Junction, IL: Lost L&N Depot and Floods

Depot: (Satellite, the white stripe west of the building's foundation was part of the platform.)

David Cantrell posted three photos with the comment:

Flooding at Junction, IL.

1st photo - 4/14/2025 by MG Drone Tours, L&N Depot site circled in blue

2nd photo - 1937 flood aerial photo of Junction, L&N Depot indicated in blue

3rd photo - Junction L&N Depot, 1937 flood, taken by HO Turner

David Cantrell shared with the comment: "Flooding at Junction, IL, former location of L&N Depot. B&O shared track to Old Shawneetown with L&N railroad until the final mile where the tracks diverged to their respective depots."

Gregg Wolfersheim: Flooding was always a problem in the spring. It took 4 days in 1983 to move a PARY train from Mill Shoals to Old Shawneetown. Followed the flood crest each day. Flooding also caused problems latter in summer from all the floating items that gathered around every trestle. Then, it was a fire hazzard!

David Cantrell: Gregg Wolfersheim I counted around 100 bridges between Flora and Shawneetown on a B&O track map. It didn't indicate if they were trestles, culverts, or other structures. My grandpa worked that line from 1941 to 1977. I went with him several times to Old Shawneetown to look at the water on his days off. We also used to drive up north of Enfield to see how it was between Springerton and Mill Shoals.

Gregg Wolfersheim: David Cantrell During the last year the Prairie Trunk operated, we had 2 bridge guys working with help from some of the track workers. It was a never ending job trying to keep them safe. Most were open trestle types.

Christopher Bailey: Forgive my ignorance but see these tracks still active? Thanks for sharing!

David Cantrell: Christopher Bailey No, unfortunately. Prairie Trunk bought B&O/CSX line and it went bankrupt early 1980's, rails were removed thereafter. L&N Railroad Shawneetown Branch from McLeansboro also ceased operations later but not sure of the dates. Evansville Western Railway operates the eastbound section of former L&N railroad from Oakawville to Mt. Vernon, IN.

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[April 2025 Flood   The grain bins made it easy to determine that this view is looking South.]

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This topo map did not mark the location of any of the buildings that were between the tracks and Front Street.

1959/60 Shawneetown Quad @ 24,000

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

I looked for a nearby river on a satellite map to see what was causing the 2025 Junction flooding. But I could not find a nearby river. Is the flood water from the Ohio River or was this local flooding caused by a record-breaking rainfall? The Ohio River was high during the middle of April 2025. But I don't think it was near as high as it got in 1937.

Jim Pearson Photography posted via Dennis DeBruler

CSX Mixed freight X509, a reroute, heads north over the flooded Ohio River at Henderson, Kentucky on April 8th, 2025, on the CSX Henderson Subdivision as it crosses the floodplain heading into Evansville, Indiana.

This area of Kentucky and southern Indiana got record breaking rainfall throughout the region over a three-day period which resulted in major flooding on both sides of the Ohio River. In the distance you can see the farmlands which have been totally covered by the flooding and the ballast deck out of Evansville was close to being covered, but fortunately it didn’t happen.

Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/2.8, 1/2000, ISO 100.

Curt Finke: Awesome perspective! I'm wondering... since the river crested yesterday (4 days after this photo was taken), do you know whether or not the ballast deck out of Evansville was covered?

Jim Pearson Photography: Curt Finke Thanks! Not that I've heard and trains have been running.

US National Weather Service Ohio River Forecast Center posted
Major flooding persists in the lower portions of the Green, Wabash, and mainstem Ohio Rivers.  These will slowly start to recede as all the water in the lowlands and farm fields of the lower Ohio Valley makes its way to the Mississippi.