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  • Old PRR banch to Pekin via Mackinaw.

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in the American Midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas. For questions specific to a railroad company, please seek the appropriate forum.

Moderator: railohio

 #107764  by bn13814
 
>This might be confusing so please pay attention!
>According to Mike Shafer's 1981 2-part TRAINS article, the IT had >several phases of using the PRR branch. According to Shafer, "In >December 1955 the PRR and IT effected a swap in the Morton area. PRR >bought IT's track between Morton and Allentown, and IT vacated Morton >street trackage in favor of PRR rails. " What exactly did the PRR do with >the IT between Morton and Allentown and when was it torn up? Also, did >the IT install connecting tracks at Allentown and Morton and continue to >use their line north of Morton to East Peoria?

I read a post from a few years ago on the IT yahoo! group that said Mike Schafer confused some of the details in that article. I know the mention of ITC unit trains of "soybean pellets" (should be corn gluten feed pellets) and "soybean mill" (should be soybean meal) was inaccurate. Decatur may have been the "soybean capital of the world" at one time but it was a pretty heavy corn processing town by the time the article was written (Staley had been processing corn for years and ADM opened its Corn Sweeteners div there in 1976; ethanol production started in 1978).

Back to the subject at hand...if Schafer is accurate then IT and PRR apparently began sharing trackage between Allentown and (South) Morton in December 1955 - the latter point is where ITC built a connection to PRR's Peoria Secondary. ITC also built a connection to the PRR on the NW end of town, thus enabling the railroad to vacate street trackage through town (to placate Morton residents, who complained about the lengthy, diesel-powered freight trains crawling through their neighborhoods). A stub of the old traction main was kept in place as far as Caldwell Hill for car storage and to serve a lumber yard and eventually, an LPG distributor.

The old IT line between Allentown and (South) Morton was closed along with Wilson Yard in June 1982 and the (South) Morton - Minier segment embargoed due to a deteriorating bridge at Mackinaw. This segment was approved for abandonment in July 1987 and the rest, in December of that year. The official abandonment took place February 24, 1988 (last train I presume).

>In December 1966, the IT started using PPR trackage rights from >Morton all the way to Farmdale Jct. It might have been then that they >tore up their own line over Caldwell Hill. Also, where exactly was Wilson Yard built Was it built on ex-PRR or IT trackage?

This actually occurred on August 1, 1966 when IT started running on the PRR Peoria Secondary all the way from South Morton to the Norfolk & Western's ex-Nickel Plate line at Farmdale Jct. Wilson Yard was built in 1975 on property at Allentown already owned by IT.

If you can find a copy, the Illinois Traction Society's Spring 1994 issue of The Flyer has a great and lengthy article on the ITC's Peoria Gateway routes. There could be copies available for sale at the ITS meet in Decatur April 30. I got mine at the ITS meet in Bloomington in May 2003 (Mike Schafer was actually there!).

DPJ

 #108263  by MR77100
 
Thanks for the info. When was that stub to Caldwell Hill torn up? I will lkely be in Decatur for that meeting of the ITS.

 #108417  by bn13814
 
>When was that stub to Caldwell Hill torn up?

I had an Aunt and Uncle that moved out to the area between Morton and East Peoria along Rt. 150 in 1987. I remember that this stub was covered with weeds but still in place at the time. It seems like the track was removed in 1989 but that's just a guess.

I plan to be at the ITS meet in Decatur April 30.

DPJ

 #110141  by MR77100
 
So the Caldwell Hill segment remained in place until 1989? I thought it was torn up in 1966? Also, when did the last IT train run over the PRR secondary? Did the IT continue to operate as a separate company after 9/1/81, or was it considered an NW operation?

 #110257  by bn13814
 
>So the Caldwell Hill segment remained in place until 1989? I thought it >was torn up in 1966?

The segment from Caldwell Hill to East Peoria wasn't removed until late 1968 for some reason but a stub remained from Morton to a point short of Caldwell Hill until about 1989. A friend of mine recalls ITC using this old stub for covered hopper storage.

>Also, when did the last IT train run over the PRR secondary? Did the IT >continue to operate as a separate company after 9/1/81, or was it >considered an NW operation?

The operational merger occurred on May 8, 1982. This was the offical end of the Illinois Terminal though N&W had by then already modified train operations. Trains 200 and 201 had been running on the N&W between Decatur and East Peoria over the old WAB and NKP via Gibson City (where a run-around was required) from about February or March 1982. These trains probably made a side trip to Morton via Farmdale Jct. until the operational merger, at which time the trains were abolished. A local job operating out of Decatur by ITC probably did all of the other local work (grain elevators at Minier and Waynesville and probably little else). After the operational merger, N&W kept running this local (which they called D50D) out of Decatur as far north as Minier (the large grain elevator there was the main source of traffic).

From my research, N&W westbound manifest FP-65 from Frankfort, Indiana to East Peoria made a side trip to Morton (via Farmdale Jct.) until it was itself discontinued in November 1986. At that time, a Gibson City to East Peoria Turn called D60G (renamed a year later to D41D) began running and performing the Morton work. This continued until about 1987 or early 1988. Dunlop Tire was the main reason for N&W to serve Morton and it closed and consolidated its warehouse operation in Morton with one in Kansas City in 1989.

 #110601  by MR77100
 
So the Morton-Minier segment did not see a train at all after it was embargoed in 1982? Also, when was the Morton street trackage torn up? I appreciate all this help.

 #110602  by bn13814
 
>So the Morton-Minier segment did not see a train at all after it was >embargoed in 1982?

Most likely not as it received approval first for abandonment (July 1987).

>Also, when was the Morton street trackage torn up? I appreciate all this >help.

I think it was a few years after it was abandoned, like 1958 or so. I've seen the date somewhere but can't recall where.

 #112524  by MR77100
 
I have more questions about the East Peoria gateway, so this might be confusing. I know the original ITS line ducked under the the PRR line just southwest of Mackinaw, and then merged up with the Bloomington line. But on the north side of Mackinaw it seems it swung back to cross the PRR again in Allentown. Did it cross the PRR twice? Also, when was that Santa Fe branch torn up through Morton? Did the ITC interchange with them?

 #112646  by bn13814
 
>I have more questions about the East Peoria gateway, so this might be >confusing. I know the original ITS line ducked under the the PRR line >just southwest of Mackinaw, and then merged up with the Bloomington >line. But on the north side of Mackinaw it seems it swung back to cross >the PRR again in Allentown. Did it cross the PRR twice?

The ITS line and PRR Peoria Secondary closely paralleled each other between Allentown and Morton where ITS bridged over the PRR as the latter began running NE and then NW toward Farmdale Jct.

>Also, when was that Santa Fe branch torn up through Morton? Did the >ITC interchange with them?

The line still exists in Morton and is operated by the TP&W to serve Nestle USA/Libby's (outbound boxcars of canned pumpkin), Fort Transfer Company (inbound tank cars of herbicide, started gettng service in early 2002) and Morton Buildings (inbound lumber on centerbeam flats). Caterpillar's global distribution center loaded gondolas with "track & link" for shipment to other distribution centers such as Denver and York until, reportedly, the mid-1990's.

Most of the branch was abandoned on July 8, 1983. Pekin Jct. (east side of Washington) to just short of the Rt. 98 crossing west of Morton remained in place. When TP&W got trackage rights on the Norfolk & Western's ex-Nickel Plate line in November 1983 (Farmdale - Crandall Jct.) the section from just NE of Crandall Jct. to Pekin Jct. was abandoned and removed quickly, IIRC.

Santa Fe and ITC interchanged regularly at Morton until the N&W takeover and subsequent operational merger in May 1982. I figure that boxcar loads of Libby's pumpkin were shipped to SE points and Santa Fe made a delivery switch to ITC in Morton and ITC handed them off to the Southern Rwy. and/or L&N at East St. Louis (Atlanta is a current destination for at least a few boxcars routed via NS).

That May 1981 TRAINS article contains a photo that shows an ATSF centerflow covered hopper on the head end of Train 200 as it arrives Allentown in 1977. I'm curious as to what business this was. The pic was likely taken before the Mackinaw wreck that August. Santa Fe had largely de-marketed its Pekin Branch grain business during the 1970's. Santa Fe originated lots of potash from Carlsbad, New Mexico but Train 200 wouldn't have traversed the Peoria Secondary (where ITC served several fertilizer dealers) at the time.

Another possible source of ATSF-ITC interchange was Caterpillar parts shipments from Morton to the new (in 1975) distribution center at Memphis. This facility, a former Zenith TV plant, was probably served by the Frisco on the city's SE side. Perhaps gondola loads of "track & link", track shoes, cutting edges and other parts were routed ITC St. Louis SLSF?

ITC-ATSF routings between Chicago and St. Louis were possible as well.

 #116726  by MR77100
 
Hey guys. Today I went and did some old IT photography, and made some amazing discoveries! I went to Mackinaw and was amazed to see the station/substation still standing! It is a museum now and is in excellent shape. There is a ROW on the north side of the depot, and I am not sure what is was. There also seemed to be a ROW on the south side of the building.

Later on, I traveled to the southwest side of town to look for the "subway," where the ITS line ducked under the PRR secondary. I crossed the ITS ROW and walked down it through the woods, and low and behold, there it was! Some chunks of the enbankment had been taken out by erosion, but the bridge was still intact! I climbed up there and took some pics. I then walked along the PRR ROW through the tree into a clearing to see it totally disappear into a plowed field!

I then went back to my car and drove north to Allentown. There were 2 ROW's running side-by-side. Does anyone know which is which? I know Wilson yard was located south of town, and I think I saw that yard building still standing out in the middle of the cornfield. Were both the IT and PR torn up through here at the same time?

Well, I next drove east and then south down another country road. I stopped at the ITS ROW and walked east through the woods to the location of the Mackinaw River bridge. The abutments are still there but are in poor shape, and I know this was the location of the August, 1977 derailment that damaged the bridge and severed the line. When was the bridge scrapped? Also, was Mackinaw Jct. where the Bloomington line branched off, directly on the other side of the river?

I will try to post these pics if I can.[/url]

 #121591  by MR77100
 
Are there any old PRR signals still standing along this line anywhere?

 #121788  by bn13814
 
Not sure about that one...Atlanta, maybe.

 #128135  by MR77100
 
Did the IT serve that Dunlop Tire facility as well? If that did not close, do you think that NS would have kept that segment from Farmdale to Morton? I was in Morton a few weeks ago and saw the Santa Fe branch, which was wobbly, but in use. What streets did the IT run down, and near what intersections were the connecting tracks installed so the IT could run to/from the PRR? BTW, what is the problem with all these bridges over the Mackinaw River? In 1977, the IT had a derailment on the ITS line that destroyed their bridge. Then in 1982, N&W, (or maybe IT at that time) embargoed the PRR Secondary due tho that bridge. Then in 1984, Conrail shut down the P&E due to THEIR deterioring bridge over the Mackinaw River. Is the Mackinaw a fast-paced river with strong rapids, or are these railroads just finding excuses to rip up tracks?

 #128189  by bn13814
 
>Did the IT serve that Dunlop Tire facility as well? If that did not close, do >you think that NS would have kept that segment from Farmdale to >Morton?

My understanding is that Dunlop Tire actually left town after the old Pennsy line was offcially abandoned (2-24-88). Dunlop had two manufacturing plants - Tonawanda, New York and Huntsville, Alabama and it is possible that they switched to TOFC or truck before NS filed for abandonment in June 1987 (possibly the reason for the filing????).

>I was in Morton a few weeks ago and saw the Santa Fe branch, which >was wobbly, but in use. What streets did the IT run down, and near what >intersections were the connecting tracks installed so the IT could run >to/from the PRR?

IT ran down Jefferson Street. I'm not as familiar with the other streets and where the IT connected to the PRR. Some of these are probably built up with new housing subdivisions and the old grades have been erased. Some of the PRR and even the original IT grades are still visible in Morton.

>BTW, what is the problem with all these bridges over the Mackinaw >River? In 1977, the IT had a derailment on the ITS line that destroyed >their bridge. Then in 1982, N&W, (or maybe IT at that time) embargoed >the PRR Secondary due tho that bridge. Then in 1984, Conrail shut down >the P&E due to THEIR deterioring bridge over the Mackinaw River. Is the >Mackinaw a fast-paced river with strong rapids, or are these railroads >finding excuses to rip up tracks?

All of those above mentioned rail lines had been in a long decline by the time of the bridge-related embargoes and abandonments. The original IT traction line was expendable because it had no on-line traffic by 1977. The old Pennsy had been neglected for years with deferred maintenance and since N&W had alternative access to Peoria, the Pennsy line survived for local traffic only. N&W decided it could serve those customers without maintaining the entire line. Conrail's old P&E had seen a long decline in traffic and even though INPE and PEIN were reportedly running daily with as many as 30 cars as recently as December 1982, the railroad decided that it could serve local customers (except the elevator at Danvers) by retaining Pekin trackage, but reaching it via N&W and P&PU.

 #130138  by MR77100
 
What were the rules for the diamond crossings on the line? Did any of them have towers?