Train traffic through Terre Haute and other I-70 points

[gravelyfan]

Hi,

I will be driving west on I-70 and am making a list of potential stopping off points where there is a decent chance of seeing (and photographing) a train in perhaps a one-hour or so stop.

A few that seem likely would be Terre Haute, Effingham, St. Elmo and Mitchell.

As I don't have all day to cross Illinois, I will likely pick only one or two of these places to stop off in.

I would welcome any suggestions based on more local knowledge, particularly train volumes on the intersecting lines.

I will post to the Illinois forum also.

Thanks in advance.

[Throttle_JCKY]

Terre Haute and Effingham would be the best as for train watching.
Both can have dry spells though. Terre Haute has the museum with both Haley and Spring Hill towers.

[zwsplac]

I would highly recommend Terre Haute as well, especially at the museum located at Haley Tower. Lasat time I was there, at about 7pm, I saw 5 trains in an hour, plus, a museum volunteer was there and let me take a bunch of pictures of the towers and stuff in the times between trains.

[gravelyfan]

Thanks for the info.

[Arborwayfan]

I was just at the museum; they are building a train-watching shelter on the grounds that should be done by September. The grounds are open 11-3 Saturday and Sunday, and I think there may be volunteers around erratically at other times. The parking spaces are outside the fence, though, and the views are great.
To get to the museum, take US Rte. 41 (AKA 3rd street) north from I-70. As you come near the grain elevators on the west side of the road, at the second RR crossing, look to see if there's anything doing in the little yard there. About 8 blocks after the big overpass over the ex-NYC main, turn right on 8th Ave. (There's a sign for Union Hospital). Take 8th Ave. east to 13th St., which is just before 8th Ave. crosses the combined ex-NYC and ex-C&EI CSX tracks. Turn left on 13th. On your right a block ahead you can see the towers in the museum.
CSX is repairing the 8th Ave. crossing. They seem to have replaced a section of track, which is probably a good thing because one rail was loose enough to rattle and bounce when a car drove over it on the road.
I also recently saw a gathering of hi-rail trucks and employees at a siding just west of 1st street, right where the ex-NYC main crosses the Wabash River. First street can be a fun drive if you enjoy spotting abandoned spurs and former rail customers. One track runs in a reservation in the middle of the street, and there were once a lot of customers there. You can find 1st street by following the tracks south and west on your way back to I-70. It's not far out of the way if you just cut back east to 3rd street right after the grain elevators.