Return of the F's and some old R-O-W's!

Despite not feeling good and being slightly grumpy I went out for a little 
fun to work on social anxiety skills sort of , filmed a little history and 
locations, explored a little bit and pretty much killed multiple birds with
one stone.  What can I say those birds were delicious?  I filmed a little video
around the Old Norris Coal mine west of Norris, the CB&Q-BN-BNSF
Row at Norris itself then go up to Farmington to film at the old trestle 
for the Q-BN-BNSF also where the M&STL/C&NW passed under.  I
wish I was around when trains were still active on either but it's not 
meant to be. This is fun for me plus Canton is dull and talking to myself
on camera seemed like better company than I have at home so I went out.

It was worth frozen hands and it didn't take long to freeze either thankfully
for me i have enough padding to prevent hyperthermia a little longer so I
didn't care in the slightest. When I got home and after i ran an errand or two
seen a heads up about the F units making their way east on the KJRY line.
They're coming back to Kolbe from La Harpe so I go film that.  I didn't have
to go far I heard the horn as i was waiting on traffic at Oak and 5th so went 
and parked off 5th and nailed her there.  I usually photograph first then film
later but considering it was about time to start getting dark I swapped it
around. I filmed off 5th then shot around town off route 9 to come around
to catch it on the east end.  Success. That made my day and made feeling like
crap worth it.

The annual Santa Train event I'll drop the date and schedule:

Sat, Dec 9th starting in Mapleton and finishing in Smithfield,Illinois.

Mapleton : ( Walnut Street arrival time 8:30 am)
Glasford: ( Oak STreet Park, arrival 9:30am)
Breeds: (County Road 23 arrival 11:20 am)
Canton: (2nd Avenue arrival 1:30pm)
Cuba: (3rd street, arrival 3:45 pm)
Smithfield:  (main drag, 5:15 pm)

Hope there's a good turn out and look forward to it as well as get time away
for myself from stress.  I just hope to feel better by then.  I'm going reguardless
unless car craps out between now and then. I hope it doesn't snow.  I also wish
the 50's weather held out but oh well it is what it is and it's December in Illinois.

   









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fulton County, Illinois Ghost towns Part 1

Image
Ghost towns are abandoned villages that since disappeared or are no longer the population they were in their hey day after an economic down fall, disaster or whatever.  For me I consider a ghost town a town that no longer exists but may or may not leave traces behind of it's existence.  Fulton County has a lot of old historical towns like Canton which was founded in 1825 and Lewistown which was founded  years before Canton.  These towns are example of towns that managed to make it despite economic disasters and natural ones. Former towns which have signs marking their location like Civer between Canton and Cuba and Tuscumbia around Bernadotte are examples of towns that didn't make it and ceased to exist and into oblivion of history.  The only thing that is exists is those two signs that mark the location.  It's sad in a way but it is what it is and people who lived in these areas did what they had to for survival of the time period so if they moved to other communities can
Read more

Middle Grove- Rapatee Coal mine

Image
This subject is about the coal mine at Middle Grove and Rapatee areas. I basically just know the years and also what Railroads served them but i did get to photograph the area of this so there is a general idea of this.   The Midland Electric Coal Company has several strip mines within Fulton and Knox Counties from the years 1933-1963 ( Fulton County, strip),1963-1967 (Knox County strip), and Peabody Coal Company which  opened in 1968 and closed around that time or 1969. The mine would open once again and be the Middle Grove-Rapatee mine in 1975 or 1976 under the Midland Coal Company I think.  It ran until 1988 but the last rail shipment was in or around 1986 by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad.   Another company nearby or in this vicinity would be the Midstate Coal Company  which was a strip mine and operated from 1989-1996.  Over the decades it used the area railroads before 1960 it was the M&STL would would ship their coal and after it was Chicago & Northwestern.  The
Read more

BNSF local chase (Peoria -Galesburg)

Image
Due to a tip off from a friend I managed to catch the BNSF local which would head west on the Peoria sub enroute to the yard in Galesburg,  Illinois. I had quite a day though it was cold and  for a bit rainy in spots. It wasn't just normal rain either freezing rain plus some snow flurries but neither produced but it dictated if i filmed outside or from my car.  I only ended up filming on video in my car at Elmwood as prior to it arriving it  was raining plus it seemed the temp dropped so I was freezing. The joys of a car without heat you rely on a jacket and body fat to keep you warm and I certainly have enough body fat. Ha.  I did manage to knock off a few locations off my bucket list such as Elmwood, Edwards and off Kickapoo Creek road. I've filmed in Yates City before so catching it there wasn't concerned about but I did go to Douglas to take pictures as I never railfanned there or paid that little town any mind. Here are some photographs and  wha
Read more