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Post by The Alton Route on Dec 8, 2004 20:50:21 GMT -6
Does anyone know what streets the IT used in Streator? If I'm not mistake, the line went east on Hickory to Illinois, and then north on Illinois. Not too sure where it went from there.
Also, are those tracks to the west of Lipton Tea the old Wabash-CB&Q connection?
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Post by John on Dec 9, 2004 6:26:35 GMT -6
I have a map somewhere showing the IT tracks in Streator. I will try to find it. And yes, you are correct about the tracks west of the old Lipton Tea building. The Wabash line officially ended at the depot on Bridge St. However, the tracks continued on to the CB&Q tracks at the depot on Hickory St.
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Post by John on Mar 30, 2006 21:08:59 GMT -6
I was sent these photos with the note that they were taken in or near Streator. I am unable to identify the area where this might be. I do not recognize the trestle or creek in the one photo. The men in the photo are said to be Streator firefighters. I am guessing these to be sometime in the 1940s. Maybe someone can help out here.
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Post by BlueStar7 on Mar 30, 2006 22:10:50 GMT -6
Butch, could that be the area just south of town, before the "New" bridge was built? I believe that part of the river (Vermillion) is very low during the summer.
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Post by John on Mar 31, 2006 6:54:19 GMT -6
I thought that too, but the new concrete bridge pier on the left side of the photo is what threw me off. There is not, nor was any pier of that style out there. And the old bridge out there wasn't that close to the railroad trestle. It appears that a new bridge is about to be built, judging from the new concrete pier in the photo and the current bridge is too new for this photo.
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Post by GuestJob on Mar 31, 2006 7:31:24 GMT -6
At first I thought that it was the trestle over Coal Run Creek, between Neumann's and the Brickyard. However, the second photo does not look like that area; and I do not remember any new bridge being built there.
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Post by DumDave on Mar 31, 2006 11:57:30 GMT -6
Does anyone know what streets the IT used in Streator? If I'm not mistake, the line went east on Hickory to Illinois, and then north on Illinois. Not too sure where it went from there. Also, are those tracks to the west of Lipton Tea the old Wabash-CB&Q connection? Here is the answer to the IT question that I posted on another thread. "The electric trains began under the Peoria, Streator and Ottawa Railway Company that was incorporated in 1906." "By the end of 1909, several miles of track had been layed north Streator, but the Illinois Railroad & Warehouse Commission denied the use of Main Street because of the steam railroad crossing. The Commission issued a ruling that the CO&P" (from the north)....... " build south on Illinois Street to the Santa Fe Railway,then southwest on a private right of way along the Santa Fe to Bridge Street, then west on Bridge Street to Everett, then north to Main Street, west on Main Street to Sterling Street, North to Hickory and west to Bloomington Street where the station is located. The line along the Santa Fe permitted the interurban to come under the protection of the interlocking plant (railroad switching tower) where the Santa Fe crossed the New York Central and the Chicago and Alton Railroads." (This would be just south of Main St & Illinios St.) Now looking at the map I have, it looks like the interurban actually followed Shabbona, before it was extended past Fourth St & out to Marilla Park where the article says that there is still some signs of the Interurban ROW. Then it came down on the west side of Owens & joined the Santa Fe just south of the plant (or where the plant is now). There are also former bridge abutments where it used to cross Otter & Wolf Creeks (at the time of this article.) I hope this clears some stuff up. Do what I did & get out a Streator map & follow the directions. Whew!! BTW When the train first got to South Ottawa, passengers had to get off the Interurban & walk a few blocks over to the C.B. & Q bridge (It's still there) in order to cross the Illinois River on a shuttle train. The Illinois River bridge was under construction then. In 1912 the bridge was completed & the Interurban was able to enter Ottawa. At Ottawa, passengers were able to then ride the Northern Illinois Light & Traction Company system. (all the way to Chicago & other destinations........ The entire line was abandoned in 1929 due to the popularity of the automobile & better roads for same. I have read that there was an amusement area about half way to Ottawa. -Dave
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Post by DumDave on Mar 31, 2006 12:12:32 GMT -6
Regarding the railroad fire pictures.....I think it HAS to be the Santa Fe. I was looking at the first picture & thought that the tresle was pretty wide. Then the other picture showed that it was a double tracked. Th Santa Fe is the only double tracked line in town. (I can't think of any passing sidings, plus railroads don't like to have to build large structures just for a siding.) BTW the new bridge support looks like it is a lot newer than the 1940's. If it's not south of town, then I am stumped too. -Dave
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Post by John on Apr 1, 2006 20:03:00 GMT -6
Dave, You can tell it is double track on the trestle, just look at the shadows below the track on the piers. Here is another photo of the same scene.
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Post by John on Jan 31, 2007 18:27:55 GMT -6
Streator's first railroad was built around 1867 by the Ottawa, Oswego and Fox River Valley Railroad Company. It ran from Streator to Wenona connecting with the Illinois Central Railroad at Wenona and giving the Vermillion Coal Company an outlet for its product. The line became part of the Chicago & Alton Railroad in 1869 and was extended to Dwight.
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Post by DumDave on Feb 1, 2007 15:03:18 GMT -6
And it is all gone now, including the Illinois Central tracks that followed old Route 51! These tracks used to go through Riverview cemetery. They extended to Lacon on the Illinois River by the turn of the century. Also, about halfway between Wenona & Lacon, there was a branch that went south to the T.P. & W at Farmdale. (Just down the line from where the old Santa Fe's "Pumpkin Line" joined the T.P. & W.) -Dave
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Post by John on Feb 1, 2007 19:07:26 GMT -6
Here is the old Santa Fe freight depot that was just north of the passenger depot on North Illinois St.
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Post by DumDave on Feb 2, 2007 14:05:49 GMT -6
How important is Streator as far as the railroad industry goes? Well I get two magazines from Kalmbach Publishing TRAINS & CLASSIC TRAINSThey both arrived this week. Classic Trains has an article of a rail fan club from Chicago that got with the Santa Fe to take a special excursion train to Pekin Via the old "Pumpkin Route". They have a real neat picture of their train ( a classic F unit in Warbonnet livery) just past Ancona stopped so that they could take picture of it as another similar train no.23 went by on the mainline. This happened in April of 1969. BTW It only cost $19.95 for the round trip to Pekin. Also they were met by Pekin's mayor who brought a truck load of beer & soft drinks. It stated about Ancona that the "Pekin route being the original railroad here, built by Francis Hinkley [Thus some people know this as the Hinkley line] as the Chicago & St. Louis and acquired in 1886 by Santa Fe President William Barstow Strong to serve as his Chicago entry when he extended his AT&SF eastward from Kansas City" -Dave Then I got my Trains magazine & they had an article about the NYC Kankakee Belt Line with a map on the inside page showing where it met the Santa Fe main line in Streator. There was also a fold out map showing the changes in the old NYC from 1960 to present, again Streator was on this map. -Dave
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Post by DumDave on Feb 6, 2007 15:56:30 GMT -6
Three railroads....yes three all crossed in or near Reddick in about 1900. Name them. -Dave
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Post by John on Apr 11, 2007 18:39:11 GMT -6
Dave, I have looked into this and have found numerous possibilities. I am awaiting your answer on this one.
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