Howdy from Havana ,Illinois.

I love how every time some new fast food joint wants to come to town people swoon all over it like it will be a huge economic boost to Canton and act like it's this great big deal. Okay yes it will add a few jobs maybe twenty but you have a town of 15,000 so it's basically nothing in comparison. I don't really care that a fast food joint wants to come here because I'm not going to go to it so whatever but the issue I do have is no one seems to want to bring manufacturing or some better paying gigs to this town.  People hate the idea of Coal mines being reopened any where in this county. No one wants factories built here or anything that might provide more variety to people who want better work that just some customer service retail job or a fast food joint. If you want a job like this you have to drive thirty or more miles to even start  running into all of that. When I didn't have alot of health issues and was working Foundries and warehouses sometimes got sick of ...

Okay before I tie into the city of Canton once again on it's failure to attract anything of interest. I swear they want to keep us all fat so we can't escape. I see how they are. Anyways I hear a train horn and see a F unit in the distance so I go park off Second Avenue and Railroad street hoping for some hitchcock action but no such luck. Oh well there is always another time i'm just glad to see a train.  I film that then take some pictures west of town. The sun and my camera seemed to not agree  today so looks like a halo or something in the sky or i had a setting set wrong. I also smacked my hand on the car door leaving a small cut so my clumbsy nature knows no bounds. No big deal just found humor in it. The  train was lead by Prex #1752 and was a good sized one clocking in  over three minutes. Now I heard someone confirm a Jimmy John's was going to be built in this town. Oh for fuck sakes don't we have enough food joints to punish our waist lines ...

This is just an explanation not that I really should need one it's my damn preference on why I railfan or even do other stuff alone and it's not all just anxiety either.  I like to have my car to myself so I can have privacy, not have someone tell me how to drive, rush me or even slow me down.  I like to go at my own pace and if i get bored i go else where without having to take in other people's consideration. I also like to put my trach cleaning kits, scanner and  other things in the passenger seat for easy access.  I also do not appriciate the back seat drivers I have encountered with family and what not if i want to  look for any railway activity. I do not like being told how i should or should not  feel and to be frankly I don't care for people who talk to much because it works on my anxiety. My husband when he's manic never shuts the fuck up and imagine being a driver having to watch out for idiots on the road then someone beside you babbl...

I have talked about this mine before and I will always have a link to it since my father Bill May worked there from 1968 til it shut down in 1984. I know he quit the International Harvester in Canton to go work for the mine or so that's what he said. It probably paid better would be my guess.  Dad told me stories one how they got snowed in and was there for like a week either 1978 or 1979. He said both years were hellish. I was like three when the mine closed so I don't have much  memories. I do remember getting my ass spanked for waking my Dad up as he was sleeping after work. I  don't remember what stupid thing i did but it was stupid enough to get my ass spanked.  Serves me right. I do remember he had a white ford pick up and later on a 1978 Ford truck. He took me with him to pick my mom up from work at Sydney Harrison Company in Peoria (closed 1990). I remember tracks crossing the highway and crossbuck at trivoli as mom took Route 116 on the way home...

This morning a friend tipped me off on a possible coal train heading up the Yates City Sub from Vermont. I thought i was going to miss it  and was slightly annoyed because someone took off with the car and  I didn't know how long they were going to be gone. It's no  big deal but when you're in a rut in Canton bored it's kind of an "Oh man" sign thing but whatever. I keep missing KJRY which has also caused some frustration either i'm going deaf or the wind isn't carrying  the distant  sounds of a horn my way which is my tip off of them making a west run other wise I have no idea if a train has passed or not or is going too. What frustrates me is just the fact Canton doesn't have any very active rail lies anymore for us railfans. KJRY is like a once or twice a week thing and we're greatful to see them...Okay I am. I'm the only  railfan in this town still living that I know of. Pioneer and KJ saved our town from being a totally ra...