St. Charles, IL: CGW's Depot

Roger Puta took this June 23, 1962

Marty Bernard posted Roger Puta photos of three Chicago Great Western depots. The resolution was good enough that you could see the semaphore control piping in this picture
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Facebook Resolution

I shared Marty's posting with the "Railroad Depot Page" Facebook Group on Nov. 6, 2015 at 7:57pm with the comment:

There is a depot with a couple of semaphore blades on top. If you expand the picture, you can see a couple of pipes near the bottom going into the building at about the height of the agent's desk. This is so he could easily control the position of the blades from his desk. These signals are used by the agent to indicate if a train needs to pick up train orders. I asked some questions about the details of the signalling in another group. Gary answered:

Gary Sprandel: With a full aspect train order signal, green meant no orders, amber was pick up orders on the fly and red meant full stop and receive the orders.

You don't see train order signals in more modern versions of a depot picture because train orders were replaced by track side signaling.

Jerry Hund posted two photos with the comment:

St. Charles Illinois. 

Here’s a before and after view of the St. Charles station of the Chicago Great Western Railroad. Someone decided the ornate roof treatment had to go. Sadly this is all gone now replaced with a cell phone tower.

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Wenona, IL: GM&O/C&A Depot and Coal Mine

GM&O/C&A Depot: (Satellite, northwest quadrant of 3rd and Chestnut Streets)

Coal Mine: (Satellite)

Gary Sams' posting
Bill Edrington: Actually this is the GM&O (former C&A) depot in Wenona.

Andy Zukowski posted
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad Depot in Wenona, Illinois. 1954.
Richard Fiedler shared

Andy Zukowski posted
The C&A Railroad Depot in Wenona, Illinois. 1908

Richard Fiedler: On the Washington to Dwight branch.

Richard Fiedler shared

The IC was the Charter Line up the middle of the state, and it is gone. The Chicago & Alton was one of the many spokes coming out of Streator, IL, and this branch line is gone.

I shared Gary's posting with the "Railroad Depot Page" Facebook Group on Nov. 6, 2015 at 5:27pm as a followup to my St. Charles CGW share with the comment: "Another depot photo that is old enough to show the train order signal. In this case, the control pipes enter up by the ceiling."

Facebook Resolution

Roger Holmes posted
George Casford Nice, that has some height to it!
Andy Zukowski posted
ICRR tracks in Wenona running alongside the coal mine. C.1910

Roger Kujawa posted
1912 C.R. Childs RPPC Birds Eye View Mine & Town. Wenona, Illinois. Marshall Co.

Roger Kujawa posted
RPPC Coal Mine Mining Railroad WENONA IL Illinois Real Photo Postcard

Roger Kujawa posted
Postcard Post Card Wenona Illinois Ill Il Il Wenona Coal Mine
Dennis DeBruler: Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fxcnktg5zMUziC9v7

 

Roger Jujawa commented on Dennis' comment

Roger Kujawa commented on Dennis' comment

Directory

Map

Trees can cover a multitude of sins.

Satellite

Street View

I had to rotate the aerial 90-degrees. I've probably downloaded over a 100 different aerials, and this is the first one that needed fixing.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The IC went right past the mine. After drawing the C&A route through town more accurately, it also was quite close to the mine.

Aban RR Map

I have not determined to where in town this was moved.

1 of 23 photos posted by City of Wenona
Today the Wenona historical society accomplished another one of their goals, to preserve the railroad history in our community. After months of planning, and fundraising, the goal finally became a reality. A special thank you to the historical society in Wenona, the Streator Historical society, Senica towing, MJ track works, Zak North and our city employees. More still to come next spring!!
John Joseph Walsh III shared
I remember driving through Wenona a couple weeks ago thinking it would be nice to have a caboose there. I didn't have to wait long, this is the Burlington Northern caboose that was at the Streatorland Historical Museum's old location before they moved to the current building off of Route 23. This is basically where the old Illinois Central line used to be.
Dennis DeBruler shared
According to some comments, they plan to repaint it as an IC caboose.

Reading, PA: Reading Railroad Coaling Tower, Roundhouse and Backshops

(Satellite, the foundation is of the roundhouse is now covered by a material storage pile. The coaling tower was a little east of the turntable.)

Bob Gottschall posting
Reading,Pa. 1985. reading was caboose central for a time
[If the picture was just Conrail's deadline for cabooses, I would not have bothered, but we all know I'm a sucker for coaling towers.]

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
58 years ago. Reading yard and coaling tower with new billboard boxcars as seen from Amity Street Foot Bridge. December 1965 process date on slide. Bill Krug Photo most likely, from my collection.

 

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
56 years ago. The Reading's Reading, Pa. Coaling Tower yard view. July, 1968.  Possibly Bill Krug photo, from my collection.

Raymond Storey posted
The Reading at Reading Pa.
Robert Wanner posted
Reading Company Reading, Pa. North 6th Street at the cement coal tower and ash pit. Class T-1's 2107 and 2108 as I remember after being in use as stationary steam boilers for a industry, forget if it had been Carpenter Steel Company or elsewhere. A 1958 photo. Glad I got this photo before everything in the area was removed and torn down. Photo by Robert Wanner.
Raymond Storey shared

Larry A Schaffer commented on Wanner's post
Both used July 1958 to supply steam pressure to clean new boiler at Metropolitan Edison generating station in Portland PA. Supposedly facing each other to make running of steam pipes easier.
Not my photo or info. All gathered via Google.

Gregory D. Pawelski posted
Coaling Tower inside former Reading Company yard in Reading, Pa. in 1984. (Gregory D. Pawelski Photo)
Austin Johnson: Does anyone know what the top room was used for in these old coal towers?
Dan Konkoly: Austin Johnson hoist motor

Dennis DeBruler commented on Gregory's post
I included the residential streets on the right so that this excerpt can be correlated with a contemporary satellite image. I noticed that the roundhouse foundation is now used as the base of a material pile.
Apr 28, 1948 with a scale of 33,000; https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/.../5e83d.../AR1XP4700040007/

Tim Starr posted
Philadelphia and Reading RR shops and roundhouse in Reading PA. Nearly all back shop work for this major railroad was concentrated here, so they were large and complete, employing 6,000 at one point. (Reading Company Archives)

1957 Reading Quad @ 24,000

Tim Starr posted
The Phiadelphia and Reading (Reading RR) shops in Reading PA. This 1904 map shows the terminal (top), locomotive shops (center), and car shops (bottom). They all were laid out along 6th Street.

Robert Wanner posted two photos with the comment: "Reading Company Reading, Pennsylvania roundhouse area along North 6th Street in the last days of steam locomotives lined up out of service in 1952 or even earlier. Photos by Robert Wanner riding his bike everyday to see what was in town."

David Garrett: Looks like some kind of passenger equipment. Doodlebug??

Robert Wanner: David Garrett Yes, out of service, never to return.

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This photo has been moved to "Philadelphia, PA: Reading Railroad Coaling Tower and Roundhouse."

Robert Wanner posted
Reading Company RR. What it looked like from the small hill out just past N. 6th & Amity Sts in Reading, Pennsylvania in steam locomotive years, 1930's or 40's. Quite the lineup of mostly camelback locomotive sitting dead to the front of the Locomotive Shop and good view of both Power Houses as well as the occupied roundhouse. Trolley tracks in 6th Street lead to Rosedale and Temple, Pa. Paul Hartine or Unknown photographer.
Ruth Haan: Do have any pictures of the P&R Reservoir?

 

Robert commented on Ruth's comment
Here's one of the reservoir on the 5th Street Hill, and another of one of the two out at Kutztown Road & Heister's Lane near George Field.

 

Robert Wanner posted four images with the comment: "Reading Company, Reading, Pa. Shops, Roundhouse, Locomotive water supply, the works back in the WW2 Glory years. As some of us will remember it at its height of service and employment. Lots to see and find. Photos from various sources, Dyaland Sky Services, but did copy the diagram, and did take the tour."

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Bob Ellis commented on Robert's post
Reading powerhouse

Gerry Meyle Sr. posted
Elevated view of Reading steam on the turntable at the Reading, Pa. Roundhouse during the steam era. One diesel there though. Most likely a Reading Company photo, from my collection.

Leonard F Shaner Jr posted

#1251 Reading PA - 05/1961 - {Jim Parker Photo}

Roundhouse.

Daniel C Carroll Jr. shared

Robert Wanner posted three photos with the comment: "Reading Company typical views at N. 6th & Amity Streets in Reading, Pa. during the 1950's were the soon to be disposed of steam Locomotives either on a dead line at the Locomotive Shop or sitting between the roundhouse and coal dock, some still in steam, but not in use at the time (1951-55) Photos by Robert Wanner."

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Tim Starr posted
Elevation and floor plan of the Philadelphia & Reading RR foundry in Reading PA just after it was built in 1903. (American Engineer and Railroad Journal)

Bob Macdonald posted two photos with the comment: "Coaling tower at Reading meeting its maker, 1986?"

Timothy Gierschick: First contractor gave up on the demolition.

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Ashkum, IL: IC Depot

20141013 0147, west elevation

(Satellite)

While taking pictures of the grain elevator in Ashkum, I discovered that not only is the interlocking tower still standing, the depot is also still standing.

It has the usual bay window for the agents desk and an asymmetrical design because passengers use the North (left) end and express package handling is done in the south end. What is unusual is that there is no platform for the passengers. Just a little platform at the freight door to allow a baggage cart to be rolled out to the train. This provides easy access to the head-end car of a northbound train. Were their wood planks on the track so that the cart could be shoved further to meet southbound trains? Or did the agent have to carry the packages across the northbound tracks? Note below the big freight door on the horse&buggy side. Evidently some of the packages could be rather big.

Looking Northwest

Chris Goepel posted
The IC wood frame combination depot on the Chicago District at Ashkum, Illinois, circa 1910.
Chris Goepel: During World War II, the IC embarked upon a facilities rationalization and modernization program. The result was smaller standardized "replacement" depots for many stations on the Illinois, Springfield, St. Louis, Kentucky, and Iowa divisions during 1942-1945. The Type A depot at Ashkum (replacing the depot pictured in this postcard view) still stands today and is an extant example of that modernization program.

Paul Jevert shared
The IC wood frame combination depot on the Chicago District at Ashkum, Illinois, circa 1910.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Paul's share

Judging by the placement of the passenger and freight doors, the one still standing is a replacement. Oct 13, 2014

Update: I saw Chris' comment that this is a Type A replacement depot done during a 1942-45 simplification project.