The northeast/southwest track is easy to understand. It was CB&Q's mainline to Galesburg and points west. It is now a major route in the BNSF and Amtrak systems.
The northwest/southeast track was built by Illinois Valley and Northern Railroad between Streator and Walnet via LaSalle, Spring Valley, Ladd, and Zearing. It crossed the Illinois River at LaSalle. The IV&N was bought by CB&Q. At Walnet, it joined the Illinois Grand Trunk Railway, which continued west through Denrock to Fulton. CB&Q also bought the IGT.
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| Andy Zukowski posted CB&Q Burlington Railroad Station, Zearing, Illinois. 1939 |
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| Mark Silverberg posted former CB&Q station at Zearing, Illinois. Photo taken about 15 years ago. Mike Gleason Many years ago, I believe this station had an agent on duty 24 hours a day. I'm not so sure that tickets could be sold; but it may, possibly have had a small waiting room. Only one westbound train stopped and that was no. 9, the Chicago-Galesburg local. Doubtless, there was an eastbound train; but I cannot recall its number. |
The Indiana, Illinois & Iowa (3I) route also includes a segment from Streator to Ladd, but their route crossed the Illinois River further downstream. The 3I was bought by NYC. Even though they were competitors between Streator and Ladd, the 3I used the IV&N and IGT to go west of Ladd towards Iowa. In fact, NYC built an engine servicing facility in Zearing even though they didn't own any track in the area. Note the tender in the following photo says New York Central Lines.
The IV&N route has been abandoned except the segment between Zearing and Peru, which is now owned by Illinois Railways. The 3I was abandoned from south of the Illinois River to its western terminus. It became part of NYC's Kankakee Belt Route. When Conrail was split up, Norfolk Southern got what was left of the Kankakee Belt.
Even in its heyday, Zearing wasn't much of a town.
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| Fourth photo posted by Dale A. Fiste Dale A. Fiste shared I posted this a long time ago, so for purposes of our discussion re: Zearing and the 3 eye, here is a "New York Central Lines" engine with "CI&S on the top board of the tender. [ CI&SR stands for Chicago, Indiana & Southern Railroad, the formal corporate name for NYC's Kankakee Belt Route.] |
Even in its heyday, Zearing wasn't much of a town.
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| 1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
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| Michael Matalis posted in Facebook [In this map, Ill 4A would be the CB&Q mainline whereas Ill 9A would be the IV&N route. Again, CI&SR stands for Chicago, Indiana & Southern Railroad, the formal corporate name for NYC's Kankakee Belt Route.] |
But a town did not have to be very big to have a grain elevator. It continues to amaze me how many wood grain elevators lasted until the 1960s and even the 1970s.
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| Marty Bernard posted CB&Q 4960 Fan Trips #3 On March 21, 1965 I chased a fan trip that went from Union Station to Zearing, IL, i.e. out the race track to Aurora then on the double track line toward Galesburg. Continue the runby at Zearing. Dennis DeBruler: This is another example were you captured the old grain elevator in a town. You have been teaching me that quite a few wooden elevators survived into the 1960s. Ken Schmidt: Dennis DeBruler Actually, there are still quite a few around the Mid-West. But yes, they are slowly disappearing from small towns. I usually see a new one in my travels in Iowa and Minnesota. |
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| Michael Matalis posted Things were great in 2008! On a cold April morning back in 2008 an eastbound BNSF road freight works the Illinois Railway interchange at Zearing IL |
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| Michael Matalis posted It was a good day to be in Zearing. Same day (4/2/08) as the triclops shot, an eastbound UP trackage rights train passes thru town. |
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| Marty Bernard posted CB&Q GP20 927 leads at Zearing IL on March 21, 1965. Wash Me! |
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| Bob Kalal commented on Marty's post 1963 |
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| Andy Zukowski posted Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Zearing, Illinois Station 1949 Tom Lampman: He's actually going around the wye to get onto the NYC. Trenton Dominy: Tom Lampman actually that’s the Burlington Route Zearing-Streator branch through Ladd and LaSalle the NYC had trackage rights to Zearing from Ladd for their belt line connection. The bridge in the distance is the flyover bridge for the NYC while the Burlington used the tracks to walnut and connected with the Denrock branch. |
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| Darrell Burkhalter commented on Andy's post Zearing Turn. |
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| Steven J. Brown posted Milwaukee Road 261 is on the BNSF at Zearing, Illinois - June 27, 1998. Ben Hesse: This was the second longest passenger train she had ever pulled. It was 24 cars long! Steven J. Brown shared |
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