Metropolis, IL: IC Depot

(Satellite, it was east of Girard St., halfway between 1st and 2nd)

Illinois Central Railroad Scrapbook posted

A few photos from Superman's hometown...

The city of Metropolis, IL, is located along the Ohio River, about 10 miles downstream from Paducah, KY.  In 1888 the Chicago St. Louis & Pacific Railway completed construction of a 53 mile line stretching from Marion, IL, through Reevesville and Metropolis, and terminating at Brooklyn (later renamed Brookport).  A ferry was used to take CStL&P trains into Paducah.

In the late 1890's the CStL&P was acquired by the Illinois Central.  Two more railroads entered Metropolis in 1910.  The Chicago Burlington & Quincy completed construction of a line north to Centralia, IL.  Also in 1910 the CB&Q and the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway (NC&StL) formed the Paducah & Illinois Railroad.  The P&I was a "paper railroad".  It was formed for the purpose of building a bridge across the Ohio River at Metropolis, plus a railroad line on the Kentucky side of the river into Paducah.  IC initially did not own part of the P&I, but in 1922 acquired a 1/3 interest in the bridge when building the Edgewood Cutoff.

The photo of the IC's Metropolis depot was taken by an IC company photographer in 1915.  The depot was along the riverfront, at the corner of First Street and Metropolis Street, a few blocks east of the P&I bridge.

Stephen N. Brannon posted
One more Metropolis Jct., Illinois shot from 1956. CB&Q Train No. 15 with engineer grabbing train orders and clearance upon leaving the P&I CTC to gain CB&Q rails northward to Centralia, Beardstown, and on to Galesburg. No. 15 and southbound counterpart No. 14 were the only First Class freight trains on the CB&Q due to a tragic collision just north of Herrin, Illinois on Dec. 8, 1934, in dark and snowy weather of No. 15’s then Second Class southbound predecessor No. 70 with a cut of loaded coal hopper cars being switched on to the main line by a switch engine whose crew had failed to call in to the nearby Herrin Jct. operator to check on nearby traffic. All three of the engine crew of No. 70 were killed. Thereafter the through freights were made First Class Trains Nos. 14 and 15 since all other trains had to clear the time of First Class Trains by 5 minutes according to Employee Timetable Rules to hopefully prevent another such tragic wreck.

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Another depot based interlocking at Metropolis Jct., Metropolis, Illinois. CTC console in this depot controlled the Paducah & Illinois RR, jointly owned by the IC, CB&Q, and NC&St.L, from this point across the Ohio River bridge to reach Paducah, Kentucky. Photo shows southbound IC which has just entered P&I tracks from the IC’s Edgewood Cutoff north-south freight line from Edgewood, Illinois to Fulton, Kentucky. Just across the bridge at Chiles, Kentucky IC trains bound for Fulton will leave the P&I to continue on to Fulton, while other IC trains will continue on the P&I from Chiles to Paducah.
Photo from 1957.

Stephen N. Brannon commented on his post
he P&I. I knew him in the 1950s when I hung out at the depot as a boy and he taught me all about both operating the CTC as well as train orders, clearances, etc. Happy memories.
It was a standard Union Switch & Signal CTC apparatus.

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Another shot of Metropolis Jct., Illinois which controlled the CTC interlocking where the IC and CB&Q entered the jointly owned P&I to cross the bridge into Kentucky. Photo looks southward in 1956 and shows IC 2-8-0 No. 733 heading the daily, except Sunday, local freight originating at Paducah North Yard just having come off the P&I bridge.

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Another Metropolis Jct. shot of a southbound IC headed by 2-10-2 No. 2731 entering the P&I with empty coal hoppers for Paducah South Yard and the Western Kentucky coalfields around Madisonville. 1956.

Keith Peeples: This must have been a great location for steam with IC 2-10-2s and CB&Q 2-10-4s everyday.

Reply

Stephen N. Brannon posted
One more Metropolis Jct., Illinois shot from 1956. CB&Q Train No. 15 with engineer grabbing train orders and clearance upon leaving the P&I CTC to gain CB&Q rails northward to Centralia, Beardstown, and on to Galesburg. No. 15 and southbound counterpart No. 14 were the only First Class freight trains on the CB&Q due to a tragic collision just north of Herrin, Illinois on Dec. 8, 1934, in dark and snowy weather of No. 15’s then Second Class southbound predecessor No. 70 with a cut of loaded coal hopper cars being switched on to the main line by a switch engine whose crew had failed to call in to the nearby Herrin Jct. operator to check on nearby traffic. All three of the engine crew of No. 70 were killed. Thereafter the through freights were made First Class Trains Nos. 14 and 15 since all other trains had to clear the time of First Class Trains by 5 minutes according to Employee Timetable Rules to hopefully prevent another such tragic wreck.

B Tupper Upham: FT's!

Stephen N. Brannon commented on Keith's comment
CB&Q 2-10-4 engines only worked north of Centralia. 0-1-A Class 2-8-2 Mikados were the heavies CB&Q steam engines I ever saw at Metropolis, my hometown. Here is one working the Metropolis yard in 1956.

The IC entered the town on the east side whereas the CB&Q entered it on the west side.

1940 Paducah Quad @ 62,500

This shows the depot was halfway between 1st and 2nd. And, except between Metropolis and Girard, 1st Street was the CB&Q riverfront RoW. Also, the river was running really high. A lot of todays casino would be in water if the river ran this high today.

EarthExplorer: Feb 21, 1952 @ 23,600; AR1SW0000010033

I included this map to document that topo maps can be rather inaccurate. I presume the rectangle at the end of Catherine St. is supposed to be the depot. Note that the map is missing the one block of 1st St. that existed back then.

1967 Metropolis Quad @ 24,000

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Depot in Metropolis, Illinois. 1976