ohio/Illinois Central Gulf Memories. posted
Nonconnah yard (Now Harrison yard) in Memphis. The photo says 1968 but the steam switcher says it must have been taken much earlier than that.

Samuel Peregoy: I went to work for the ICRR in 1972. There were not any kerosene switch indicators on the switches and different A Yard building. Probably this picture is from the ‘30’s to maybe the mid ‘50’s. I remember back in the early 60's seeing all of the steam locomotives stored on the two Trash Tracks that parallel Weaver Road on west end of C Yard.

Clarence Jackson: Picture was probably taken In the 40’s.

Randall James: Johnston yard, named for IC's best president, Wayne A Johnston 👍 will always call it Johnston yard, Hunter Harrison pushed for P.S.R. (Precision scheduled railroading) & closing down many hump yards, eliminating jobs, was a terrible IC/CN/CSX RR president.

Jim Fleming: It will always be Johnston Yard.

Ryan Robinson posted two photos with the comment: "Old Illinois Central maps of Johnston Yard in Memphis. Copied out of an old map book I had access to a while back. Enjoy!"

1

2

Below I rotated them and put the west side first. It sacrifices resolution so that it is easier to correlate with a current satellite view.

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1

Satellite

Below is a satellite image using the same scale that I used to compare the size of some BNSF yards.

5/8 inch = 2000 ft

Update:

Steve Forrest posted
The "Memphis Big Boy" derrick based out of Johnston Yard in Memphis back in Oct 1973. Kodachrome by Steve Forrest.
Kenny Hearn I remember that being in the truck shop a lot when I worked there.
[I wondered if they stored that in a building because that is the best preserved ACI marking that I have seen so far..]