Union City, IN: Junction Tower: CSX/Big4 vs. Aban/CR/Penn and Aban/B&O/Dayton&Union

(Satellite)

Street View

Steven D. Huelskamp posted three current pictures:

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Dale Vincentovick Martin provided links to photos taken in its better days: 1 and 2.

The B&O tracks came from the southwest and joined the Penn tracks east of town. The Union City Gateway Trail would be part of the former Penn RoW through town. The Penn would have crossed from the south side of the Big4 to the north side at the junction tower. It then followed along the north side of the Big4 until it left that route on the west side of town. The B&O/D&U terminated in this town.

John Mosier posted two photos with the comment: "The tower in Union City, Indiana was vacated by CSX a few years ago. There is a local historic group trying to preserve it. I'm glad they didn't just tear it down."

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James Torgesonhttps://www.facebook.com/The-Preservation-Society-of-Union-City-Indiana-Ohio-293586313991261/

Darren Reynolds posted five images with the comment:

Conrails ( Ex- NYC)

"Union City" tower 

Union City, Indiana

Jason Cook: NYC Big Four Cleveland to St Louis and Pennsylvania Panhandle Columbus to Chicago (the Bradford Line).

Jeremy Harris: Plus the B&O.

Matthew Lappin: Jeremy Harris I had a relative that worked on the Dayton Union, I asked him if they were tied into the plant there. he said no their track ended into the house track of the NYC. they had a house track off their mainline switch south of the NYC side.

he said a old head when he hired told him the original plan of the line was to reach Bluffton or hartford city and never did.

Tim Shanahan shared

Jim Kelling Big Four tower design

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"Union City" tower was at the crossing of the PRR And the CCC&StLRY...March 1,1992

Photo by: Frank Garon Collection

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Looking down the tracks at "Union City" tower

Photo by: Rich Ballash

Hal Johns: Looking east NYC/Conrail

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An interlocking diagram and interlocking machine information for "Union City" tower. Indiana

Joe Cearfoss: I wonder if those are movable frogs around #25 switch?

Ken Miller: Joe Cearfoss yes.

Joe Cearfoss: Ken Miller They must have been a challenge for C&S to keep in adjustment(obstruction tests, etc.). And then snow in the winter. Yikes!

Daniel Kopack: Kinda neat how you could get Slow Clear to cross over both ways..

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The old days at "Union City" tower as a Penn Central freight crossing over the Dimonds 1972

Photo by: David P. Oroszi

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"Union City " tower. Union City, Indiana

Photo by: Dan Maners

A 2012 railfan video caught a CSX engine passing the tower. It then focuses on the tower itself. (It looks the MoW unit train carried ties.) A side view of the bay window. Another view with the tower in the background. A focus shot on the bay window and a side and the condition of the roof. A view from the tower.

(depot)

Palmer, IN: Erie Embankment Trestle and MS Tower

Wayne Hudak posted

Just east of Crown Point Indiana (of John Dillinger fame) is Palmer where the old Erie Railroad passed through. The area, being quite marshy, caused the railroad's track to sink and become uneven. In 1915/16 the railroad built a trestle through the area to alleviate that problem. The trestle was then filled over with earth to give it more stability. The embankment is still there and the track abutment for Randolph Street is still there. If anyone ever decides to remove it, they will find a buried bridge. Many railroads built this type of roadbed in marshy areas.

Photo: Construction of the Palmer trestle before being covered-1916

Michael Albert The Wabash Railroad in Westville was built the same way.

[I also found this photo on a Hoosier Valley page.]

Wayne Hudak commented on his posting
The Erie was a double track main through there, the two mains were separated a wider distance than normal mains. The Erie was known for that. Here's a shot of the well separated mains after abandonment between Crown Point and Schererville, looking north to US30.

Erie started with a broader gauge than the standard 4'8.5". But I think they converted to standard gauge long before they built their route into western Indiana. So I wonder why they stuck with such a wide double-track right-of-way.

Update:

Cal Venzke posted
Working on the railroad... "During 1915-1916 Robert Grace Contracting Company made a sizable cut at Palmer, Indiana for the Erie’ realignment project. Most people have never heard of “MS” tower, which is shown behind the steam shovels. This was when the Erie was doing a grade reduction and realignment project. Photo from HVRM collection."

Forrest, IL: Grain Elevator

(Satellite)

This was a duplicate post. The railroading content that was here in these notes has been moved to Wabash Depot, Turntable, NW Caboose and TP&W Junction.

Street View

Obviously, the wood elevator is old. I can't tell if the three steel bins are bolted or welded, but either way, they are also old. The dryer, galvanized bin and legs are modern.

Street View

 

Street View
[The loose railroads in the foreground indicate that TP&W is investing in the maintenance of its track.]

Brett Ellis posted four photos with the comment: "Forrest, Illinois"

Brett Ellis again posted four photos with the comment: "Forrest, Illinois"

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The hopper cars in the #3 photo above must be delivering fertilizer because the loadout spouts don't reach the railroad siding. The carload freight service is a reminder that this town is served by TP&W, a shortline, instead of a Class I railroad. I wonder if any of today's Class I railroads would provide this service.

Street View

 

Randy Allard posted, cropped
TP&W westbound setting off in Forrest, illinois at 2:16pm getting their air to head west now.

 

David Jordan posted
Two loads ready to be pulled from Forrest Elevator & Supply in Forrest, Illinois this evening.

These are the photos that were moved to "Forrest, IL: Wabash Depot, Turntable, NW Caboose and TP&W Junction."

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Merrillville, IN: C&O Depot

Wayne Hudak posted two pictures with the comment:

Merrillville Indiana C&O station, which was at 73rd & Broadway. It was razed in the 1960's. A work/camp train always sat there where the station was well into the 1970's. Tracks are now long gone.

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Wayne's comment on his posting
Here's a 1960's photo of the 73rd & Broadway station just before it was razed.

Freeing up prime real estate at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Broadway for a law office is the only part of the C&O RoW that has been rebuilt except for the strip along US-30.

Satellite

But looking at a 1952 aerial, it looks like the depot was further north, and it could have been preserved as a very nice trail head. I believe the depot is the black rectangle in the upper-left corner of this excerpt. Now it is just trees and vacant land with concrete foundation remnants.

Belleville, IL: L&N, IC & Southern Depots, IC Freight House and Square Grain Elevator

L&N Depot: (Satellite, the building has been replaced.)

IC Depot: (Satellite)

Southern Depot: (Satellite)

IC Freight House: (Satellite, the building has been replaced.)

Grain Elevator: (Satellite)

Rich Jacobson posted
The old L&N depot was still standing in Belleville and the freights were still running with cabooses. January 1986.

The L&N was one of the first east/west routes across Southern Illinois that CSX dumped. Evansville Western Railway saved the route between Evansville, IN and Okawville, IL. And it appears the segment between St. Louis and Belleville is now part of a commuter route: Bi-State Transit (BST) or "Metrolink." BST abandons the L&N route and heads straight west after going through downtown.

Andy Zukowski posted
The Illinois Central Depot in Belleville, Illinois, photo by Wesley L. Hammond in 1969
Dennis DeBruler: This depot has been preserved: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DbFNtg2MA3zkm2YQ9. I think the silos in the background were for a retail coal company. They don't normally make it to the late 1960s.

Street View, Oct 2023

I think the building across the street might have been the IC freight house.

Street View, May 2023

<update>

According to comments by Will and Brad below, the above is a heavily remodeled version of the original building.

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Freight Depot, Belleville, Illinois. 1972

Kevin McElligott: What street is this on?

Will Rasmussen: Kevin McElligott Illinois Street. The passenger station is over the photographer's right shoulder. This freight house still stands.

Dennis Smith: Spend lots of time in there.

Jim Greathouse: Dennis Smith do you remember a helper unit staged there to assist trains coming up the hill from East St. Louis? David Neubauer use to talk about taking pictures of the last steam locomotives staged there and kept hot for helper service.

Brian Bandy: Reichert Grain elevator burned down around that time. I was at Fridays across the street drinking beer and playing foosball when it happened.....

Richard Fiedler shared

Brad Wallin: Still there but not used by the railroad. I remember when all of this was just like in the picture but a lot different now. CN track now and a good place to watch the local come through, a north and south local is the only regular traffic on this line but other trains do use it occasionally.

Amanda Rudy commented on Andy's post
What that spot looks like now...

A close up of the Purina grain elevator remnant.

Street View, Oct 2023

This confirms the remodeling.

St. Clair County Historical Society posted four photos with the comment:

Belleville’s new Illinois Central depot opened to great fanfare in February of 1929.

It served as a train station for a very short period of time, closing in 1932.

The passenger depot was moved to the freight house across S. Illinois Street.

The combined depot served until it closed in the mid-1970s.

Photos donated in 2005.

LongStory Coffee Clara B's Kitchen Table Welcome to Belleville, IL

Larry Zotti: So what was the purpose of the building post 1932 , if the passenger station was moved to the freight house ?

St. Clair County Historical Society: Larry Zotti We know that, in the 1930s, it was the offices of the Belleville Township Relief Commission.

Severin Gundlach bought it in 1944 as the office for his Specialist Tool Manufacturing Company.

David Cantrell shared

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</update>

1959 OFallon Quad @ 24,000

Mike Ray posted
IC move at Belleville  IL    1990
Randy Deeke: Yep, west bound. Born and raised 8 blocks from where the pic was taken. Used to watch IC/ICG try and make it up the grade with coal. Very often the locos would make as far as south 8th to about 15th to 16th and have to stop an wait for pusher help. Used to go up in the locos and caboose and hang out with the crew. Back in the day when they would let you do that. Richard Fiedler shared

Southern Depot

Richard Fiedler posted

I had to get an excerpt that went further west to catch the Southern spur into town.

1954/59 French Village and OFallon Quads @ 24,000

I first looked at the end of the stub west of 3rd Street. When I didn't see anything appropriate, I looked along the mainline. It appears that it was in the southeast quadrant of Illinois Street and the tracks.