Norris City, IL: WWII Oil Pipeline Terminal, NYC/Big Four Depot and Junction with B&O

(Satellite, I don't know where the yard was)

David Cantrell posted

New York Central Locomotive No. 2245 leaves the Norris City, Illinois War Emergency Pipeline Terminal in February, 1943 with first shipment of oil on 96 tank cars.

The "Big-Inch" pipeline extended 531 miles from Longview, Texas to Norris City. Sixteen to eighteen trains left per day. Empty cars were staged at Mt. Carmel.

The NYC moved 33,561,770 barrels of oil via 154,291 tanks cars over the next six months fueling the war effort until 857 more miles of pipeline was completed to the east coast later that year.

--Norris City Library photo and article

Looking at the satellite image, it looks like the Big Four had a route through the middle of the town. And then they built a bypass route along US-45 that left the old route just south of North Fork Saline River. The piers for the bridge for the new route are still standing. It looks like both routes were in use in 1938. They must have built the tank car yard between 1938 and 1943.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Obviously, the far end of the depot acted as the junction tower for Big Four vs. B&O.

David Cantrell posted
Norris City, Illinois New York Central Depot from New York Central System Historical Society located on the line between Cairo and Vincennes, Indiana.
 https://nycshs.omeka.net/items/show/127534

Dennis DeBruler commented on David's post
This map shows that the depot was at the junction of the new NYC route and the B&O. The above view would be looking south.
1963 Norris City Quad @ 24,000
[Note the "OIL FIELD" marked below the "I N" of the Indian Creek label.]
David Cantrell: A new depot was built south of town during the 1905 straightening and incline reduction project. Norris City was also the War Emergency Pipeline Oil Transfer terminal that was northeast of the station.

Dennis DeBruler commented on David's post
This map shows how the old route went through town.
1906 Eldorado Quad @ 62,500

David Cantrell commented on the above comment
This was the Norris City depot in 1890 when the rails went through the middle of town.