Bloomington, IN: INRD/Monon McDoel Railyard and Roundhouse

(Satellite)

Robert Brummett posted
This aerial image shows the roundhouse that used to be located at the McDoel Railroad Yard on the south side of Bloomington, Indiana. At the extreme right (just below center) one can see the intersection of South Walnut Street (old 37 South) and East Miller Drive. The area of the roundhouse and railroad tracks are today (2017) part of the Bloomington Rail to Trail
Mark Hazelbaker: I am pretty sure that the trail follows the tracks on the far left of the picture.
Rick Shilling posted
1949 Chicago,Indianapolis & Louisville
(Monon) Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable, Shops and McDoel Yard,
Bloomington, Indiana.

Rey Dougmelas posted
The Monon/McDoel Yard in Bloomington, around 1973. Photo by Jim Maire. The yard closed around 2004 under CSX. Today it is being redeveloped and the main line has been turned into a trail.
David Decker Gone, actually. Taken out, years ago. I suspect that INRD found it inconvenient, when all the factories, Wetterau Foods, GE, et al, on the west side of town, decided to stop shipping via rail.

Richard Koenig posted

McDoel Yard

Here’s a shot of McDoel Yard in Bloomington, Indiana; we're looking south at the Grimes Lane crossing. The line was still the Monon just six years earlier, and things seem quite active yet, with more than one yard/local engines present (note the Alco).

This yard is now completely gone, with a park in its place with a bike path radiating both northward and southward.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken May 29th 1977.

The satellite image offered by Google Maps in Jun 2022 is from Mar 2016. I'm saving an image because it still shows remnants of the stalls for the roundhouse.

Satellite

This post taught me that things changed since that image.

Paul Lutz posted two photos with the comment: "Former Monon McDoel yard in Bloomington Indiana.  My first image shows CSX southbound R591 changing crews in 1989.  My second view from 2012 shows same location which is now known as "Switchyard Park" with trail and pedestrian overpass.  Former RCA warehouse on right and limestone yard office on left are about all that remain.  Paul Lutz photos."

[RCA used to make televisions in Bloomington.]

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The photos are looking south from the north end of the yard. The yard office has been repurposed as a police substation.

Street View, May 2019

I fired up Google Earth to see if it had a new satellite image. It did.

Google Earth, Oct 2019

I zoomed in far enough in Google Maps to show the labels. The park has explicit facilities for pickle ball, skateboarding and dogs.

Satellite

My daughter and her dogs would appreciate the dog park. But I hope they also have a plain old grassy area so that they can play fetch.

老张 in Chicago, Mar 2022

1 of 2 photos posted by Paul Lutz
In these mid 90s views, the CSX business train has come up the old Monon from Louisville and has paused at McDoel yard in Bloomington Indiana. A couple of employees check out the train and ponder their future. The writing must have been on the wall as shortly after this visit, the decision was made to shut down the south end of the Monon from Bloomington to Bedford thus severing it as a through route. Bloomington would continue to be served by CSX from Lafayette Indiana for a couple of years until heavy rains caused washouts that the railroad deemed too costly to repair. Bloomington would then become an isolated CSX "island" operation for a brief period with Indiana Rail Road ferrying freight and motive power in and out. CSX would eventually give up all together and let Indiana Rail Road handle Bloomington operations. Paul Lutz photo.
Dennis DeBruler: Thanks for the history concerning the operations in Bloomington.

Paul Lutz posted
With a fresh crew on board the head end and rear end, R590 departs northward from Bloomington Indiana towards Chicago on the former Monon. In this late 80s shot, most road freights still required cabooses. Indiana University bus garage is in the background. This is now a public trail. Paul Lutz photo
Dennis DeBruler shared

Wayne, MI: Wayne Junction: NS+Amtrak/MC vs. CSX/PM and Ford Assembly Plant

(Satellite)  MC was east/west and PM was north/south.

Mark Hinsdale posted
Wayne Jct. (C&O-NYC)

Craig Hensley Photography posted
A really good visualization of the wayne diamond from the birds eye view.

Symbol: CSX N803
Tech: Canon 5D Mark III + 70-200mm f/2.8 USM II
Date: 11/18/21
Location: Wayne, Michigan
Craig Hensley Photography shared
A cool birds eye visualization of the Wayne diamond as CSX N803 loaded with coal proceeds north after getting permission to cross the 6 track interlocking.
[Craig also caught the CSX/PM yard that is now used to load cars and the NS/MC yard in the right background. To the right of the parking lot is a Ford assembly plant that includes a stamping plant and body shop south of the NS tracks. It looks like Broncos and other short wheel based vehicles are made here.]

 

Mark Hinsdale posted
With another spate of hot, humid weather blanketing the Midwest [this was posted in August], I thought it might be time for a little cool down.  In February, 1979, a Conrail eastbound manifest train is crossing over from Main Track 2 to Main Track 1 at Wayne Jct., Michigan on a cold, but sunny winter's morning.  Wayne Jct. tower controlled the crossing of this ex New York Central/Michigan Central main line with the Chesapeake & Ohio's Toledo to Saginaw route, which the Conrail train is starting to bang across..  Both lines were very active, and Wayne Jct., in Detroit's western suburbs, ranked as one of Michigan's busiest rail intersections. The Ford Motor Company's large Michigan Truck Plant, also located at Wayne, was an important source of traffic for both railroads.  February, 1979 photo by Mark Hinsdale
Mark Hinsdale shared

Mike Robinson posted five photos with the comment: "Northern Region-Michigan Division-Conrail Detroit/Chicago Mainline-Wayne (Michigan) Jct.1982"

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Mike Robinson commented on his posting
The DOL Mike Robinson working the weekend 1982

Mike Robinson posted, cropped
Conrail "Wayne Jct" Wayne MI. On the Detroit to Chicago Mainline.

Jack Lee Stryker II posted three photos with the comment: "July 3rd, 2022: DRONE aerial photos of Norfolk Southern's Wayne Yard in Wayne, Michigan as Amtrak Wolverine Service #350 passes by on Main 2 of the Amtrak Michigan Line in this area. Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern road and yard power can be seen idling near the yard office during a momentarily lull in the action at the yard as soon, B2T(weekend "extra" edition of B25) will finish putting its outgoing train together before making their way back to Jackson.

Nathan Nietering: Michigan’s “most diamonded” junction! 6 of them! Great shots sir!

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Toledo, OH: Alexis (N) Tower: AA+DTI and PM+Pennsy vs. B&O+LS&MS+MC

(Satellite)

There were so many railroads through this junction that I could use just the 1928 names in the title. The 1928 AA was formed in 1895 and abandoned by Conrail in 1976. The current AA was formed in 1988. [posting+Wikipedia]

The northwest/southeast routes are AA+DTI. and PM+Pennsy. The AA+DTI route is now used by (new)AA+CN+DTI. The PM+Pennsy is now used by CSX. The southwest/northeast route had NYC/Lake Shore & Michigan Southern on the west side and NYC/Michigan Central on the east side. When NYC got controlled, they operated the two tracks as a single double-track with the east track used for northbound traffic and the west track used for southbound traffic. B&O had trackage rights in both directions. Now NS owns this route.

Charles Geletzke Jr. posted
Northbound Conrail freight on the former Michigan Central passing Alexis tower in Toledo, Ohio on June 11, 1979. (C. H. Geletzke, Jr. photo)
Charles Geletzke Jr. posted again
Tim Shanahan shared

Rod Clark posted two photos with the comment: "Alexis tower 6-28-92 Toledo Ohio. Conrail GP-38-2 8212 brings a freight from Detroit Mi. Inside shot of the hard working operator who was nice enough to let us get  a drink of water for me and my son from his water fountain on that day of train watching. My Photos."

Kevin Capurso: Closed in 98 and gone by the time I moved to Toledo in 04. Actually driving on Alexis Rd bridge you could see it I was told

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Hugh Simpson posted a 1992 Rod Clark photo of the interior.
Howie Castellucio Looks like Bill Young!
Hugh Simpson I agree, was home 2 weeks ago to do a memorial for my dad Ed Simpson and roamed around Toledo looking at towers I worked at.

Howie Castellucio Or what's left.....Nasby is a shell.
The rest have been torn down. Ironville still stands as does Millard cabin. 
Hallett is still there. Last standing manned tower in Ohio. 
Glad I got to work there.
Skip Cubbedge I used to hear Alexis announcing the C&O southbounds to the TT dispatcher when I worked at Ironville. Alexis must have been a workout every shift with the Armstrong setup! Is that the Tower K panel to the right of the op? Very nice photo.
Don Biggs yes.
Doug Hefty From Saginaw, we used to give the "bid" on all our southbound trains to the operator at Alexis which he then gave to the TT dispatcher for his train sheet. Gave Alexis a one hour figure at Erie when southbounds went by Wayne.

Mark Hinsdale shared his post
A southbound Detroit, Toledo & Ironton train is passing through the junction known as "Alexis," in northern Toledo OH during March, 1979. The train is using tracks belonging to the Ann Arbor Railroad, once a wholly owned property of DT&I. Unwanted by Conrail, by this point the former Ann Arbor is owned by the State of Michigan and is referred to as the Michigan Interstate Railway. DT&I is exercising its trackage rights from Diann MI to Toledo, a carry over from the previous era of Ann Arbor ownership by DT&I. The train is operating between DT&I's yard at Flat Rock MI and Toledo. It is shown here crossing the southward main track of Conrail's Detroit Line, and is about to cross the northward Detroit Line track. March, 1979 photo by Mark Hinsdale

Darren Reynolds posted six photos with the comment: "Conrails ( EX-NYC)

"Alexis" tower(N)

Toledo, Ohio."

Jim Kelling shared with the comment: "Alexis tower near Toledo Ohio."

Tim Shanahan shared

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"Alexis" tower in Toledo, Ohio was a New York Central

Tower...

Photo by: Dan Maners Feb. 1989

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The big interlocking machine at "Alexis" tower

Photo by: Howard Castellucio ( No Date)

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The model board at "Alexis" tower

Photo by: Dan Maners Nov. 21, 2015

Alex Joseph: This looks like a display at Marion Railroad Museum.

Darren Reynolds: Alex Joseph Yes... Your right..

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The operator at "Alexis" tower does some paper work and yes that is an Engineers Chair!!

Photo by: Charlie Whipp 1985

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The Dimonds at "Alexis" tower on July 18,1982

Photo by: David P. Oroszi

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The desk at "Alexis" tower on July 18,1982

Photo by: David P. Oroszi

Champaign-Urbana, IL: John Smith's Map

John Smith posted five photos with the comment:

Champaign-Urbana Highlights
light purple Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Rail Line
Dark Purple Wabash
Baby blue Urbana & Champaigan Railway
Yellow IC
Pink IT

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West Vienna, IL: Aban/C&EI vs. BNSF/CB&Q

(Satellite)

This is the south end of CB&Q's 1910 joint trackage rights over the C&EI. [Photo caption]

The UP has abandoned its route from here to Joppa, IL because it now uses trackage rights over the CB&Q. [2005 SPV Map]

p. 85, Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad In Color by Edward M. DeRouin has a 1973 photo of orders being hooped up to a BN train that includes the tower.

Photo via NorthAmericanInterlockings

Stephen N. Brannon posted
C&EI WV Tower, West Vienna, Illinois where C&EI Southern Illinois and CB&Q Southern Illinois lines diverged after CB&Q sharing C&EI from Neilson Tower 15.8 miles north of WV. C&EI color light train order board clear for northbound C&EI trains. No train order signal for CB&Q trains which always had to secure a Clearance at WV when operator on duty. Top semaphore signal cleared for southbound C&EI trains. Bottom semaphore for CB&Q.
Richard Fiedler shared
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Historical Society shared

Stephen N. Brannon posted
Another shot of C&EI WV Tower, West Vienna, Illinois looking southward in early 1960s. Track straight ahead is C&EI to Cypress, Tamms, Thebes, and across the Mississippi River to Chaffee, Missouri. Track splitting to the left is CB&Q heading south to Metropolis and over the P&I Ohio River bridge to Paducah, Kentucky.
Near Cypress the C&EI branch to Joppa split off primarily to funnel coal to the large Electric Energy, Incorporated steam power plant at Joppa.

Rochester, IN: Junction Tower: NKP(LE&W) vs. Erie

See Erie Depot for location and current railroad information.

Mike Deniston posted
Erie tower in Rochester at the junction of the Nickle Plate and Erie Lackawanna. The tower was located at the North West corner of the junction. Photo is from the Fulton County Historical Society.  I believe this was taken around 1916.

Decatur, IL: John Smith's Map

John Smith posted eight photos with the comment:

ok here is the completed Decatur IL Yellow is ICPurple is WabashTan is Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton RailwayPink is ITBrown is Vandalia Railroad

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