Saline C: Eldorado, IL: Sahara/O'Gara Coal Mine #10

(Satellite, north of the IC tracks and below Eldorado Street.)

Andy Zukowski posted

O'Gara Coal Mine No. 10 was a major underground coal mine located in the Eldorado Quadrangle of Saline County, Illinois.

The mine was initially developed and operated by the O'Gara Coal Company(1905-31). During this multi-decade run, it produced 6,944,854 tons of coal. 

In 1933, operations were taken over by the Sahara Coal Company, which operated it as Sahara No. 10 until its permanent closure in 1941.

Dennis DeBruler: https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/2026/09/saline-c-eldorado-il-saharaogara-coal.html

Directory

ilmines

The L&N and Big Four had routes through town while the IC had a branch that went to the town. The IC branch served the Dering Mine as well as the O'Gara #10 Mine.

Since the mine operated until 1941, it is in this aerial photo. It is just north of the IC tracks. Also, it looks like Big Four has an industrial spur that comes over to the mine.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

To my surprise, it is just the IC branch that still exists.

rail.guide