Huntley, IL: C&NW Depot

(Satellite)

C&NWHS posted
Huntley, Illinois is located northwest of Chicago along the original Galena and Chicago Union Railroad right of way. The line was built through the once tiny town in 1852. Freight trains still use the line to service the "Chrysler" auto plant at Belvidere, Illinois. In recent years, a plan was made to place passenger service from Chicago to Rockford along this line.
Thomas Kaufman The IRM station came from Marengo the next town west of Union. But if you have ever been to Union and compare the two structures, this looks like a standard Depot plan as the stations were basically identical.

I hope the engineer can see the diagonal train-order semaphore on the left against the cloudy sky better than it shows up in the photo.

Jim Arvites posted

View of the the Chicago & North Western Railway station at Huntley, Illinois circa 1910. Note the C&NW passenger train making a stop at the depot.

(Huntley Area Public Library)

C&NWHS posted
Someone wanted information about Huntley, Illinois.  Here is one of a number of old Huntley photos found at the archives of the C&NW Historical Society in nearby Union, Illinois.  We are looking southeast as a train up from Chicago on the way to Rockford approaches in the early 1930s.  Can someone provide a "today" photo from the same photo site?

Tyson Park: And soon if all goes to plan in 2027 there will be a new train station in Huntley served by the Chicago-Rockford Metra service funded by the State of Illinois.

Brad McFeggan posted

Huntley train Depot

James Walter: The train is heading toward Belvidere. The factory behind the Huntley depot is now apartments. Where the depot was located is now a municipal lot. If you look to the left there are two tracks. There appears to have been a small railyard.

Jake Marino: James Walter yup and the big building to the right was Enos Conley's feed seed and lumber business with the Standard Oil tanks up front.

Marcus Webber shared

Craig Holmberg commented on Marcus' share
Sanborn Map Company, Nov 1919

Jake Marino posted

Found this group accidentally and have enjoyed seeing the local-to-me (Huntley) photos! 

Here's a favorite from my collection. The old Huntley Chicago & Northwestern depot looking northeast on a cold, February 1962 night.

Steven Hooker shared

Thomas Kaufman: Looks like a twin to the former Marengo Depot now the East Union Depot at IRM.

Richard Fiedler shared

Dennis DeBruler shared

In this 1939 aerial, I think it is the building in the middle of this extract. It appears there was a house track on the northeast side of the depot. Note the white fuel oil storage tracks south of the depot that are in the second C&NWHS photo above.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Jake Marino posted four photos with the comment: "I was fortunate enough to purchase a packet of old papers and maps from the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad relating to Huntley. This map, dating to the early 1940s, was my favorite! The old layout of the line through town, the location of the depot, and other details all clearly marked out, detailing a great amount of the town's history."

1

2

3

4

Rockford, IL: IC Depots

(Satellite, I believe it was along the diagonal of this parking lot)

Rockford Rewind posted
Do you remember the Land of Corn ?
The train called "Blackhawk came through there between the years of 1974 and 1981.
- torn down in 1958
Source; brian landis collection

Mark Ludolph shared
Andrew Townsend The 50's depot was just torn down a few years ago. ICG, CC&P, IC, & CN were using it after Amtrak quit the "Blackhawk" (1985?).
Andrew Townsend Demolished 2011, was part of the then deal to re-start Amtrak service to Rockford. https://www.rrstar.com/.../PHOTOGALLERY/304149848/PH/1

Brian Keith Landis posted
Picture taken in the 1940s of a I.C.R.R Steam Locomotive passing in front of the South Main Street Illinois Central Railroad Station in Rockford . Got this picture from Rockford Photo back in the 1983. Brian Landis. Photo

Brian Keith Landis commented on his above post

Brian Keith Landis posted
Neat picture I don't know what year it was taken maybe in the 50s. Illinois Central Railroad Land O Corn train at the South Main Street I.C.R.R Station in Rockford Illinois. This picture was taken from the Winnebago Street Bridge. Brian Landis collection
Jeff James: WOW - thanks for sharing as we never see this direction of the old rockford yard

The bridge in the above photos is down to one track and a remnant.

Satellite

Andrew Townsend commented on Mark's share

Brian Keith Landis posted
Rockford il South Main Street I.C. R.R Depot

It is rare to see a depot with more than two stories in a smaller town.

They took the Rockford aerials during a time of the day that had very little shadow, so it is hard to confirm that this was a taller building. The train would be heading southeast toward the bridge.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Brian Keith Landis posted (cropped)
Nice I.C. R.R depot on south main street. This was taken before it was torn down.

Brian Keith Landis posted (cropped)
Illinois Central Railroad Land o Corn Passenger Train parked at the South Main Street Illinois Central Passenger Station in Rockford Illinois. Brian Landis ,Collection

Brian Keith Landis posted
Rockford city plat map showing Rockford's south main street I.C.R.R Depot and Freight house . all of this is gone now

So the building behind the depot in the above photo that shows the track and depot was a freight house.

Dave Durham posted, cropped
IC Depot and grounds, Rockford, Illinois, 1891.

Larry Foht posted

Rockford Illinois Depot 

Illinois Central Railroad

Iowa Division

Look at the beautiful garden in front of the Depot. This garden extends quite a bit more to the left. There was a swing bridge there that went from the garden  and up the bluff to a beautiful cottage.

Tinker's Swiss Cottage 

Note the people in the Garden 

Larry Foht collection:

Jim Boothe: I think the original bridge is gone. Torn down because it was too dangerous.

[A comment provided a link to a photo of today's suspension bridge.]

 

Andy Zukowski posted
Illinois Central Railroad Depot in Rockford, Illinois. 1916

Fredrico Von Furstenberger III: John Wanfalt This depot served from the 1880s until it was torn down in 1958

Richard Fiedler shared

Tim Howard commented on Andy's post

Tim Howard commented on Andy's post

Brian Keith Landis posted
Rockford Illinois South Main Street (second)  Illinois Central Railroad Depot .Brian Landis  Photo  9/12/2000
Jim Boothe: When was this station built?
Brian Keith Landis: Jim Boothe I think it was built in the late 1950s
Davis Shroomberg: Finally torn down in 2011 or so if I remember correctly.

East Peoria, IL: TP&W Yard and Roundhouse

Roundhouse: (Satellite, the roundhouse was north of the turntable.)

Railyard: (Satellite, the classification tracks still exist.)

Randy Anders posted
Here a shot of the yard taken in 2005
David Jordan More business in those days.

D Scott Kramer also posted
Here's an aerial view of the TP&W yard and shops at East Peoria, IL. Not sure of the year on this one, but thought everyone might enjoy seeing it.
Junior Hill Nice view. Early 2000s for sure, during the early Rail America era.. Intermodal was still moving, Gp20's from the previous 2 owners were still present, turntable was still intact.
David JordanDavid and 1 other manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Fans of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway. 2003, I think. The first Rail America red, white and blue units arrived in 2000 to replace leased units and the older GP20s. Both are visible.
Joshua Sheehan Around 2001. I see a Morton train being assembled on the lead. There are two Libby’s cars in that cut. I also see three Federal Warehouse cars in the yard.

Satellite

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Update:

Rebecca Kraut posted, rotated
East Peoria Yard, 1960's .

Gary Sturm posted
TP&W roundhouse at East Peoria, Illinois in 1978.
Robert Sullivan: does anyone know the location of this roundhouse?
David Jordan: Robert Sullivan TP&W's East Peoria Yard, but it was razed in 1984.

Dennis DeBruler replied to Robert's question
The roundhouse was north of the turntable.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6709889,-89.5448841,126m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en&entry=ttu

Dennis DeBruler replied to Robert's question
I found the turntable using this topo. 1949 Peoria East Quad @ 24,000

Roger Holmes posted
It's Spring of 1980 and NKP 765 has made its way from Ft. Wayne to East Peoria after an extensive rebuilding and will make numerous trips on the Toledo, Peoria & Western in freight and passenger/excursion service...also seen working switching cars and pushing a couple of trains up Washington Hill. The photo shows TP&W 103 on the East Peoria turntable while the Berk is being prepped for the day's work. Hard to believe that it will be 37 years since my Nikon captured this image! © Roger A. Holmes.

John Stell posted
TP&W Roundhouse at East Peoria Yard in August 1979.  Unknown photographer John Stell slide.

Harold J. Krewer commented on John's post
Got busy tidying up the place for inspection! 😉

Sam Carlson posted
TP&W GP40 1000 on the turntable at East Peoria, IL on 11-13-83. A little snow makes the turntable crunch!

John Stell posted, cropped
TP&W Yard Office building at East Peoria Yard on 5-19-76. Tracks in foreground are the RIP Tracks. The white 1976 Chevy Chevette was mine and I would need a shoe horn to get in it today. John Stell slide.

I saved this photo because of the building in the background. Was it a freight house?

John Stell posted
ALCO demo DL640 at East Peoria Yard. Date and photographer unknown. John Stell collection.
Dustin Holschuh: It has to be between 1959 and 1962.

Justin Henson posted 11 photos with the comment: "Went through some more of the negatives for the NKP 765's excursion in May 1980 on the TP&W, photos taken at the East Peoria yard."

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Rice Lake, WI: C&NW Water Tower and Depot

C&NWHS posted
A while back, someone asked for more Barron County, Wisconsin photos. Here is a photo of Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Perhaps the lady is wondering what the photographer is trying to photograph. There is no date data or photographer data on the reverse of the photograph. The photo is, as usual, being held at the archives of the C&NW Historical Society.

My 2005 map indicates the railroad still goes south, but it is owned by Wisconsin Northern (WIN).

Satellite, Shadow Plastics still uses rail service

The local grain elevator still has a spur. But there is no fall protector, so it is not used.

McCain Food USA still has remnants of an industrial spur in its parking lot. But it is no longer connected to the WIN tracks.

Looking at a 1948 aerial photo, a branch went north across the Red Cedar River and terminated in a small yard south of E Messenger St. I believe the photo is looking south from E Messenger St. about where it now curves north.

Satellite

This bridge is a remnant of that branch. And you can still see land scars, treelines, and curved buildings where the branch made a U-turn to reach the mainline.

Satellite