Charleston, IL: Junction (CO) Tower: Aban/Big Four vs. DREI/NKP (Cloverleaf) and NKP Depot, Freight House and Roundhouse

Olive Ave. was built through here after the railroad structures were torn down.

Tower: (Satellite)

Depot: (Satellite)

Freight House: (Satellite)

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

DREI = Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad

The Big Four route is now the Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail.

 

Andy Zukowski posted
The Nickel Plate Road signal tower in Charleston, Illinois. 1971

Darren Reynolds posted six images with the comment:

Conrails (EX-NYC)

"Charleston" tower (CO)

Charleston, Illinois

Tim Shanahan shared

1

"Charleston" tower was at the crossing of the NYC And the Nickel Plate..

Photo by: Wally Mattes 1974

2
A NYC track and interlocking diagram and interlocking machine information for "Charleston" tower.

3

I'm not too sure, but I think this is the Nickel Plate station and Freight station..And you can see "Charleston" tower next to the freight station...

Photo by: Craig Sanders

Jason Cook: That is correct. This is the NKP station and NKP freight house on the right. Quite often your posts prompt me to go to Google Maps and use Streetview to see what is left today and try to match up streetview with the photos. Sadly, more often than not, there's nothing left to see. Charleston is a pleasant surprise. The tower is gone and lots of the small buildings that line the ROW in this picture are gone but the station and freight house are still here as is the mainline.

Jason Cook commented on Darren's third photo
That is correct. This is the NKP station and NKP freight house on the right. Quite often you posts prompt me to go to Google Maps and use Streetview to see what is left today and try to match up streetview with the photos. Sadly, more often than not, there's nothing left to see. Charleston is a pleasant surprise. The tower is gone and lots of the small buildings that line the ROW in this picture are gone but the station and freight house are still here as is the mainline.
[https://maps.app.goo.gl/9z1Nu9iDnfaWAr3o7]

4

Reading Railroads Eng#3639 is passing "Charleston"

Tower..

Photo by: Craig Sanders

5
"Charleston " tower in Charleston, Illinois

6

A Dwarf signal At "Charleston" tower

Photo by: Craig Sanders

While I was verifying that the roof line had been simplified on the depot, I discovered that the power company still has the microwave tower that we see in the left background. The grain elevator has grown into what we see in the right background.

Street View, Sep 2023

 

1936/36 Oakland and 1938/38 Toledo Quads @ 62,500

Note that NKP had a roundhouse at the south end of their railyard.

1936/36 Oakland and 1938/38 Toledo Quads @ 62,500

I included the roundhouse in this excerpt.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

While looking for the roundhouse, I discovered that the town now has a second grain elevator. This elevator is on the roundhouse land. And the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad uses the yard.

Satellite