West Lebanon, IN: Former Wabash Depot, Grain Elevators and Train Wreck

(Satellite)

Jeffrey Bossaer posted five photos with the comment: "Wabash Railroad at West Lebanon, Indiana."

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Wabash Railroad depot in West Lebanon, Indiana, 1910.
[There is no bay window for the agent's office. But there is a freight side (left) and a passenger side (right).]

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West Lebanon, Indiana.

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Depot in West Lebanon, Indiana.

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Wreck at Redwood near West Lebanon, Indiana.

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Wabash Railroad wreck at Redwood near West Lebanon, Indiana.
[Given the bridge in the photo, I believe the wreck was here.]

Not only are both grain elevators in the photos gone, there is no grain storage left in this town. (I found that the local farmers can use an ADM facility on the south side of Attica, IN.) However, there is fertilizer supply. There is a lot of fertilizer delivery equipment parked out back.

Satellite

I presume those tall tanks are storing a liquid fertilizer.

Street View, Dec 2016

One of my metrics for judging the prosperity of a small town is looking for filling stations. This is a three pump Phillips 66 town.

I noticed that neither Williamsport nor this town have a grain elevator. So I wondered to where the local farmers haul their grain. I found an ADM facility on the south side of Attica, IN.

Birmingham, AL: BNSF/Frisco+ IC East Thomas Yard

Yard: (Satellite)

Turntable: (Satellite, a turntable on the northwest side of the yard is now gone.)

Illinois Central Railroad Scrapbook posted

Around 1950 IC Mikado 1708 switches the yard at Birmingham. IC's engine facility is off to the left, and the bridge over Village Creek is in the right foreground.

Birmingham is known as the "Magic City" for it seemed to appear out of nowhere, as if by magic. In 1880 the city's population was 3,086, but by 1900 that number had jumped to 38,415, and by 1910 the city's population would boom to 132,685 persons. This population boom was fueled by the discovery of large deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone in and around the city. These are the primary ingredients in making steel, and several massive steel mills were built in the area.

The city's dramatic growth attracted attention from several railroads, including the IC. Around 1905 the IC began making plans for a 200+ mile extension from Jackson, TN, south to Birmingham. But to keep costs down, IC planned to rely mostly on trackage rights over other railroads. Beginning at Jackson, TN, the IC laid approximately 2 miles of tracks south to a connection with the Mobile & Ohio Railroad tracks at Perry, TN (sometimes called Perry Switch). IC would use the M&O for 56 miles to Corinth, MS. The IC built 78 miles of new track between Corinth and Haleyville, AL, where the IC joined the Southern Railway. For the next 41 miles IC trains would use SR tracks to Jasper, AL, where they would enter the Frisco for the final 36 miles into Birmingham.

On the outskirts of Birmingham, at East Thomas, the IC built a freight yard that was shared by the Frisco. Freight service began on April 19, 1908, and passenger service was inaugurated on May 31, 1908.

Passenger trains through Birmingham during the early 1950's included the "Seminole" and the "City of Miami". According to the November, 1950, issue of "Illinois Central Magazine" scheduled southbound freight trains included SE-1 and CB-9, plus FB-5. The latter train was inaugurated in August, 1948, and handled Memphis-Birmingham traffic that previously had been handed over the Southern Railway at Memphis, and then handed back to the IC at Corinth, MS. Northbound freight trains included BC2 and BC4.

Traffic on the Birmingham line remained steady into the 1970's. But in the mid-1980's ICG began paring itself down to a Chicago-New Orleans system that would make the road more attractive to buyers. In 1988 the line from Birmingham to Fulton, KY, was sold to the Norfolk Southern, which envisioned using the line as a shortcut for traffic moving between Birmingham and St. Louis. NS trains would run over the line to Fulton, then get on the ICG and run north to Centralia, IL, and then join the ex-SR line to St. Louis. However, those plans were shelved after NS's trains between Fulton and Centralia were routinely delayed. Today, the Fulton-Corinth segment is leased by NS to the West Tennessee Railroad.

Paul Jevert shared
I.C.R.R. Birmingham AL.    I.C. 2-8-2 Mike #1708 switching in Big "B" Yard   (1950)   Cliff Downey Collection

Note that the cuts of cars on the left side carry vehicles. And that there are a lot of cars parked on the left side. That is because that is the BNSF auto facility.

Street View, Feb 2019

When I first read the comment in the following post, my reaction was what was BN doing this far south. Then I remembered that the BN merger included Frisco and that Frisco terminated in Birmingham.

William Davis posted
Late 90’s; The BN Transfer Job heads back to East Thomas Yard ( BN’s Birmingham Terminal ) after interchanging with NS, as they pass by the Sloss Furnace Museum in Birmingham, AL. with a Santa Fe GP30u leading a Santa Fe GP20.

The name "ST LOUIIS   BIRMINGHAM    SOUTHERN   SAN FRANCISCO" confused me. But after looking at some older topo maps, I think this stretch of track was used by both the Frisco and the IC. The names "Birmingham" and "Southern" come from an ancestor railroad of the IC.

1959 Birmingham North Quad @ 24,000

The key on this BNSF map labels the green lines as "handling carrier" and the dotted orange line as "haulage agreement."

BNSF-network-map

I was surprised by the liveries in this scene. It made me check the date of the video, which was 2017. The green BN loco and the H1 loco are rare in the 21st Century, but the blue Smurf loco is really rare. I don't remember seeing a blue BNSF locomotive in real life, and I've lived by the Racetrack (CB&Q in Chicagoland) since 1976.

This 32:40 video about railroading in Birmingham starts with the East Thomas Yard. It shows a Smurf loco being used for switching.

Cass, WV: Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

(Satellite, 5,691 photos)

Case, WV, tripped my "twice in two days" rule. In addition to Jim's photo below, I learned about replacing a bridge in the former C&O Greenbrier route north of Cass.

Jim Pearson Photography posted

The fireman stands on the tender of Cass Scenic Railway Shay locomotive number 11, (C-90-3) as they take on water during the Rail Heritage Photography Weekend photo shoot at Cass, West Virginia on November 5th, 2022. Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass Scenic RR Photographer's Specials

According to Wikipedia: Cass Scenic Railroad, is an 11-mile (18 km) long heritage railway owned by the West Virginia State Rail Authority and operated by the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad. The park also includes the former company town of Cass and a portion of the summit of Bald Knob, the highest point on Back Allegheny Mountain.

Founded in 1901 by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (now WestRock), Cass was built as a company town to serve the needs of the men who worked in the nearby mountains cutting spruce and hemlock for the West Virginia Spruce Lumber Company, a subsidiary of WVP&P. At one time, the sawmill at Cass was the largest double-band sawmill in the world. It processed an estimated 1.25 billion board feet (104,000,000 cu ft; 2,950,000 m3) of lumber during its lifetime. In 1901 work started on the 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge railroad, which climbs Back Allegheny Mountain.

The railroad eventually reached a meadow area, now known as Whittaker Station, where a logging camp was established for the immigrants who were building the railroad. The railroad soon reached the top of Gobblers Knob, and then a location on top of the mountain known as 'Spruce'. The railroad built a small town at that location, complete with a company store, houses, a hotel, and a doctor's office. Work soon commenced on logging the red spruce trees, which grew in the higher elevations.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/350, ISO 200.

https://pixels.com/featured/cass-scenic-railway-shay-11-takes-on-water-at-cass-wv-jim-pearson.html

My wife and I took a train ride on this logging railroad a few decades ago. If I remember correctly, this is one of the largest Shays ever built. The locomotive pushed the train up the tracks for safety reasons and there are a couple of switchbacks along the route.

The full ride to the top of Bald Know, the third highest peak in WV, takes 4.5 hours and costs $79 in 2023. [MountainRailWV]

Chadwick Wilemon, Oct 2022
"Cass is the home to the world’s largest fleet of geared Shay locomotives. Five Shays, one Heisler, and one Climax reside here." [MountainRailWV-whittaker] Geared locomotives are designed for power, not speed. Every axle, including those under the tender, are powered.

MaintainRalWV-CassScenic

MaintainRalWV-BaldKnob
The grade averages 4-5% and at times reaches 10%. 

 

Jim Pearson Photography posted

Meadow River Lumber Company steam locomotive, Heisler No. 6, leads a freight train past a wetlands area at Hosterman, West Virginia during the Mountain Rail WV, Rail Heritage Photography Weekend. The event was held at the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Durbin, WV, and Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass, WV, from November 4-6th, 2022. 

According to Wikipedia: The Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (reporting mark DGVR) is a heritage and freight railroad in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. It operates the West Virginia State Rail Authority-owned Durbin Railroad and West Virginia Central Railroad (reporting mark WVC), as well as the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in Virginia. Cass Scenic Railroad, Cass Scenic RR Photographer's Specials

Beginning in 2015, DGVR began operating the historic geared steam-powered Cass Scenic Railroad, which was previously operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources as part of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2S Drone, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/meadow-river-lumber-company-heisler-no-6-at-hosterman-wv-jim-pearson.html
Dennis DeBruler shared

89 photos of steam in action on the Cass Scenic Railroad

Rock Island, IL: Rock Island Arsenal Museum

(Satellite, 1,183 photos)

Rock Island Arsenal Museum posted
[Dec 21,] 1904, the first Rock Island Arsenal-produced Model 1903 Springfield Rifle, Serial No. 1, was accessioned into the collection of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum. The main production for the rifle was in Shop B (Building 60) where the Museum is located today.
Serial No. 1 will be on display when the Museum reopens in the Summer of 2023.
Mike Judd: Apparently Springfield Armory also has a serial number 1 https://www.thefirearmblog.com/.../the-first-springfield.../
Douglas Vanatta: Mike Judd there were a couple of other manufacturers and they probably also have a serial number 1.
Friends of Springfield Armory National Historic Site: Mike Judd https://youtu.be/gxUK5wezZbA

1 of 14 photos posted by Rock Island Arsenal Museum
The Rock Island Arsenal Museum opened [July 4] in 1905 and is the Army's second oldest Museum. Originally called, The Ordnance Museum at Rock Island Arsenal, the Museum was located in Building 102 until after WWII when it was relocated to it's current location in Building 60.

10:55 video @ 0:25
Illinois Adventure #1501 "Rock Island Arsenal Museum"
As the largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal in the western world, the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA) provides manufacturing, logistics, and base support services for the Armed Forces. The Arsenal is an active U.S. Army factory, which manufactures ordnance and equipment for the Armed Forces. Some of the Arsenal's most successful manufactured products include the M198 and M119 Towed Howitzers, and the M1A1 Gun Mount.

1 of 7 photos posted Rock Island Arsenal Museum
The Museum collection includes a 1924 Singer sewing machine that was used for production in the early-20th century.

Rock Island Arsenal Museum posted 19 photos with the comment:

[Dec 27,] 1871, Shop B (Building 60) was completed. 

It has had many uses during its 151 year history. It has been home to the manufacturing line for the M1903 Springfield Rifle, the Officer's Club and Enlisted Club, a bowling alley, the Arsenal's cafeteria, the barbershop, and offices.

Today it is home to the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, Army Contracting Command - Rock Island, Arsenal Attic Thrift Shop, and Lock & Dam Lounge 

Mike Davis: I remember when there was a pistol range in the basement in the front of the building.

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Larry Ayer: It sure must have been noisy in operation!
Bob Nolen: This was the telodynamic system. It was only used for a very short time, 3-5 years due to mechanical failures. I do agree on the hazards and wonder how many hands were removed by this.

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Charles Enstrom: What a wonderful cafeteria back in the 50 s. They should be ashamed of how they let the food setup deteriorate into what they currently have.

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Dawn Duskin: I remember this. From when Aunt Mary took us to the museum MANY years ago.
Bob Nolen: I think there's only 1 or 2 of them left now and it's in a plexiglass case because they used to use strychnine in the tanning solution to preserve the hides. Lots of changes over the years and I'm sure there's lots more changes to come.

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ArsenalHistoricalSociety-exhibits
[I wish I could read that telodynamics explanation.  Bob Nelson's comment above is the first time that I have heard of that term.]

video on ria-jmtc @ 0:07
[I could not figure out how to turn of the closed captioning.]
"The Rock Island Arsenal - Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center footprint covers over 30 buildings and over 3 million sq. ft. of manufacturing space.
This state of the art, vertically integrated metal manufacturing facility is a readiness provider for the Department of Defense, designed to meet the needs of America’s Warfighter. Our skills do not make us unique, but we are unique in the fact that we can create product from the initial alloying and casting of raw material through all of the manufacturing processes required to deliver a finished part or system all under one roof.
At any given time, over 300 projects are running through our factory - items as small as a spring to as big as an Ambulance."

Humboldt, NE: CB&Q Depot and Grain Elevators

(Satellite)

Beatrice Area Railroad Enthusiasts posted
Mike Bartels: There was a brickyard in Humboldt that made platform bricks for many CB&Q depots.

I think the depot was near the northwest quadrant of Nemaha Street and the tracks.

1965 Humboldt Quad @ 24,000

There is a long siding to the east of town, but I don't think any of the elevators are rail served because I could not find any fall protectors.

Street View, Aug 2008

Looking the other way, we see that a wood elevator has survived.

Street View, Aug 2008

In the first street view above, I noticed a conveyor over the mainline of the BNSF. It is rare for a railroad to allow a conveyor to be installed over their mainline so I took a closer look. There is a truck unloading platform on the south side. But I was confused by what was over the tracks. So...

Satellite

...I took a closer view from the street. The resolution is limited, but I can see there is a downspout that comes from the tall leg down to the south side of a conveyor. And grain is transferred from the the unloading facility to the north side, which looks like it is (was?) a plant. Even though the town has what looks like distinct elevators, Google Maps has just the label of "Southeast Nebraska Co-Op Co."

Street View

Tom McLaughlin Flickr, 2011
A flour mill was established in 1879. They diversified into mixed feeds. Their original building was over by the depot. This facility was built in 1944. In 1980, Central Soya bought the feed company. Note the blueish wood elevator. It is still standing in the above satellite image. Please access the link for a more complete history of this mill.

After doing a Google search, I came across the names "Wilhelm Grain" and "Humboldt Grain and Flour Company Elevator." Tom McLaughlin further explains that the plant was a flour and feed mill.

I presume these elevators were the Wilhelm Grain Co. And that all of the storage facilities in this town are now owned by the afore mentioned Southeast Nebraska Co-Op. I can't tell how many of the facilities are still being used.

Satellite

Neither of the wood elevators that are still standing are the ones in the photo at the top of these notes.

Supposedly, Andersons owned an elevator in this town because Tyson Foods bought it. Tyson Foods plans (Feb 2018) to build a "chicken complex" in Humboldt. [MilanMirrorExchange] I wonder if that plan happened because a Google search of "tyson chicken nebraska" shows three locations in Nebraska, but none of them are near Humboldt.