Jackson, C: DeSoto, IL: 1976-89 Consol/Truax Burning Star #5 Coal Mine and B-E 2570W "Big Muddy"

(see below for satellite information)

The Bush Mines were just east of this mine.

Joshua Sayer posted
Consol Burning Star #5 DeSoto IL
[The newest aerial photo I could find was 1971.]

I don't normally include the section information because normally it doesn't change. But this mine is so big they evidently had multiple shafts.

Directory

This map is incomplete. See better info further below.

ISGS

It is interesting how the details of the boundary varies between the two Illinois State Geological Survey maps.

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I think the aerial needs to be rotated a little more than 90 degrees to match the remnants of a loadout that we see today.

Joshua's photo rotated 90-degrees clockwise

Satellite

 

Joshua Sayer posted
Consol Burning Star #5, Pair of 2570-W passing. "Little Muddy" on the left, "Big Muddy" is obviously on the right. "Little Muddy" had the 360ft boom with 90yd bucket, "Big Muddy" was the first built with a twin triangle boom at 335ft and a 110yd bucket.
William Oldani: $45 Million dollar investment with Missouri Public Service Subsidizing the Investment!
Ran 5 Years and Shut Down........Coal Reserves were not There!
David Owens: William Oldani what was the deal? Failed land acquisition’s, faulty reserve development, or poor engineering?
William Oldani: David Owens all the above.
Mike Hargis: William Oldani I’m not sure what you are talking about but my dad worked there way more than five years.
William Oldani: Mike Hargis my dates may be off a bit, my point was those Two machines were retired way before their service life! When did your dad work there and what did he do?
Mark Robison: The mine ran from 1976 through 1990 I worked there from 1980 to 1990

The ISGS shows just the eastern part of the mine. I've never seen a mistake this bad before in the ISGS maps. Not only is the purple part in the topo map part of the mine, but so is a part northwest of the loadout. The part close to the loadout around the  Big Muddy River was not reclaimed and it is now a wildlife refuge.

ResearchGate_burn
[This map missed the part that was south of the UP/MoPac tracks and west of Hurst.]

In addition to the forest by the creek, the western area also has some wildlife preserves. Parts of the reclaimed land have been restored to the prairie ecosystem that dominated the Illinois landscape until the European invaders of North America plowed the prairie and farmed it.

ResearchGate_prairie

I could not find any aerials for this area in EarthExplorer.

Joshua Sayer posted two photos with the comment: "BS#5 aerial view of a pit and Grandpa posing in front of an old scraper during reclamation after the dragline was shut down permanently."

2, cleaned up by David Crain
David Crain: Good pic. Do you know the operator?
Joshua Sayer: David Crain that's Grandpa, he was on the D9 pushing, don't know who was on the scraper, obviously who snapped the photo for me.. grandpa always knew I loved the mine so when he could he tried to get me pictures. I'll ask him if he remembers the other operator that day.
David Crain: Joshua Sayer I ran a 637D like that for almost 6 yrs at BS #5.

Joshua Sayer posted two photos with the comment: "Burning Star #5 2570 'Big Muddy' at work."

Erf Par shared

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Mining Photography Archive posted
Jim Clark: If this is the "Big Muddy" as stated above it is the lot 4 dragline. The other dragline at Burning Star #5 mine was the Lot 7 dragline nicknamed "Little Muddy". The nicknames came from the two rivers we stripped around. The Little Muddy River dumped into the Big Muddy River which eventually found its way to the Mississippi. I was operator on the Lot 4 machine for about 10 years. Consolidation Coal Company's Burning Star Mine #5 was located halfway between DeSoto Illinois and Hurst, Illinois. The mine started June 4, 1976 and had an initial life of 50 years. Because of new Illinois reclamation laws and air quality laws the mine's life was shortened to 16 years. The two draglines were parked side-by-side about 1991. I have the exact day that we shut them down in a diary.
[Flickr copy of this photo]

Joshua Sayer posted
Consol BS #5 DeSoto IL ~
Ruedi Fischer: What fun!  Little Muddy & Big Muddy in the same pit.  Thanks Josh
Erf Par shared

Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn posted
Haul truck crew Consol BS#5. 
Paul Ferrell, Theresa Walker, Joe Genovese, Judi Crane, John Holland.
[The poster referred to herself as "Minelady."]
Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn: I have 2 scrapbooks of our days at the mines. Tons of pictures.
Dennis DeBruler: Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn I'm trying to learn about strip mining. I would be interested in a photo of one of the haul trucks and the manufacturer and model of the truck.

Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn commented on Dennis' comment
 I will try to find a better picture but the one I operated was a 100 ton Euclid with Cummins Diesel engine.

Another example of belly-dump mine trucks.

Ad Gevers posted
3x Cat
Erf Par shared
Comments indicate: Ravensworth Mine NSW , circa 1972 ,BE 1370 ,2400LIMA, Cat 772 belly dumpers with Favell -Mort Trailers

Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn posted
Charlie Caplinger remember when this shovel got buried?
Charlie Caplinger: Yes. Tried to go past the dragline through the pit and hit a mud pocket. Couldn't get it up on logmats. Tried a shortcut instead of deadheading out the incline and back in the next incline.

Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn posted three photos with the comment: "A few more pictures of Burning Star 5 pit. Notice the guy sitting on top!"

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David Crain: Is that Genovese???
Judi Fitzpatrick-Kiehn: David Crain not sure if him or John Holland!

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David Crain provided enhanced versions of each photo:

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Judi Fitzpatrick-Liehn posted
James Taylor: Was at his side when he died, trying to give CPR, at Prep. Plant!
Joshua Sayer: James Taylor Dad was there too.
Joshua Sayer:  My Dad was an EMT that responded, Dad never got over that accident and didn't speak about it.
Joyce Wyatt Fields: Joshua Sayer I remember that.
Joshua Sayer: Joyce Wyatt Fields where's your pictures on that dozer at?

Joyce Wyatt Fields commented on Joshua's comment
summer 1979.
Joshua Sayer: Joyce Wyatt Fields what mine was this photo at?
Joyce Wyatt Fields: Joshua Sayer Consolidated Coal Co. Burning Star 4 Jamestown.

Joyce Wyatt Fields commented on Joshua's comment
Fall 1997

Judi Fitzpatrick-Liehn posted a photo cleaned up by David Crain

Judi Fitzpatrick-Liehn posted a photo cleaned up by David Crain
Haul truck drivers checking things out at Consol #5. Joe Genovese, Theresa Walker and John Holland.
I'll never forget my haultruck number 59577. Same one Chuck Hedges drove on dayshift.

Joshua Sayer posted two images with the comment:

BS#5 making the front cover of Surface Miner Magazine with the "Big Muddy" shiny and new~ most folks might not know that the "Big Muddy" was the very first B&E 2570-W dragline built with twin triangle booms ~this article also answers some of the mixed comments on her bucket, it was in fact 110yd with a 335 ft boom~ her sister dragline built the following year known as the "Little Muddy" had a 90yd bucket and 360ft boom.

Jerry Lacy: The first 3 2570s built had booms like big Kate in Indiana does. Kate was lot 1 , P and M had lot 2 at their mine on the Kansas/Missouri state line and consol burning star 4 had lot 3.

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Joshua Sayer posted two images with the comment: "Grandpa Larry Brown back in his prime~🇺🇸 BS#5 'Big Muddy' 2570-W."

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Joshua Sayer posted two images with the comment: "BS#5 Changing teeth on the 'Big Muddy' 2570-W."

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Joshua Sayer posted
BS#5 cab view of the pit from the "Big Muddy" 2570-W

9 of 16 photos posted by Afton Compton with the comment: "My dad's pictures and a few things from Burning Star #5. Big Muddy with a broken boom suspension cable in some of the pictures."

Joseph Romans: We were very lucky that the boom didn’t fall. Thanks to all of our workers that prevented it from happening. And to all of us that repaired it and put it back to work.

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