Friday, May 31, 2024

Iron River, MI: Aban/Milwaukee Depot and Trail/C&NW Stambaugh Yard & Coaling Tower

Depot: (Satellite)
Coal Tower: (Satellite?)

Street View, Sep 2023

Milwaukee terminated on the south side of town while C&NW passed through on the north and east side of towns.
1944 Iron River Quad @ 24,000

Alpha Mastodon Historical Society posted
1977 Stambaugh
Andrew Roth shared
A rare photo of C&NW C628s at Stambaugh Yard near Iron River, Michigan.  The Sherwood Iron ore mine closed in 1978 and the last shipment of stockpiled ore was ore was shipped in late 1979.

Alpha Mastodon Historical Society posted
One of the Last Chicago and Northwestern Trains (C&NW Railroad)
Hauling Iron Ore Through Stambaugh Michigan
1977
Kent Rengo shared

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Decatur, IL: Illinois Terminal Railroad Backshops

(Satellite)

Mid-Century Decatur posted
The Illinois Terminal Railroad shops complex was imaged from the air on May 28, 1954, exactly 70 years ago today, when the north side of the city was still mostly undeveloped. The photo looks to the northwest, and in the background, we can see the Drive-In Theater at 2500 N. Jasper. The theater opened in 1948 and closed in 1985. The railroad shops closed in 1982.
H&R photo
Leonard Perlmutter: Getting close to the end of the electric era. When was that pulled in Decatur...I want to say sometime in 55, but I forget without pulling out the books. Not much electric rolling stock in the picture.
Mid-Century Decatur: Leonard Perlmutter June 1955 marked the last passenger service in Decatur, although electric freight operations continued a few more months.
Candice Marie Lynn shared
Bruce Baker shared

The building in the southeast corner still stands.
Street View, Aug 2023

1941 Aerial Photo from IHLAP

1967 Decatur Quad @ 24,000

Wyanet, IL: Lost/CB&Q+RI Depot

(SatelliteI think this was the foundation of the depot.)

This town is on the Chicago-Galesburg-Denver mainline route.

Andy Zukowski posted
CB&Q Train in Station at Wyanet, Illinois. 1913   Photo by CR Child’s
Richard Fiedler shared
Thomas Whitt shared

Larry Candilas posted three photos with the comment: "Wyanet IL - unique two-level station SW of town in the early 1900s. CB&Q on the upper level and Rock Island on lower. Looks to be gone in late 1930s aerial"
Dennis Curless: I wonder how the autos got to the station. Especially when you look at a google map.
Carl J. Marsico: Dennis Curless Probably intended for passengers to go from one RR to the other. If anything, auto traffic is what would have killed this station.
This is also the location of the proposed connection between the former CB&Q and RI for Chicago - Quad Cities passenger service...assuming that ever happens....
Richard Fiedler shared
Richard Fiedler shared
Ken Morrison: Can't even see a vestige of a road to it, much less that it's WAY out of town, especially considering the state of personal transportation at that time or before... Late 30s aerial shows regular depots in Wyanet proper.
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1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The grain elevator has grown.
Satellite

Street View, Sep 2023

But the fertilizer supply company is bigger.
Satellite

Trent Briggs posted 13 photos with the comment: "Wyanet, Illinois.   CB&Q / RIL."
Thomas Whitt shared
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Arenzville, IL: CB&Q Depot

(Satellite, I think it was in the northwest quadrant of the tracks and Main Street.)

Andy Zukowski posted
C. B. & Q. Railroad Depot, Mill & Elevator in Arenzville, Illinois. C. 1910

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Evidently Arenzville was named Arens in 1902.
1902

It looks like it might be a feed mill.
Street View, Aug 2023

Street View, Aug 2023

Oreana, IL: IC Depot

Depot: (Satellite)
Grain Elevator: (Satellite)

The town has significantly expanded south of South (US-20) Street.

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Depot in Oreana, Illinois. 1908
Larry Graham: Worked as a bean counter on a track rehab through there 35 years ago. After Bill Sago had bought it. Cisco Grain.
 
Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Train Station Depot at Oreana, Illinois. 1908
Ryan Tate: Where would this grain elevator be at in Oreana Today?
Dennis DeBruler: This is the location I have for the depot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CKgvwzm11QagLaMa8
So I would put the elevator about here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aDty2vML2QEU3a1D7
Because there is now a building close to where the elevator was, Google won't let me drop the pin accurately. I could not find the elevator on a 1941 aerial.

1941 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Perl City, IL: Lost/CGW Depot

(Satellite, it was north of East Street.)

Larry Foht posted
Eat your heart out Great Western Railroad Buffs !!
Chicago Great Western Railroad Depot and the arrival of the #3 Express..
Pearl City Illinois 
Larry Foht collection :
Larry Foht posted
Chicago Great Western Railroad Depot
Pearl City Illinois
Larry Foht collection :

Larry Foht posted
Chicago Great Western Railroad
Depot and Arrival of the No.3 Express
Pearl City Illinois
January 15, 1910
Larry Foht collection !
Larry Foht posted with the same comment
 
Trent Briggs posted
Pearl City, Illinois.  CGW
Richard Fiedler shared
Pearl City, Illinois.  CGW

By 1971, C&NW owned the railroad.
1971 Perl City Quad @ 24,000

By 1939, there were two wood grain elevators. 
1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The elevator has grown and reused much of the railroad property. I wonder if the long building is for storing grain or fertilizer.
Satellite

Street View, Jun 2023

pce-coops_locations

On their website, they have this photo.
pce-coops_perl-city, cropped

And on Google Maps, I found this photo. But I have not been able to find this facility on a satellite map. It looks like a greenfield elevator. I want to find it to see if it was built next to a railroad.
Photo, Jul 2016

Monday, May 27, 2024

Butler, PA: (VO) Tower: BPRR/B&O vs. Aban/Pennsy and B&LE Freight House

Tower: (Satellite)
Freight House: (Satellite, it is labeled Depot, but it looks like a freight house. The Bessemer and Lake Erie did have grade level tracks in this area to connect with the B&O.)

This town is on the B&O route into New York State. That route is now part of the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad (BPRR) 

Darren Reynolds posted seven images with the comment: "B&O/PRR    'VO' tower
Butler, Pennsylvania."
Scott Seders: Darren Reynolds VO Tower wasn’t put into service until July 17, 1956? Was there another tower that controlled that crossing prior to that date?
Ron Mele: Scott Seders Yes, the previous tower was a one-story wood structure.
Ron Stafford PRR Pittsburgh Region General Order #113
Effective 12:01 P.M., Wednesday, July 18, 1956
(g) BUTLER SECONDARY TRACK
VO Block Station moved to concrete block building immediately adjacent to present location and changed to VO Block and Interlocking Station, in service continuously.
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"VO" tower was built and put in service on July17,1956 by the PRR And B&O..
The PRR Butler secondary branch crossed the B&Os
Buffalo mainline at"VO" ...
Photo by: Ross Jack July 1972

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This is where the PRR crossed the B&O.. Note the PRR Signal to the left.
Photo by: Ross Jack March 10,1985
Dan AndJenni Dawson: Looks like it's been straight railed here.
Ron Mele: This track once extended into the lower part of downtown Butler to serve a passenger and freight station and a few rail-served customers.

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Inside of "VO" tower
Photo by: Ross Jack

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The model board at "VO" tower
Photo by: Ross Jack

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The B&Os mainline at "VO" tower Butler,Pa.
Photo by: Ross Jack

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Looking down the tracks "VO" tower is on the right in the distance..the switch on the right is the connection with the B&LE RR..
Photo by: Ross Jack

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Interlocking and track diagram for "VO" tower
All images from North American Interlockings States A to Z and Canada.

The B&LE freight house:
Street View, Nov 2023

This topo seems to have marked the location of the tower, but it doesn't have the track for the B&LE freight house.
1958 Butler Quad @ 24,000